Relay team misses medal

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=280458&sc=99

	New Haven native Jared Connaughton takes the baton from Canadian teammate Oluseyi Smith while Jamaica’s Michael Frater hands his baton over to Usain Bolt at the start of the third leg of the men’s 4x100-metre relay final Saturday during the world track and field championships in Berlin. (Associated Press photo)

Relay team misses medal

Connaughton and teammates run
a seasonal best time in 4x100

Canwest News Service & The Associated Press

The Canadian 4x100 men’s relay team set a seasonal best time on Saturday at the world track and field championships in Berlin, but it wasn’t good enough to see the team head home with a medal.

The Canadian team, which includes Jared Connaughton of New Haven, finished the race in 38.39 seconds to grab fifth place overall.

The race was won by Jamaica — led by multi-world-record holder Usain Bolt. Jamaica cruised to the gold in 37.31 seconds. Trinidad and Tobago finished second with a time of 37.62, while Great Britain won bronze by finishing in 38.02.

The Canadian team also featured Sam Effah of Calgary, Oluseyi Smith of Ottawa, and anchor Bryan Barnett of Edmonton.

“To tell the truth, we were shooting for the podium,” said Barnett. “The last exchange could have been quicker . . . a season best though so you can’t complain too much, I guess.”

“There’s plenty of room to improve,” added Connaughton. “But 38.39, we’ll take it for now, but I think this is a 37 (second) team and I don’t think we could have said that two years ago.”

Jamaica also won the women’s 4x100 final on Saturday.

Bolt’s third gold medal of the championships failed to produce a third world record because the Jamaican 400-metre relay team only managed to produce the second-fastest time in history.

“It is a little bit my fault,” an apologetic Bolt said, complaining he was just too tired after nine races in eight days.

“I didn’t run the best third leg. I was happy to get around the track and give the baton to Asafa,” he said. “I am dying right now.”

Compounding Bolt’s fatigue was Asafa Powell’s groin injury, which made the anchor runner uncertain until one hour before the start.

Since the Beijing Olympics, Bolt had won five major gold medals with a world record each time. The world record streak ended in the 400 relay after he set two individual marks in Berlin.

“The main thing that counted was getting the gold,” Bolt said.

Connaughton, teammates reach relay final

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=280205&sc=99
Connaughton, teammates reach relay final

The Guardian

The Canadian 4x100-metre men’s relay team ran a season-best time and qualified for today’s final at the 2009 world track and field championships in Berlin, Germany.

Jared Connaughton, a New Haven native, ran the third leg behind Hank Palmer, Oluseyi Smith and in front of anchor Bryan Barnett as Canada finished third in its heat in a time of 38.60 seconds.

Today’s final goes at 3:50 p.m. AT.

The United States had the fastest heat time at 37.97.

Great Britain, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Italy, France and Jamaica also reached the final.

Canada and the Jamaicans tied for the slowest qualifying time (38.60).

They will run side by side in today’s final.

It’s another medal shot for Connaughton, who earlier in the week was disqualified from the 200-metre after stepping out of his lane during his second-round heat.

His time of 20.80 would have moved him into the semifinals.

Jamaican Usain Bolt won the 200-metre in a world record time of 19.19 but did not run in the relay.

(www.iaaf.org)

Islander runs in relay event today at worlds

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=279925&sc=99

Islander runs in relay event today at worlds
Connaughton runs the third leg on the 4x100-metre team

The Guardian

The show goes on for Jared Connaughton of New Haven at the 2009 world track and field championships in Berlin when he competes today in opening heats of the 4x100-metre men’s relay.

Canada’s heat begins at 2:38 p.m. AT.

Connaughton runs the third leg.

The Canadian team, which also includes Sam Effah, Seyi Smith and Bryan Barnett, ran a 38.63 at a warmup meet in Düsseldorf, Germany, earlier this month.

Tuesday, Connaughton was disqualified from the 200 metres after stepping out of his lane during his second-round heat.

His time of 20.80 would have moved him into the semis.

Connaughton said on his Twitter page he was disappointed — “I was ready to make that damn final” — but is looking ahead to today’s event.

The United States is the defending 4x100-metre champion (37.78).

Jamaica, with Usain Bolt, holds the world record (37.10), set at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The United States holds the event record time of 37.40, set in 1993.

The final is Saturday at 3:50 p.m. AT.

Bolt won the 200-metre final on Thursday in a world-record time of 19.19.

Connaughton returns to P.E.I. after the worlds for week two of the 2009 Canada Summer Games.

He won two gold medals (100 and 200 metres) at the 2005 Games in Regina, Sask.

