Forde captures bronze at CAC meet in Barbados
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
July 7, 2002
Junior Carifta games gold medalist Clevland Forde had to settle for the bronze medal in the 10,000-metre boys under-20 event, at the Central American and Caribbean Junior Track and Field Championships in Barbados on Friday night.
There were no other medal winning performance by the locals on the opening day (Friday) of competition, where Tai Payne placed 9th in the 400-metre boys under-20 final, Michelle Vaughn settled for 5th in the long jump for girls under-20, Analisa Austin had to be contended with 8th in the 100-metre girls under-17 and Randy Lee was 6th in the 400-metre boys under-17.
According to reports coming out of Barbados, Forde who has been sponsored to the meet by world renowned singer Eddy Grant, returned 31 minutes, 51.13 seconds for the event which he had told Stabroek Sport he was very confident of securing a medal in.
The race was won by Venezuela's Danny Corrieves (31 minutes 35.96 seconds. Second was Mexico's Edelberto Mendez (31:42.80,3).
Forde will be in action once again tonight in the 5000-metre boys under-20, the same distance he won a gold medal in at this year's Junior Carifta Games 5000-metre in the Bahamas. His best time for the 5000-metre is 15 minutes 27 seconds which he clocked at the Dexter E. Braxter Games in Trinidad recently.
Prior to his departure for Barbados, Forde who is eyeing the World Junior Championships slated for Jamaica later this month had told Stabroek Sport, he is confident he can medal at the CAC meet. "The type of training I did leading up to this meet (CAC), I am confident I can win a medal in the 10,000-mere race, but I cannot say if it will be a gold medal, all I know is I am confident of medaling".
Payne who won a silver medal on the same track at last year's Junior Carifta Games and gold medals at the Hampton Games (Trinidad) as well as the Whitsuntide Games in Grenada, clocked 48.84 seconds in placing third in his heat of the 400-metre boys under-20. His time for the final was not available yesterday.
Vaughn who recorded 6.14 metres for the long jump at this year's Whitsuntide Games in Grenada, and was looking at making the qualifying standard (6.15m) for the World Juniors Championships which is slated for Jamaica later this month, could do no better than 5.82 metres on Friday.
The Atoms Athletic Club athlete was scheduled to contest the triple jump yesterday and was at the time, still hopeful that she could reach the World Juniors qualifying standard (12.59m).
Austin who registered 13 seconds flat in placing second in her 100m heat, returned 12.92 seconds in placing 8th in the final, while Lee who did 49.22 seconds in placing 3rd in his 400-metre heat, returned 50.15 seconds for his 6th place final.
The other locals on the 10-member team who was to have been on show yesterday are; under-17 girls: Kimberly Holder (800m), Jennifer Chichester (800 and 1200m), Delcie Dick (1200m) and US based Jeavon Benjamin (100 and 200m). Boys under-17; Derwin Eastman (800 and 1500m).
Eastman was also slated to contest the 100-metre event on Friday, but up to press time yesterday, no word was forthcoming regarding her performance or if she did in fact join the team in Barbados from the US.
Austin was also expected to contest the 200-metre girls under-17 event yesterday, while Lee was billed to do battle in the 800m boys under-17.
Payne who returned a silver medal winning performances at the Desmond E. Braxter Central Games which were staged at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Trinidad, last month, was billed to run the 800-metre boys under-20 race yesterday, and was hoping to register a World Juniors qualifying time for distance.
At the Desmond Braxter Games, Payne returned one minute 51 seconds, which is .33 of a second faster than the 1:51.33 he did at this year's Junior Carifta Games in Bahamas.
Athletes from some of the top sporting nations in the Caribbean and further afield, including Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and Mexico are competing at the meet.