TT’s Brown serves Beijing warning

ATHENS: Although not making it to the podium in their events, the teams from Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas expressed satisfaction with their effort. TT’s anchor man Darrel Brown served notice that there was more to come from the country which placed seventh in yesterday’s 4x100 metres relay, by 2008. “Other young guys coming up (in Trinidad and Tobago), so for 2008 in Beijing....will see us there again,” he told CMC. “This was our best effort,” agreed Nicconnor Alexander, who was the team’s lead-off man. Noting that the race marked the final appearance of Ato Boldon in national colours, Alexander commended him for the effort he made on his leg. Confirming his decision to retire, Boldon said, “It is finished.” He added that he had given the race every drop of energy that he had.

He added that although he would have liked to go out with a medal, he too was satisfied with the performance. Jamaica secured a fifth medal on the penultimate night of the Olympic Games in Athens by winning a bronze medal in the women’s 4x400 metres yesterday at the Olympic Stadium. As the Jamaicans collected their second bronze, to go with a silver and two gold medals, and the Bahamas got sixth in the men’s 1600-metre relay. Veteran quarter-miler Sandie Richards, anchored the Jamaican quartet, comprising Novlene Williams, Michelle Burgher, Nadia Davy and Richards, to a season’s best time of three minutes 22.00 seconds. The Americans (3:19.01), who led from start to finish, won the event. Russia took the silver.

In the men’s sprint relay, the British quartet of Jason Gardener, Darren  Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis, pulled off a stunning upset in winning the event in 38.07 seconds from the USA, who suffered from a faulty baton change between Justin Gatlin and Coby Miller. The USA clocked 38.08 and Nigeria placed third in 38.23. The United States 4x400 men’s relay, predictably, made it a post to post affair in winning the gold medal. Their time was also a season best, 2:55.91. They were led off by Otis Harris, followed by Derrick Brew, Jeremy Wariner  and Darold Williamson.
Australia (3:00.60) finished strongly, claiming the silver while Nigeria passed Japan and Britain to take the bronze in 3:00.90.