Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 24/Sep 05:04

Keshorn and Jereem – the dream team

TERRENCE KALLOO TT PLACED 14th in the World Athletics Championships out of 193 countries. I cannot recall TT ever placing so high in the table of champions, either in the Olympics or the World Championships – such is the emphasis placed on gold and silver. Our two medals, gold from Keshorn Walcott in the javelin throw and silver from Jereem Richards in the 400m, have put us on a pedestal among the world’s best athletes. The championships were a milestone event with over 2,000 athletes from 200 teams competing in 49 events with 147 medals on offer. The javelin throw requires a combination of strength, technique and precision with the lead countries being Finland, Norway, Germany and, most recently, India, with Neeraj Chopra winning gold at the 2020 Olympics, bringing attention to the sport in in that country. When Keshorn won gold at the Olympics he was 19 years old and became the first (and only so far) athlete to win both junior and Olympic titles in the same year. He took the junior title with a dramatic 78.64m final throw and then the Olympic crown with a 84.58m throw. Now 13 years after gold in London and bronze four years later in Rio de Janeiro, he has captured gold once more – the only athlete in the history of TT to win gold in both the Olympics and the World Championships. His 88.16 metres throw last week was his best of the season, beating two-time world champion Anderson Peters from Grenada and Curtis Peterson of the US. It would seem that age is indeed just a number. [caption id="attachment_1180065" align="alignnone" width="885"] Jereem Richards -[/caption] It has been a struggle over the years and when questioned about his absence from major podiums he laughed and said, “Where have I been? I’ve been trying. That’s where I have been. I’ve been trying to attain this medal for 13 years. I’ve been here man. It’s been a long 13 years. And tonight is finally my night once again.” Keshorn said the medal completed his collection alongside the Olympic gold. The champion hired a new coach last year and said “that’s maybe the reason I am here today.” He ran through a list of injuries in his career, saying, “It’s javelin. You are always going to have something.” On the same day that Keshorn won gold, the 31-year-old Jereem “The Dream” Richards won silver in the 400m, having to literally run on water to achieve this feat. Many of the top performers had fallen away – none from the 2023 World final were present and only one from last year’s Olympic final – Jereem. Despite his unpromising lane he maintained his challenge over the final 50 metres to grab silver and finished full of running. It took Botswana’s 21-year-old Collen Kebinatshipi, who came of age in the driving rain in Tokyo, to beat him with the fastest time of the season – 43.53. Jereem finished in 43.72 – a new national record. "Finally," he said. Some runners refer to the 400m race as the "masochist" race because it is a gruelling test of speed and endurance. "I’ve been struggling for this since 2017. It was a hard battle, an amazing race. To improve the national record in the World Athletics Championships final was one of my dreams. Another goal was to grab the gold. Not this time, but I am satisfied with second.” Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has promised to reward both athletes for their exceptional performances, saying they would be aptly and appropriately rewarded by the state for bringing such immense honour and glory to our country, and also assured that the government would continue to support the country’s athletes, improving facilities, expanding opportunities for youth and providing professional support where necessary. She acknowledged the athletes’ hard work, perseverance and dedication. Persad-Bissessar also emphasised that athletes carry not just medals, but also the spirit, resilience and image of the nation before the world. Jereem called for more support, saying "medals don’t come overnight.” He added, “Track and field needs support, not just financially. Be proud in the stadium too when we’re competing locally too, please.” On their achievement, he said, “Today is a lucky day, not only for me but for my roommate Keshorn. When we spoke about this before the competition it looked like a joke. Now it’s a reality.” Dream on, Jereem! Happy Republic day all.   The post Keshorn and Jereem – the dream team appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.