The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TRYING to put the controversy of the last few weeks behind him for at least one weekend, Stephen Newbold found solace in a return to the track.

“Being back home means everything to me. It feels good to be out here running, not for me but for all these people. I appreciate the love, I appreciate all the support and being here in front of this crowd back home it was important for me to do my best for them and put on a good show,” he said.

Newbold finished the 42nd Carifta Track and Field Championships with two medals, an individual bronze in the under-20 boys’ 400m in 46.01 seconds, and ran a spirited third leg in the under-20 boys’ 4x400m en route to their silver medal finish. In 400m, Newbold led for much of the race but was nipped at the line following a late charge over the last 10m from Trinidad and Tobago’s Machal Cedenio who won in 45.93 and Jovan Francis who finished second in 46.00s.

“I wanted that one, I wanted to come out early and make a statement because I know that’s a race I could have won,” he said, “It was more important for me to come out here and perform. It felt good to be able to focus on running. I just want people to know that I’m still a very focused young man despite recent events.”

In the 4x400, Newbold ran the third leg and overcame a 20 metre lead to hand off the baton to anchor leg Andre Colebrooke in first place. “I knew I had the speed to be able to do it. It was all about putting my team in the best position to win,” he said.