Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T) hurdler Mikel Thomas failed to medal at yesterday’s final day of track and field competition at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games when he produced a fifth-place finish in the men’s 110 metres hurdles event in a time of 13.83 seconds at the Heriberto Jara Corona Stadium in Xalapa, Mexico.
Running out of lane seven, Thomas had a good start, recording the second fastest reaction time of 0.167 seconds, and was well in the medal hunt over the first 60 metres but gradually faded out of contention as Cuba’s Yordan Luis Ofarrill grabbed gold in 13.46 from his countryman Jhoanis Portilla, 13.53, while Greggmar Swift of Barbados took bronze in a time of 13.59.
After the race Thomas told the Express he wasn’t disappointed at not medalling. “It’s very, very early right now for me in my preparation and this is the first time really going over any hurdles for the year, so it was a good opportunity to work some executions and try to put it together.”
In other action, T&T’s men rugby team got off to a good start to competition in Pool A by defeating Venezuela 14-5 in their opening match. Joseph Quashie and Jesse Richards contributed five points apiece as both scored tries while Christopher Hudson had two conversions for four points. Luis Zamora had one try for Venezuela’s five points.
T&T next faced Costa Rica and came away winners by a 27-10 margin. Wayne Kelly led the way with two tries for his ten points while Quashie, James Phillips and Darrel Scott each had a try and Keishon Walker chipped in with a conversion for his two points.
Luis Siles and Franklin Zuniga scored a try apiece for Costa Rica. Up to press time, the men were engaged in battle with Mexico in their third fixture. The rugby women were not as successful as their male counterparts after suffering losses to Colombia, 36-5, and Mexico, 36-0, while playing to a 10-10 stalemate with Jamaica.
And in beach volleyball action, T&T’s Fabien Whitfield and Daneil Williams were awarded a 21-0, 21-0, win after the Costa Rican duo of Diego Alpizar and Julio Alvarez, who were slated as injured, could not compete in the playoff fixture to decide positions 9-16.
The women’s pair of Ayanna Dyette and Nancy Joseph were not as fortunate in their quarterfinal matchup against Costa Rica’s Karen Cope and Natalia Alfaro, going under 21-13, 21-13, to bow out of medal contention.
Up to press time, T&T’s men water polo team was leading Guatemala 13-3 at the Leyes de Reforma Aquatic Centre in preliminary action while the men’s squash team was trailing Guatemala 0-1 after Colin Ramasra was beaten 11-3, 11-9, 11-2, by Edwin Enriquez.