Portious Warren, women’s 4x100m quartet knocked out of qualifying rounds

THE morning session on August 8 at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a disappointing one for Trinidad and Tobago, as the women’s 4×100-metre relay team and shot-putter Portious Warren were both knocked out of the qualifying rounds.

In the women’s shot put event, the 28-year-old Warren recorded a distance of 17.22m in her third and final throw — placing her tenth in her qualifying group and 22nd overall. She will not be among the 12 finalists for the event.

With just three women from the two qualifying groups meeting the automatic qualifying standard (19.15m) for the final, Warren finished well outside of the non-automatic qualifying spots. The best mark in qualifying was tossed by last year’s World Championships silver medallist Sarah Mitton of Canada, who threw a distance of 19.77m.

Reigning Olympic champion Lijao Gong (18.78m) placed third in Warren’s qualifying group and had the fifth-best throw overall.

Sweden’s Axelina Johannson (18.16m) grabbed the final non-automatic qualifying spot.

Without the presence of veteran Michelle-Lee Ahye, the TT 4x100m women’s relay quartet of Akilah Lewis, Sole Frederick, Sanaa Frederick and Leah Bertrand had a difficult time in the second semifinal, finishing last in 43.99 seconds — more than a second behind the seventh-placed Spain (42.77).

The second semi was won by Great Britain, whose quartet of Bianca Williams, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt and Desiree Henry, crossed the line in 42.03. Hosts France (42.13) and a youthful Jamaican team (42.35), who were competing without the high-profile pair of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, finished second and third respectively. The fourth-placed Canada (42.50) booked their spot in the final after setting a new national record, with the fifth-placed Netherlands (42.64) advancing to the final as the second non-automatic qualifier.

With Paris 2024 100m silver medallist Sha’Carri Richardson running their anchor leg, the US advanced to the final with the fastest qualifying time (41.94) after sprinting to a comfortable win in the first semi.

Team TTO will hope for better fortunes in the men’s javelin final from 2.25 pm on August 8, when Keshorn Walcott goes in search of a third Olympic medal in the event.

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