Trinidad and Tobago at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Overview

Trinidad and Tobago's participation in these Olympic games marked its sixteenth appearance as an independent nation since 1964, although it had previously competed in four Olympic games under two different colonies; one as a British colony in 1948, when the nation marked its debut in the same host city for these games, and the other as part of the West Indies Federation, together with Jamaica and Barbados.

Although the athletes from Trinidad and Tobago had competed at every Olympic games since its debut, the nation's delegation to the London Olympics has become the most successful performance at any other Olympic games. It was the largest at any previous Games, with 30 athletes, competing only in 6 sports (athletics, boxing, cycling, sailing, shooting, and swimming). Trinidad and Tobago had also created its historical record by winning the most Olympic medals in the overall standings (4 medals, surpassing the nation's performance at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo by less than a single medal).

At the London Games, javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott set the nation's historic Olympic record by winning its first ever gold medal since 1976, and the first medal in the field events. Walcott, at age 19, also became Trinidad and Tobago's youngest ever Olympic champion, and the first non-European athlete to win the men's javelin throw since United States' Cy Young at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Furthermore, he was able to break the national record in the javelin throw event, and to surpass Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen, the defending champion and the Olympic record holder, who finished sixth in the final.

Three other medals were awarded in the track events. Sprinter Lalonde Gordon received the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres. He also led the relay team by winning another medal in the men's 4 × 400 metres relay. Richard Thompson, silver medalist in the men's 100 metres at the Beijing games, and Marc Burns, a four-time Olympic athlete, on the other hand, led their team this time to settle for the silver medal in the men's 4 × 100 metres relay.

Apart from the track and field, Trinidad and Tobago also excelled in cycling and swimming. Njisane Phillip qualified for the men's sprint and Keirin events in track cycling, but narrowly missed the bronze medal to Australia's Shane Perkins, finishing only in fourth place. Meanwhile, swimmer and former Olympic bronze medalist George Bovell had competed in the freestyle and backstroke events, particularly in the men's 50 m freestyle. After his dismal performance in Beijing, Bovell performed tremendously in these Olympic games by finishing first in the overall heats, and fifth in the semi-finals, allowing him to take the qualifying spot for the finals. In the end, he finished abruptly in seventh place.

Medalists

• In May 2014, the US 4 × 100 metres relay team member Tyson Gay received a one-year suspension for anabolic steroid use and was stripped of his medals after 15 July 2012 when he first used. In May 2015, the IOC wrote to US Olympic Committee telling them to collect the medals from teammates Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Ryan Bailey, Jeffery Demps and Darvis Patton. Two of Gay's teammates who ran with him in the final, Kimmons and Bailey, had previously also served suspensions. The medals were reallocated, with Trinidad and Tobago awarded silver, and France taking bronze.

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Athletes from Trinidad & Tobago have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard): ;Key

• Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
• Q = Qualified for the next round
• q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
• NR = National record
• N/A = Round not applicable for the event
• Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round}}

;Men ;Track & road events

• Jamol James was selected in the men's 4 × 100 m relay, but did not compete.

;Field events

;Women ;Track & road events

;Field events

Boxing

Main article: Boxing at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Trinidad and Tobago has qualified boxers for the following events.

;Men

Cycling

Main article: Cycling at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Track

;Sprint

;Keirin

Sailing

Main article: Sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Trinidad and Tobago has qualified 1 boat for each of the following events

;Men

M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race;

Shooting

Main article: Shooting at the 2012 Summer Olympics

;Men

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Swimmers from Trinidad and Tobago have further achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)):

;Men

References

References

1. (2012). "Trinidad and Tobago". Sports-reference.com.
2. Palmer, Justin. (11 August 2012). "Trinidad's Walcott takes surprise javelin gold". [[Reuters]].
3. (11 August 2012). "Walcott wins men's javelin gold for Trinidad and Tobago". [[The Washington Post]].
4. (2 May 2014). "Tyson Gay gets one-year ban for failed drugs test". BBC Sport.
5. (13 May 2015). "US stripped of London 2012 Olympic relay medals". BBC Sport.
6. (21 July 2016). "USA men's 4 x 100m relay team disqualified from the 2012 London Olympic Games".
7. (3 June 2017). "London 2012 4x100m relay men - Olympic Athletics".
8. "iaaf.org – Top Lists". IAAF.
9. "IAAF Games of the XXX Olympiad – London 2012 ENTRY STANDARDS". IAAF.
10. "Swimming World Rankings". FINA.
11. "FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE NATATION – Swimming". FINA.