Pan Am Games

Sunday July 26th, Toronto, Canada– Pan Am Silver Medallist in the 110metre hurdles, Mikel Thomas will carry the Trinidad and Tobago flag at tonight’s closing ceremony.  The ceremony will feature hip-hop artist Kanye West, rapper PitBull and Canadian singer Serena Ryder. Ryder will be performing the catchy official song for the 2015 Pan American Games, “Together We Are One.”

Upon learning that he would carry the Trinidad and Tobago flag at the ceremony, Thomas said, “It would be an honour.” He later tweeted, “Blessings keep flowing. Over joyed to announce I will have the honour of being our flag bearer at tonight’s closing ceremony. So Grateful.”

Speaking of Thomas’s selection, Chef de Mission for Trinidad and Tobago Diane Henderson said, “We are thrilled with his performance at the Games. It displayed discipline, dedication and determination. His performance will serve as an inspiration to many to persevere with their sport.”

The ceremony will feature fireworks, 500 costumes made from 3,000 yards of fabric, with 510 volunteers making up the show's cast, 150 broadcast cameras and 300 lights. The game will also be formally handed over to Lima, Peru, which will host the next Pan Am Games in 2019.

Trinidad and Tobago ended this year’s Pan Am Games ranked 15th with eight medals (3 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze). It is our highest ever medal haul at a Pan American Games, surpassing the previous record of seven medals.

A storming finish from Machel Cedenio in Toronto, Canada, late on Saturday night, propelled Trinidad and Tobago to men's 4x400 metres gold and the country's best-ever Pan American Games performance.

Renny Quow ran the leadoff leg for Team T&T, handing the baton to Jarrin Solomon. Hurdler Emanuel Mayers performed third leg duties. The three T&T athletes battled hard, but there was still a lot to do on the anchor leg.

Cedenio, the 400m silver medallist, was equal to the task, the 19-year-old quartermiler surging past the Bahamian and Cuban anchormen to snatch gold for T&T in two minutes, 59.60 seconds. Cuba claimed silver in 2:59.84, while United States clocked 3:00.21 to grab the bronze, ahead of Bahamas (3:00.34).

Saturday's 4x400m victory handed T&T a Pan Am Games relay title for the very first time.

The incredible run from Cedenio capped off a superb showing from Team T&T at Toronto 2015. The reigning world junior 400m champion's never-say-die attitude carried the country to three gold medals, three silver and two bronze, bettering the country's previous best Pan Am performance of two gold, four silver, one bronze at the 2003 Games in Dominican Republic.

T&T ended the 2015 Games in 15th spot on the medal table, just one rung below Jamaica (three gold, four silver, two bronze). United States topped the table with 103 gold medals, 81 silver and 81 bronze. Canada (78 gold, 69 silver, 70 bronze) and Brazil (41 gold 40 silver, 60 bronze) were second and third, respectively.

“This feels real good,” said Solomon. “After all the races this week, gold and a medal bonus is a nice way to top it off.”

Quow, Solomon, Mayers and Cedenio will get a US$9,000 payout from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee's (TTOC) 10Golds24 Athlete Welfare and Preparation fund.

T&T also medalled in Saturday's men's 4x100m relay, Rondel Sorrillo, Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender and Dan-Neil Telesford combining for bronze, albeit belated.

Anchorman Telesford crossed the line fourth, but a protest was filed against Canada by United States, Brazil and T&T for a lane violation. According to the information coming out of Toronto, the protest was initially thrown out, and Canada got gold.

However, about two hours after the 8.05pm race, there was news that the Canadians were in fact disqualified, and bronze was awarded to Sorrillo, Bledman, Callender and Telesford.

T&T clocked 38.69 seconds to finish just behind silver medallists Brazil (38.68). Canada's disqualification handed gold to United States in 38.27.

And in the women's 4x400m relay, Janeil Bellille, Romona Modeste, Alena Brooks and Sparkle McKnight combined for seventh spot in 3:33.31. United States struck gold with a 3:25.68 clocking, finishing ahead of Jamaica (3:27.27) and Canada (3:27.74).

