Scott throws Pan Am bronze

SANTO DOMINGO: AMERICA-based Candice Scott collected Trinidad and Tobago’s first official medal, in the women’s hammer throw, at the 14th Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic yesterday.

Scott, the current US collegiate champ and record holder, had a best attempt of 69.06 metres, with Yunaika Crawford claiming gold in a new Pan Am record of 74.25 metres and fellow Cuban Yipsy Moreno silver in 69.57. Crawford’s feat was the highlight of the morning’s track and field events, which also featured the 100m heats, as she smashed the previous mark of 65.36 set by American Dawn Ellerbe in 1999. Bodybuilder Damien George took bronze in the men’s middleweight division while Karen Walcott grabbed silver in the fitness competition on Monday. But both events are demonstration sports at the Games and the medals would not count on the official tally.

In the 100m heats yesterday morning, TT sprinter Niconnor Alexander, who is currently enrolled at the Abilene Christian University, won the fourth preliminary heat in 10.45 seconds while national senior sprint double champ Jacey Harper was fourth in heat two in 10.55, and advanced to last night’s semi as one of the four “fastest losers.” TT senior 100m queen and World Under-18 bronze medallist Kelly-Ann Baptiste were also expected to feature in the semis after the women’s 100m first round was scrapped. Annaleise Rose was the only TT tennis player to record a victory on the courts yesterday, with a tough 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 first round win over Marcela Rodezmo of El Salvador. Rose, who lives and trains in Florida, will meet Dilmarie Pastellvi of Puerto Rico today.

Top national server Shane Stone failed to progress past the second round, after he was soundly beaten 6-2, 6-2 in 53 minutes by ex-world number one Marcelo Rios of Chile. Stone’s younger brother Troy was also eliminated 6-0, 6-0 by Uruguay’s Marcel Selder in his first round contest. The women’s hockey squad were beaten 3-1 by Chile with 2002 Women’s “Player of the Year” Oire Trotman scoring the consolation goal in the 53rd, after the Chileans found the backboard in the 26th, 32nd and 45th minutes. The men’s beach volleyball pair of Nolan Tash and Sean Morrison were expected to face Paraguay at 8 pm yesterday, with a greater incentive of winning after they were trounced 21-7, 21-10 by Puerto Rico on Monday.