| Trinidad and Tobago at the 2008 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | TTO (TRI used at these Games) |
| NOC | Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| inBeijing | |
| Competitors | 28 in4 sports |
| Flag bearers | George Bovell (opening) Richard Thompson (closing) |
| Medals Ranked 47th |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
| Other related appearances | |
 British West Indies (1960 S) | |
Trinidad and Tobago sent a delegation to compete at the2008 Summer Olympics inBeijing, China. Its participation in the Beijing games marked its eighteenth Olympic appearance and fifteenth Summer Olympic appearance since its debut at the1948 Summer Olympics in London, excluding its joint participation with Jamaica and Barbados in 1960 as theWest Indies Federation. With 28 athletes, more Trinidadians had competed at the Olympics than in any other single Olympic Games in its history before Beijing. Athletes representing Trinidad and Tobago advanced past the preliminary or qualification rounds in twelve events and reached the final rounds in four of those events. Of those four events, silver medals were won in the men's 100 meters (byRichard Thompson) and in the men's 4x100 meters relay (byKeston Bledman,Marc Burns,Emmanuel Callender, Richard Thompson, andAaron Armstrong, who participated in the first round only). The latter was upgraded to gold due to one member of the quartet that crossed the line first,Nesta Carter, testing positive for a banned substance, resulting in their disqualification. The nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony that year was swimmer and Athens medalistGeorge Bovell.
Trinidad and Tobago is a two-island nation in the Caribbean that lies close to South America. The nation has participated in the Olympics since the1948 Summer Olympics in London, and has appeared at every Summer Olympics since then with the exception of the1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, when it joinedJamaica andBarbados in apolitical union called theWest Indies Federation.[1] Overall, Trinidad and Tobago had participated in eighteen Olympic Games (15 Summer Olympics and 3 Winter Olympics) between its 1948 debut and its appearance at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and its fifteenth Olympic game since its independence, which was in 1962.[2] The Trinidadian delegation in Beijing comprised its largest delegation by far, with 28 athletes. The previous record included 19 athletes, which happened in 1968, 1972, 2000 and 2004.[3] Between 1948 and 2008, Trinidad and Tobago accumulated 14 medals (one gold, five silver and eight bronze); two of those medals were won in Beijing (a silver in the men's 100 meters another in the men's 4x100 meters relay).Richard Thompson, a male track athlete, medaled in the men's 100 meters but also medaled as a member of the Trinidadian relay team.[3] All Olympians participating in Beijing for Trinidad and Tobago, with the exception ofDexter St. Louis in table tennis, were planning as of the end of the Beijing Olympics to continue training for future Olympic Games.[4]
Trinidad and Tobago's flagbearer at the opening ceremony was swimmerGeorge Bovell, who won a bronze medal in the2004 Athens Olympics as part of the Trinidadian delegation.[3]
Trinidad and Tobago's athletes arrived in Beijing's Olympic Village early in August. The athletic contingent of Trinidad and Tobago's team arrived in Beijing from Finland on August 5, 2008, but spent only one night before leaving for a training camp in nearbySouth Korea. The athletics team returned on August 11.[5] SharpshooterRoger Daniel, along with the entirety of Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee's administrative and medical staff, had arrived in the Olympic Village by August 3, 2008.[5]
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Silver | Richard Thompson | Athletics | Men's 100 m | August 16 |
 Gold | Keston Bledman Marc Burns Emmanuel Callander Richard Thompson | Athletics | Men's 4 × 100 m relay | August 22 |