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Friday July 24th, Toronto, Canada– Olympic Gold Medallist, and National Record Holder in the javelin Keshorn Walcott won Trinidad and Tobago’s second gold medal at the Pan Am Games in the men’s javelin competition. Walcott’s second throw of 83.27 was enough to secure the top spot. This was an expected victory for Walcott who entered the competition ranked second in the world, having reset his own national record while setting a new meet record of 90.16 at the Diamond League Meeting Athletissima in Lausanne, Switzerland earlier this month.

Following his win, Walcott said, “ I knew I was the favourite so I tried to come out and give the fans here a good show. I didn’t go all out because the main focus for me is the world championships. I had some technique to work on and I believe I improved it during today’s competition.”

In the men’s 100m hurdles, Mikel Thomas picked up the silver medal, setting a new national record of 13.17 in the process. Following the race, Thomas could hardly contain his joy saying, “I’m still trying to gather myself from it. It was all God because I didn’t have enough strength.” Thomas had to run the final twice following a recall in the first race in which he tumbled coming over the last hurdle. Speaking of the re run he said, “That re-run, I ran full out and I felt it. The thing about hurdles is, because you have ten obstacles in front of you, you really lock out. You’re really focusing. People fault all the time. If someone stops running, I’m not supposed to react to that.”

Trinidad and Tobago’s medal total at this year’s Pan Am Games now stands at six thanks to the efforts of Walcott, Thomas, Cedenio, Cleopatra Borel, Njisane Phillip and George Bovell. All the medallists will receive bonuses from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) #10Golds24 Athlete Welfare and Preparation fund.

In the women’s 200m final, Reyare Thomas finished seventh in a time of 23.32. In relay qualification, the quarter mile quartet of LaLonde Gordon, Renny Quow, Emmanuel Mayers and Jarrin Solomon ran a season’s best of 3.01.58 in advancing to the final. The women’s quartet of Janeil Belille, Romona Modeste, Alena Brooks and Sparkle McKnight also ran a season’s best of 3.31.21 to advance to the finals.

In the 4x100 relay semi finals, the male quartet of Mikhel Thomas, Rondel Sorillo, Emmanuel Callendar and Dan-Neil Telesford finished first in semi final 2 in a time of 38.52 to advance to tomorrows final.  Following the race, Coach of the 4x100 relay team, former national sprinter and a Pan Am silver medallist in the relay, Niconnor Alexander said, “The guys went out there and executed everything we practiced. I could not have asked for a better race.”

Callendar added, “Our intention was just to make it to the finals and have a safe pass of the baton as we are a relatively young team, so we’re really satisfied with our performance.”

The female quartet of Kamaria Durant, Kelly Ann Baptiste, Semoy Hackett and Reyare Thomas did not advance to the finals, following a failed baton exchange between Baptiste and Hackett. After the race Hackett said, “I probably went before time because I heard her (Baptiste) saying slow down, slow down, but we were comfortable heading into the race. We just need to practice more and build up our chemistry.”

Callendar echoed these sentiments saying, “It’s sad they didn’t get the baton around the track because once they do they will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Tomorrow Trinidad & Tobago will have the chance to equal or better its Pan Am Games record of 7 medals in the 4x100 and 4x400 relay finals. Emile Abraham will also compete in the cycling men’s road race and the men’s field hockey team face Cuba in the 7^th -8^th round match.

FAVOURED MEDALLIST Machel Cedenio lived up to the hype when he blasted Trinidad and Tobago to Pan American Men’s 400 metre silver at the CIBC Athletics Stadium in Toronto, Canada, yesterday.

In the hotly-contested final, Cedenio finished in a time of 44.70 seconds to grab a well deserved runner-up spot behind the eventual winner Luguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic, who produced a season’s best time of 44.56 seconds to take the gold. Claiming bronze was American Kyle Clemons, who stopped the clock in a personal best time of 44.84s. TT’s Jarrin Solomon missed out on medalling as he was fifth overall in 45.20s.

Cedenio now joins golden girl Cleopatra Borel (Shot Put), silver medallist Njisane Phillip (Men’s Cycling Sprint) and bronze receiver George Bovell III (Men’s 50m freestyle) with TT 2015 Pan American Games podium places.

