Relay teams strike gold

The TT women set a new national record, crossing the finish line in a time of 43.43 seconds to take the honours. The quartet of Semoy Hackett, Ayanna Hutchinson, Sasha Springer and Kelly Ann Baptiste were smooth in transition of the baton which proved decisive in getting home ahead of Colombia who clocked 43.56.

Brazil had to settle for the bronze with a time of 43.69. And not to be outdone by their female counterparts, TT’s relay men showed that what their compatriots could do they could do better.

The quartet took the gold medal in a time of 38.54, the second fastest time for the year in the world and just .07 of a second slower that their CAC Championship record set on July 10, three years ago.

CAC 100m record holder, Darrel Brown, was rested due to a tightness in his right hamstring but Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Aaron Armstrong and anchorman Richard Thompson showed that his presence was not necessary sprinting to gold well ahead of their nearest rivals, Bahamas.

The Bahamians crossed in 39.22 while St Kitts and Nevis were third in a time of 40.81. Meanwhile, Pan Am Games bronze medalist Cleopatra Borel- Brown dominated the Cuban contingent to claim another gold medal for TT with a throw of 18.39m. Borel-Brown finished third in last year’s Pan Am behind Cubans Misleydis Gonzalez and Yumileidi Cumba but TT’s shot put queen was too much for the Cubans this time.

The 2007 Sportswoman of the Year heaved the metal ball three times over 18m each of which would have been enough to secure first place.

Cumba, the CAC record-holder with 18.98m could only manage 18.10m and had to settle for the silver. Another Cuban, Yaniuvis Lopez was third with an effort of 17.87m.

TT’s Aleesha Barber claimed the bronze in the Women’s 110m hurdles final, breaking the national record with a 12.98 finish. The winner, Anay Tejeda of Cuba ran a blistering 12.61 to set a new CAC Championship and Cuban record. Her compatriot Yenima Arencibia was second in 12.95.

TT’s Josanne Lucas was disappointingly sixth in 13.46. And Charise Bacchus looked to be challenging for the gold medal in the Women’s Long Jump but a niggle in her left hamstring resigned her to the bronze medal after just three attempts. She leapt a distance of 6.49m, just .05m short of the eventual winner Bianca Stuart of Bahamas.

TT’s Emmanuel Calender and Rondell Sorillo were among the favourites in the Men’s 200m final which was contested yesterday evening. Hammer thrower Candice Scott, Kevin Huggins (Long Jump), Kerron Brown (Javelin), Cleavon Dillon (Long Jump) and the men’s 4x400m relay team were also in action.