Scott aims for best mark

The much-improved Trinidadian “ironwoman” Candice Scott faces her biggest test for the year in the women’s hammer final today at the 9th IAAF World Outdoor Championships at the Stade de France, Paris. Having collected the bronze at the Pan-American Championships in the Dominican Republic on August 5 with a throw of 69.06m, the 22-year-old Scott who placed fifth overall among the twelve finalists will be giving everything to upset her more established rivals. Being the third best in the Western Hemisphere behind Cuba’s global leader Yipsi Moreno (Pan-Am gold medallist) with 75.14m and her compatriot Yunaika Crawford (Pan-Am silver medallist, 69.58), the 22-year-old US-based athlete has shown strength and excellent technique to rank among the top-throwers worldwide.

She swung the 4 kg implement to 67.27 m in the first attempt of her Group “A” semi-final contest among 22 competitors. Scott followed with 65.86 and 63.10 in the other rounds. Her group leader was France’s Manuela Montebrun whose first throw yielded 71.36m and ended up atop the 12 finalists. The French 23-year-old champion missed her other two throws. But she is a gutsy performer with her best effort this year being 74.50 registered on June 15 at Villeneuve-d’Asog. And with eight other top marks among the first twenty for the season and the number one ranking on the newly-published IAAF List of Top performers, Montebrun will be striving to give her adoring fans something special to celebrate. Russian Olga Kuzenkova, arrived at the Championships with the season’s second best mark of 74.98m, and finished just ahead of TT’s Scott. The 33-year-old missed in the first round but recovered to chalk up 67.89 and 69.53 in the other two rounds.

In Group B, Germany’s Betty Heider was second with 67.46. She missed with her other throws while reigning world champion and record holder Mihaela Melinte placed third with 67.23, 65.39 and 67.27 metres. She qualified in sixth spot behind Scott but she has such a superior world’s best of 76.07. However, Scott whose personal best is 69.79 achieved on June 14 at Sacramento is capable of bettering that performance and enter her name and country into the record books. Despite her inexperience, the University of Florida student, who got involved in throwing the hammer in less than two years, should not be fazed by the big names and reputations or record achievements of her more experienced rivals.