Then 23-year-oldDarrel Brown, a sprinter fromArima on the island ofTrinidad, participated on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf at the Beijing Olympics. His participation in Beijing marked his second Olympic appearance; he previously participated in the2004 Summer Olympics in Athens as part of the men's 100 meters race.[6] During the August 14 qualification round, Brown was placed in the fourth heat, finishing the event in 10.22 seconds and tying second-place finalistPierre Browne of Canada. Browne and Brown finished behind Jamaica'sMichael Frater (10.15 seconds), but ahead of Japan'sNobuharu Asahara (10.25 seconds).[7] Out of the 80 athletes participating in the qualification round, Brown tied in seventh place with Browne and the United States'Tyson Gay. Brown progressed to the quarterfinal round.[7]
Quarterfinals took place on August 15, and Brown was placed in the first heat. He finished the race in 10.93 seconds, finishing eighth of eighth athletes. He directly finished behind Poland'sDariusz Kuc (10.46 seconds). The leaders of the heat were Dutch AntileanChurandy Martina (9.99 seconds) and Jamaica's Frater (10.09 seconds). He finished last out of the 40 advancing athletes, and did not advance to semifinals.[7]
Then 25-year-oldMarc Burns, anAuburn University graduate fromPort-of-Spain on Trinidad, represented Trinidad and Tobago in the 100 meters at Beijing. His participation marked his third Olympic Games (2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens) and his second time running the event for Trinidad and Tobago.[8] Burns raced during the August 14 qualification round in the ninth heat, where he completed his race in 10.46 seconds. Burns came in second and tied Slovenia'sMatic Osovnikar, falling behind Qatari sprinterSamuel Adelebari Francis (10.40 seconds). Burns and Osovnikar finished ahead of Honduran athleteCruz Rolando Palacios Castillo (10.49 seconds).[7] Tying Osovnikar and Germany'sTobias Benjamin Unger for 38th place out of 80 athletes, Burns advanced to quarterfinals.[7]
Burns was placed in the third heat during August 15 quarterfinals. He finished it in 10.05 seconds, taking first in the heat ahead of Kittitian athleteKim Collins (10.07 seconds) and British athleteTyrone Edgar (10.10 seconds). Francis, the leader of his qualification heat, took fourth place (10.11 seconds).[7] Out of the forty quarterfinalists, Burns took sixth place. He advanced to semifinals.[7]
Semifinals took place on August 16, and Burns was placed in the first heat. He ran his fastest time of the event during this race, completing the 100 meters in 9.97 seconds. Burns placed third behind the heat's leaders, Jamaica'sUsain Bolt (9.85 seconds) and the United States'Walter Dix (9.95 seconds). Out of the sixteen semifinalists, Burns again placed sixth. He advanced to the final round, which took place later that day.[7] Marc Burns finished the final round in 10.01 seconds and took seventh place, defeating the AmericanDoc Patton (10.03 seconds) but falling behind Jamaica's Frater (9.97 seconds).[7]
Then 24-year-old Trinidad-born sprinter and formerLouisiana State University athleteRichard "Torpedo" Thompson also participated on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf at the Beijing Olympics' 100 meters race, marking his first appearance at any Olympic Games.[9] On the August 14 qualification round, Thompson raced in the third heat and completed his race in 10.24 seconds. He placed first in his heat of eight athletes, defeating French runnerMartial Mbandjock (10.26 seconds) and Italian athleteSimone Collio (10.32 seconds). Thompson tied Antigua and Barbuda'sDaniel Bailey for 10th place out of 80 athletes, and advanced to quarterfinals.[7]
The August 15 quarterfinals saw Thompson in the second heat, where he again took first place when he finished the race in 9.99 seconds. Thompson defeated the United States'Tyson Gay (10.09 seconds) and France's Mbandjock (10.16 seconds). This time, out of the forty quarterfinalists, Thompson tied the Netherlands Antilles' Martina for second place behind only Usain Bolt. Thompson advanced to semifinals.[7]
Thompson competed in the second heat during the August 16 semifinal round. He finished the race in 9.93 seconds, placing second out of eight athletes. Jamaica'sAsafa Powell took first (9.91 seconds), andChurandy Martina took third (9.94 seconds). Thompson placed third out of the sixteen semifinalists, moving forward to the final round. Richard Thompson completed the final race in 9.89 seconds and medaled silver. In the event, Bolt medaled gold with a world and Olympic record-breaking 9.69 seconds, andWalter Dix medaled bronze with a time of 9.91 seconds.[7]
