Trinidad and Tobago competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was Trinidad and Tobago's most successful Summer Olympics. It was the nation's largest ever delegation sent to the Olympics, with a total of 30 athletes, 21 men and 9 women, in 6 sports. Trinidad and Tobago's participation in these games marked its sixteenth Olympic appearance as an independent nation, although it had previously competed in four other games (including the 1948 debut in the same host city London) as a British colony, and as part of the West Indies Federation. The nation was awarded four Olympic medals based on the efforts by the athletes who competed in the track and field. Javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott became the first Trinidadian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal since the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where Hasely Crawford won for the sprint event. Marc Burns, a four-time Olympic athlete and a relay sprinter who led his team by winning the silver medal in Beijing, was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
Overview Trinidad and Tobago's participation in these Olympic games marked its sixteenth appearance as an independent nation since 1964, although it had previously competed in four Olympic games under two different colonies; one as a British colony in 1948, when the nation marked its debut in the same host city for these games, and the other as part of the West Indies Federation, together with Jamaica and Barbados.
Although the athletes from Trinidad and Tobago had competed at every Olympic games since its debut, the nation's delegation to the London Olympics has become the most successful performance at any other Olympic games. It was the largest at any previous Games, with 30 athletes, competing only in 6 sports (athletics, boxing, cycling, sailing, shooting, and swimming). Trinidad and Tobago had also created its historical record by winning the most Olympic medals in the overall standings (4 medals, surpassing the nation's performance at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo by less than a single medal).
At the London Games, javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott set the nation's historic Olympic record by winning its first ever gold medal since 1976, and the first medal in the field events. Walcott, at age 19, also became Trinidad and Tobago's youngest ever Olympic champion, and the first non-European athlete to win the men's javelin throw since United States' Cy Young at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Furthermore, he was able to break the national record in the javelin throw event, and to surpass Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen, the defending champion and the Olympic record holder, who finished sixth in the final.
Three other medals were awarded in the track events. Sprinter Lalonde Gordon received the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres. He also led the relay team by winning another medal in the men's 4 × 400 metres relay. Richard Thompson, silver medalist in the men's 100 metres at the Beijing games, and Marc Burns, a four-time Olympic athlete, on the other hand, led their team this time to settle for the silver medal in the men's 4 × 100 metres relay.
Apart from the track and field, Trinidad and Tobago also excelled in cycling and swimming. Njisane Phillip qualified for the men's sprint and Keirin events in track cycling, but narrowly missed the bronze medal to Australia's Shane Perkins, finishing only in fourth place. Meanwhile, swimmer and former Olympic bronze medalist George Bovell had competed in the freestyle and backstroke events, particularly in the men's 50 m freestyle. After his dismal performance in Beijing, Bovell performed tremendously in these Olympic games by finishing first in the overall heats, and fifth in the semi-finals, allowing him to take the qualifying spot for the finals. In the end, he finished abruptly in seventh place.
Medalists Medal Name Sport Event Date Athletics Men's javelin throw * Marc BurnsEmmanuel CallenderRichard Thompson Athletics Men's 4 × 100 m relay Athletics Men's 400 m Jarrin SolomonAde Alleyne-ForteDeon Lendore Athletics Men's 4 × 400 m relay
* In May 2014, the US 4 × 100 metres relay team member Tyson Gay received a one-year suspension for anabolic steroid use and was stripped of his medals after 15 July 2012 when he first used. In May 2015, the IOC wrote to US Olympic Committee telling them to collect the medals from teammates Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Ryan Bailey, Jeffery Demps and Darvis Patton. Two of Gay's teammates who ran with him in the final, Kimmons and Bailey, had previously also served suspensions. The medals were reallocated, with Trinidad and Tobago awarded silver, and France taking bronze.
Athletics
Athletes from Trinidad & Tobago have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard):
Men Track & road events AthleteEventHeat QuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankKeston Bledman100 mcolspan=2 10.133 Q10.044did not advanceWayne Davis110 m hurdles13.524 qcolspan=2 13.496did not advanceJehue Gordon400 m hurdles49.372 Qcolspan=2 47.962 Q48.866Lalonde Gordon400 m45.432 Qcolspan=2 44.581 Q44.52Deon Lendore45.815colspan=2 did not advanceRenny Quowcolspan=2 did not advanceRondel Sorrillo100 mcolspan=2 10.233 Q10.318did not advance200 m20.765colspan=2 did not advanceMikel Thomas110 m hurdles13.745colspan=2 did not advanceRichard Thompson100 mcolspan=2 10.142 Q10.023 q9.98 7Keston BledmanMarc BurnsEmmanuel CallenderRichard Thompson4 × 100 m relay38.103 Qcolspan=4 38.12Ade Alleyne-ForteMachel CedenioLalonde GordonDeon LendoreRenny QuowJarrin Solomon4 × 400 m relay3:00.381 Qcolspan=4 2:59.40 NR * Jamol James was selected in the men's 4 × 100 m relay, but did not compete.
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionKeshorn WalcottJavelin throw81.7510 q84.58 NR
Women Track & road events AthleteEventHeat QuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankMichelle-Lee Ahye100 mcolspan=2 11.283 Q11.328did not advanceKelly-Ann Baptistecolspan=2 10.961 Q11.003 q10.946Janeil Bellille400 m hurdles57.277colspan=2 did not advanceSemoy Hackett100 mcolspan=2 11.042 Q11.265did not advance200 m22.812 Qcolspan=2 22.553 q22.878Kai Selvon200 m22.854 qcolspan=2 23.045did not advanceMichelle-Lee AhyeKelly-Ann BaptisteSemoy HackettSparkle McKnightKai SelvonReyare Thomas4 × 100 m relay42.31 NR2 Qcolspan=4
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionAyanna AlexanderTriple jump14.0914did not advanceCleopatra BorelShot put18.3612did not advance
Boxing
Trinidad and Tobago has qualified boxers for the following events.
Men AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankCarlos SuárezLight flyweightL 6–16did not advance
Cycling
Track Sprint AthleteEventQualificationRound 1Repechage 1Round 2Repechage 2QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalTimeSpeed (km/h)RankOppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)RankNjisane PhillipMen's sprint10.20270.57410W 10.221 70.443W 10.467 68.787W 10.545, W 10.300L, L L, L 4
Keirin AthleteEvent1st RoundRepechage2nd RoundFinalRankRankRankRankNjisane PhillipMen's keirin5 R3 Q47
Sailing
Trinidad and Tobago has qualified 1 boat for each of the following events
Men AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank12345678910M*Andrew LewisLaser46433840294734461426EL31537 M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race;
Shooting
Men AthleteEventQualificationFinalPointsRankPointsRankRoger Daniel10 m air pistol56836did not advance50 m pistol53935did not advance
Swimming
Swimmers from Trinidad and Tobago have further achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)):
Men AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankGeorge Bovell50 m freestyle21.771 Q21.775 Q21.827100 m freestyledid not advance100 m backstroke55.2229did not advance
See also Trinidad and Tobago at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Trinidad and Tobago at the 2011 Pan American Games
References
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