Trinidad and Tobago top medal table at Central American and Caribbean Championships – Athletics news
The 23rd edition of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships kicked-off in Mayaguez, on Friday, July 15, amid the stellar performance of Semoy Hackett, Keston Bledman, Renny Quow and Ayanna Alexander. Trinidad and Tobago finished
the first day as leaders of the event on the table tally. The biannual event was also attended by the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Mr. Lamine Diack.
The CAC championship is an international track and field athletics event conducted by the Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation, known as CACAC. Just like the Commonwealth games, athletes only from member nations are allowed to contest in
the event. Initiated back in 1967, the event takes place every two years. The event must not be confused with the NACAC Championships, where athletes from the entire of North America are allowed to display their potential on the track and field.
The success for the two islands was primarily contributed by Bledman, the 23-year-old sprinter, who after marking a splendid finish of under 10 seconds about a month ago, became the fifth runner of his homeland to obtain the privilege. He stopped the clock
in 10.05 seconds for crossing the line of a 100m distance. Finishing-off second and third on the podium were athletes Daniel Bailey and Dexter Lee, who marked an effort of 10.11 and 10.18 seconds, respectively.
Being a prominent performer in both 100m and 200m meets, spectators from the Puerto Rican region have become acquainted with Bledman. The young athlete, who had started dominating the field in an early phase of his career, marked his first success in a global
athletic event back in 2005, where he earned a bronze medal at the World Youth Championships.
While competing for Trinidad and Tobago, Bledman succeeded in staging an upset at the 2007 Pan American junior Athletics Championships where in a 100m contest, he ousted Jamaican star, Yohan Blake.
Semoy Hackett, the 22-year-old countrywoman of Bledman, rose to prominence for overcoming her Jamaican counterpart Jura Levy. In response to the 11.36 seconds observed by Levy, she finished-off her race in 11.27 seconds. The third position was clinched by
Simone Facey, who followed Levy from a three seconds distance.
Just like Hackett and Bledman in the one-lap competition, it was Renny Quow who represented Trinidad and Tobago and defeated Ramon Miller from Bahamas. In response to the time clocked by Miller (45.56 seconds), he won the race in 45.44 seconds. Dominica’s
Erison Hurtault could clinch a bronze medal for covering the desired distance in 45.93 seconds.
For contributing the last gold medal to stamp the dominance of her homeland on the tally table, it was Ayanna Alexander, who for marking a 13.50m finish in the Triple Jump competition, grabbed top position on the podium.
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