Then 30-year-oldHouston-born OlympianAaron Armstrong, son of American OlympianDebra Armstrong (née Edwards) and Trinidadian OlympianAinsley Armstrong, participated on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf at the men's 200 meters event.[10] The qualification round of the event took place on August 17, and Armstrong was placed in the eighth heat. He finished the race in 20.57 seconds, ranking first out of the finishing seven athletes in his heat. Armstrong bested Antigua and Barbuda'sBrendan Christian (20.58 seconds), who finished second, and Canada'sJared Connaughton, who finished third.[11] Out of the 66 competing athletes, Armstrong ranked eighth. He advanced to quarterfinals.[11]
Quarterfinals took place on August 18, and Armstrong competed in the third heat, tying fourth-place finalistMarcin Jędrusiński with a time of 20.58 seconds. Armstrong and Jedrusinski fell behind Belgium'sKristof Beyens (20.50 seconds) but placed ahead of Nigeria'sObinna Metu (20.65 seconds). The leaders of the heat were Antigua and Barbuda's Christian (20.26 seconds) and the Netherlands Antilles' Churandy Martina (20.42 seconds). Overall, Armstrong placed 19th out of 32 qualifying quarterfinalists. He did not progress further.[11]
Then 22-year-oldSiparia, Trinidad-born runnerRondel Sorrillo participated on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf in the men's 200 meters dash, marking his first participation in any Olympic Games.[12] Sorillo participated in the fifth heat of the August 17 qualification round, placing first in his heat with a time of 20.58 seconds. Sorillo defeated Usain Bolt (20.64 seconds) and Kristof Beyens (20.69 seconds), the second and third-place finalists in his heat. Out of the 66 event competitors, Sorillo tied Japan'sShinji Takahira and Antigua and Barbuda's Brendan Christian for ninth place. Sorillo advanced to the next round.[11]
In the August 18 quarterfinals, Sorillo was placed in the fourth heat. He completed his event in 20.63 seconds, placing fourth out of the seven finishing athletes in his heat. Sorillo placed just behind Norway'sJaysuma Saidy Ndure (20.45 seconds) and just ahead of Azerbaijan'sRamil Guliyev (20.66 seconds). The leaders of Sorillo's heat were Ireland'sPaul Hession (20.32 seconds) and the United States'Wallace Spearmon (20.39 seconds). Out of the 32 quarterfinalists, Sorillo tied Takahira for 21st place. He did not advance further.[11]
Then 29-year-old TrinidadianAto Modibo, a former athlete ofClemson University and the husband of Caymanian sprinterCydonie Mothersille, marked his third Olympic appearance (after the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics) upon his participation in Beijing. Modibo represented Trinidad and Tobago in the men's 400 meters dash as an Olympian for the third time.[13] During the August 17 qualification round, Modibo was placed in the fifth heat. He completed the event in 45.63 seconds, placing fifth out of eight athletes in his heat. Modibo defeatedAlleyne Francique of Grenada (46.15 seconds), but fell behind Belgium'sJonathan Borlée (45.25 seconds). The leaders of Modibo's heat wereLaShawn Merritt (44.96 seconds), Nigeria'sSaul Weigopwa (45.19 seconds) and Italy'sClaudio Licciardello (45.25 seconds). Out of 56 athletes, Modibo ranked 26th. He did not advance to later rounds.[14]
Then 20-year-oldTobago-born runnerRenny "Chicken" Quow participated in the Beijing Olympics' men's 400 meters dash for the Trinidadian delegation, his first participation at any Olympic Games.[15] Quow trained with the athletics program atSouth Plains College inLevelland, Texas prior to Beijing.[15] The 400 meters qualification round, which took place on August 17, saw Quow participating in the sixth heat. He completed the run in 45.13 seconds, placing second.Andrew Steele of Great Britain (44.94 seconds) was the only athlete in the heat to place ahead of him.Michael Mathieu of the Bahamas (45.17 seconds) placed directly behind Quow. Renny Quow advanced to semifinals, placing ninth out of 56 athletes.[14]
The semifinal round took place on August 19. Competing in the third heat, Quow ran his event in 44.82 seconds, placing fourth in his event. Quow ranked directly ahead ofSenga Gary Kikaya of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (44.94 seconds) and directly behindJohan Wissman of Sweden (44.64 seconds). Quow's heat's leaders includedLaShawn Merritt of the United States (44.12 seconds) andMartyn Rooney of the United Kingdom (44.60 seconds). Quow placed seventh place out of the 24 semifinalists. He advanced to finals.[14] During the final round, Quow finished seventh after completing the event in a time of 45.22 seconds, defeating Wissman (45.39 seconds) but falling behind Rooney (45.12 seconds).[14]
