Jehue Gordon narrowly missed out on T&T's first medal at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, in Berlin, Germany, yesterday, when he was edged for third place by American Bershawn Jackson in the final of the men's 400-metre hurdles. "I am just so happy right now," said an elated Gordon after the race, "I am totally shocked that I made it this far and did this well."
Despite running a new national record of 48.26 seconds in the final to replace the old mark of 48.66, which he set while running in the preliminary heats on Saturday, Gordon had to settle for fourth place behind T&T-born Kerron Clement of the United States, who took gold in 47.91, Puerto Rican Javier Culson (48.09) and Jackson (48.23).
Gordon, who at 17 is the youngest ever competitor in the event at the Championships, said his performances over the last few days were the fruits of a year of hard training and dedication. "I have been training so hard this year you wouldn't believe. Ahead of the race, I just kept going over what I wanted to do in my mind and how to execute and it really worked for me," said the two-time Pan American junior silver medallist. Gordon, who is now the second fastest junior in history, ran out of lane two in the event, next to Clement. Among those beaten by Gordon were 2004 Olympic gold medallist F�lix S�nchez of the Dominican Republic and 2004 Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane of Jamaica.
Female hurdler Josanne Lucas also wrote her name into the local history books when she became the first female athlete to qualify for an individual final at a major senior championships. Lucas clocked a new national record of 53.98, to replace the old mark of 54.17, which she set in June. She placed second in the first of three semifinals in the women's 400m hurdles. First place went to 2008 Olympic gold medallist Melaine Walker of Jamaica in a season best 53.26 while Romanian hurdler Angela Morosanu was the third to qualify from the heat in 54.15. Other performances on the day came from Rondell Sorrillo and Emmanuel Callender who both advanced to the semifinals of the men's 200 metres after placing fifth in their respective quarterfinal heats.
Sorrillo ran in a time of 20.58 seconds, in a race won by the world's fastest man, Jamaica's Usain Bolt, in a time of 20.41, well below his world record of 19.58 set at the Beijing Olympics. Callender crossed the finish line in 20.62 seconds, with Jamaica's Steve Mullings winning the heat in 20.23 seconds. Sorrillo who is in semifinal one, will have a tall task as he comes up against Bolt and Olympic silver medallist American Shawn Crawford. Callender will have to contend with Mullings and William Spearmon of the US, who posted the fastest time at the meet, 19.98 seconds.
National 400m champion Renny Quow, was also in action clocking 45.21 to win the second of seven heats and secure qualification to the second round of the event at 12.15 pm (T&T time). The other qualifying spots for the race went to second place William Callao of Cuba in 45.52 and third place K�vin Borl�e Belgium in 45.61.
T&T's Aleesha Barber also qualified for second round of the women's 100m hurdles, which will take place at 5.35 am (T&T time), after clocking 13.19 to advance as the one of the fastest losers.
Kelly-Ann Baptiste will take part in the heats of the women's 200m at 6.10 am.
How they finished
1 Kerron Clement, US, 47.91
2 Javier Culson, Puerto Rico, 48.09
3 Bershawn Jackson, US, 48.23
4 Jehue Gordon, T&T, 48.26
5 Periklis Iakovakis, Greece, 48.42
6 Danny McFarlane, Jamaica, 48.65
7 David Greene, Britain, 48.68
8 Felix Sanchez, Dom Republic, 50.11.
T&T's Jehue Gordon races alongside United States' Kerron Clement, left, on the way to his way to fourth place in the final of the Men's 400m hurdles during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, yesterday. Clement won the gold medal. PHOTO: ANTHONY HARRIS
