Trinidad and Tobago’s double Olympic bronze medallist (400m/ 4x400m), Lalonde Gordon bagged his first medal of the 2013 indoor competitive season when he sprinted to victory at the New York City Gotham Cup in the US on Friday evening.
The lanky Tobagonian powered to gold in the 300m event in a time of 32.48 seconds. Receiving silver was his Zenith Velocity club-mate, Joel Rehead of Grenada (33.81s), while Adrian Crichlow (NB CPTC) grabbed bronze in 34.55s.
This win was Gordon’s second at the meet, since he also copped gold in the Men’s 400m event in 46.51s late last year. The 24-year-old was also recently named the National Association of Athletic Administrations (NAAA) top Male Track athlete for 2012 at the Association’s annual awards on January 5. Gordon’s Olympic performances also won him the Spirit of Sports “Comeback Performer of the Year” award (along with Richard Thompson) on December 28
Meanwhile, Gordon’s win was one of several for local athletes on the recently opened US indoor season.
Triple-jumper Ayanna Alexander, high-jumper Jeanelle Ovid and weight-thrower Emmanuel Stewart, all took top honours at the Father Diamond meet in Virginia, USA, earlier this month (January 5).
Alexander, who competed unattached, secured the furthest distance of 13.35m on her second attempt. Jennifer McAvoy of Virginia University took the runner-up position with 11.02m while Bowie State athlete Kendall Reynolds was third with her 10.90m attempt.
Ovid, who represented Morgan State University, topped the field in the women’s high jump with her 1.65m effort. She defeated Dominique Graham (1.65m), who fouled more opportunities than Ovid. Taking home bronze was Megan Simpson of Virginia University with her 1.60m distance.
Stewart, who also competes for Morgan State, powered to victory in the men’s weight throw with a golden distance of 17.48m. He was also sixth in the shot put with his 13.64m attempt. Stewart was later named the top field athlete of the week in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
Local athletes, Deandra Daniel, Samantha Shukla and Kashef Daniel also recorded victories earlier this month. Daniel of Coppin State, secured the Delaware Invitational women’s high jump title with a leap of 1.70m. Her winning height was the second highest in her school’s history behind another TT athlete, Natoya Baird. Deandra was also seventh in the long jump (4.94). The Dovers jumper was then named the top Female Field Athlete of the week in the MEAC.
Shukla of Wichita State University ran away with the women’s 800m at the Herm Wilson Invitational on her home track in Wichita, Kansas in 2:20.71. The St. Joseph Convent (Port-of-Spain) graduate also helped Wichita’s ‘D’ team to 10th place in the women’s 4x400m relay event.
Also bagging gold for TT was Kashef, who leapt to gold in the men’s high jump at the Arkansas Kickoff Classic in Jonesboro, Arkansas, in December. The Arkansas State student won with a leap of 2.02 metres.
Source: www.newsday.co.tt