Raeburn sprints to 200m final

SANTO DOMINGO: Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Julieon Raeburn advanced to the 200 metres final at the XIV Pan American Games here yesterday.

The American-based Raeburn finished fourth in the first semi-final last night, clocking 21.20 seconds, to qualify as one of the “fastest losers.” And national double sprint champ Jacey Harper was expected to face the starter in the second semi last night. Fana Ashby and Keenan Gibson were eliminated in the women’s semi-finals. Ashby was sixth in the first semi-final with a clocking of 23.97 seconds, while Gibson was seventh in the other semi.  She was timed in 24.45 seconds. Trinidad and Tobago hockey women recorded their first victory in an otherwise disappointing campaign, trouncing  hosts Dominican Republic 6-1, with Oire Trotman, Stacy Siu Butt and Nicole Dixon scoring two goals apiece. The Stone brothers, Shane and Troy, were beaten by a Dominican Republic pair 6-2, 7-5, while the volleyball duo of Sean Morrison and Nolan Tash were beaten by an  American pair 21-12, 21-7.

Taran Deosaran, with a total of 576 points, placed 21st out of 36 competitors in the men’s rifle shoot, while fellow TT marksman Takoor Sankar was 29th with a tally of 569. Adriana Munoz of Cuba won the gold medal in the women’s 1,500m at the Games yesterday, in a Cuban record time of four minutes, 9.57 seconds, ahead of American Jayne Harrelson 4:09.72 and Jamaican Madrea Hyman 4:10.08. Former world No. 1 Marcelo Rios of Chile advanced to the tennis quarter-finals, beating Jaime Cuellar of El Salvador 6-0, 6-3 yesterday. Rios will face Miguel Gallardo of Mexico in the next round. Gallardo beat Kepler Orellana of Venezuela 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. In equestrian, the United States won the gold in team dressage. Canada were second and Mexico third.

In the individual dressage, Trinidad and Tobago rider Margaret Auerbatch failed to advance. The United States took two shooting gold medals while Cuba garnered the third. Leuris Pupo of Cuba won the men’s 25 meter pistol gold, followed by fellow Cuban Juan Francisco Perez. John McNally of the United States took the bronze. Later, Brandie Neal won the women’s skeet, while Melisa Gil of Argentina took silver and Linda Conley of Canada got bronze. On Wednesday, hometown hero Felix Sanchez stole the show at the Olympic Stadium, winning the 400 hurdles and setting a Pan American Games record in 48.19 seconds. A few hours later, Brazil beat host Dominican Republic 89-62 to win the men’s basketball gold medal. Puerto Rico took the bronze, beating the United States 76-70. It was the first time in 32 years that the Americans failed to medal.