Exciting day for TT athletes
Saturday, August 2 2014 (T&T Newsday)
Trinidad and Tobago lightweight boxer Micheal Alexander copped his first ever major international medal yesterday at the XX Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, Scotland.It was TT’s fifth medal in Glasgow — two silver and three bronze. Alexander, 21-years-old, lost his semi-final bout to Northern Ireland’s Joe Fitzpatrick, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27.
In the other semi-final, India’s Devendro Laishram dominated Wales’ Ashley Williams, registering a knockdown in a 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 victory.
Meanwhile, it was an exciting day for the other TT athletes in their quest for glory with Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott setting a new national record with the best qualifying throw for today’s finals of the men’s javelin throw event.
Walcott threw the spear 85.28 metres to win Group B of the qualifying round comfortably. The former World Junior champion outshone his other rivals in Group B including Australians Luke Cann (79.36) Stuart Farquhar (78.54) and Josh Robinson (78.32).
The TT men and women 4x400 and 4x100m relay teams also secured lanes in today’s finals with impressive performances.
The women 4x400 team was the first to advance after placing third in semi-final one behind Jamaica (3:28.29) and Australia (3:32.40). The TT quartet of Shawna Fermin, Dominique Williams, Janeil Bellille and Romona Modeste produced a time of three minutes 33.26 seconds.
In the men equivalent, TT easily advanced with the absence of 400m National Champion Renny Quow. Running with the 2014 Commonwealth 400m Games bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, 400m hurdles silver medallist Jehue Gordon and Zwede Hewitt, TT blew away semi-final two in three minutes 04.06 seconds ahead of Nigeria (3:06.66) and Zambia (3:07.43).
The TT Women 4x100 team placed third in semi-final one with a time of 44.47 to finish closely behind Australia (44.45) with Nigeria winning in 44.13.
Their male equivalent — Rondel Sorillo, Keston Bledman, Marc Burns and Richard Thompson — won their semi-final, getting the baton around smoothly in 38.33 seconds ahead of Canada (38.41) and Bahamas (38.52).
Also, TT’s Josanne Lucas failed to medal at yesterday’s women 100m hurdles after crossing the line in seventh position in 13.60 seconds. Sally Parson of Australia won gold in 12.67 ahead of Tiffany Porter of England (12.80) and Canadian Angela Whyte (13.80).