Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Story by: Rachael Thompson-King
T&T may have dropped overall in the medal count but a number of athletes certainly left their mark at the Carifta Games track in the Reggae Land. The 40th edition of the premier youth track and field event in the Caribbean was held in Montego Bay, Jamaica over the Easter weekend. Machel Cedenio, Nicholas Landeau and brothers Keshorn and Elton Walcott stood high above the rest, indicating that great things can be expected in the future. Cedenio was responsible for three of T&T’s 29 medals, two gold in the Under-17 200 (21.43 seconds) and 400 metres (47.38), and silver in the 4x100 (39.91).
The relay team also included Jonathan Holder, Moriba Morain and Ayodelle Taffe. What made his achievements even more special was that he improved on his personal best times in both catergories.
“I did two personal best which was really good,” said Cedenio, referring to the 200m and 400m races.
Overall, T&T returned early Tuesday morning with seven gold, 13 silver and nine bronze—to place fourth behind Jamaica which dominated with 66 medals—33 gold, 22 silver and 12 bronze. Bahamas was second with 31 (nine gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze) while Barbados had 27—nine gold, eight silver and 10 bronze, to hold the third spot.
There was a long wait at the end of the Games before the final medal count was released as there was a protest in the 4x400m event that saw Bahamas which clocked a time of three minutes, 07.14 seconds, disqualified, resulting in the then second placed T&T (3:08.96) being upgraded to first place. T&T relay team of Jareem Richards, Hendrix Foncette, Deon Lendore and Darvin Sandy was later reverted to silver after Bahamas appealed the disqualification and was successful. Jamaica (3:09.41), too, went back down to third. Cedenio made his debut at the competition, last year, when he was part of the U-20 4x400m quartet that included the 2010 Austin Sealy award winner, Jehue Gordon, which won gold.
Cedenio feels he still has work to do to perfect his technique in both the one-lap event and 200m. “I don’t really have a good start in the 200m but I finish well. It’s reverse for the 400m where I am better at the start than the finish,” he said. Whatever his strategy, it brought him success and in an impressive fashion, particularly in the 200m final. That finale had one of the more enticing ends when Cedenio punished Jamaican Jevaughn Minzie for his premature celebration. He snuck through to take victory in 21-43 seconds.
The six-footer has no plans of settling and will look to remedy any of his shortcomings on the track.
He said, “I am looking to do greater things, come end of the year, train hard and stay focus.” A similer intention of Elton Walcott, who won T&T’s final gold medal in the Boys U-20 Triple Jump event on Monday. Elton, who won with a leap of 15.98 metres, beating Lathone Minns (15.24) of Bahamas and Martinique’s Jean-Noel Cretinoir (14.34), appreciated the win but felt he could have done better.
“I am happy I won but I was a bit disappointed I didn’t get over the 16 metres mark,” said Elton, who was competing in his final Carifta event.
“I won this event four times first at the U-17 level and maintained it for three more years in the U-20 level which is very good.” His younger brother, 18-year-old Keshorn smashed a 24-year-old record, en route to winning the Boys’ U-20 javelin. In the opening round, he hoisted the spear 67.81 metres to erase the 65.52m standard established by Martinique’s Jean Rene Ceykan in 1987. And then, in round three, Walcott produced a monster throw of 72.04m, improving on the new Carifta mark and breaking his 69.01m national junior (under-20) record. Landeau also had a special tour, capturing gold in both the Boys’ U-17 1,500 and 3,000.