- Home
- Sports
- Pan American Games 2007
- Trinidad & Tobago hockey men clash with Chile
Trinidad & Tobago hockey men clash with Chile
- By News Hound
- Published 07/25/2007
- Pan American Games 2007
- Unrated
News Hound
Your servent relentlessly hunting for interesting news stories around the world.
View all articles by News HoundTrinidad & Tobago hockey men clash with Chile
by Kwame Laurence
"I think a bronze medal would probably be harder to win than a gold medal. That's a real dog fight."
Trinidad and Tobago men's hockey team captain Kwandwane Browne is prepared for war in today's showdown with Chile, in the Pan American Games bronze medal match, at the Field Hockey Center here in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In the semi-final round, on Sunday, T&T went under 4-3 to Canada in sudden death extra-time, while Chile were beaten 5-2 by South American neighbours Argentina. Canada face the Argentines in today's gold medal match.
T&T have enjoyed a successful tournament, their best at the Pan Am Games since the country earned silver, behind Argentina, way back in 1967.
First, T&T recorded their first-ever victory over Cuba, Kwan and company winning 2-1, and then following up with an 8-1 battering of Brazil. In their final Pool A fixture, T&T lost 7-1 to Argentina, but the scoreline was no embarrassment against a team ranked sixth in the world.
The heartbreaking golden goal loss to Canada was next, and left the players deflated. But Browne told the Express Team T&T's Dutch coach, Rob Haantjes, will ensure that they're ready for battle at the Field Hockey Center today.
"The coach is an extremely good motivator. He gives us stories after stories before every game. The guys will do anything for him we have the motivation within the team also. This is definitely worth fighting for."
Melissa De Leon finished eighth in the women's 800 metres final, on the second day of track and field competition, at the Joao Havelange Stadium, yesterday.
During the second lap, the T&T half-miler struggled to stay in touch with the pack, and at the end of the race was not a contender for precious metal. De Leon, however, gave it her all coming home, battling to the line for a two minutes, 03.63 seconds clocking.
Canadian Diane Cummins was the class of the field, grabbing gold in 1:59.75, from Colombia's Rosibel Garcia (2:00.02) and Cuban Zulia Calatayud (2:00.34).
Renny Quow and Ato Modibo exited at the semi-final stage of the men's 400m.
In the first heat, Modibo, running in lane seven, went out hard, quickly making up the stagger on Cuba's William Collazo, in eight. However, the T&T quarter-miler faded on the home straight, finishing sixth in 46.42 seconds. Bahamian Chris Brown (45.51), Chris Lloyd (45.63) of Dominica, Collazo (45.75) and American Jamaal Torrance (45.75) advanced to today's final.
In heat two, Quow had lots of work to do in the second half of the race. As it turned out, the task of reeling in the leaders was more than he could handle on the day, the world junior champion copping fifth spot in 45.74 seconds. Canada's Tyler Christopher (45.28), American Lionel Larry (45.40), Bahamian Avard Moncur (45.44) and Grenada's Alleyne Francique (45.57) picked up the four championship race berths on offer.
In the women's 400m semis, 18-year-old Britney St Louis clocked 54.45 seconds to finish eighth in heat three and 19th overall.
And Natoya Baird is ninth with 3,052 points, going into the second day of the women's heptathlon. On day one, yesterday, the Tobago athlete clocked 14.32 seconds in the 100m hurdles, cleared the bar at 1.71m in the high jump, had a best throw of 9.63m in the shot put and got to the line in 26.59 in the 200m.
Janeil Bellille has been drawn in lane eight for today's women's 400m hurdles final.
Rhonda Watkins is still nursing an ankle injury, but should be among the competitors in the women's long jump. If close to her best, the reigning world junior champion will be a genuine contender for precious metal.
T&T will be represented by just one athlete in the preliminary round of the men's 200m, today. Emmanuel Callender faces the starter in heat three. Track and field manager George Commissiong told the Express, yesterday, that the other men's 200m entrant, Aaron Armstrong, has aggravated an injury and will not be making the trip to Rio.
The absence of Armstrong further depletes the sprint relay resources, national 100m champion Darrel Brown having already withdrawn from the meet with a foot injury. There is some good news, though. Richard Thompson is expected to be available for the sprint relay. Chef de Mission Annette Knott said yesterday the injury Thompson sustained during the opening round of the men's 100m dash, on Monday, is not serious.
"He got muscle spasms in his lower back. The medical staff, they're confident he'll be ready for the relay."
Nandelle Cameron and Reyare Thomas will fly the T&T flag in the women's 200m preliminaries. And in the men's 400m hurdles semis, Mikel Thomas is the lone T&T entrant.
France-based professional table tennis players Dexter St Louis and Rheann Chung will be in action at Riocentro Pavilhao 4B, today, in the opening round of the Pan American Games singles events.
St Louis is seeded eighth in the men's singles, and will take on Argentina's Gaston Alto in his first Group H contest. The 39-year-old southpaw also plays Chile's Juan Salamanca today, and completes his preliminary round assignment tomorrow, against Dominican Republic player Emil Santos.
First up for Chung is third-seeded Wu Xue, a Chinese-born player representing Dominican Republic. Wu Xue is ranked 48th in the world. Chung faces El Salvador's Morayle Alvarez and Lilia Redes of Paraguay in her other Group C fixtures. All three matches will be contested today.