Cedenio will now benefit from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) medal bonus by pocketing US$2,000 for his silver-medal performance. In the Men’s 200m, Rondel Sorrillo and Kyle Greaux were both unable to progress out of their respective semi-finals, as regional rival Rasheed Dwyer (Jamaica) smashed a 44-year Pan American record with a blistering 19.80s clocking in the first heat, while Greaux placed seventh in 20.69s.

In this record-breaking race, American Wallace Spearmon (20.03) clocked a season’s best, while Antiguan Miguel Francis (20.05) and Cuban Reynier Mena (20.32) clocked personal best times.

In the second semi-final, Sorillo also had a tough time progressing after placing sixth in 20.61. However, Cuban Roberto Skyers (20.09) and the Dominican Republic’s Yancarlos Martinez (20.22) also achieved personal best times. Prior to their elimination, Greaux advanced out of heat two of the first round in 20.75 while Sorrillo moved on in heat three with a time of 20.63.

In the women’s equivalent, Reyare Thomas qualified for today’s final after clocking the eighth fastest time (22.88) in the semi-finals. She placed fifth in the second ‘semi’ while Kamaria Durant was unable to advance out her the first, placing fourth in 22.94s. Durant was expected to reach the final however, having clocked a personal best time (22.74) in heat two. Thomas (23.30) on the other hand, advanced out of heat one with the third fastest time. And in Men’s field hockey action, the TT unit went down 1-2 to the USA. Forward William Holt put the Americans ahead in the 27th minute but TT quickly answered back nine minutes later with a goal from striker Tariq Marcano. However, the national outfit was unable to push on as they had another goal fly past custodian Andre Rocke in the 38th minute from Tyler Sundeen.

Today, Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott and Shackiel Waithe will compete in the men’s Javelin final.

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Machel Cedenio added to Trinidad and Tobago’s medal bag at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, yesterday. The 19-year-old athlete clocked 44.70 seconds to seize silver in the men’s 400 metres event.

Dominican Republic’s 2012 Olympic silver medallist Luguelin Santos was golden this time, capturing the title with a 44.56 run. The bronze medal was bagged by Kyle Clemons in 44.84, the American just getting the better of Costa Rica’s Nery Brenes (44.85).

The other T&T quarter-miler in the final, Jarrin Solomon completed his lap of the track in 45.20 seconds to finish fifth.

Cedenio’s silver takes the T&T medal haul in Toronto to four, adding to Cleopatra Borel’s women’s shot put gold, cyclist Njisane Phillip’s men’s sprint silver, and swimmer George Bovell’s men’s 50m freestyle bronze.

Cedenio, the 2014 world junior champion, is only the fourth T&T athlete in Pan Am Games history to earn a 400m medal.

Basil Ince was the first. His silver, though, was as part of the British West Indies team that represented the region in 1959. Cliff Bertrand claimed bronze in 1963. And in 1991, Ian Morris snapped up silver in the one-lap event.

Bertrand has three Pan Am medals. One of them, however, was as part of the men’s 4x100m British West Indies team in 1959. In addition to his 400 bronze in T&T colours in 1963, he took home bronze in the sprint relay.

Reyare Thomas qualified for today’s women’s 200m final when she clocked a wind-aided 22.88 seconds for fifth spot in the second semifinal. She progressed to the 5.40pm championship race as a “fastest loser”.

Thomas’ T&T teammate, Kamaria Durant was fourth in the opening semi in 22.94. The clocking was not fast enough to earn her a lane in the championship race.

Durant was on fire in the first round. She won heat two in a personal best 22.74 seconds, but could not repeat that performance in the semis and was eliminated.

In the opening first round heat, Thomas was third in 23.30.

T&T’s Quincy Wilson finished 10th in yesterday’s men’s discus event with a 43.65 metres throw.

T&T will not be represented in the men’s 200m final. In the semi-final round, Rondel Sorrillo finished sixth in heat two in 20.61 seconds, and Kyle Greaux was seventh in heat one in 20.69. Jamaican Rasheed Dwyer assumed the favourite’s mantle when he won the opening semi in a personal best 19.80--a new Pan Am Games record.

In round one, Greaux secured an automatic semi-final berth when he finished third in heat two in 20.75 seconds. Sorrillo, fifth in heat three in 20.63, advanced as a “fastest loser”.

Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott is tipped for gold in today’s men’s javelin. His T&T teammate, Shakiel Waithe is also in the field. The event is scheduled to start at 5.35pm.

