On the final day of the XVI IAAF World Championships in Athletics at the Olympic Park in London, Jereem Richards on the second leg and anchor man, Lalonde Gordon ran their hearts out to bring the men’s 4x400m gold medal to Soca Land, the first time the Trinis were winning the event in their history of global championships.
The team ran 2:58.12, a world leader and national record with USA without the off colour, LaShawn Merritt copping silver in 2:58.41 and Great Britain, bronze, 2:59.00.
Gordon got the baton about 10 metres behind USA Fred Kerley on anchor and easily moved ahead in the last 50 metres to send wild celebration.
Jarrin Solomon, who led things of, said “we made sure that we set up the team correctly. We worked so hard and it means so much to our team. It has a special sweet taste for us this year.
Richards, the men’s 200m bronze medallist, said his job was just to go out and “make sure we have the chance to execute well on the last leg.”
Machel Cedenio, who ran the third leg, said they were prepared for the USA team. “I feel just grateful now. I think it was the best experience of all my career.
With talk of an altercation between two athletes from the MVP Track Club down to run in the women’s final, swirling through the air, Jamaica’s effort, starting with a brilliant opener from Chrisann Gordon, came to grief on the second leg.
Anneisha McLaughlin-Whilby, who, as reported was thrust into duty to replace one of the two athletes, caught in the earlier spat, and refusing to run, fell to the track at the cut in point with the USA’s Allyson Felix disappearing on her 48 point split. The USA went on to win in a world leading 3:19.02 with Great Britain taking the silver with 3:25.00 and Poland the bronze in 3:25.41.
With Trinidad & Tobago’s golden haul in the final event, the Caribbean ended with five medals with Jamaica getting the most of four, one gold and three bronze.
The curtain was brought down with a soul-stirring tribute to the departing Usain Bolt who was moist in the eyes as he circled the track at walking pace, bidding goodbye to the highly supportive crowd.