Too risky experimenting in 4x400m heats, says coach Carter

THE TRINIDAD AND Tobago men’s 4x400-metre team members are being encouraged by former TT Carifta coach Ian Carter to start their strongest quartet in the heats of the event to improve their chances of qualifying for the final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

TT will compete in heat one from 7.25 am (TT time), on Friday.

TT will aim to repeat the success they had on Japanese soil just two years ago when they won gold in the event at the 2019 IAAF World Relays in Yokohama.

The quartet on that day was Machel Cedenio, Deon Lendore, Asa Guevara and Jereem Richards.

Six TT athletes are on the men’s 4x400m squad in Tokyo including Cedenio, Lendore, Guevara, Richards, Dwight St Hillaire and Che Lara.

Teams often use some of their reserves in the heats running the risk of not advancing to the final.

Carter is urging the TT team to start their best quartet in the heats.

“With the 4x400 men I think we can make it to the finals and we stand an excellent chance of medalling, but I think we need to put our best foot forward in the semifinals (heats) to ensure that…I simply think that maybe we should run our best team in our roster to ensure that we get into the final,” Carter said.

“I would not take any chances.”

Cedenio, Lendore and St Hillaire were all eliminated in the semifinals of the men’s 400m individual event earlier this week. Lendore just missed out on a place in the final as he finished with the ninth fastest time overall.

Richards was eighth in the men’s 200m final, on Wednesday.

The other teams in heat one are Netherlands, Italy, Great Britain, Czech Republic, USA, Germany and Botswana.

India, Colombia, Jamaica, France, Belgium, Japan, Poland and South Africa will vie for a spot in the final in heat two at 7.37 am, on Friday.

The first three in each heat and the next two fastest teams will qualify for the final.

The men’s 4x400m final is scheduled for 8.50 am, on Saturday.

TT have earned two Olympic men’s 4x400m bronze medals in the history of the Olympics (1964 Tokyo Games and 2012 London Games).

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, TT were disqualified in the heats because of a lane infringement.