Then 20-year-oldUniversity of Kentucky athleteMikel Thomas participated at Beijing on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf in the men's 110 meters hurdles, and was the only Olympic Trinidadian hurdler at the 2008 Olympics. Beijing marked the first time he appeared at the Olympics.[16] Thomas competed in the August 17 qualification round's second heat, finishing the event in 13.69 seconds and ranking sixth out of seven athletes. Thomas placed behind South Korea'sLee Jung-Joon (13.65 seconds) and ahead of Slovenia'sDamjan Zlatnar (13.84 seconds). The leaders of Thomas' heat were AmericanDavid Oliver (13.30 seconds), SpaniardJackson Quiñónez (13.41 seconds) and BahamianShamar Sands (13.45 seconds).[17] Thomas ranked 27th out of 43 athletes. He progressed to the quarterfinal round.[17]
The August 19 quarterfinal round placed Thomas in the first heat. Completing his event in 13.62 seconds, he ranked sixth out of the eight athletes in his heat. Thomas placed ahead of Russia'sIgor Peremota (13.70 seconds) and behind Jamaica'sRichard Phillips (13.48 seconds). The leaders of Thomas' quarterfinals heat were the United States'David Payne (13.24 seconds) and the Czech Republic'sPetr Svoboda (13.41 seconds). Out of the 32 quarterfinalists, Thomas ranked 20th. He did not advance further.[17]
Trinidad and Tobago submitted a team to participate in the 4×100 meters relay. Although each relay consists of four people, five Trinidadians were involved between both the first and second (final) round. During the first round, Trinidad and Tobago participated in the first heat, which consisted of then 20-year-oldPort-of-Spain-bornKeston Bledman, who only participated in the relay;[18] Marc Burns, who also participated in the men's 100 meters;[8] Richard Thompson, who also medaled in the men's 100 meters;[9] and Aaron Armstrong, who also ran in the men's 200 meters.[10] The relay ran the collective 400 meters in 38.26 seconds, placing first in the first heat during the August 21 semifinal (and first) round. Trinidad and Tobago defeated Japan, which placed second in the heat (at 38.52 seconds) and the Netherlands, which placed third (38.87 seconds).[19] The Trinidadian team placed first overall out of the ten relays that finished, and progressed to the August 22 final round.[19]
In the final round, Aaron Armstrong did not participate. He was replaced by then 24-year-oldEmmanuel Callander, who was born in northern Trinidad and who did not participate in any event besides the relay.[20] Burns, Thompson and Bledman remained.[19] During the final round, Trinidad and Tobago finished the relay in 38.06 seconds, originally earning a silver medal behind the Jamaican team (37.10 seconds), which set an Olympic and a world record with its performance. Jamaica was subsequently stripped of their gold medal due to doping charges and Trinidad and Tobago was awarded the gold.[21] The Japanese team (38.15 seconds) earned the bronze medal—later promoted to silver—in the event, placing immediately behind Trinidad and Tobago.[19]
Trinidad and Tobago sent a team to participate in the men's 4x400 meters relay. The team includedAto Modibo, the only athlete in the event who also participated in an individual event;[13] then 19-year-oldUniversity of Memphis-affiliated athleteJovon Toppin;[22] then 22-year-old Clemson University-affiliated sprinterCowin Mills;[23] and then 22-year-oldUniversity of Michigan runnerStann Waithe.[24] The team competed in the second heat of the August 22 semifinals (the first round), finishing the race in 3:04.12 and placing fifth out of the eight heat teams. Trinidad and Tobago defeated Japan (3:04.18) but fell behind Germany (3:03.49).[25] The leaders of the Trinidadian heat included Great Britain (2:59.33) and the Bahamas (2:59.88).[25] Out of the 19 competing relays, Trinidad and Tobago ranked 13th. Its relay did not progress to finals.[25]
Twelve male athletes participated on Trinidad and Tobago's track and field team. Of those, three participated in the 100 meters race (Darrel Brown,Marc Burns andRichard Thompson), two participated in the 200 meters race (Aaron Armstrong andRondel Sorrillo), two participated in the 400 meters race (Ato Modibo andRenny Quow) and one participated in the 110 meters hurdles (Mikel Thomas). Five athletes did not participate in individual events. Of those, two participated in the 4 × 100 relay (Emmanuel Callender andKeston Bledman, who ran with Burns and Thompson) and three participated in the 4 × 400 relay (Jovon Toppin,Cowin Mills andStann Waithe, who participated along with Modibo).[3]