At 10.20 this morning, Mikel Thomas competes in the opening round of the men’s 110m hurdles.

Walcott’s elder brother, Elton Walcott will bid for honours in the men’s triple jump. That event starts at 11.35am.

The Red, White and Black will also be on show today in the four relay events. The men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m teams will bid for championship race berths.

At 9.00am tomorrow, the T&T men’s hockey team will do battle with Cuba in the seventh-place playoff. Yesterday, United States edged T&T 2-1, and Mexico got the better of the Cubans 3-1.

United States went ahead in the 27th minute through William Holt. Tariq Marcano struck back for T&T in the 36th. But just two minutes later, Tyler Sundeen restored the lead for the Americans.

T&T and Cuba battled to a 2-2 draw when they met in a Pool “A” match, last week.

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Thursday July 23^rd, Toronto, Canada– World Junior Champion Machel Cedenio finished second, claiming a silver medal for Trinidad and Tobago in the men’s 400 metre final with a time of 44.70. Fellow quarter miler Jarrin Solomon was 5^th in 45.20. Trinidad and Tobago’s medal total at this year’s Pan Am Games now stands at four thanks to the efforts of Cedenio, Cleopatra Borel, Njisane Phillip and George Bovell. Cedenio like Phillip will also receive the silver medal bonus from the 10Golds24 Athlete Welfare and Preparation fund.

Following his run he said, “This feels good. I’m satisfied with my run. Thank god I came out injury free.” Cedenio expressed surprise at the medal bonus programme from the TTOC saying, “That’s really good. It’s extra motivation to climb the podium.” World Champs and Stockholm are up next for this young champion and newly minted Pan Am Silver medallist.

Compatriot Solomon also took heart in his performance saying, “I’m in good shape and I’m ready to run fast at worlds. It will happen. I can run the times the medallists are running.”

In the women’s 200m Kamaria Durant finished 4^th in her semi-final heat in a time of 22.94, while Reyare Thomas finished 5^th in a time of 22.88. Thomas will advance to tomorrow’s final as one of the two fastest losers. Earlier in the day, Durant ran a new personal best in qualifications with a time 22.74. Following that race she said,  “The sun was really hot but I’m really happy I was able to overcome the heat and run a personal best. Hopefully I can go faster and cut that time down in the semis.” Unfortunately Durant wasn’t able to do so and will not advance to the finals.

Over on the men’s side Kyle Greaux and Rondel Sorillo were unable to advance to the final.  Greaux finished 7^th in semi final one in a time of 20.69. The winner of that race Jamaican Richard Dwyer broke the 44-year-old Pan Am record with a time of 19.80. Rondel Sorillo finished 6^th in semi final two with a time of 20.61. Following his race Sorillo said, “I felt flat. Today wasn’t a good day. Relays are next.”

In the discus, Quincy Wilson finished 10^th. Of his performance he said, “It wasn’t great. I had nothing to lose but unfortunately I wasn’t on my A game.” Out in field hockey, the men’s team lost their 5^th to 8^th round match against the United States 2-1.

Track and field action continues tomorrow with relay qualifications and the men’s javelin final featuring national record holder, Keshorn Walcott.

Cleopatra Borel is the very first woman and only the sixth Trinidad and Tobago athlete in history to strike gold at the Pan American Games. She joins cycling’s triple gold medallist Roger Gibbon, swimming’s two-time champion George Bovell, two other cyclists, Leslie King and Gene Samuel, and weightlifter Rodney Wilkes.

Borel held off a spirited challenge from United States thrower Jillian Camarena-Williams at the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium in Toronto, Canada, yesterday to capture the women’s shot put title.

The T&T veteran’s winning effort of 18.67 metres came in round two. In the sixth and final round, Camarena-Williams came close to overhauling Borel, the American throwing the iron ball 18.65m to claim silver.

But in the end, it was a deserving victory for Borel. She had the best series on the day, bettering 18 metres with her first four throws – 18.39m, 18.67m, 18.56m and 18.24m. The Mayaro field athlete fouled her fifth attempt. And then, with the ninth T&T gold medal in the 64-year history of the Pan Am Games already assured, she threw 17.81m in round six.

