Jereem “The Dream” Richards seized bronze in the men’s 200 metres event at the USA Track & Field (USATF) Golden Games in California, USA, yesterday. Richards completed the half-lap race in 20.20 seconds to finish behind Americans Noah Lyles (19.90) and Kenny Bednarek (19.94).

The 20.20 clocking was the fastest time produced by Richards this year, bettering his 20.26 golden run in Oregon on April 23. The Trinidad and Tobago sprint star is now ninth on the 2021 world outdoor performance list. American Terrance Laird is the global leader at 19.81. Nigeria’s Divine Oduduru (19.88) and Lyles (19.90) are second and third, respectively.

Deon Lendore produced a fine run in the men’s 400m, clocking a season’s best 45.04 seconds to bag bronze. Michael Norman was the class of the field, completing his lap of the track in 44.40 for a comfortable cushion on fellow American Michael Cherry, the runner-up in 44.86.

Drawn way out in lane nine, Lendore was forced to run blind in the one-lap event. The experienced T&T quartermiler, however, was equal to the task, turning for home in contention for a podium finish. Lendore finished strong, claiming third spot well ahead of Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir (45.29) and Americans Wil London (45.31) and Justin Robinson (45.38).

Another T&T track star, Machel Cedenio won the men’s 400m “B” race in 45.47 seconds. American Marcus Chambers was a distant second in 46.39.

The Golden Games 400 was Cedenio’s 2021 season-opener in his pet event. In his only previous outing this year, a 200 in Florida last month, the 25-year-old athlete clocked a personal best 20.84. At 45.47, Cedenio was the seventh fastest quartermiler on show yesterday.

Lendore’s 45.04 run earned him 14th spot on the 2021 world outdoor list. Cedenio is 34th. Another T&T quartermiler, Dwight St Hillaire is ninth with a 44.74 run. Americans Noah Williams, Norman and Trevor Stewart are first, second and third, respectively, at 44.30, 44.40 and 44.52.

T&T’s Portious Warren threw 17.83 metres for eighth spot in the women’s shot put. American Maggie Ewen topped the field with a 19.32m effort.

T&T sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye finished fifth in the women’s 200m “B” race in 23.57 seconds. She was 13th overall. Top honours went to “A” race winner Gabby Thomas, the American getting to the line in a wind-aided 22.12.

Yesterday’s race was Ahye’s second outing following the completion of a two-year suspension for “whereabouts failures”, last month. In her comeback race, a 200 in California on April 30, Ahye was third in 23.47.