Erison Hurtault Dominica’s sole elite athlete takes center stage at the athletic stadium on Saturday morning. The 400m sprinter will participate in one of a few heats scheduled to kick off at 10am and end at 13:45 on Saturday. The 100m men’s heats will take place before the 400m making it important for viewers wishing to see the race to monitor closely.
Hurtault did not make it past the 1st round in the 2008 Beijing games after running a time of 46.10. His record suggests that he can do much better as he proved in 2009 by running 45.59 in Berlin. He has never run under 45seconds and all indicators suggest that he will need to achieve this illusive target in order to get into the finals.
Please review the chart below:
Athlete Personal Best Best of the year Country
Kirani James 44.36 44.72 Grenada
Lalonde Gordon 45.51 45.51 Trinidad
Martyn Rooney 44.99 44.99 Great Britain
Lashawn Merritt 43.75 44.19 USA
Errol Nolan 46.36 46.36 Jamaica
Erisson Haurtault 46.21 45.59 Dominica
These are some of the best times in the world and as the chart suggests the Dominican is within striking range.
According to the team coach Mr. Joel Hamilton,“ this has been the healthiest and fittest that I have seen him”. Hamilton is of the view that Hurtault should go past the first round. He explained that Hurtault was injury free, working hard and determined to do something special for his country.
Willy Wood, head track and field coach at Columbia University and personal trainer of Hurtault is also confident that he is in great shape. He indicated that the 400m sprinter had been doing things during training that he has not been able to do for a while. Over the last six weeks he has been particularly focused on getting his strength and fitness level up. Wood’s only concern was the limited number of racing time Hurtault had during the summer. In what appeared to be the only area of concern Wood stated “I wish we could have gotten a few more races in”. He is of the view though that enough work had been done to prepare him for Saturday Morning.
Hurtault was a bronze medalist at the C.A.C games in Puerto Rico. A medal he presented to the Dominica Olympic Committee for their unrelenting support. He has also been to one Olympic game prior to London, a World Championship and many regional and international meets.
His quest, a MEDAL for his country!
We wish him well!!!
Darwin Telemaque
Caribbean Sports Connection
On Behalf of the Dominica Olympic Committee
With the Compliments of Lime
Sure he can win!! …………….if every other compeditor legs explode during the race…
Well…your compeditor brain just exploded on DNO eh. lol lol
Some of the comments here are disgraceful and disrespectful.
Go Erisson, Go Dominica.
There are 7 Billion persons on this planet.
There is no big stage than the Olympics.
Do yourself proud, Do Dominica proud.
So what about Luan, isn’t she taking part?
where they get nr naaaa. i wish usian bolt was from dominica
where they get mr naaaa…… i wish usian bolt was a dominican
if you can do a better job go next olympics ;)
If Erison Hurtault is Dominica’s sole elite athlete then I am very sorry for Dominica and the standards set for our promising athletes.
I am very disappointed in this article as it is clearly misleading to the everyday person who doesn’t know the ins and outs of track and field.
The article states he ran 46.10 in 2008,where he didn’t make it past the 1st round. It also states that he ran his personal best of 45.59 in 2009(We are actually in 2012 – 3 years past that personal best,if my math is accurate,) and based on that time it is predicted that he will beter his 2008 performance. <<< This is where the information gets twisted.
As per the IAAF website, Erison's best time for the year 2012 is actually 46.78. As per the IAAF website, Erison is scheduled to run in heat #7 and here is the starting list with the lane numbers and the athletes best time for 2012:
(2)Kévin Borlée (BEL) 44.56
(3)Marcin Marciniszyn (POL) 45.63
(4)Erison Hurtault (DMA) 46.78
(5)Martyn Rooney (GBR) 44.92
(6)Mathieu Gnanligo (BEN) 45.82
(7)Nery Brenes (CRC) 45.11
(8)Rabah Yousif (SUD) 45.30
Based on that list,it is fair to say that Erison is not going to better his 2008 performance and his likelihood of finishing last is a very high probability. The article itself states that Erison has not competed much during the season yet he plans on competing with the world's elite athletes and making it to the podium . This guy has to be delusional!
Shame on the DOC and whoever else was part of the selection committee to have selected and handed a 'wild card' to this athlete when Brendan Williams came so close to his qualifying mark.
Please note I do NOT know Brendan personally. I heard him,over the net ,during an olympic discussion program by the local radio station. The determination and drive that Brendan exudes isn't seen in or felt from Erison.
I still wish Erison the best. I'm not a hater. Just a Dominican looking through unbiased and realistic eyes.
L
My sentiments exactly concerning the part on brendan.. He only missed the standard by 3cm
No offense but best time 46.78 what makes you think that you are going to medal?
DOC needs to do better than this. How do you all select athletes to go based on the two athlete quota?
I only got to know about Brandon William did not qualify for jumping HE CAME 3CM SHORT. Do you not think that that BRANDO DESERVED to be in London carrying the Dominica flag and NOT the Mr. US Citizen who – I forgot again HOW DID HE QUALIFY?
