TT 4x100 sprinters into IAAF U-20 final

ANCHOR Kion Benjamin, together with Carlon Hosten, Tyrell Edwards and David Pierce combined for a season best effort of 39.67 seconds, yesterday, to advance to the 4x100m final at the IAAF World U-20 Championships, which runs off today, the penultimate day of competition.

The event which is being staged at the Ratina Stadium in Tampere, Finland has been mostly disappointing for TT with barely a sight at precious metal. The relay team now remains TT’s only hope at medalling at the Championships.

With the joint fastest reaction time (.138 seconds), TT were off to a strong start but were narrowly outpaced in the end by Japan and the United States, who clocked 39.18 and 39.49 seconds, respectively.

While third in the heat, TT’s time was the fourth fastest overall. Germany had an incredible race, beating the heats in 39.13 seconds, a world leading time. Jamaica also qualified for the final in a slightly slower time than TT — in 39.68 seconds.

Presumably, TT saved the two strongest members of the relay team, Timothy Fredericks and Ako Hislop, for this morning’s final. It will run off 9:04 am (TT time). The relay was practically TT’s highlight performance yesterday.

Tyriq Horsford was far from his best in the men’s javelin.

The Carifta gold medallist was unable to progress from the two-group preliminaries.

In Group B, Horsford threw the spear 64.90m on his second and best of three attempts. He first threw 61.44m and finally 62.35m, a considerable way off his season best 69.82m and personal best 76.50m.

Australian Nash Lowis was the best qualifier with a 74.38m throw, his personal best. In the women’s 200m, TT was represented by Iantha Wright, who clocked 24.41 seconds for a fourth placed finish in Heat 1 of the semi-finals.

She advanced to the semi-finals after securing the sixth fastest time in her heat and the 22nd overall, in 24.16 seconds.

Lauren Williams of the United States and Brianna Williams of Jamaica were the two fastest semi-finalists, finishing in 23.15 and 23.41 seconds, respectively.