1 week ago
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WALTER ALIBEY
Senior Multimedia Reporter
Janae De Gannes claimed the bronze medal for T&T in the girls’ long jump event yesterday at the Junior Pan American Games in Asuncion, Paraguay.
De Gannes leapt to a distance of 6.33 metres in her first attempt to add another piece of silverware to the country’s medal tally to date, taking it to eight bronze medals. Medals came from – Men’s 4×100-metre freestyle (Zachary Anthony, Nikoli Blackman, Johann-Matthew Matamoro, Zarek Wilson); – Men’s cycling team sprint (Ryan D’Abreau, Danell James, Jelani Nedd); – Women’s cycling team sprint (Phoebe Sandy, Makaira Wallace and Kyra Williams); – Nikoli Blackman (men’s 50m freestyle); – Makaira Wallace (women’s sprint cycling); – Makaira Wallace (women’s keirin); and – Danell James (men’s keirin).
Colombia’s Natalia Linares took the gold medal with a distance of 6.92 metres, which came in her sixth attempt, with Rosmaiby Quesada of Cuba securing the silver medal with a jump of 6.35 metres.
(Bascombe in 100-metre final)
Shaniqua Bascombe delivered an 11.17-second performance yesterday to earn a berth in the final of the girls’ 100 metres event.
The former Cougars’ runner earned one of five qualifying places from heat two of the semifinals at the Athletics Stadium to clinch the second-place finish. Bascombe, who caused a stir for the NAAAs Senior National Track and Field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo with a similar second-place finish, was relatively slow out of the blocks at 0.175 and had to play catch-up in the race.
Dominica’s Liranyi Alonso had the second-fastest time at the start at 0.152 to blaze her way to the victory and a place in the final at 11.08 seconds. Gladymay Torres of Puerto Rico also sealed a place in the final after stopping the clock at 11.35, but the race among the final eight runners in the field is expected to be a showdown in Asuncion.
With the top three runners all securing qualifying berths based on their finish, the pair of Marleth Ospino of Colombia and Alana Reid of Jamaica have both earned the right to be in the medal race by virtue of having among the fastest times at 11.40 seconds and 11.45, respectively.
In heat one of the semis, Puerto Rico’s Frances Colon (11.32), Laura Martinez (11.39), and Serena Cole (11.44) will join the other five qualifiers in heat two after securing positions one, two, and three, respectively.
Meanwhile, Dillon Leacock failed to be among the finalists in the boys’ 400-metre hurdles when he crossed the finish line in seventh and last position. His time of 58.57 seconds was insufficient, as the trio of Yan Vazquez of Puerto Rico (50.60), Chile’s Ramon Fuenzalida (50.76), and Jamaica’s Romario Stewart (50.84) earned the qualifying places in first, second, and third, respectively.
<T&T is seventh in hockey.
In hockey, Adam Wyatt scored a double to steer the country’s junior hockey team to a comfortable 4-1 triumph over Paraguay and earned the seventh position overall.
Playing at the Hockey National Centre in Asuncion, Nicholas Whiteman grabbed the opener for the T&T Stickmen, and Wayne Edwards added another for a 2-0 advantage. Wyatt’s items sealed the win, despite a lone goal for the home team from David Villagra that earned them the eighth position in the tournament.
On Saturday, the junior stickmen went down to Brazil 4-5 in a battle for fifth and sixth at the same venue and were hoping to rebound with a victory against the home team. In the Brazil encounter, the T&T team got a brace from Alexander Nieves and a goal apiece from Nicholas Siu Butt and Wayne Edwards in their losing effort.
English (US) ·