Bronze went to Chile’s Natalia Duco with an 18.01m throw.

Borel now has a complete set of Pan Am Games medals--yesterday’s gold, silver in 2011, and bronze in 2007. She has joined an elite group of T&T athletes with three or more medals at the hemispheric Games.

Bovell is the “club president” with six medals—two gold, two silver, two bronze. Sprinter Mike Agostini has five medals--two silver, three bronze. Two of Agostini’s medals were captured for T&T at the 1955 Games, while the other three, including a 4x100m bronze, were earned as part of a British West Indies team four years later.

Gibbon is next on the list with three gold medals and a silver for a grand total of four. And Samuel is tied for fourth with Borel at three medals apiece. Samuel also has a complete set—gold, silver and bronze.

Keston Bledman finished just outside the medals in yesterday’s men’s 100 metres dash. The T&T sprinter clocked 10.12 seconds for fourth spot.

Canadian Andre De Grasse was golden in 10.05. Barbadian Ramon Gittens seized silver in 10.07, while bronze was bagged by St Kitts and Nevis athlete Antoine Adams in 10.09.

Earlier, Bledman won the first men’s century semifinal in 10.10 seconds.

Kelly-Ann Baptiste was fifth in the women’s 100m final, the T&T track star getting to the line in 11.05 seconds.

Sherone Simpson, running way out in lane eight, upset the field, the Jamaican grabbing gold in 10.95 seconds. Nineteen-year-old Ecuadorian Angela Tenorio stole silver with a personal best 10.99 run, forcing American Barbara Pierre to settle for bronze in 11.01.

In a close contest for fourth spot, Brazilian Rosangela Santos clocked 11.04 seconds to just get the better of Baptiste.

Canadian Khamica Bingham was sixth in 11.13, while seventh spot went to Brazil’s Claudia Ana Silva (11.15).

Another T&T sprinter, Semoy Hackett finished eighth in a season’s best 11.16 seconds.

In the semis, Baptiste topped heat one in a wind-aided 11.05 seconds, while Hackett was fifth in heat two in a windy 11.16. Hackett progressed to the championship race as a “fastest loser”.

T&T’s Sparkle McKnight finished fifth in the women’s 400m hurdles final. Coming off the final turn, McKnight was in contention for bronze, but faded on the home straight and finished outside the medals. Shamier Little stamped her class on the race, the American running away with gold in 55.50 seconds. Canadian Sarah Wells (56.17) and Uruguay’s Deborah Rodriguez (56.41) picked up silver and bronze, respectively.

Machel Cedenio and Jarrin Solomon square off against each other today in the 7.20pm men’s 400m final. Both T&T quartermilers progressed automatically from the semis.

Cedenio clocked 46.06 seconds to finish second in the second heat, while Solomon clocked 46.16 for third spot in the opening semi. Dominican Republic’s 2012 Olympic silver medallist Luguelin Santos won heat one in 45.72. And in heat two, Costa Rican Nery Brenes was home first in 45.85.

Cedenio has been drawn in lane six for the championship race, alongside Santos, in five. Solomon, however, will have his work cut out way out in lane eight.

Emanuel Mayers was third in the second of three men’s 400m hurdles semifinal heats. The T&T athlete crossed the line in 50.81 seconds to secure ninth spot overall, just missing out on the eight-man final.

Janeil Bellille bowed out of the women’s 400m event when she finished seventh in the opening semifinal in 54.41 seconds.

Deandra Daniel’s 1.75m clearance earned the T&T athlete 15th spot in the women’s high jump. St Lucia’s Levern Spencer topped the field with a 1.94m jump. Antigua’s Priscilla Frederick and Barbadian Akela Jones captured silver and bronze, respectively, both jumpers clearing the bar at 1.91m.

From 7.05 this evening, Quincy Wilson will battle for honours in the men’s discus. This morning, Reyare Thomas and Kamaria Durant run in the opening round of the women’s 200m. And in the men’s 200m, Kyle Greaux and Rondel Sorrillo will face the starter.

In men’s hockey, T&T square off against United States at 11.30am in a 5th to 8th playoff match. Late on Tuesday, T&T were blanked 3-0 by Canada in a quarterfinal fixture.

In a Pool “B” match-up, last Saturday, the Americans edged T&T 2-1.

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