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Secondary Schools' Track & Field 

From Left: Prime celebrates with other finalists of the men's 50-54 60m. Prime in action in the heats of the men's 50-54 60m heats. Prime and Smith outside of  the Athletic Promotion Centre, the competition venue. (Photo courtesy: PRIME & SMITH)

Smith advances to World Masters 200m finals

by Athletics T&T, athleticstnt@gmail.com​​; March 22, 2017

DAEGU, South Korea: (Wed, 22, March), Raymond Smith (ZC Athletics) will vie for gold in the men's 55-59 200m finals on the fifth day of the 2017 World Masters (Over 35) Track and Field Championships currently taking place. Smith advanced to the finals after he was third in the second semifinals in 25.98 seconds held early on Wednesday morning (TT time). He is the fifth fastest of the six finalists. The retired fire-fighter was beaten the line by the Great Britain pair of Neil Turnstall (25.65) and Paul Guest (25.84). American William Yelverton won semifinal one in 24.86, the fastest time of the day.  Smith is now a double finalist as he was in the 60m finals on Monday night, where he was fifth. The men's 55-59 200m finals are set for Thursday morning (1:42am). Smith is listed to run in lane two. 

Martin Prime missed out on a place in the men's 50-54 200m finals. The 60m bronze medallist clocked 25.33 in placing fifth in the second semifinals. However, his time was 11th quickest. The fastest six advanced to the finals.  Prime's bronze is the lone medal for Trinidad and Tobago at the meet. Trinidad and Tobago is at 47th on the meal table along with Brazil, Mauritius and Singapore. Australia heads the medal table with 50 medals (23 gold, 19 silver and 8 bronze). Great Britain and Northern Ireland is second 46 (21, 17, 8) ahead of Spain 34(16, 10, 8) and France 28 (14, 5, 9).

Prime told www.ttsstfa.com, that though he he didn't advance to the medal round he is happy to be injury free. "My muscles are sore but I am thankful I did not get hurt. The 60m took a lot out of me. My God is great.". He regards his bronze medal effort as a miracle. "Coming here you have to run hard to get a medal as you are not handed one. It is a blessing making the finals and running myself into a medal was by the grace of God." The Cocoyea village resident said after winning gold at the 2014 edition, he said goal was to get the finals. "At 54, I was the oldest in the age group and I wanted to come back, get into the finals and then win a medal. So I achieved those two goals. I didn't take each for granted." Now that his campaign on the track has ended the TSTT employee has to cheer on Smith to a medal in the 200m finals. "I plan to go and support Raymond in the finals."

Prime's trip to Deagu was sponsored by TSTT while Smith was supported by Methanex Limited and Ronsafe  Safety and Rescue Limited.

Results
200m SEMIFINALS
Men's 55-59
Heat One

  • 1st William Yelverton (United States) 24.86Q,
  • 2nd Shane Sheridan (Ireland) 25.29Q,
  • 3rd Torui Morita (Japan) 26.01q,
  • 4th Yasushia Yuji (Japan) 26.37,
  • 5th Keumseog Seo (South Korea) 27.20


Heat Two

  • 1st Neil Tunstall (Great Britain) 25.65Q,
  • 2nd Paul Guest (Great Britain) 25.84Q,
  • 3rd RAYMOND SMITH (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO) 25.98q, 26.56,
  • 4th Julio Bayaban (Phillipines) 26.56,
  • 5th Rafael Rubia (Spain) 26.81,
  • 6th Chister Stromberg (Finland) 27.51


Overall:

  • 1st  Yelverton  24.86,
  • 2nd Tunstall 25.65,
  • 3rd Sheridan 25.29,
  • 4th Guest 25.84,
  • 5th  SMITH 25.98,
  • 6th Morita 26.01


Men's 50-55
Heat One

  • 1st Roland Gröger (Germany) 23.70Q,
  • 2nd Francois Bontemps (France) 23.78Q,
  • 3rd Zaven Tavitian (Canada) 24.29q,
  • 4th Clinton Aurelien (United States) 24.46q,
  • 5th Miguel Jalon Sesma (Spain) 25.05,
  • 6th Pierre Lommen (Netherlands) 25.21


Heat Two

  • 1st Roland Thomas (United States) 23.92Q,
  • 2nd Christian Lemassif (Canada) 24.36Q,
  • 3rd Marcus Shute (United States) 24.62,
  • 4th Serge Faucher (Canada) 25.24,
  • 5th MARTIN PRIME (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO) 25.33,
  • 6th Carlos Jaramillo (Spain) 26.42


Overall:

  • 1st Gröger 23.70,
  • 2nd Bontemps 23.78,
  • 3rd Thomas 23.92,
  • 4th Lamassif 24.36,
  • 5th Tavitian 24.39,
  • 6th Aurelien 24.46,
  • 7th Shute 24.62,
  • 8th Jalon Sesma 25.05,
  • 9th Lammen 25.21,
  • 10th Faucher 25.24,
  • 11th PRIME 25.33,
  • 12rh Jarmillo 26.42.