Kineke Alexander palms medal at Pan Am Games

Kineke Alexander, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ most decorated female athlete, has added a Pan Am medal to her collection.

Alexander gained bronze in the 400m final last Thursday night at the Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada.{{more}}

The Vincentian clocked 51.50 seconds en route to her third place, behind the American duo of Kendall Baisden and Shakima Wimbley in 51.27 and 51.36 seconds respectively.

The 29-year-old Alexander was leading going into the home stretch, before fading, allowing Baisden, the reigning world junior champion, and Wimbley to precede her at the finish line.

Courtney Williams, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ other representative at the Pan Am Games, failed to spark in the 200 m men’s heat, as he trailed the other five competitors in the race to the finish line in a time of 21.35 seconds.

Meanwhile, Alexander, who was a finalist at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in the process, made the qualifying standard for next month’s World Championships, set for Beijing, China.

Her best effort over the distance is 51.23 seconds, clocked April 21 in San Marcos, Texas, USA.

Before heading into last Thursday’s final, Alexander timed 52.24 seconds, to make it to the final eight as the second fastest qualifier, behind Baisden.

It was Alexander’s third showing at the Pan Am Games. She competed at the 2007 edition, held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil and in 2011, Alexander was 12th in the 400m, when the event was staged in Guadalajara, Mexico.

An Olympian and flag bearer at the 2008 games in Beijing, China and the London Olympics 2012, Alexander’s last medal attainment meant that she has medalled at the OECS championships, Junior Carifta, NACAC Under-23, and CAC championships.

In 2013, at the CAC championships, Alexander gained gold in the 200m and bronze in the 400m.

Twenty years ago, at the staging of the Pan American Games, held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Vincentian Eswort Coombs also grabbed a bronze medal in the men’s 400m. (RT)