Keshorn Walcott retained his boys’ under-20 javelin title in emphatic fashion, with an Olympic “A” qualifying throw of 82.83 metres on the final day of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Track and Field Championships in San Salvador, El Salvador, on Sunday. The Toco-born athlete entered the competition as the overwhelming favourite after his 80.11 Olympic “B” qualifying best in May. However, the Rebirth athlete went one better, getting the massive distance on his second attempt.
The lanky athlete opened with 72.56 to set a new championship record before unleashing his mammoth throw. He fouled his third effort and then relaxed on his remaining throws knowing that he already had the gold. The 19-year-old finished well ahead of Alexander Pascall (Cayman Islands) 68.84 and Nicolia Bovelle (Barbados) 68.20.

Walcott has now extended his world leading performance and also improved his Pan American, CAC Junior and National junior and senior records. He is now 23rd on the latest IAAF Men’s Open Javelin rankings. The Rebirth thrower’s victory was one of five by the national athletes on the final day of action as Machel Cedenio, Reubin Walters, Kevin Roberts and the boys’ under-18 4X400m team all struck gold. Cedenio raced to gold in the boys’ under-18 400m in 47.36 to finish ahead of compatriot, Theon Lewis (48.11), and Mexico’s Jose Perez (48.21). The Olympic-bound sprinter was the overwhelming favourite after his world leading youth (under-18) run of 46.02 at the Sagicor/NGC National Open Championships on June 23, after topping the heats in 48.08. Ruebin Walters (Memphis/Mucurapo East Sec) secured the boys’ under-18 110m hurdles crown, clocking a pb of 13.49.

Cedenio, Lewis and Walters then teamed up with Asa Guevara to clinch the boys’ under-18 4X400m gold in a new championship record of 3:11.66 seconds. Roberts (Pt Fortin New Jets) dominated the boys’ under-18 Octathlon and to lead a T&T one-two finish. Roberts amassed 5192 points in the eight-event discipline to beat team-mate, Victor Isaac (Toco TAFAC), who amassed 5000 points. Andres Campos (Costa Rica) was third (4983). T&T’s third entrant, Kashief King, could not finish after false starting in the first event- the 100m. Kernesha Spann, Chelsea James and Steve Waithe were in the top three in their events. Spann (Neon Trackers/St Francois Girls) was going for her second gold in the girls’ under-20 400m but, had to settle for third in 54.52. James (Tobago Falcons/Signal Hill Sec) was also third in the girls’ under-18 shot put with a distance of 13.93.

The Carifta girls’ under-17 champion finished just ahead of another T&T thrower Portious Warren (Toco TAFAC/St Augustine Sec) in fourth (13.63). Waithe picked up the boys’ under-20 triple jump with a world junior qualifying leap of 15.89. Jeminise Parris (Memphis/St Francois Girls) was fourth in the girls’ under-18 100m hurdles (14.02), while Jevon Joseph (Air Bon Sonics/Belmont Boys Sec) finished sixth in the boys’ under-18 3000m (9:26.24). Joseph’s club-mate Nicholas Landeau did not finish. Shaquille Waithe (Zenith) was seventh in the boys’ under-18 javelin (56.89). T&T finished third on the medal table with 23 medals (eight gold, six silver and nine bronze) behind Jamaica 44 (20, 15, nine) and Mexico 19 (11, six, two). In 2010 the national contingent was also third with 27 medals (12, six, nine). The 40 member team is due to return home today.Keshorn Walcott is now 23rd on the latest IAAF Men’s Open Javelin rankings.

Day 3-Afternoon results

Girls
U-18, 100m hurdles finals (Wind:+0.1m/s)
4 Jeminise Parris T&T 14.10
Shot put finals
3 Chelsea James T&T 13.93
4 Portious Warren T&T 13.63

U-20, 400m finals
3 Kernesha Spann T&T 54.52

Boys
U-18, 400m finals
1 Machel Cedenio T&T 47.36
2 Theon Lewis T&T 48.11
3000m finals
6 Jevon Joseph T&T 9:26.24
Dnf Nicholas Landeau  
110m Hurdles (0.91cm) finals
(Wind:-0.5m/s)
1 Reubin Walters T&T 13.49
Javelin finals
7 Shaquille Waithe T&T 56.89
Octathlon
1 Kevin Roberts T&T 5192
2 Victor Isaac T&T 5000
Dnf Kashief King T&T
4X400m finals
1 T&T (Asa Guevera, Machel Cedenio, Reubin Walters, Theon Lewis) 3:11.66

U-20
Triple Jump finals
3 Steve Waithe T&T 15.89(+0.4)
Javelin finals
1 Keshorn Walcott 82.83
(72.56, 82.83, f, p, p,p).

MEDAL STANDINGS

Rank Country Total Gold Silver Bronze
1 Jamaica 44 20 15 9
2 Mexico 19 11 6 2
3 T&T 23 8 6 9
4 Puerto Rico 24 7 10 7
5 Cuba 12 7 4 1
6 Barbados 18 6 6 6
7 Bahamas 28 5 10 13
8 Bermuda 5 2 1 2
11 Anguilla 4 1 3 0
13 St Lucia 3 1 2 0
14 St Kitts/Nevis 3 1 0 2
15 Grenada 2 1 0 1
17 B Virgin Islands 2 0 2 0
18 Cayman Islands 3 0 1 2
19 Turks and Caicos 1 0 1 0
19 Dominica 1 0 1 0
22 Antigua & Barbuda 2 0 0 2
23 Belize 1 0 0 1

-Clayton Clarke

Source: www.guardian.co.tt