FORT de FRANCE – AN APPARENT HAMSTRING injury has put Mario Burke’s participation in doubt for the rest of the 2014 CARIFTA Games here at the Stade Municipal Pierre Aliker in Martinique.
Anticipation was high this morning when the Under-18 boys’ 100 metres was re-run as everyone was expecting the Barbadian sprinter to win a medal of some kind. But during his acceleration phase, Burke clutched at the left hamstring, stumbled a few more steps and crashed to the track.
Jamaica’s Raheem Chambers set the new record of 10.27 metres with a legal 1.9 wind reading and teammate Waseem Williams , who had won last night’s marred event from lane eight, snatched silver in 10.33 seconds. Javan Martin of The Bahamas won bronze in 10.54.
This was the latest turn of disappointment for Burke in Martinique. Last night, he was originally disqualified in the first running of the race for a false start. The race was recalled but no one stopped, although at least two runners reported hearing the second shot.
A meeting was held with representatives from all of the countries in the event and a decision was made to run it over this morning. Burke was there among the leaders before he pulled up.
His parents Vincent and Marvo Burke; Chambers and Williams; as well as several officials from the Barbados team went to check on him as he lay on the track. He was eventually taken off on a stretcher.
He was scheduled to compete in the heats of the 4×100 metres at 4:15 p.m. today, the semi-finals of the 200 metres at 5:40 p.m. and if the team had qualified, the finals of the 4x100m at 8:05 p.m. (SAT)
