Host T&T put on an impressive performance to claim silver in the men's 4x400-metre relay as the curtain closed on the 15th edition of the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on Sunday. After T&T sat in fifth position for the first two legs of the race which were run by Jevon Matthew and Deon Lendore, T&T's Kevin Haynes pushed his team into third spot by passing Grenada's Akim Bowen and Canada's Andre Hamilton.
T&T's anchor Jehue Gordon secured the silver when he passed Jamaican Jermaine Gayle on the back straight of the final leg but was unable to catch Tavaris Tate, the anchor of USA's golden run. T&T's final time was three minutes, 07.70 seconds. USA clocked 3:03.25 to win, and Canada finished strongly in 3:09.05 , for third spot. Jamaica (3:09.79) was fourth while the Grenada team which included 400m sensation Kirani James was fifth in 3:11.91.
T&T ended its campaign without a gold medal but won four silver and a bronze.
T&T's 4x400m women missed out on a medal after Jessica James and Domonique Williams dropped the baton on the second exchange. The Jamaica relay women were eventually crowned the winners of the event in 3:37.65, after the USA, who finished ahead of the Jamaica in 3:36.34 were disqualified. The Bahamas (3:42.17) was given second place while Canada was third in 3:44.86.
Nero, Gordon medals
T&T's other medals came from 11-time Carifta gold medallist Gavyn Nero and Jehue Gordon. Both claimed silver in their respective events. Gordon won his silver in the men's 400m hurdles after placing second to USA's William Wynne, in 50.08. Wynne's winning time was a new Pan Am record of 49.31, while another American Reginald Wyatt was third in 50.61. In the men's 800m, Nero picked up his silver after running second to Cuba's Raidel Acea Morales. Morales completed the event in a winning time of 1:48.09, while Nero finished in 1:48.90 and USA's Joseph Abbot (1:48.99) was third.
T&T's women 4x100m relay of Nyoka Giles, Kirlene Roberts, Kai Selvon and Deborah John claimed bronze in their event after completing their lap in 45.38 to finish behind the USA. The Americans ran a blistering time of 44.09 while Jamaica was second in 44.96.
T&T's first medal at the championships came from discus thrower, Quincy Wilson, who claimed silver with is last on sixth throw in the event. After trailing in the event for the first three rounds, the Carifta gold medallist hurled the implement 57.90 metres on his sixth throw. First place in the event went to the USA's Mason Finley with a championship record of 65.34m with third place going to Jamaica's Travis Smikle with a 57.18m throw.
T&T finished 12th on the medal table with first place going to USA with 21 gold, 22 silver and 13 bronze medals.