Richards, Ahye represent T&T at World Indoors in Glasgow

Reigning gold medalist Jereem Richards and sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye are the two athletes from T&T who competed at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.

Richards won the men’s 400 metres title at the World Indoors in Belgrade, Serbia in a championships and national record time of 45.00 seconds. He gained automatic qualification to this year’s Championships after he won the 2023 World Indoor Tour 400m series.

Men’s 200m gold medalist Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards on the podium at Carrara Stadium during the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast,Australia, Friday, April 13,2018. Associated Press /Mark Schiefelbein, file

The T&T’s defending World champion missed out on a spot in the men’s 400 metres final. Richards was fourth in the first semifinals in 46.64 seconds, missing a lane in the final by one place as only the three finishers advanced to the final round.

The 2022 gold medalist started in the inside lane of the six-lane track. He got off to a quick start and he pressed to get to the front of the race at the break of lane at the 200m mark. However, he was in fourth at the bell and still on the inside lane.

He had to check his stride on several occasions as he remained boxed on the inside of his rivals and was unable to make any decisive move. He made little inroad on the final straight and had to settle for fourth.

Ahye competed in the women’s 60m dash and was seeking to reach the final for the fifth straight edition. The 2018 Commonwealth Games 100m gold medalist was seventh in 2022 and sixth at both the 2018 World Indoors in Birmingham, England and the two years prior in Sopot, Poland. Her best finish was fourth in Portland, Oregon, USA in 2016.

She began her quest for her first World Indoor medal when she lined up for heat four of the first round of the women’s 60m in lane six, placing 5th at 7.26 sec. She failed to advance to the semifinal round.

Ahye headed to Glasgow with a win in her lone race so far for the year. She captured the women’s 60m B finals in Mondeville, France in 7.26 seconds on Feb. 7. Her winning time was short of the World Indoor Championships qualifying time of 7.19.

However, Ahye got the nod to compete following her current 34th ranking, which places her among the 56 spots available.