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Trinidad and Tobago’s self-titled “Young Prince”, Jehue Gordon, was the latest athlete who failed to live up to the pre-tournament hype today—albeit hype that was not of his own making—as the 24-year-old former World champion and Junior World champion failed to get past the first round of the 400 metre hurdle event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Shorn of shades and swagger, Jehue looked more like Commissioner Gordon—minus Batman—than Flash Gordon, as he finished last in his heat with a time of 49.98 seconds, which was slower than the Olympic qualifying standard to get to Rio in the first place.
(Copyright Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Bizarrely, it was Jehue’s fastest race in 2016, as he actually made the qualifying time last year and had not come close to the Olympic standard since, thanks, in large part, to an abdominal operation in late 2015 that rocked him to the core in more ways than one.
The gifted hurdler is one of several Trinidad and Tobago athletes who suffered serious injuries or hassle over the past four years—including Keshorn Walcott, Njisane Phillip, Richard Thompson, Andrew Lewis and George Bovell III—and just could not produce their best when it mattered.
Tell Mr Live Wire the truth guys: Did Anil Roberts interfere with allyuh? Just point out on a doll and explain exactly what happened, Georgie?
I mean, yes, Usain Bolt is the type of extraordinary being that only strikes once in a lifetime, Simone Biles is flipping awesome, Wayne Van Niekerk probably refuels with premium gas and Michael Phelps invented time travel and used it to seek out potential rivals like Samuel L Jackson in “Unbreakable”.
Proof that Pharrell Williams isn’t the only vampire on the loose.
All well and good. But when do Trinis get to run outside shouting for joy and hi-fiving strangers after an historic finish by someone in red, white and black gear?
Live Wire gave that a go last night, just for practice, and almost ended up in part two of a Bunji/Fay Ann made-for-Instagram beat-down.
Trinis have gotten so desperate for something to rally behind that, in the middle of the Olympics, they forget about “10 gold by 2024” and say they will settle for Colfire letting employee Maurice Ramirez keep his curls instead. And fuss we blight, Colfire suspend Ramirez one time for violating the golden of Fight-Down Club, which is: You do not talk about Fight-Down Club.
Mr Live Wire cannot confirm whether, in their spare time, Colfire’s executive directors man the doors at Aria, advise the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF) on its selection policies and write speeches for Sat Maharaj.
Ramirez was worked that: “failure to comply will result in further disciplinary action being taken, up to and including termination of services.”
Meanwhile in Rio, Trinidad and Tobago sport fans were willingly pulling out their own hair.
From the 25 athletes who competed so far, just eight—Machel Cedenio, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Cleopatra Borel, Felice Chow, Semoy Hackett, Lalonde Gordon, Janeil Bellille and Phillip—got past the first round of competition and only three made it to their respective finals with no medals to show for any.
But the fat lady is not clearing her throat just yet.
Ahye and Hackett have second bites at the cherry in the 200 metre event while there is reason for genuine optimism in the men’s 4×400 and 4×100 metre events as well as the women’s 4×100 metre relay.
And that is before the big man in the business, General Walcott, pelts his iron in the javelin competition, where, lest we forget, he has an Olympic gold medal to defend.
Jehue, bless him, did not have enough in the tank this morning.
(Copyright AFP 2016)
In a pre-Olympic interview with Wired868, Jehue explained the rigours of the 400 metre hurdle event on the body and suggested that, as a result, champions can rise and fall in his sport quicker than would-be rulers in the Game of Thrones.
So said, so done. The 2015 World Championship winner, Nicholas Bett, ran into his final hurdle—like a drunk man looking for his zipper—and was disqualified while Worlds bronze medalist Jeffrey Gibson also finished last in his heat and silver medalist Denis Kudryavtsev was among the list of banned Russian athletes.
Say what you like about Felix Sanchez’s work behind the microphone for ESPN—and quite a few have!—but the iconic former Dominican Republic hurdler sure looks to be having more fun than his colleagues in Rio.
With less than a week left, it is now or never for Trinidad and Tobago’s remaining athletes, as we try to maintain our image in the Olympic arena.
And, no, we don’t mean Ahye should get a haircut.
This Col-gate business just leaves a bad aftertaste, ent?
A CSR wuk at Colfire?!