The top two players in each group, in both the men's and women's singles, will advance to the knock-out phase.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=161180880
"I think a bronze medal would probably be harder to win than a gold medal. That's a real dog fight."
Trinidad and Tobago men's hockey team captain Kwandwane Browne is prepared for war in today's showdown with Chile, in the Pan American Games bronze medal match, at the Field Hockey Center here in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In the semi-final round, on Sunday, T&T went under 4-3 to Canada in sudden death extra-time, while Chile were beaten 5-2 by South American neighbours Argentina. Canada face the Argentines in today's gold medal match.
T&T have enjoyed a successful tournament, their best at the Pan Am Games since the country earned silver, behind Argentina, way back in 1967.
First, T&T recorded their first-ever victory over Cuba, Kwan and company winning 2-1, and then following up with an 8-1 battering of Brazil. In their final Pool A fixture, T&T lost 7-1 to Argentina, but the scoreline was no embarrassment against a team ranked sixth in the world.
The heartbreaking golden goal loss to Canada was next, and left the players deflated. But Browne told the Express Team T&T's Dutch coach, Rob Haantjes, will ensure that they're ready for battle at the Field Hockey Center today.
"The coach is an extremely good motivator. He gives us stories after stories before every game. The guys will do anything for him we have the motivation within the team also. This is definitely worth fighting for."
Melissa De Leon finished eighth in the women's 800 metres final, on the second day of track and field competition, at the Joao Havelange Stadium, yesterday.
During the second lap, the T&T half-miler struggled to stay in touch with the pack, and at the end of the race was not a contender for precious metal. De Leon, however, gave it her all coming home, battling to the line for a two minutes, 03.63 seconds clocking.
Canadian Diane Cummins was the class of the field, grabbing gold in 1:59.75, from Colombia's Rosibel Garcia (2:00.02) and Cuban Zulia Calatayud (2:00.34).
Renny Quow and Ato Modibo exited at the semi-final stage of the men's 400m.
In the first heat, Modibo, running in lane seven, went out hard, quickly making up the stagger on Cuba's William Collazo, in eight. However, the T&T quarter-miler faded on the home straight, finishing sixth in 46.42 seconds. Bahamian Chris Brown (45.51), Chris Lloyd (45.63) of Dominica, Collazo (45.75) and American Jamaal Torrance (45.75) advanced to today's final.
In heat two, Quow had lots of work to do in the second half of the race. As it turned out, the task of reeling in the leaders was more than he could handle on the day, the world junior champion copping fifth spot in 45.74 seconds. Canada's Tyler Christopher (45.28), American Lionel Larry (45.40), Bahamian Avard Moncur (45.44) and Grenada's Alleyne Francique (45.57) picked up the four championship race berths on offer.
In the women's 400m semis, 18-year-old Britney St Louis clocked 54.45 seconds to finish eighth in heat three and 19th overall.
And Natoya Baird is ninth with 3,052 points, going into the second day of the women's heptathlon. On day one, yesterday, the Tobago athlete clocked 14.32 seconds in the 100m hurdles, cleared the bar at 1.71m in the high jump, had a best throw of 9.63m in the shot put and got to the line in 26.59 in the 200m.
Janeil Bellille has been drawn in lane eight for today's women's 400m hurdles final.
Rhonda Watkins is still nursing an ankle injury, but should be among the competitors in the women's long jump. If close to her best, the reigning world junior champion will be a genuine contender for precious metal.
T&T will be represented by just one athlete in the preliminary round of the men's 200m, today. Emmanuel Callender faces the starter in heat three. Track and field manager George Commissiong told the Express, yesterday, that the other men's 200m entrant, Aaron Armstrong, has aggravated an injury and will not be making the trip to Rio.
The absence of Armstrong further depletes the sprint relay resources, national 100m champion Darrel Brown having already withdrawn from the meet with a foot injury. There is some good news, though. Richard Thompson is expected to be available for the sprint relay. Chef de Mission Annette Knott said yesterday the injury Thompson sustained during the opening round of the men's 100m dash, on Monday, is not serious.
"He got muscle spasms in his lower back. The medical staff, they're confident he'll be ready for the relay."
Nandelle Cameron and Reyare Thomas will fly the T&T flag in the women's 200m preliminaries. And in the men's 400m hurdles semis, Mikel Thomas is the lone T&T entrant.
France-based professional table tennis players Dexter St Louis and Rheann Chung will be in action at Riocentro Pavilhao 4B, today, in the opening round of the Pan American Games singles events.
St Louis is seeded eighth in the men's singles, and will take on Argentina's Gaston Alto in his first Group H contest. The 39-year-old southpaw also plays Chile's Juan Salamanca today, and completes his preliminary round assignment tomorrow, against Dominican Republic player Emil Santos.
First up for Chung is third-seeded Wu Xue, a Chinese-born player representing Dominican Republic. Wu Xue is ranked 48th in the world. Chung faces El Salvador's Morayle Alvarez and Lilia Redes of Paraguay in her other Group C fixtures. All three matches will be contested today.
The top two players in each group, in both the men's and women's singles, will advance to the knock-out phase.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=161180880