Brandon as I listened on DBS radio two nights or so ago came across as a DEDICATED person – HE WORKS AND LIVES in Dominica. IS THERE ANY REASON WHY HE COULD NOT BE ON THE TEAM INSTEAD of Erison Hurtault?
Based on the article here Erison Hurtault DOES NOT come across as someone who takes track seriously enough to be at the Olympics and even medal. He would have done more – if your coach can say you have not raced enough – this tells volumes – to me it says that YOU ARE IN IT JUST FOR ATTENDANCE and not as an elite athlete.
DOC NEEDS TO DO BETTER THAN THIS. Give our LOCAL athletes a chance.
Luan you should run – you can know where you place among the elite athletes and at the same time familiarizing yourself with competition at this level – TAKE THIS FOR YOU AS A PERSONAL TIMING EVENT, Give your personal best a shot – GOOD LUCK!!
DNO check the IAAF website for times etc.
All the Laplaine peeps will be glued to our TV. Go Erison Laplaine behind you.
All the best to you, go compete and do your best. We will be watching and cheering.
Well,well…well!!! Dominica,entering the Olympic games! At least we maade it through. Come on you dominican’s..shame on you all leaving just 1 person to represent allu.
Go Erison Go ……………….D/A all the way team 767 we in dat wi. my nose getting long
Put Dominica on the Olympic map my brother I’m praying for you.
BLESSINGS a Laplaine man representing!!
U GOT THIS!
All the best – and enjoy the Games.
See you again at the next Olympic event.
Jenny JJ
xx
Go for it Erison…. Make yourself and all of us back home feel proud of your achievement!
Stupes mista cannot win. Just look at how China preparing for the Olympics, we don’t stand a chance, our mindset is not there, our culture on produces good academics who recite what they learn they never win a nobel prize in any field. We need a complete turnaround of our mind set.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2182127/How-China-trains-children-win-gold–standing-girls-legs-young-boys-hang-bars.html?ICO=most_read_module
The race is at 5:35am in the mourning Eastern Caribbean time,10:35am is London time,so wake up early.Good luck Erisson Hurtault and Team Dominica.In the future Mr.Telemacque please quote the comparative local time so the public is not mistaken.
There is no profiles (pictures,video,stats)on the athletes representing Dominica on the Dominica Olympic Commitee web site http://www.doc.dm/.This needs to be updated if we are to highlight our athletes and grow public support and private sponsorship.
Additionally there needs to be a plan for Luan Gabriel for the next Olympics in Brazil 2016.The DAAA must ensure this athlete gets a scholarship with a good track school in Jamaica or the United States.
this isn’t Gymnastics it’s track… when China takes home the gold for gymnastics please come back and comment. Go Erison!!!
Go to the official site http://www.london2012.com and you will see that the Mens 400m Round 1 is at 5:35am on Saturday mourning Eastern Caribbean Time(ECT),(10:35am is London time).Get your facts right.
Win or not, give boy a traditional smoke meat broth afterwards ehh. He reppin 767. all the best
Thanks for doin your best brother
All the best!!
ALL THE BEST TO YOU BRO
Realistically speaking, it is a long shot. For those of you who follow track and field, you will realize that it is very unlikely that Erisson make the final, the semi final for that matter, much less medal. He has run 46.21 this year, his personal best is 45.59. His coach said that he is ready to run fast, but he hasn’t raced. Why hasn’t he raced? Athletes who are ready to race, race. Coach Hamilton said he is the fittest that he has ever seen him, who is he comparing him too? One of his athletes in Dominica? He has been with him for 1 week. He can’t speak to his fitness. if anything, he can speak of his state of mind and confidence going in. Erisson was a dominant runner in the Ivy League, but he can’t compete with the big boys…he hasn’t shown that yet. Either way, best of luck and make Dominica proud my boy, but till you all understand and follow the sport, support with a realistic view and not with all this crazy expectations…And I hope no one come tell me, just being there is enough…That is a very mediocre mentality. Dominica’s best chance for a medal at this Games based on rankings, potential and breakthroughs is sitting at home in Dominica…Brendan Williams High Jumper. We must raise the bar in everything that we do…
GO TEAM DOMINICA!!!!
I am with you on this 100%.
All the best ma country man
All the best Erisson. Impressive stats! I think he may just pull it off.
Do you know how much training has to be put into eliminating ONE SECOND in athletics – cannot be done over night.
Check the IAAF website for stats on the athletes mentioned in the article – HE CANNOT PULL IT OFF – this is not volleyball
Lashawn Merritt the defending olympic champ 400 m
The very best Hurtault. Will be watching live!
wait. “Dominica’s sole elite athlete”???
what about Luan? Does she not count anymore now or what?
Luan doesnt have that level of experience as yet. thats what it means but we expect great things from her. (perhaps she has decided not to run.. ) Dont go try and make no story there.
She is a very promising young athlete who has not yet competed on the international scene, so is not yet elite, a mantle she will no doubt attain with the right motivation and training.
stupid.
my question again……. if they didnt have plans to make the girl take part and run, dont you think they should have either send someone else or just send the one athlete?
Go for it.All the best.