With their 38.47 secs clocking the men’s sprint relay heats of the World Championships, Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) came out for the final in a business-party mood, wearing their feelings on their shirts. As if they were there to run then soca, all four team members sported over-shirts that read: “Wine and Jam” on the front and "Trinidad & Tobago" on the back.
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The Trinidadians came out as if they were ready to run and party
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They were going in as one of the fastest qualifiers. After all, the high-flying US team was missing, disqualified for an illegal change-over, and the watered-down Jamaicans without Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell had qualified with a slow 38.60. Once again, a showdown was looming between the two Caribbean nations.
But with Jamaica’s two ace athletes in for the final, T&T would not have it their way. Another Beijing was about happen.
In the end, it was the Jamaicans who conquered. Steve Mullings, Michael Frater, an exhausted Usain Bolt and injured Asafa, in that running order, scorched the track in a championships record 37.31, much slower that the 37.10 they ran in Beijing last year to set the world record.
Once again, the Trinis with Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Richard Thompson had to play second fiddle to the Jamaicans in 37.62, a national record. Great Britain was third in season best 38.02.
But it was the Caribbean women who got the party going in the first place. With the US out of the final, the Jamaicans ran 42.06 to win from the Bahamas (Sheniqua Ferguson, Chandra Sturrup, 37, Christine Amertil and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, 33), posting a season best 42.29. Germany was third in a season best 42.87 and T&T down the line at 7th in 43.43.
The same Jamaican line-up clocked a much faster 41.88 in their heat.
The drama isn’t over though; the scene is set for more showdown today in both 1,600m relays. The disqualification of the Bahamas in the women’s event leaves Jamaica and Cuba as the Caribbean teams to battle with Russia and the US. Having run 3:24.72 for second to Russia (3:23.80) in the second heat, Jamaica is expected to bring in its World and Olympic 400m silver medalist Shericka Williams and Worlds and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker for the final.
The US ran 3:29.31 to win heat one but will bring in Allyson Felix for the final to step up the pace. A battle royal will no doubt ensue among the Russians, Jamaicans and Americans.
The Bahamas had a double whammy in this event as the male team, like the female, was disqualified, leaving only the Dominican Republic with Felix Sanchez as the only Caribbean team to challenge the highly touted US team.