media_artricles :: 2014

Alexander goes after gold spot

Local pugilist, Michael Alexander will hope to claim a spot in the 22nd Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games men’s 60kg lightweight boxing gold medal contest scheduled for Saturday at the Wold Trade Centre, Veracruz, when he comes up against home-town fighter Mexican Lindolfo Delgado in tonight’s semifinal bout from 8.45 pm.

This after Alexander, a bronze medal winner at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year in Glasgow, Scotland defeated Nicaragua’s Alexandrer Mejia 2-1 on points in their quarterfinal bout.

Delgado reached the semifinal by blanking Dominican Republic’s Sparkinson Starling Almonte 3-0 in his fight. The other semifinal bout is between Venezuelan Jose Diaz and Cuban Jorge Lazoro Alvarez.

T&T’s Seanasi Charles failed in his bid for a medal after he went down to Puerto Rico’s Daniel Zorilla 0-3 in their men’s 64KG lightwelterweight quarterfinal. But before Alexander steps into the right, sprinter Josanne Lucas will contest the women’s 100m hurdles today at the Heriberto Jara Atheltic Stadium from 2.55pm after she ended third in the first of two semifinals heats in 13.79 seconds behind Colombian Lina Marcela Florez (13.31) and Venezuela’s Genesis Romero (13.62).

The five other qualifiers for today’s final at 2.55pm were qualifiers from heat two, Colombian Briggite Maria Merlano (13.14), Barbadian Kierre Beckles (13.51), Cuban Rujaine Coto (13.60), Mexico’s Gabriela Belen Santos (13.81) and Bahamian, Petra Mc Donald (13.98). Yesterday, Akeem Stewart, 19, was another near miss for T&T at the Heriberto Jara Atheltic Stadium when he finished in fourth spot in the men’s shot put final with a season best mark of 18.08 metres.

After fouling on his first attempt, Stewart had a distance of 17.28 on his second attempt, then fouled the third before his 18.08 effort on the fourth attempt. His last two attempts were all illegal.

Taking gold was Mexican Mario Cota with a 19.30 distance on his final attempt after he occupied the same position with distances of 18.32, 18.51, 18.77 and 19.18 on his first, third, fourth and fifth attempts respectively.

A close second spot was his countryman Christopher Saenz with 19.27 on his third attempt took as he was also consistent with his other attempts of 18.51, 18.52, 18.89, 18.73 and 19.24, all good for second in their respective round while Jamaican Raymond Brown got silver with a distance of 18.30 on his second attempt. T&T’s other entrant, Quincy Wilson, who was fourth in the men’s discus throw eight-man final with a best throw of 54.72 on his first of six attempts on Monday, was sixth this time around with a 16.11 effort, on his first of only two successful attempts. His fourth attempt landed at 15.49 metres.

Sailing postponed

T&T’s Kelly-Ann Arrindell will resume her hunt for a top three placing in the women’s laser radial in 11th overall with 49 points and five more races to come, after yesterday’s carded race six was postponed while Olympian Andrew Lewis, joint sixth with Mexican Yanic Gentry, both with 32 points in the men’s laser also go back into action today at Gaviotas Beach, following, yesterday’s postponed sixth race.

Today

Badminton

At the Omega Complex, the local quartet of Nekeisha Blake, Kerwyn Pantin, Jada Renales and Will Lee will also be in badminton singles action.

Blake comes up against Daigenis Saturria of Dominican Republic in the women’s round-of-32 from 12 noon, and countrywoman Renales battles a yet to be determined player in the round-of-16 at 2 pm while in the men’s draw, Pantin comes up against Dominican Republic’s William Cabrera in the round-of-32 and Lee will met a yet to be named player in the last-16.

And in round-of-16 doubles play, Renales and Kerian Quan Chee met Guatemala’s Nikte Sotomayor and Beatriz Ramos in the women’s division while Pantin and Alistair Espinoza battled Dominican Republic’s Alberto Rapozo and Nelsol Javier at the same hurdle.

Volleyball

T&T men face Colombia at the Cordoba Arena in Pool A round-robin action after they came up against host Mexico in their opener last night.

Water Polo

At the Leyes de Reforma Aquatic Centre, T&T water polo men will be going after a first win in four matches when they meet Cuba from 7.30 pm.

In their three previous matches, the T&T men went under to Puerto Rico (9-16), Colombia (4-16) and Venezuela (5-11), the latter of which leads the seven-team table with a 3-0 record and maximum six points, two clear of Mexico and Colombia who have played two and three matches respectively.

Following today’s match, T&T will meet Mexico tomorrow from 7.30 pm and Guatemala on Friday to end round-robin play ahead of Saturday’s playoffs and final.

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