media_artricles :: 2015

T&T, J’ca fly Caribbean flag high in Beijing

Jamaica picked up a third relay gold in world-leading time as the Caribbean finished among the medals on the final day of competition to conclude a successful IAAF World Championships here yesterday.

The 4x100 metres quartet of Christine Day, Shericka Jackson, Stephenie Ann McPherson and Novlene Williams-Mills ran a world leading time of three minutes, 19.13 seconds to add a third relay gold medal following victories in the sprint relays on Saturday.

Running the anchor leg, Novlene Williams-Mills saved the best for last and cruised past American Francena McCorory in the last 20 metres to give Jamaica gold.

The United States finished second in a time of 3:19.44 and Great Britain took home the bronze in 3:23.62.

“These girls, they did it all the way. That is when you have the heart of a champion, that is what you do,” Williams-Mills said on passing McCorory near the finish line.

And it was all about T&T and the United States in the men’s version with the experienced American LaShawn Merritt holding off a challenge from Machel Cedenio to deny the Caribbean nation victory.

Renny Quow ran an opening split time of 43.23 seconds which set the scene for Trinidad and Tobago with Lalonde Gordon clocking 45.68 on the second leg and Deon Lendore, 44.75 on the third.

Cedenio then challenged Merritt to the end in timing 44.16.

The Americans completed the 400m relay in a world leading time of 2:57.82 with T&T finishing in a new national record time of 2:38.20 and Great Britain clocking a season best of 2:58.51.

In the only other event with Caribbean participation, Donald Thomas cleared 2.29 metres for sixth in the men’s high jump. His compatriot Trevor Barry was tenth with 2.25m.

Canada’s Derek Drouin (2.34m) won a jump-off with Bohdan Bondarenko of Ukraine and Guowei Zhang of China (2.33m) for the gold medal.

Kenya topped the medal table with seven gold for a total of 16 medals with Jamaica also finishing on seven gold but 12 medals. United States finished with 18 medals but only six gold.

The next IAAF World Championships will be held in London in 2017. (CMC)

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