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||
| Darrel Brown | 100 m | 10.22 | 3Q | 10.93 | 8 | Did not advance | |||
| Marc Burns | 10.46 | 2Q | 10.05 | 1Q | 9.97 | 3Q | 10.01 | 7 | |
| Richard Thompson | 10.24 | 1Q | 9.99 | 1Q | 9.93 | 2Q | 9.89 | | |
| Aaron Armstrong | 200 m | 20.57 | 1Q | 20.58 | 5 | Did not advance | |||
| Rondel Sorrillo | 20.58 | 1Q | 20.63 | 4 | Did not advance | ||||
| Ato Modibo | 400 m | 45.63 | 5 | — | Did not advance | ||||
| Renny Quow | 45.13 | 2Q | — | 44.82 | 4q | 45.22 | 7 | ||
| Mikel Thomas | 110 m hurdles | 13.69 | 6q | 13.62 | 6 | Did not advance | |||
| Aaron Armstrong* Keston Bledman Marc Burns Emmanuel Callender** Richard Thompson | 4 × 100 m relay | 38.26 | 1Q | — | 38.06 | | |||
| Cowin Mills Ato Modibo Renny Quow Jovon Toppin Stann Waithe | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:04.12 | 5 | — | Did not advance | ||||
* Competed in the heats only
** Competed in the finals only
Then 19-year-oldLincoln University athleteSemoy Hackett participated on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago in the women's 100 meter race. Her appearance in Beijing marked the first time she appeared at any Olympic Games.[26] Hackett participated in the fourth heat during the August 15 qualification round. With a time of 11.52 seconds, Hackett ranked fourth out of the eight athletes in her heat, placing ahead of the Côte d'Ivoire'sAffoue Amandine Allou (11.75 seconds) and behind Lithuania'sLina Grincikaite (11.43 seconds). The leaders of Hackett's heat were the Bahamas'Chandra Sturrup (11.30 seconds) and Trinidad and Tobago's ownKelly-Ann Baptiste (11.39 seconds).[27] Hackett ranked 31st overall out of 85 athletes. She advanced to the quarterfinals.[27]
Hackett participated in the fourth heat during the August 16 quarterfinal round, finishing her race in 11.46 seconds. She defeated Uzbekistan'sGuzel Khubbieva (11.49 seconds) and fell behindTahesia Harrigan of the British Virgin Islands (11.36 seconds), placing sixth in a heat of eight athletes. Hackett's heat was led by Jamaica'sKerron Stewart (10.98 seconds) and the United States'Lauryn Williams (11.07 seconds). She placed 25th out of the 40 qualifying athletes. Hackett did not progress further.[27]
Trinidad-born runnerSasha Springer-Jones, who was 30 years old at the time, competed in the women's 100 meters in Beijing on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf as well. Springer-Jones had not previously appeared at any Olympic Games.[28] Springer-Jones was placed in the eighth heat during the August 15 qualification round, completing the event in 11.55 seconds. Ranking fifth, she defeated Papua New Guinea'sMae Koime (11.68 seconds) but fell behind Colombia'sYomara Hinestroza (11.39 seconds). The leaders of Springer-Jones' heat were Nigeria'sDamola Osayomi (11.13 seconds) and the Bahamas'Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (11.17 seconds).[27] She tiedNatalia Murinovich of Russia for 32nd place out of the 85 participants, and progressed to quarterfinals.[27]
During the August 16 quarterfinals, Springer-Jones participated in the fifth heat. She finished her event in 11.71 seconds and finished last in her heat of eight athletes.Paulette Ruddy Zang Milama of Gabon (11.59 seconds) ranked just ahead of Springer-Jones. The heat was led by American runnerTorri Edwards (11.31 seconds) and Lithuanian sprinter Grincikaite (11.33 seconds). She ranked last out of the 40 qualifying athletes, and did not progress to further rounds.[27]
Tobago-bornLouisiana State University sprinterKelly-Ann Baptiste ran for Trinidad and Tobago in the women's 100 meters dash. She had previously participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens at age 17, and participated in Beijing while 21 years old.[29] During the August 15 qualification round, Baptiste was placed in the fourth heat, where she finished the event in 11.39 seconds. She placed second, falling behind Bahamian sprinter Chandra Sturrup (11.30 seconds) but ranking ahead of Lithuania's Lina Grincikaite (11.43 seconds). Baptiste tied Colombia's Yomara Hinestroza for 17th place out of the 85 participating athletes. She progressed to the quarterfinals.[27]
