Former 400-metre World Indoor champion Jereem Richards stole the show on the second day of the NGC National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAATT) Junior and Senior Championships, sprinting to victory in the men’s 400-metre final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on Saturday.
Despite thunderstorms and gusty winds, dedicated fans braved the inclement weather to witness their favorite Trinidad and Tobago athletes in action. Anticipation was high for the men’s 400m final, which began around 7:30 pm after a 12-minute delay due to crowd noise.
Richards, undeterred by the delay, dominated the race, finishing in 44.72 seconds, comfortably under the Olympic qualifying standard of 45 seconds. This time also marked a new season’s best for Richards, surpassing his previous 44.82 seconds from the NYC Grand Prix on June 9.
More than a second ahead of his competitors
Representing Abilene Wildcats, Richards finished more than a second ahead of his competitors. Jaden Marchan of Siparia Athletics secured second place in 46.30 seconds, while Shakeem McKay of Abilene Wildcats finished third in 46.62 seconds.
Richards and McKay had previously helped Trinidad and Tobago qualify for the men’s 4x400m event at the World Athletics Relay Championship in the Bahamas. In the 400m final, Richards celebrated his victory with a Trinidad and Tobago flag, waving to the appreciative crowd.
The women’s 100-metre final faced a delay due to a faulty starter’s gun, but once the race began, Leah Bertrand ran a brilliant race, winning the gold medal in 11.18 seconds. Although impressive, Bertrand’s time fell short of the Olympic standard of 11.07 seconds. Sole Frederick finished strong, narrowly beating her sister Sanaa Frederick and Akilah Lewis to claim second place in 11.43 seconds. Lewis finished third in 11.50 seconds, while Sanaa Frederick placed fourth in 11.55 seconds.
A well-executed run
In the men’s 100m final, Devin Augustine defended his title with a well-executed run, finishing in 10.21 seconds. Jonathan Farinha, who looked favored for most of the race, was pipped at the line by Augustine and settled for second in 10.23 seconds. Kion Benjamin finished third with a time of 10.38 seconds.
The boys’ Under-20 100m final was closely contested, but Dylan Woodruffe of Cougars emerged victorious with a time of 10.57 seconds. Kadeem Chinapoo, who won Carifta gold in the boys’ Under-17 200m earlier this year, edged out his brother Hakeem for second place in 10.66 seconds. Hakeem Chinapoo secured third in 10.73 seconds.
In the girls’ Under-17 100m final, Lisa Arianna Raye claimed gold with a time of 11.42 seconds, while Akira Malaver took second place in 11.90 seconds. In the girls’ Under-20 100m final, Xenia Nicole Raye won the gold medal with a time of 11.57 seconds, and Symphony Patrick, a 2024 Carifta silver medallist, took silver in 11.94 seconds.
The last field event of the day saw 2012 Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott win the men’s javelin event with a throw of 85.22 metres, marking a new season’s best. Walcott also recorded throws of 84.42m and 83.85m, impressing the remaining spectators with his series of powerful throws.
