The future of Trinidad and Tobago sprinting was on show at the Luzhniki Stadium here in Moscow, Russia, yesterday.
First, 21-year-old Jamol James made his IAAF World Championship debut, helping Trinidad and Tobago get to the final of the men’s 4x100 metres event. But a hamstring injury prevented him from returning for the championship race, and in came another first-timer, 18-year-old Ayodele Taffe running the leadoff leg for his country.
T&T finished eighth in the final in 38.57 seconds, but were later promoted to seventh following the disqualification of Great Britain.
Jamaica, anchored by double sprint champion Usain Bolt, won in 37.36, forcing United States (37.66) to settle for silver. Canada (37.92) belatedly bagged bronze at the expense of the British.
Keston Bledman, running the second leg for T&T, had to look back and reach for the baton from Taffe.
“He’s a junior still,” Bledman told the Express. “Different leg speed. We just had faith in him. Running from lane one is a hell of a thing. It’s real hard. My head was just get the baton and do what you could do. But tough luck. He ran good.”
It was always going to be a challenge for T&T to secure a podium finish, Taffe, Bledman, Rondel Sorrillo and anchorman Richard “Torpedo” Thompson falling well short of that goal.
Taffe, though, leaves Moscow today with invaluable experience under his belt.
“When I heard the news I was very excited. It was a great feeling to know I was going out there to run with the best in the world. I did my best. I guess it didn’t work out today, but I just have to go back to the drawing board and work things right for the next time.”
Thompson said that while he had his doubts about using Taffe for the final instead of the experienced Emmanuel Callendar, it turned out to be the right decision.
“One of the first things I told him after the race is that he’s a big man now. He ran against the best in the world, the big fellas, and he did well. He stepped up.
“It does well for his confidence in the future,” Thompson continued, “because Bledman and I wouldn’t be around forever. We need the future to get the experience so that when it’s their time and they’re called upon, they have no doubt, no fear. He’s run in the World Championships, so the second time is nothing for him to do. I’m glad we made that decision. I expect big things from him in the future.”
In the qualifying round, T&T clocked 38.38 seconds for third spot in heat one, advancing to the final as a “fastest loser”.
“It was a good run,” said Sorrillo. “Everything felt great and we pulled it off.”
James ran the leadoff leg in the qualifying round. Like Taffe, he was thrilled to perform on the global stage.
“I was ready because I knew I had a big task to play. The overall feeling was great.”
In the women’s 4x100m relay, T&T were out of the final, in, and then out again.
Kamaria Durant, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Reyare Thomas and Kai Selvon combined for fourth spot in heat three in 43.01 seconds—not good enough for a “fastest loser” berth in the final. However, Bahamas and Germany were disqualified, and T&T stepped into the last qualifying position.
Germany, though, lodged a successful protest, and T&T were out again.
In the final, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce captured her third gold, the double sprint champion anchoring Jamaica to victory in 41.29 seconds—a new Championship record. United States (42.75) and Great Britain (42.87) picked up the minor medals.
T&T finished joint-12th on the medal table with one gold—captured by Jehue Gordon in the men’s 400m hurdles. Colombia, Croatia, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Uganda each earned a single gold medal as well.
Russia topped the table with seven gold medals, four silver and six bronze. United States (six gold, 14 silver, five bronze) finished second, while third spot went to Jamaica (six gold, two silver, one bronze).
T&T secured the second highest spot on the medal table among Caribbean nations, trailing only the Jamaicans.
On the placing table, T&T were 24th with 13 points, thanks to Gordon, and the men’s 4x400m and 4x100m teams. The 4x4 men finished sixth in the final, one spot better than their 4x1 counterparts.
The Americans were first on the placing table with 282 points. Russia (183), Kenya (139), Germany (102) and Jamaica (100) finished second, third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
T&T team manager Dexter Voisin told the Express, yesterday, that coming on the heels of T&T’s best ever Olympic showing, one gold and three bronze medals in London last year, the 2013 World Championship results were not what he had anticipated.
“Expectations would have been high, based on the Olympics…this is a performance we weren’t expecting.
“But we cannot,” Voisin continued, “not look at the fact that we have won a gold medal. Not many countries can boast of a gold medal. At the end of the day, we have a world champion in Jehue Gordon.”