During the August 16 quarterfinals, Baptiste finished sixth in the second heat after achieving a time of 11.42 seconds. This placed her ahead of Russia's Natalia Murinovich (11.51 seconds) and behind Cuba'sVirgen Benavides (11.40 seconds). The leaders of Baptiste's quarterfinal heat were Jamaica'sSherone Simpson (11.02 seconds) and the United States'Muna Lee (11.08 seconds). Baptiste placed 22nd out of the 40 quarterfinal-qualifying athletes, ranking the highest out of all Trinidadian athletes in the quarterfinal round. She did not progress to semifinals.[27]
Then 21-year-oldPenn State University athleteAleesha Barber was the sole Trinidadian participant in the women's 100 meters hurdles race. Her participation in the event marked the first time she participated at any Olympic Games.[30] Barber participated in the August 17 preliminary rounds, where she was placed in the fifth heat. She finished the event in 13.01 seconds and placed fourth out of the seven finishing athletes in her heat.Yevgeniya Snihur ofUkraine (13.06 seconds) ranked behind her, whileAnastassiya Pilipenko of Kazakhstan (12.99 seconds) ranked ahead of her. Jamaica'sBrigitte Foster-Hylton (12.69 seconds) and the United States'Dawn Harper (12.73 seconds) led Barber's preliminary heat, with Harper eventually winning gold.[31] Out of the 40 athletes in the event, Barber ranked 18th. She did not advance to later rounds.[31]
Then 24-year-old runnerJosanne Lucas, who was born in thelargest town on Tobago, was the sole participating Trinidadian athlete in the women's 400 meters hurdles at the Beijing Olympics. Lucas' participation in the event marked the first time she participated on the Olympic level.[32] The qualification round for Lucas' event was on August 17, during which she was placed in the fourth heat. Lucas finished the event in 57.76 seconds. This placed her at sixth out of the seven heat athletes, ahead of Spain'sLaia Forcadell (58.64 seconds) and behind Sudan'sMuna Durka (57.16 seconds). The leaders of her heat were Russia'sEkaterina Bikert (55.15 seconds) and Poland'sAnna Jesień (55.35 seconds).[33] Out of the 27 competitors during the qualifying round, Lucas ranked 23rd. She did not advance to later rounds.[33]
Then 20-year-oldUniversity of California, Los Angeles long jumperRhonda Watkins competed on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf as the only Trinidadian long jumper in Beijing. Watkins had not previously competed in any Olympic event.[34] During the qualification round, which took place on August 18, Watkins participated in the first heat. She completed a jump of 5.88 meters, placing 18th out of a heat that included 21 athletes; of that group, 19 ranked. She ranked ahead of Belize'sTricia Flores (5.25 meters) and behind the Republic of the Congo'sPamela Mouele-Mboussi (6.06 meters). The heat leaders were Brazil'sMaurren Higa Maggi (6.79 meters) and Sweden'sCarolina Klüft (6.70 meters).[35] Overall, Watkins ranked 37th out of the 38 ranking athletes (and 42 involved athletes). She did not advance to the final round.[35]
Then 29-year-old Trinidad-born field athleteCleopatra Borel-Brown participated in women's shot put on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf in Beijing. Previously an athlete and student of theUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County, Borel-Brown also participated for Trinidad and Tobago in the 2004 Athens Olympics.[36] The qualifying round of the event, which took place on August 15, placed her in the second heat. She put the shot at a distance of 17.96 meters, placing her at seventh place out of the 17 heat athletes. Borel-Brown ranked behind the United States'Michelle Carter (18.49 meters) and ahead of Italy'sAssunta Legnante (17.76 meters). The leaders of Borel-Brown's heat included China'sGong Lijiao (19.46 meters) and Belarus'Nadzeya Ostapchuk (19.08 meters).[37] Overall, Borel-Brown ranked 17th out of 33 ranking athletes. She did not progress to the final round.[37]
University of Florida athlete and then 27-year-oldCandice Scott participated in women's hammer throw during the Beijing Olympics for Trinidad and Tobago. Scott previously appeared in the 2004 Athens Olympics, participating in the same event for Trinidad and Tobago's delegation.[38] The qualification round for women's hammer throw took place on August 17, where Candice Scott participated in the second heat. Scott threw a metal ball 63.03 meters, placing 19th out of the 23 athletes who placed a score. Poland'sMalgorzata Zadura (64.13 meters) placed ahead of her, while Spain'sBerta Castells (62.44 meters) placed behind. China'sZhang Wenxiu (73.36 meters) and France'sManuela Montebrun (72.81 meters) led the heat.[39] Out of the 47 placing athletes, Scott ranked in 40th place. She did not advance to the final round.[39]
