media_artricles :: 2013

Bledman, Thompson progress to 100m semis

As T&T’s top two sprinters, Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson prepare for the 100m semifinals (at 12.35pm TT time) at the 2013 World Championships, both men are excited and looking to bring glory home. Bledman was second in heat 3 in a time of 10.02 behind eventual winner American Justin Gatlin (9.99), and he told the T&T Guardian after the race, “I feel good; this was a wonderful race, a personal best outside of the US, and I am in great shape. I feel fit and excited, so I am just going to warm down and relax and be positive.”

“What I really like is that I did not see Gatlin until the end, and I was moving smoothly...great race ...there is no preference for the semifinals, I just want to get into the finals; it is two years that I have been finishing ninth and I want to change that.” Bledman says he is not going to be disturbed by Usain Bolt, “He is a great athlete, and I know and we all know how good he is, but I am going to do my best and give my all for my country and do what I have to do....I am going to try to win this race”

“And I know, I have a better time in me, and I can go under 10 on Sunday...I am ready.” Richard Thompson who was also second in his heat in a time of 10.14, also admitted that his focus is reaching Sunday’s final (1.50 pm), and he is happy with the end result if not the process, “The first part of my race was not good, I was in fifth after 50 metres, but I improved in the second halve and that was good. “The focus now has to be to improve my start and then follow through at the finish and if I do that , I can run a faster time and reach the final and then once you are in the final you have a chance.”

Top