Payne cops silver
....Vaughn 2nd bronze
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
August 4, 2002
Track athlete Tai Payne secured a silver medal and personal best time for the 800-metre on the second day of competition in the VII South American Games in Brazil.
Michell Vaughn who copped a bronze medal in the triple jump event on the opening day (Thursday), captured a second bronze in the long jump on Friday.
According to reports from Brazil, Payne placed second to Cristian Jose' Hernandez of Ecuador, returning a personal best time of one minute 51.05 seconds. Hernandez clocked one minute 50.99 seconds.
Reports state that Payne changed gear in the final 100 metres but this determined final burst of speed failed to land him the gold.
When he contested the 400-metre on the opening day, Payne placed fourth in a time of 48.35 seconds. The race was won by Luis Ambrosio of Brazil in 46.41 seconds.
In the women's long jump, Vaughn leaped 5.88 metres to secure her second bronze medal of the meet. The gold and silver medals went to Brazilians Keila da Silva Costa and Fernanda Goncalves respectively. Costa recorded a 6:31m winning jump.
The athletic aspect of the Games which is being contested by 14 countries, will end tomorrow.
Keith Roberts who placed 5th in the final of the 100-metre sprint, is down to contest the 200m tomorrow, while Cleveland Forde who was seventh in the 5000-metre event, will contest the 10,000 metres today.
Guyana's six-man boxing team is scheduled to get into action tomorrow, while the two-man swimming team of Onan Thom and Ronald Ying along with the table tennis players will begin their quest for medals on Tuesday.
Forde was doubtful of participating at the Games after his personal doctor Carl Max Hanoman had suggested he (Forde) take a rest from competition.
However, after conducting a series of tests, Dr. Hanoman gave the young athlete a clean bill of health.
The Games are being held in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belem and Curitiba.