(Copyright Getty)
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Mr. Live Wire is an avid news reader who translates media reports for persons who can handle the truth. And satire. Unlike Jack Nicholson, he rarely yells.
“Live Wire gave that a go last night, just for practice, and almost ended up in part two of a Bunji/Fay Ann made-for-Instagram beat-down.”
=D =D =D =D =D
Lol. Like you catching up. 🙂
Yeah bro
Who creates and feed the hype …
So sad, looked unprepared !
Lmaoooooo aye alyuh stop
If we look at the athletes’ performances and rankings over the last 1-2 years I can’t see how their Rio performance is so surprising. Bovell has not been a top 15 athlete for some time. The male sprinters have struggled to run sub 10 consistently…I think the genuine surprises were Njisane, Lalonde and Baptiste..Expected Baptiste in the finals Njisane at minimum in quarters and Lalonde at minimum in semis.
Yup. That’s why I know that’s it for him. Boy we really need a new crop of athletes. We better start sending our kids to school in Jamaica yes.
We can send for more Cuban coaches!
Yes. And maybe some Jamaican coaches for the sprinting. Naaa has to do something to develop more of our promising athletes faster. And I don’t mean going the Russian way??
Lol. Those Jamaicans are so “patriotic”… Will they help a Trini beat Yohan Blake? I would want to be absolutely sure they treating our athletes exactly the same as theirs. 🙂
Lasana Liburd how is Cuba doing?????? maybe they need Jamaican coaches?????
We need to get more athletes into US schools and adjust our expectations downwards as we do not have the coaches or programmes in T&T to have a consistent pool of Olympians or we can give those athletes in life sport a shot at it. As far as I am aware none of them made our Olympic team after 400 plus million spent.
Jamaica has not medaled outside the 100 and 200 sprints and probably won’t. Why would Cuba need Jamaican coaches?
Lester, we have been doing the US route since Hasely. That hasn’t changed.
I agree we should try to develop the talent here. That’s what Jamaica did. Also people take it light but the nutrition is a big thing. I just came back from vacation there and I was surprised what the local breakfast is like. Apart from the ackee and salt fish national dish their regular breakfast consists of provision steamed greens baked beans etc. These children not into pancakes and bacon and eggs. All those good carbs and iron make a great start to the day.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN10R2AT?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social
Lasana, we need strength and conditioning coaches. Our coaches need to join this international Association.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1092647254153684&id=248618385223246
Jamaicans sent out their coaches to get them qualified and brought them back home… we do the opposite
So many of the Jamaicans train in sub par.facilities but are jn the comfort of their home…
Strength and conditioning coaches won’t get far without proper nutrition like Rose pointed out. And healthy food isn’t cheap.
I agree that is a good starting point for ALL Trinidad and Tobago athletes. Football coaches will say the same thing.
NSCA also focus on nutrition. My opinion is that it is a good starting point for setting a standard for our programmes since all of our athletes who attend US Universities are trained by one of them. These athletes who attended these universities are usually the majority of our Olympians and medal winners.
Sorrillo’s personal best is 20.16 though. And he is 30. So we have to taper expectations a bit.
Them athletes need to find something trini good at an stop wasting tax payers money .like they drank puncheon before the race an falling like nigel paul who decide to take a nap in the ring
Ahaha funny… ?… go do something better
I can confirm that there was no injury or any problem like that with Njisane. But I’m not trying to do any interviews while they are in Brazil. I would probably speak to one or two athletes after.
Rondel Sorrillo is T&T’s 200 metre champion at present. So it is only fitting that he gets past the group stage. Fingers crossed he gets further still.
I agree with the mental and emotional preparation bit which the sporting bodies should also take responsibility for. I think also we not privy to the details of who going there just for the experience and who going there to medal and who going there in preparation for Tokyo. We as fans really have to manage our expectations as well. For instance after seeing all the dismal performances at the heat level I was pleasantly surprised to see Rondell run so hard to make the qualifying time. I still don’t expect him to make it out of the semi’s but it was nice to see him “not give up”. Njisane’s performance is still a bitter pill to swallow because he looked like he had what it took. Physically he looked ready. He sprinted like a beast in the time trial and then when the time came to add the emotional and mental dimension he seemed to just give up.
