Click to view full size

There were mixed fortunes for two Trinidad and Tobago athletes on the fifth day of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan on September 17 as javelin veteran Keshorn Walcott advanced to the men's final, while sprinter Leah Bertrand exited in the heats of the women's 200 metres.

The 32-year-old Walcott, a two-time Olympic medallist, is still searching for an elusive medal at a World Championships event and completed his first task by qualifying for the September 18 final with a throw of 83.93 metres. Competing in group A of two qualifying groups, Walcott placed fifth out of 19 competitors, with world-leader Julian Weber of Germany topping the group with his mark of 87.21m.

The official qualifying mark for the final was set at 84.50m, with seven of the athletes across the two groups surpassing the mark. Walcott was one of five throwers who advanced to the final without achieving the automatic qualifying mark, but the 2012 Olympic champ will hope he has saved his best efforts for the final. Walcott will have the ninth-best mark going into the final.