TEARS OF JOY

The 37-year-old Trinidad and Tobago champion, who is competing in her fourth Olympic Games, was seeking to become the first female Olympic medallist from the twin-island republic. The final was slated to begin last night at nine o’clock (TT time).

According to the competition rules, competitors who attained the qualification standard of 18.40 metres or at least, the top 12 finishers in the preliminary round advanced to the final. Borel was the eighth best in the prelims with an effort of 18.20 metres, which she achieved with her third and final throw. Her first throw reached 16.94 metres while her second landed at 17.78 metres.

The veteran TT athlete saved her best for last, as she crossed the 18-metre barrier to book her place in last night’s decider. In a live televised interview yesterday morning on ESPN Caribbean, following the preliminary round phase, Borel was only informed she had sealed a berth in the final by interviewer Felix Sanchez.

Ironically, the 38-year-old American- born Sanchez represented the Dominican Republic (where his parents were born) with international distinction, claiming gold in the 400-metre hurdles at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece as well as the 2012 Games in London, England.

Asked how it felt to reach the final — the first TT athlete to do so at Rio — a tearful Borel replied, “great, it feels amazing. I’m so happy because I just want to represent my country. I want to make my family proud and my country proud and I’m just so happy. I thank God because Lord knows I wasn’t alone today. I’m so happy.” At the 2004 Athens Games, Borel finished 10th with a best throw of 18.35 metres. She acknowledged, “I didn’t make the final in Beijing and I didn’t make the final in London.” At the 2008 Beijing Games, she was 17th overall in the preliminary stage with an effort of 17.96 metres while, at London, she initially placed 13th (only the top 12 made the final then) with a throw of 18.36 metres.

But she was promoted to 12th after Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus was stripped of her gold medal, by the IOC (International Olympic Committee), after testing positive for the anabolic agent metenolone.

“I’ve worked for four years just to make this final. And I’m just so happy!” In a video blog which she posted hours later, Borel commented, “I want to say thanks to everyone who supported me (yesterday) morning. We made it to the final! I’m really super excited. I’m about to go to sleep, rest up for (last) night. Cleo for Rio, throw Cleo throw. Thanks everyone, love you all.” Valerie Adams of New Zealand, who is vying for her third straight shot put Olympic gold medal, had the best throw in the prelims — 19.74 metres with her first effort.

The other participants in last night’s final were Christina Schwanitz (Germany), Michelle Carter (United States), Raven Saunders (United States), Gong Lijiao (China), Anita Marton (Hungary), Geisa Arcanjo (Brazil), Natalia Duco (Chile), Auriole Dongmo (Cameroon), Alena Abramchuk and Aliona Dubitskaya (both from Belarus).

Alvin Daniel, who represented TT at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, extended his congratulations to Borel.

“It’s always good to know that we have a Trinbagonian in a final, especially something like the Olympics.

This is the big stage,” he said.

“When you narrow it down to the eight best in the world and you’re among that, it means you have to be ‘up there’. Trinidad and Tobago is a very small country and to see the kind of performance we’re putting out there on the world stage...I think it’s excellent.”