I don’t think Trini athletes lack bad mind. They get plenty food for that. There are plenty administrators who make sure of it. 😉
Are they chanelling it in the right direction tho?
Savitri, good question.
It is proper preparation which must be physical, spiritual, emotional and mental and to my mind the mental preparation is critical. It is what we call “bad mind”.
Yes, a 90 metre throw from Keshorn is a medal for sure. Dunno what the weather conditions will be like for him.
Virtually all the athletes I spoke to with the possible exception of Cleopatra complained about disruptions to their preparation. Serious ones. The various sporting bodies must ask whether that is bad luck or stuff that could have been avoided with preparation.
Hmm . Disruption in preparation… hmmm
Well I for one have new respect for Felix Sanchez yes. No wonder the man cried when he received his last gold medal. That hurdles race is real tears! Aside from the injury plagued athletes though I really believe there is a fine line that the TTOC has to walk between hyping up the country and setting reasonable expectations of our athletes. Even if we ignore the 10G24 thrust, based on sheer talent and past success I think many people expected (expecting) medals from Njisane, Machel, Michelle and Keshorn. There’s always hope with the relay teams because those races could go anyway and we could benefit from other team’s mistakes. But we could make mistakes too as we saw with our women’s team. So I never get my hopes up for relays. I just watch and pray. My only realistic hope now is Keshorn. I’m praying he has a good day and the pressure of carrying the hopes of the entire country doesn’t get to him. He knows he has thrown 90M before . Let’s hope he can do it again.
I am coming around to the view that the TTO athletes didn’t figure out that all competing athletes bring their A game to an Olympic meet and they should not rest on their past laurels!
where is the development here? when will the media do more to promote? when will we do more to identify talent early and harness to full potential? when will we stop being wishy washy about sport?
..High expectations? Grenada had two men in the 400 final. TWO. Our expectations are too LOW..
Are we being overly simplistic though? Most of the top athletes are developed in US colleges and by US coaches. Luckily, they don’t rely solely on Caribbean resources. The field is far more level as a result, in my opinion. I do agree that our expectations are lower than they should be.
This article is funny ??.
Thanks hoss. And thanks for the effort for us… 😉
Col-gate…..heh heh heh…..:)
I think it’s showing now how serious we were about sport administration, people’s been lying to us it’s clear now.
why we don’t extend our pool of athletes …why we don’t import foreign coaches….why we don’t venture into other sporting disciplines…why why why?????
Cuz iz trinbago. Lol.
I agree that it is far from over for Team T & T and nowadays there is still hope long after the closing ceremony.
Well I hope we don’t have to wait another two years to find out if LaShawn Merritt still taking cookalooks growth medicine. Lol
But how you reach down there Lasana Liburd
Lol. Cover all possibilities
Lord Jesus
Does this count as addressing the Colfire issue? Lol.
That one is definitely open to debate. 🙂
Boi oh boi!! Lasana you gave me something to smile about with all the “dick” shit going on. Ah swear we blight from then. But this fat lady eh ready to sing yet.
Lasana Liburd, what is the reason for the decline from 4 years ago ?
Part of it is a change of the guard. Many of our stars are now over 30 and winding down. Limited resources mean we tend to help just a few athletes at a time, so this will always happen.
We also had some bad luck with injuries. And clearly poor preparation and support in some cass.
That’s why you got to applaud Jamaica on the program they hve in school sobshen guards are changing others athletes are already in the pipeline to step up …
Thing getting out of hand as COLFIRE issued a letter to Usain Bolt yesterday also complaining about his “unprofessional hairstyle”.
#truestory
I don’t see 10 medals by 2020 since we haven’t bled any of the young people. The TTOC doesn’t have a proper game plan. Therefore it not visible. We complain about the government not helping. Why should give taxpayers money to rank amateurs. Firstly how many of the so-called associations have a strategic plan? How many have a training program for their coaches in which they internationally certified. How many of them are sending out to train. Take for example Alvin Cornel doing coaching clinic all over the Caribbean and he can’t do it here in T&T. What’s is the road map to 2020. Does it involve the primary and secondary schools? What’s the next step? Maybe we need to close off the stadiums and let our people run and training on grass like the Jamaicans. Where is the coaching clinic by Mr. Mills. My advice to the association is stop asking Government for money and get your act together. Seriously
“You do not talk about Fight-Down Club.” ? ~ you really like your job don’tcha
Tremendously. Lol
Bad to worst wii
Hahaha
Top shelf another nice one… we need a good laugh! Too much disappointment going on in Rio. But you know what, you are right, the hype has many with too high of expectations so the sub-par performances for many are too hard to swallow. Regardless let’s be optimistic… according to Peter Samuel, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP… Let’s go T&T Let’s go! And ah singing … ♫ ♫T&T bam, bam, we need a GOLD, bam, bam…♫ ♫ T&T bam bam, we need a GOLD!
