Gwendolyn Smith struck gold for Trinidad and Tobago in the women’s 55-59 javelin throw at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Tampere, Finland, yesterday.

Smith landed the spear 37.50 metres for a huge cushion on Finland’s Kristiina Peltola, the silver medallist at 33.46. Latvia’s Llona Kojalovica bagged bronze with a 32.17m throw. Smith’s T&T teammate, Suzan Garcia was 14th at 17.20.

On Thursday, Smith opened T&T’s medal account at the World Masters meet with silver in the women’s 55-59 shot put. She threw the iron ball 13.18m.

Also on Thursday, Chevon Simpson finished just off the podium in the men’s 35-39 100 metres dash. The T&T sprinter was fourth in the championship race in a wind-aided 10.84 seconds.

Michelle Sturge was also impressive, finishing sixth in the women’s 55-59 100m final in 13.68 seconds. Raymond Smith was 13th overall in the men’s 60-64 100m in 12.86.

In the men’s 45-49 200m, Murrien Mitchell finished tenth overall in 24.28 seconds. Smith clocked 27.05 for 17th spot in the men’s 60-64 200. Curtis Brereton was ninth in his section and 25th overall in the men’s 60-64 5,000m in 21 minutes, 31.2 seconds.

In the women’s 65-69 hammer throw, Cheryl Reyes finished sixth with a 25.65m effort. Reyes was ninth in the shot put at 7.93m and 11th in the weight throw at 9.77m.

Two-time T&T Olympian Marsha Mark-Baird bagged bronze in the women’s 45-49 heptathlon. Now competing for the United States, Mark-Baird accumulated 4,364 points. In the individual javelin throw, she finished sixth with a 35.44m effort.