Sprinter Nyoshia Cain was yesterday evening disqualified in the women’s 200 metres T44 heat, her first event at the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Cain lined up in lane seven of the opening of two heats at the Olympic Stadium and ran a comfortable race expecting to progress to today’s final as she was one of the three automatic qualifiers. The first three in each heat qualify and the next two fastest advance.
She crossed third behind German’s Irmgard Bensusan, who ran a Games record of 26.70 seconds and Marie-Ame Le Fur (26.97), respectively but later learned that she was disqualified for a lane infringement which was said to have taken place between the 100 and 150 metres markers during her run.
It is understood following the race, the Chef de Mission Judy Beckles was querying the disqualification of the 21-year-old local runner but the referee upheld the decision of the lane judges.
Cain will have to shake off the disappointment of the disqualification quickly as she will next compete in the 100m T44 on Saturday.
Today, swimmer Shanntol Ince enters the pool for her final race, the women’s 100m butterfly S9 at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium.
Ince has had a busy schedule for the Games and this will be her fourth event where she will be seeking glory. Yesterday, she had a day off and would have worked alongside her coach Karen Araujo to get better results in the one lap event. She will race out of lane lane one in the third and final heat.
On Friday, the 21 year old opened in the 400m freestyle S9 clocked 5:31.06, falling short of qualifying for the final. Ince suffered similar fates in the other two events, touching the wall in 1:12.41 on Monday and the following day finished in 33.38 seconds, to rank 21st overall from a field of 22 swimmers in the 50 metres freestyle S9 event after placed seventh in the opening heat.
T&T shining star Akeem Stewart returns to the field tomorrow to compete in the men’s discus T44.
Stewart broke his own world record to nab the gold medal in the men’s Javelin Throw F42/43/44 on Friday, throwing the spear 57.32 metres to capture T&T’s first medal of the Paralympics.