Cedenio advances to Worlds 400m final

MACHEL Cedenio advanced to the finals of the men's 400m event at the 2019 IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Championships in Doha, Qatar, today.

The TT runner booked his place in the final after winning semifinal heat three in a season best time of 44.41 seconds. Colombian Anthony Zambrano finished second in a new national record of 44.55 and Jamaican Akeem Bloomfield was third in 44.77 and both qualified for the final. The final will take place at 3.20 pm TT time, on Friday.

The first two in each of the three heats plus the next two fastest times qualified for the final.

In heat one, American Fred Kerley won in 44.25 and Emmanuel Korir of Kenya finished second in a season best time of 44.37.to qualify.

Three Caribbean athletes qualified from heat two. Steven Gardiner, of Bahamas, was first in 44.13, Grenadian Kirani James ended second in 44.23 and Jamaican Demish Gaye also progressed to the final after clocking 44.66. The top three all accomplished season best times.

In the women's shot put qualification, TT's Portious Warren missed out on a spot in the final. Warren was tenth in group A with a top throw of 17.46m on her second attempt. Warren threw 17.43m on her first attempt and fouled her third and final attempt. The competitors needed to throw 18.40m to qualify or finish among the top 12.

The top seven athletes qualified from group A with Jamaican Danniel Thomas-Dodd winning the group with an 19.32m effort. Paulina Guba of Great Britain earned the final spot from group A with a 18.04m performance.

Five athletes qualified from group B. American Maggie Ewen earned top spot in group B after throwing 19.21m and Anita Marton of Hungary took the final spot with an 18.44m attempt.