media_artricles :: 2017

Four T&T athletes move on to semis

First on the track at the London Olympic Stadium in England was bronze medallist in the London Olympics 400 metres, Lalonde Gordon who was second in his heat and advanced with a season's best 45.02 seconds for overall ninth fastest time into the semifinal round.

"My aim was just to finish in the top two, time was not on my mind, I love the crowd and the atmosphere here, it reminds me of London 2012. There is a lot of positive vibes in the camp, everyone is pushing each other," Gordon said. "Now it is on to the semi-final, so I am going out to try to make it to the final and just leave everything with God and let it all go after that."

National champion Machel Cedenio finished a close fourth in a time of 45.77 but made it to the semi finals as an automatic qualifier after Costa Rican Nery Brenes, who crossed second was subsequently disqualified. Hometown favourite Martyn Rooney was also disqualified.

"I feel disappointed. I did not get the results I wanted and I came here for but hopefully I will get into the semifinal and take things from there," Cedenio said after his heat. "I did not get the start I wanted but it is no secret that I am not in the condition that I would not normally be at this time but I am still going to come out and aim to reach that final and once that happens, we will see."

Last man on the track in the 400m was Renny Quow but he did not advance after finishing sixth in 45.95 and placed 32nd overall.

The Women's 100 metres followed soon after, and it was the youngster Khalifa St Fort that started proceedings for T&T, coming up against Olympic champion Elaine Thompson. St Fort was slowly away and never recovered and finished in fifth for an overall placing of 31st in a time of 11.44.

"It was not my best race, I came out looking to do better but it happens, I gave of my best and hopefully it will be good enough to get me into the next round, if not, I feel good, I felt excited, I'm felt ready and when I was on the line, I just told myself I deserve to be here and try to give it my best on the day," a focused St Fort told the Guardian, however she failed to progress to the semifinals today.

Michelle-Lee Ahye, who appeared to struggle in the wet conditions, could only finish third in heat five and overall in 10th position in a time of 11.14 and would only say: "Tomorrow I will talk, not today, tomorrow."

Kelly-Ann Baptiste running in heat six, finished fourth in a close race but her time of 11.21 was good enough for her to move into the semifinal round, finishing in overall 16th place.

"I feel ok, I feel as if I wanted to qualify but I also wanted to win but it did not happen but I also know that is not my best but if I give my best it will be fine, so now I am in the semi final, that is all I can ask for," Baptiste said.

"This was my first race in about two or three weeks, so I definitely need that first round, to kind of get it out of my system and to be sharper and ready for tomorrow. At this time, it is not about time, it is about being in the line up and beating people, the semifinal was first target so now it is moving on from that and trying to advance as well."

Baptiste shared that the chemistry in the team is really good saying: "Like before my heat, Michelle was in the heat before me and she came up to me, to tell me good luck so everybody is good, everybody is supporting each other."

First on the track today will be national 400 metres women's champion, Domonique Williams. She will race at 7.22 am (TT time) in heat four, from lane seven and will look to improve on her season's best time of 51.90 as she come up against Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica, who has a season's best 50.14 and Phyliss Francis of the USA with a season best of 49.96.

Then it is on to the Men's 110m hurdles, where Ruebin Walters is in heat two at 8.23 am, racing from lane two with a season's best time of 13.30, but he will have to contend with Garfield Damien of France who has a season best time of 13.09 and USA's Devon Allen, who has a time of 13.10.

Heat five in that event at 8.47am will find Mikel Thomas running from lane three with a season's best time of 13.33. Also in his heat are Hansle Parchment of Jamaica (13.19), Serjey Shubenkov (13.01) and Spain's Orlando Ortega (13.15).

Later in the afternoon session, Baptiste is in heat one of the Women's 100 metres semifinals at 2.10 pm (TT time). Baptiste will run from lane two and will have Dafne Schippers, Simone Facey, Juray Levey and Deejah Stevens among the opposition.

Ahye is in heat three at 2.28pm, running from lane nine and will be opposed by Torie Bowie, Muriella Ahoure and Blessing Okagbare. The top two qualify from each heat and the two fastest losers to the final this eveving at 4.45pm(TT time).

Next is the Men's 400 metres semifinals, where Gordon races in heat two at 2.48pm, from lane four but will have as his competition, LaShawn Merritt, Wayde Van Niekerk and Baboloki Thebe.

Cedenio is in heat three at 2.56pm, running from lane eight and will face up to Issac Makwala, Demish Gaye and Jamal Walton.

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