(www.berlin2009.org)

Connaughton disqualified

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=278921&sc=99

Connaughton disqualified

The Guardian

Canada's Jared Connaughton, of New Haven, P.E.I., reacts after being disqualified after a men's 200m second-round heat during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Tuesday. Connaughton finished second in his heat, but was later disqualified for a line violation. (Associated Press photo)

Connaughton ready for double

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=278052&sc=99

Connaughton ready for double

Islander to run in the 200-metre and 4x100-metre events
at the world track and field championships in Germany

CHARLES REID
The Guardian

It’s a sprinting double-dip for Jared Connaughton at the world track and field championships, which begin today in Germany.

The New Haven native races in the men’s 4x100-metre relay and Team Canada coaches last week entered him in the men’s 200-metre.

Heats begin Tuesday at 5:05 a.m. AT in the 200 metres.

It’s a race Connaughton’s only ran three times this season, the second a silver finish at the Canadian championships in late June (20.78) and the third a season-best of 20.68 to win the 200-metre in a tune up meet in Düsseldorf, Germany, last week.

Neither were strong enough for the 20.59 qualifying standard, but he got the thumbs up anyway.

“Because of my world ranking and performances from (the 2008 Olympics in) Beijing last year, and my placing at nationals, the coaches decided to give me the nod to run anyhow. And rightfully so,” Connaughton said. “I believe that I’m the best 200-metre runner in Canada and I hope to represent Canada well in Berlin."

Bryan Barnett won the national 200-metre title in 20.71, but that’s far off Usain Bolt’s world record time of 19.30.

The Jamaican set the new mark at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, last summer.

American Tyson Gay is the defending world 200-metre champ (19.76).

Gay has a season-best 200-metre time of 19.58 while Bolt is a blink behind at 19.59.

Last month, five Jamaicans, all who had qualified for the worlds, tested positive at the Jamaican national trials in June.

Bolt wasn’t one of the five which includes four men and a women.

Meanwhile, heats in the 4x100-metre start Friday at 2:30 p.m. AT.

The final is Saturday is 3:50 p.m. AT.

Canada ran a 39.43 at the Okasa worlds in 2007 after baton passing problems led to a last-place finish.

Still, the team rebounded at the Olympics and finished sixth in the final, Canada’s best finish since a gold in 1996.

At the Düsseldorf meet, Connaughton with teammates Sam Effah, Seyi Smith and Barnett ran a 38.63.

Connaughton, who runs the third leg, said Canada’s good roll might continue.

“Our chance in the 4x100-metre team this season is very high. I think that we have an other three or four-10ths of a second to take off that time,” he said. “So I hate to predict times, but I think we can run 38.0 to 38.2.”

The Jamaicans, with Bolt, set another world record at the Olympics (37.10).

The United States, with Gay, is the defending 4x100-metre champion (37.78). The U.S. holds the event record time of 37.40 set in 1993.

Connaughton returns to P.E.I. after the worlds for week two of the 2009 Canada Summer Games.

He won two gold medals (100 and 200 metres) at the 2005 Games in Regina.

(creid@theguardian.pe.ca)

*****

Connaughton’s schedule at the worlds (all times AT):

* Aug. 18 - 200-metre heats, 5:05 a.m.; 200-metre quarter-finals, 1:55 p.m.

* Aug. 19 - 200-metre semifinals, 2:25 p.m.

* Aug. 20 - 200-metre final, 3:35 p.m.

* Aug. 21 - 4x100-metre relay heats, 2:30 p.m.

* Aug. 22 - 4x100-metre relay final, 3:50 p.m.

Connaughton to run in two events at worlds

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=275486&sc=99

Connaughton to run in two events at worlds
P.E.I. runner gets the OK to compete in the 200 metres

The Guardian

Islander Jared Connaughton will be drawing double duty at the 2009 world track and field championships in Berlin later this month.

The New Haven native received the green from the Canadian team coaches on Wednesday to also run in the 200 metres at the championships, which will be held Aug. 15-23.

Connaughton was already on the men’s 4x100-metre relay team, along with Sam Effah, Bryan Barnett, Hank Palmer, Gavin Smellie and Oluseyi Smith.

The Canadian men posted a seasonal best time of 38.62 at the recent Aviva Grand Prix in London.

Connaughton, running the third leg, helped the Canadians finish sixth at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing last summer.

The 200-metre lanes are familiar ground for the 24-year-old Connaughton.

He won the national 200-metre title (20.34) in 2008 en route to a breakout season which culminated with a 200-metre semifinal appearance in Beijing.

But he ran only one 200-metre race before the Canadian nationals track and field championships last month in Toronto while focusing on improving his 100-metre times.

Connaughton finished second in the 200 metres (20.78) and third in the 100 metres (10.47) at the nationals.

In 2005, he won the 100-metre and 200-metre events at the Canada Games in Regina and became the first Islander to win double-gold in a single set of Games.

The gold medals also were P.E.I.’s first since 1969.

He’s currently training in Kamen, Germany