T&T’s Jereem “The Dream” Richards copped silver in the men’s 200 metres at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Bermuda Games on Saturday.
The reigning men’s 400m World Indoor champion lined up in lane seven at the Flora Duffy Stadium and crossed the line in a time of 20.86 seconds to place second behind Bahamian Steven Gardiner, who won gold in the 400m in Tokyo Olympics last year, with 20.79. In third place was Emmanuel Matadi of Liberia with 21.04.
The USA’s entries filled the remaining spots, respectively, Kyree King (21.06), Isiah Young (21.07/21.063) and Andrew Hudson (21.07/21.064) and Chris Belcher (21.68). Demek Kemp (USA) did not start.
Machel Cedenio opened his season with a fifth-place finish in the men’s 400m event. Running out of lane three, the local quarter-miler clocked 46.70 to complete the one-lap event which was won by Grenadian Kirani James in 45.63.
In second place was Great Britain’s Alex Haydock-Wilson with 46.05 and in third was Jamaican Jahell Hyde with 46.27 and American Kahmari Montgomery in fourth with 46.38. Filling the other spots were Americans Aldrich Bailey (46.72), Noah Williams (47.01) and Kevin Metzger of Great Britain (47.52).
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Ruebin Walters, who also represented T&T at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia, just missed out on a medal, placing fourth with a time of 13.95. Nabbing gold was Shane Brathwaite from Barbados with 13.78 with USA’s Michael Dickson copping silver with 13.85 and bagging bronze with 13.87 was Brazil’s Eduardo Rodrigues, who entered the event with the second-fastest time this season with 13.44.
Grant Holloway, the Olympic silver medal-winner and second-fastest man in the history of the 110 hurdles with a best of 12.81, was slated to open his season at the Bermuda meet but he did not start.
Jamaica’s DeJour Russell (14.58), Haitian Jeff Julmis (14.60) and another Jamaican Damion Thomas (14.72), filled the fifth to seventh spots, respectively.
Michelle-Lee Ahye, the lone women’s participant at the Bermudan meet, was registered to compete in the women’s 100m but she did not start. The Americans swept the dash with Teahna Daniels, placing first with 11.45, Gabby Thomas was the runner-up with 11.49 and third was Javianne Oliver with 11.62. Jamaicans Natasha Morrison was fifth with 11.77 and Sashalee Forbes was seventh with 11.94.
In the women’s 200m, Jamaican Brian Williams, who is coached by T&T’s Ato Boldon, was third with 23.82 behind winner Bahamian Anthonique Strachan (23.24) and second-placed Dezerea Bryant (23.72).
