Aliann Pompey lifted the spirit of Guyanese when she registered the country’s first medal of the XIX Commonwealth Games yesterday in New Delhi, India at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JNS).
Pompey clocked 51.65 for the bronze medal in the 400m event and in the process further lowered her previous season’s best time of 51.70s, which she ran in the semifinal. Pompey, who was the 2002 champion in Manchester, England, ran out of lane five and defeated 2010 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) champion Christine Amertil of The Bahamas who clocked 51.96s running out of lane four.
Pompey, who also copped the bronze medal at the 2010 CAC Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, exacted revenge on Amertil who had won the 400m event.
The one-lap sprint race was a quick one which also saw the winner of the race, Amantle Montsho of Botswana who went into the final with the fastest qualifying time, setting a new Games record of 50.10s. Montsho, who competed out of lane six, erased the 12-year record of 50.17s that was set by Jamaican Alexandra Richards in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Nigerian Folashade Abugar, who started in lane seven, also registered her season’s best time of 51.39s to claim the silver medal.
Yesterday, when Stabroek Sport contacted Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, he extended his congratulations to Pompey on behalf of the ministry. He stated that it always feels good when an athlete performs well and he feels proud and extended kudos to Pompey.
On the website of the Manhattan College, the Assistant Coach and Pompey’s personal coach Joe Ryan said, “She started off her international career by winning a Gold (medal) at the Commonwealth Games and it’s amazing to see her still doing it eight years later. It’s an amazing performance, especially considering she wasn’t 100 percent healthy.”
Jordon today
Meanwhile, Dexter Jordon will be in action today in a quarter-final match-up against Kenyan Benson Njangiry at the Talkatora Stadium. The 2010 CAC flyweight bronze medallist Dexter Jordon defeated Lesotho opponent Neo Thamahane who was knocked out in the first round.
Njangiry had beaten Camillos Kaikai of Papua New Guinea and this had prompted manager of the boxers, Steve Ninvalle to say that Jordon’s road will become tougher as he advances in the tournament.