Source: www.trinidadexpress.com
By: Kwame Laurence
Jehue Gordon whipped 2004 Olympic champion Felix Sanchez, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, yesterday, the 19-year-old Trinidad and Tobago athlete grabbing Hampton International Games men's 400 metres hurdles gold in an impressive 48.92 seconds.
The clocking was Gordon's fastest time this season.
In the first half of the race, Gordon, running in lane four, gained on Sanchez, in five. And by the time he came off the final turn, the reigning world junior champion was ahead of his celebrated rival by a few strides.
Gordon charged to line, finishing well ahead of Sanchez, the Dominican Republic athlete claiming silver in 49.75. US Virgin Islands athlete Leslie Murray clocked 50.19 to pick up bronze.
"It's great to come out here," Gordon told the Express, "run in front of the home crowd, and give them something to look forward to. I just needed to come out here and execute my race."
Gordon, who finished fourth at the 2009 World Championships, is looking forward to the 2011 edition of the event, in Daegu, Korea.
"It's just to continue training hard, and expect the unexpected."
Brendan Christian struck gold in yesterday's men's invitational 200m event.
Running in section two, the Antiguan had a big lead coming off the bend. T&T's Rondel Sorrillo closed the gap on the straight, but ran out of track, Christian winning the race in 20.73 seconds. Sorrillo was forced to settle for silver in 20.76.
American Antonio Sales finished first in section one and third overall in 20.91 seconds. Oral Thompson, who captured the 400m title on Saturday, was second to Sales and fourth overall, the Jamaican also clocking 20.91.
Puerto Rico's Carol Rodriguez won the women's 200m in 23.66 seconds.
T&T's Quincy Wilson secured silver in the men's discus with a huge 58.66 metres throw–a new national record.
Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Championship gold medallist Jason Morgan, of Jamaica, topped the field with a 60.81m effort, while third spot was copped by T&T's Richard Collingwood (40.58m).
After fouling his first throw, Wilson landed the discus 53.47m in round two. The CAC Championship bronze medallist fouled again in the third round, and then threw 52.44m in the fourth.
It was in round five, however, that Wilson unleashed the big one, the 20-year-old field athlete throwing 58.66m to improve on his own T&T standard. Thrilled with the achievement, he beat his chest and pumped his fist.
T&T's Ayanna Alexander was the lone competitor in the women's triple jump. But that didn't prevent the CAC Champs gold medallist from putting on a show for the spectators. Alexander produced her best ever outdoor jump, 13.98m. The 29-year-old athlete fell just one centimetre short of her 13.99m national record–set at an indoor meet in Virginia, USA, last year.
American Rob Novak completed the men's middle distance double when he got the better of T&T's Jamaal James in a keenly contested men's 800m event.
Novak followed up on Saturday's 1,500m triumph with two-lap victory in one minute, 48.61 seconds. James snapped up silver in 1:48.67—his best clocking this season.
James led at the bell, with Novak breathing down his neck. And as they turned for home, James held a slight advantage. Novak, though, was stronger at the end, the American edging his T&T rival into second spot.
Latavia Thomas grabbed gold in the women's 800m, the American half-miler getting home in 2:04.60. Melissa De Leon clocked 2:05.07 to secure silver.
Takecia Jameson came out on top in her women's 400m hurdles duel with T&T's Janeil Bellille, the American completing her lap of the track in 56.46 seconds. Bellille clocked 56.85 to pick up silver, ahead of another American, Landria Buckley (58.77).
Cleveland Forde was a runaway winner of the men's 5,000m, the Guyanese runner getting home in 14:52.19.
Jamaica's Yanique Levy and St Kitts and Nevis athlete Tanika Liburd finished one-two in the women's long jump. Levy jumped 6.11m and Liburd 6.03m. T&T's Seantal Brereton (5.42m) finished third.
Grenadian Damion La Pompe captured the men's triple jump title with a 14.55m effort.
Jamaica's Zara Northover threw the iron ball 16.05m to top the women's shot put field. And T&T's Nicholas Blackford triumphed in the men's javelin with a 42.74m effort.