TT relay medal hopes dashed

Without the speed and power the world’s second fastest man Darrel Brown, Trinidad and Tobago’s chances of collecting a second medal at the 9th IAAF World Outdoor Championships were dashed yesterday when the senior sprint relay quartet failed to advance to the 4x100 relay final at the Stade de France.

Eighteen-year-old Brown, the world’s new youth record holder and world silver-medallist, felt the pangs of a pulled muscle during his historic final when he had to come from behind to edge out his senior world-rated sprinters for the silver medal in 10.08. He has been an integral part of the sprint relays teams, which have lowered the national relay record twice at the 2001 Edmonton World Championships and the 14th Pan-American Games held in the Dominican Republic earlier this month. Yesterday, with Marc Burns, Ato Boldon, Jacey Harper and Nicconor Alexander, racing in that order; TT placed fourth in the third round of the quarterfinal heats. They clocked 38.89, which allowed them to qualify for the semi-final as one of the four fastest after the top three teams from the four rounds advanced. TT were fourth to Poland (38.52), Netherlands (38.72, National Record), and Jamaica (38.84, Season Best).

The United States with 200-metre gold medallist John Capel, Bernard Williams, Davris Patton and Josh Johnson clocked the fastest time in the first semi-final round in 37.99. They had won quarterfinal heat one in 38.28 ahead of France (38.61), Germany (38.91), Ghana (38.94) and Dominican Republic (39.09). Jamaica, who had finished just ahead of Trinidad and Tobago in heat three in 38.84, replaced leadoff runner Julien Dunkley with finisher Ricardo Williams and used Asafa Williams at the anchor leg. This worked in their favour as they improved in the semi-final and placed second in 38.45. Poland (38.50, SB), Japan (38.58) and Netherlands (38.63, NR) outpaced TT (38.84) and made it through to today’s showdown final. Great Britain’s Christian Malcolm, Darren Campbell, Malcolm Devenish and Dwain Chambers powered to victory in the other semi-final in 38.26 and established themselves as a one of the favoured team for the gold medal. They switched 100-metre bronze medallist Campbell with Mark Lewis-Francis in the “semis”? and looked very smooth in the exchanges with Chambers just coasting home. Brazil (38.50) and Nigeria (38.58, SB) were automatic qualifiers as the first three in each “semi?” and the two other fastest advanced. TT by placing sixth behind Japan and Netherlands lost out of the opportunity to vie for a higher placing and a second medal to add to Brown’?s silver in the 100 metres dash.