Firing on all pistons. …..as usual.
Thanks 🙂
They’ve gotten so desperate that they’re talking about De Grasse’s trini heritage
Hahaha. Leave us with our straws please Sav!
Amusing indeed
A next canadian
Hmmm
Sheldon Scipio…if u don’t laugh…u go cry…campaign on one hand about local…then fighting down pumpkin vine trini roots lol.
I just watching and sipping some homemade wine
Lol. Lest we forget, the problem with Marisa–for reasonable people at least–is not where she’s born eh.
I would be just as annoyed if she was from Valsayn.
Wow. I just realise how much Marisa overshadowed this Olympics. Even when we talking about the 100 metre men’s final… She still gets in the convo. :-/ Lol
Lolol
Lasana Liburd…I understand that but I am sure u may have seen the post on fb…
Nerisha, I haven’t. And I don’t get around Facebook that much to be honest.
Lol ok then…I was actually reading some of the comments on the various pages…it amounts to nothing less than cyber bullying of a young girl. Everyone is aware of the issue, we agree the situation was not kosher. Yes the country can rally around Thema and support her. But the personal attacks and names called? Nope. Two wrongs ain’t never make a right yet. Adults need to remember that what u say or type has an affect on others. Be responsible. We can call out the ttgf and marisa but take the hate down a notch.
I can’t comment on the specific post since I haven’t seen it. But I agree that some people have gone too far in so far as threats of violence and wishing on harm on another person.
That sort of thing cannot be justified, even in the face of horrible and unsporting behaviour by Marisa and the TTGF.
I didnt talk about Marisa eh…it wasnt me
It crossed my mind if Marisa cut her wrists after this, I hope who did the unnecessary bit of talking will go to confession. The girl is already there and to continue to say and write things that amount to bullying and threats is not a mature and responsible manner of behavior. But I know people here don’t like that word ‘bully’ lol
That’s nonsense …people were generally discussing the fact that degrasses mother us trini and his dad is bajan ….steups
Lol..Camille..Canada’s doing very well…be proud
I am
I all up in that desperation Savitri 🙂 without shame
Linda Louison, we will be writing or talking about Marisa Dick for the next two or three years or however long it takes for the court case to be over, which documents how Thema Williams was deselected to let Marisa compete.
And we will talk about Marisa Dick at any time when we remember the injustice meted out to Thema Williams and why.
Sorry if that inconveniences Marisa and anyone else.
Marisa Dick and the TTGF is now a byword for bias and corruption in sport. There are a few but she is now comfortably part of the lexicon.
Lol for a very long time people will say things like….”Dey pull ah Ffing Dick move on so an so”
Yup that’s in the new Trini vocabulary.
Yep. Like “an Ailbey” when you miss an open goal. “Anil” for blatant in your face dishonesty. “Calder Hart” for eating a food off taxpayers, etc…
Lasana Liburd you surprise me. There are umpteen court cases that get thrown out due to too much public opinion (amounting to potential bias), exposure.
Plus, read carefully and stop allowing your heart to beat hastily – I never said you shouldn’t talk about Marisa Dick – I said ‘unnecessary’ bit of talking … Further … In a BULLYING manner – has nothing to do with discussing facts as reasonable adults, you can discuss all you want but bullies will be bullies, don’t join in on their nasty games. You’re so much better than this Lasana but you misread me because you saw my name lmao. Chuckles, chuckles ??
Liburd, Yuh lettin dong de media. I eh readin nutten negative in the Express or the Guardian and I eh readin nutten positive here on Wired. Only the trute about how we wase we money to send so much ah dese has-beens – ah doh mind the wannabes – to Rio.
It must now be clear to all that we should have invested some of it in international practice matches for the Under-15 girls.
And a muzzle for their coach.