Jul.26.2010

Twenty-three year-old Aleesha Barber, running out of lane five, won T&T’s fifth gold medal in the 100m hurdles in 13.09 seconds at the 21st Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico last night in Puerto Rico. Earlier, sharp shooter Robert John Auerbach gave T&T gold medal number four. Auerbach took the top podium spot in the Men’s Skeet with a score of 114, ahead of Carlos Valdez of Mexico and Diego Duarte of Colombia, at the Alb Olímpico, Salinas. The twin island’s medal tally now stands at 14, with five gold, five silver and four bronze.

Barber was ahead of Colombian, Ellecit Palacios and Jamaican, Andrea Bliss. In her semifinal round, Barber also won in 13.10 seconds. Ayanna Hutchinson had to settle for a silver medal in the women’s 100-metre sprint final in 11.47 seconds to trail British Virgin Islands’ Tahesia Harrigan who coasted to her victory in 11.19 with Colombia’s Yomara Hinestroza, third in 11.51. Hutchinson had qualified as the fastest for the final after she won heat two of three in 11.42. Keston Bledman was seventh in the men’s 100m final in 10.32 while team-mate Emmanuel Callender was disqualified for a false start. Churandy Martina of Netherland Antilles won gold in 10.07 while Daniel Bailey of Antigua got silver in 10.08 and Jamaican, Lerone Clarke, bronze in 10.15.

In the semifinal round, Bledman topped his rivals in 10.21 and Calendar was second in the fourth and final heat in 10.16 to trail Bailey (10.07) and qualify as one of the top of the four fastest losers. Today, World Track and Field Championship, bronze medal winner, Renny Quow will go after gold in the 400m final after he qualified as the sixth fastest with a second place finish in the second of three semifinal heats in 46.09 seconds. Fellow T&T runner, Zwede Hewitt was third in the first 400m semifinal in 46.30 for tenth overall, missing out on a spot in the final as one of the two fastest losers. Cyclists, Njisane Phillip did not add to his gold and silver medal tally when he ended in sixth spot in the men’s keirin final while team-mate Haseem Mc Lean was fourth in the B final.