Trinidad and Tobago sent a team to participate in the women's 4x100 meters relay. The team was composed of Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Semoy Hackett–both of whom also participated in the women's 100 meters dash–as well as then 30-year-oldUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas athlete and three-time OlympianAyanna Hutchinson[40] and then 23-year-oldAbilene Christian University athlete and two-time OlympianWanda Hutson[41]–both of whom did not compete in an event other than the relay while in Beijing.[40][41] Monique Cabral of Louisiana State University was the reserve and did not compete. The team competed in the August 21 semifinals (the first round) while in the second heat. The Trinidadian relay, however, did not finish the event, and was one of three teams in its heat (alongside France and Ukraine) that did not rank.[42] The team did not finish because the first exchange, betweenMichelle-Lee Ahye andKelly-Ann Baptiste, was not completed.[43]
Ten athletes composed Trinidad and Tobago's female track and field team. Of those, three participated only in individual track events (Sasha Springer-Jones,Aleesha Barber,Josanne Lucas); three participated in individual field events (Rhonda Watkins,Cleopatra Borel-Brown, andCandice Scott); two participated in only team track events (Wanda Hutson andAyanna Hutchinson); and two participated in both individual and team track events (Kelly-Ann Baptiste andSemoy Hackett). No medalists came from the Trinidadian female track and field team in Beijing, although all 100 meters sprinters progressed to quarterfinals.[3][27]
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||
| Kelly Ann Baptiste | 100 m | 11.39 | 2Q | 11.42 | 6 | Did not advance | |||
| Semoy Hackett | 11.53 | 4q | 11.46 | 6 | Did not advance | ||||
| Sasha Springer-Jones | 11.55 | 5q | 11.71 | 8 | Did not advance | ||||
| Aleesha Barber | 100 m hurdles | 13.01NR | 4 | — | Did not advance | ||||
| Josanne Lucas | 400 m hurdles | 57.76 | 6 | — | Did not advance | ||||
| Kelly-Ann Baptiste Semoy Hackett Ayanna Hutchinson Wanda Hutson | 4 × 100 m relay | DNF | — | Did not advance | |||||
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | Position | Distance | Position | ||
| Rhonda Watkins | Long jump | 5.88 | 37 | Did not advance | |
| Cleopatra Borel-Brown | Shot put | 17.96 | 17 | Did not advance | |
| Candice Scott | Hammer throw | 63.03 | 40 | Did not advance | |
Then 38-year-old sharpshooterRoger Daniel, a two-time Olympian (participating in the men's air pistol 10 meters and the men's free pistol 50 meters at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens) and participant in theTrinidad and Tobago Defence Force, represented Trinidad and Tobago as its only shooter in Beijing by taking part in the men's air pistol 10 meters.[44] In the first round, Daniel scored 98 points; in the second round, 95; in the third, 92; in the fourth, 94; in the fifth, 96; and the sixth and final, 96. Daniel tied four other athletes for the third greatest number of points in the first round, and received fewest points in the third round of any participating athlete.[45] Overall, during the August 9 course of events, Daniel earned 571 points, ranking 37th out of the 49 participating athletes.[46] The gold medalist in the event, China'sPang Wei, received 688.2 points, while the last place finalist Edirisinghe Senanayake of Sri Lanka received 561 points.[46]
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Rank | Points | Rank | ||
| Roger Daniel | 10 m air pistol | 571 | 37 | Did not advance | |
Then 22-year-oldNicholas Bovell participated on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf at Beijing in the men's 200 meters individual medley. He is the son ofBarbara Bishop, aBarbadian athlete and sprinter in the1972 Summer Olympics, and brother of fellow Beijing swimmer George Bovell.[47] Nicholas Bovell competed in the August 13 preliminaries, where he swam in the second heat. He completed the event in 2:03.90, placing fifth behind the Czech Republic'sTomas Fucik (2:02.85) and ahead of Turkey'sSerkan Atasay (2:05.25). The leaders of Bovell's heat were Norway'sGard Kvale (2:01.52) and the Philippines'Miguel Molina (2:01.61).[48] Out of the 47 competitors, Nicholas Bovell ranked 36th. He did not advance to later rounds.[48]
