PIARCO, Trinidad: Former World Junior champion Jehue Gordon seems to be rounding into form at the right time for the 14th IAAF World Championships of Athletics set for Moscow, Russia.
On July 19 the 2012 London Olympic finalist won his first Diamond League race taking the Monaco leg in 48.00 in the second fastest time of the year and also of his career. Gordon’s victory was more impressive as he ran out of lane eight and defeated a stellar field including two time Olympic champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic, double world champion Kerron Clement of the USA and Olympic and World Championships medallist Puerto Rican Javier Culson.
Speaking at the departure of the T&T World Championships team on July 25 for a ten day training camp in Finland, Gordon said the Monaco win lifted his confidence and thanked his support staff. “It really boosted my confidence. I have a good team working with me. My massage therapist Ian Sharpe has been doing a really good job. (Sharpe was present in Monaco). My psychologist is Dr. (Margaret) Ottley and coach Dr. Ian Hypolite. I must acknowledge the really close support of my mother (Marcella Woods) and my little brother who have inspired me a lot to go out there and give my best effort before I came back home so I could get with a boost of confidence before the World Championships.”
Gordon competed in his first World Championships four years ago in Berlin, Germany and stole the headlines. The then 17 year old stormed in to the finals and missed out on a medal by 0.03 seconds when 2005 champion Bershawn Jackson (USA) produced a strong finish to edge him for the bronze. Gordon clocked 48.26 and became the second fastest junior ever behind the world junior record holder American Danny Harris (48.02). Gordon is also the youngest ever finalist in the event at the World Championships. Since World Champs debut Gordon when on to take the 2010 World Junior title and was sixth in the London Olympics finals last year, lowering his national record to 47.96 in the semifinals.
The University of the West Indies-St. Augustine Sports Management student was not able to reproduce his Berlin achievement at the 2011 Worlds in Daegu, South Korea. He had to contend with almost not running as the T&T federation had inadvertently left out his name on the 400m hurdles heat sheet. He was lated allowed to run and bowed out in the semifinals. However, in Moscow, the Belmont Boys Secondary/Queen’s Royal College graduate want to go all he way to the finals. “This is my third World Championships. After bowing out at the semifinal stage in 2011 I am really trying to surpass that and hopefully make the finals. I will give it everything in the finals.
” It has not been smooth sailing for the Maraval resident has he is battling a pain in his ankle but he is determine to overcome that challenge. “I have been having some pain in my ankle since January and it really has not gotten any better. But I have been training and competing like if nothing happened. Nobody knows anything because I just want to go out there and give my best. It (the ankle plain) started back hampering me and I really wanted to look at it before flying out to the World Championships. ” The 21 year old said his team-mates can do well in focus if they remain focussed. “Some are looking at us as an underdog team but that could be a benefit for us because many not be expect us to get as many medals as we got in the Olympic Games. We just need to focus on ourselves and have some good training sessions and be the best we can be.”
Gordon also used the younger ones on the team to seek help from their older team-members. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help as there will be lots of nervous around the atmosphere. We are here as one, as a family and here for each other. “