TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Jamaican sprinter Sherone Simpson and Trinidadian shot-putter Cleopatra Borel both struck gold, as the Caribbean nabbed the headlines at the 2015 Pan American Games here last night.
The 30-year-old Simpson clocked a season-best 10.95 seconds to win the women’s 100 metres while Borel, a seasoned campaigner at age 36, threw 18.67 metres to capture the women’s shot putt.
With the two successes, the Caribbean took their gold medal tally yesterday alone to three, following St Lucian Levern Spencer’s victory in the women’s high jump earlier in the day.
Victory for Simpson would have been especially rewarding, coming against the back drop of a recently-served suspension for a doping violation.
Running out of lane eight after finishing third in the second semi-final earlier in the evening, Simpson finished just ahead of Ecuador’s Angela Tenorio who claimed silver in a personal best 10.99, and American Barbara Pierre who was third in 11.01.
“With faith, determination and patience anything is possible. I’m really happy that I managed to win,” said Simpson, who won silver at the Beijing Olympics seven years ago.
“I tried to keep my composure in the race and made sure to be relaxed in the last 20 metres.”
Trinidadian Kelly-Ann Baptiste, who had earlier clocked 11.05 to win semi-final one, finished a disappointing fifth in the same time while fellow national Semoy Hackett was last but in a season-best 11.16. Borel, meanwhile, beat American Jillian Camarena-Williams who grabbed silver with a throw of 18.65, and Natalia Duco of Chile who was third in 18.01. The veteran Borel achieved her winning mark on just her second throw with Camarena-Williams only coming close on her final attempt.
The gold comes on the heels of Borel’s success at the Central American and Caribbean Game in Mexico. She won silver at the 2011 Pan Am Games, also staged in Mexico.
Yaniuvis Lopez of Cuba missed out when she finished fourth with a season-best 17.78 while Jamaican Danniel Thomas was fifth in a personal-best 17.76.
Barbadian Ramon Gittens just came up short in the men’s 100 metres, claiming silver as Canadian Adam de Grasse raced to gold in a time of 10.05 seconds.
The 28-year-old Gittens was timed at 10.07 while St Kitts and Nevis’ Antoine Adams claimed bronze in 10.09.
Trinidadian Keston Bledman, who had earlier won his semi-final in 10.10, finished a disappointing fourth in 10.12.
Jamaican Jason Livermore was seventh in 10.17 and Barbadian Levi Cadogan, last in 10.18.