Three-time OlympianGeorge Bovell, aged 25 years old during his participation at Beijing, competed in the men's 100 meters freestyle for Trinidad and Tobago. Bovell previously competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics (men's 100 meters freestyle and men's 200 meters individual medley) and in the 2004 Athens Olympics (men's 100 meters freestyle, men's 200 meters freestyle and men's 200 meters individual medley), earning a bronze medal in the men's 200 meters individual medley while in Athens.[49] George Bovell participated in the sixth heat during the August 12 preliminary round, placing first with a time of 48.83 seconds. Venezuela'sAlbert Subirats Altes (48.97 seconds) placed second in the heat behind Bovell.[50] Out of the 64 athletes participating in preliminaries, George Bovell ranked 20th. He did not advance to later rounds.[50]
George Bovell also competed in the men's 50 meters freestyle on Trinidad and Tobago's behalf. Bovell had not previously competed in the event, although he advanced further in it than in the men's 100 meters freestyle while in Beijing.[49] During the August 14 preliminary round, George Bovell competed in the 11th heat. He swam the event in 21.77 seconds, placing second ahead of the United States'Garrett Weber-Gale (21.95 seconds) and behind Brazil'sCésar Cielo Filho (21.47 seconds). Filho set an Olympic record during his participation in Bovell's preliminary heat.[51] Out of the event's 97 participants, George Bovell placed sixth. He advanced to the semifinals.[51]
Bovell competed in the first heat during the August 14 semifinal round. He finished the race in 21.86 seconds, placing sixth out of the eight heat athletes. George Bovell placed ahead of South Africa'sGideon Louw (21.97 seconds) and behind Croatia'sDuje Draganja (21.85 seconds). The heat leaders were Brazil's Filho (21.34 seconds), who again set an Olympic record with his performance, and Sweden'sStefan Nystrand (21.71 seconds).[51] Overall, George Bovell placed 11th out of the 16 progressing athletes. He did not advance to the final round.[51]
Then 24-year-old formerUniversity of South Carolina athleteSharntelle McLean participated for Trinidad and Tobago in the women's 50 meters freestyle. Her participation in Beijing marked her second Olympic appearance (she previously swam in the same event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens), and the only appearance of a female Trinidadian swimmer in Beijing.[52] McLean participated in the August 15 preliminary round of her event, swimming in the seventh heat. She finished the race in 26.19 seconds, placing second out of eight heat athletes.Carolina Colorado of Columbia (26.11 seconds) defeated McLean for first place, whileEva Dobar of Hungary (26.33 seconds) placed behind her.[53] Out of the 92 participating athletes, McLean tied Lithuania'sRugile Mileisyte for 39th place. She did not advance to later rounds.[53]
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| George Bovell | 50 m freestyle | 21.77 | 6Q | 21.86 | 11 | Did not advance | |
| 100 m freestyle | 48.83 | 20 | Did not advance | ||||
| Nicholas Bovell | 200 m individual medley | 2:03.90 | 36 | Did not advance | |||
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Sharntelle McLean | 50 m freestyle | 26.19 | 39 | Did not advance | |||
Then 40-year-oldBordeaux-based table tennis playerDexter St. Louis represented Trinidad and Tobago at Beijing in men's singles table tennis. St. Louis previously represented Trinidad and Tobago in the1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta aged 28[54] St. Louis faced Canada'sWilson Zhang during the August 18 preliminary round, where the two faced off during the eighth match.[55] In the first game, Zhang defeated St. Louis with a score of 11–6; in the second, 11–7; in the third, 12–10; and in the fourth, 11–4. Having won the majority of seven games, Zhang defeated St. Louis for the match. St. Louis did not advance to later rounds.[55]
| Athlete | Event | Preliminary round | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final /BM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank | ||
| Dexter St. Louis | Men's singles |  Zhang P (CAN)L 0–4 | Did not advance | |||||||
