1. Early Life and Background
Lalonde Gordon's early life was marked by a significant family relocation and the unique origin of his name, reflecting a connection to a notable figure in boxing.
1.1. Birth and Childhood
Lalonde Keida Gordon was born on November 25, 1988, in Lowlands, a locality on the island of Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago. At the age of seven, he and his family relocated from Trinidad and Tobago to New York City in the United States.
1.2. Name Origin
His distinctive first name, Lalonde, was inspired by the Canadian professional boxer Donny Lalonde. Donny Lalonde, a former WBC light heavyweight champion, defeated Trinidadian boxer Leslie Stewart in a significant fight held in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on May 29, 1988, just a few months before Gordon's birth.
2. Athletic Career
Lalonde Gordon's athletic career spans over a decade, marked by his return to the sport, significant Olympic and World Championship medals, and numerous national records.
2.1. Early Career and Return to Athletics
Lalonde Gordon competed in track and field from an early age. However, he temporarily stopped running as a teenager around 2003. In 2009, while studying at Mohawk Valley Community College, he resumed serious training with the goal of representing the institution. He participated in both the 200 metres and 400 metres events, eventually deciding to concentrate on the 400m, despite initially disliking the event. During his professional career, Gordon stands at a height of 6.2 ft (1.9 m) and weighs 183 lb (83 kg). After his time at Mohawk Valley, Gordon continued his athletic and academic pursuits at Morgan State University, from which he later graduated. He trains with the Zenith Velocity AC club under coach Trevor Green.
2.2. 2010-2011 Seasons
In 2010, Gordon participated in the national championships, where he achieved a time of 20.96 s in the 200 metres and went under 47 s in the 400 metres, finishing second behind Zwede Hewitt. A month later, he collaborated with Hewitt in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games and earned a bronze medal. He was selected to compete individually at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where he advanced to the semifinal with a personal best of 46.33 s.
The following season, in 2011, he secured his first international victory at the Rabat Meeting in Morocco, where he narrowly defeated William Collazo with a new personal best of 45.51 s. At the 2011 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, he qualified for the 400m final and won a silver medal in the 4x400m relay. During the 2011 Trinidad and Tobago Championships, he focused on shorter sprints, achieving a third-place finish in the 200m and winning the 4x100 metres relay.
2.3. 2012 Season: Olympic Breakthrough
Lalonde Gordon began the 2012 season strongly, running a world-leading time of 46.43 s to win the 400m at the New Balance Games in New York City. At the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, he was disqualified in his 400m heat for a lane infraction. However, he led off the 4x400m relay team, which included Renny Quow, Jereem Richards, and Jarrin Solomon. This quartet went on to achieve a bronze medal, setting a new national indoor record of 3 s. This marked Trinidad and Tobago's second medal in the 4x400m relay at the World Indoor Championships since 1993, and their third overall medal in the event's history.
Outdoors, Gordon continued his excellent form, setting three personal bests during the "Road to London" meet series in New York. He clocked 10.45 s for the 100 metres and 20.62 s for the 200m in May, before winning the 400m in 45.33 s in June. At the national championships that year, he triumphed over defending champion Quow in the 400m and contributed to a new national record of 3 s in the 4x400m relay.
Despite not initially achieving the Olympic "A" qualifying standard for an individual spot, Gordon's mother financed his flight to the US National Club Championship in Omaha, Nebraska, in July. There, he improved his personal best to 45.02 s with a winning run, securing his qualification. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he surprised many by winning his 400m semi-final with the fastest qualifying time, an unexpected personal best of 44.58 s. He further lowered this time to 44.52 s in the 400m Olympic final, earning a bronze medal. This made him only the second Trinidad and Tobago athlete to win an Olympic medal in the event, following Wendell Mottley's silver in 1964.
Buoyed by his individual success, Gordon encouraged his relay teammates. The quartet of Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte, and Deon Lendore set a national record of 3 s to win their qualifying heat. In the final, they performed even better, clocking 2 s and narrowly beating Great Britain to secure a second bronze medal for Gordon. This marked the second time Trinidad and Tobago had medaled in the Olympic 4x400m relay, also after Mottley's team in 1964.
2.4. 2013-2014 Seasons
In 2013, Lalonde Gordon made his debut at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia. He competed in the 200 metres, having achieved a personal best of 20.26 s approximately two months prior, but was eliminated in the semifinal with a time of 21.14 s. He ran the second leg of the men's 4x400m relay, helping the team secure a sixth-place finish with 3 s, which at the time was Trinidad and Tobago's best performance in the 4x400m relay at the World Championships, surpassing their previous result in 2005. Earlier in 2013, he earned a silver medal in the 200m at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Morelia, Mexico, with a time of 20.28 s.
The 2014 season saw Gordon compete at the World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, where he finished fifth in the 400m with 46.39 s. At the 2014 IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas, he ran the first leg of the 4x400m relay, contributing to a bronze medal and setting a new national record of 2 s. Later that year, at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, United Kingdom, Gordon earned two bronze medals: one in the individual 400m with a time of 44.78 s (a personal best at the time for the event), and another in the 4x400m relay, where he ran the first leg to help the team to a time of 3 s.
2.5. 2015 Season: World Championships Silver
In 2015, Lalonde Gordon achieved notable successes. On July 15, at the Liege International meet in Liège, Belgium, he set a new national record in the men's 300m, clocking 32.21 s. This performance surpassed the previous record of 32.27 s set by Ian Morris in 1992.
In August, he competed at his second consecutive World Championships in Beijing, China. In the men's 400m, he ran 44.7 s in the semifinal, finishing fourth in his heat and ninth overall, missing a spot in the final by just 0.06 s. However, he played a crucial role in the men's 4x400m relay. He ran the anchor leg in the heats and the second leg in the final, alongside Renny Quow, Deon Lendore, and Machel Cedenio. The team secured a silver medal with a new national record of 2 s, marking Trinidad and Tobago's first-ever silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the World Championships. Earlier in the season, he won a gold medal in the 400m at the NACAC Championships in San José, Costa Rica, with a time of 44.89 s.
2.6. 2016 Season
In 2016, Lalonde Gordon participated in the World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon, United States. He reached the final of the 400m event, finishing sixth with a time of 47.62 s. In the 4x400m relay, he ran the second leg in the final, alongside Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte, and Deon Lendore. The team secured a bronze medal and set a new national indoor record of 3 s.
Later that year, at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Gordon competed in both the 400m and the 4x400m relay. In the individual 400m, he advanced to the semifinal but did not qualify for the final. In the 4x400m relay, he ran the second leg in the heats with Jarrin Solomon, Deon Lendore, and Machel Cedenio. The team initially appeared to have qualified for the final, finishing third in their heat with a time of 2 s. However, they were subsequently disqualified due to a lane infraction during the baton exchange between the first and second legs.
2.7. 2017 Season: World Championships Gold
The 2017 season proved to be a historic one for Lalonde Gordon. On February 4, at the Armory Track Invitational in New York City, he set a new indoor Central American and Caribbean record in the 300m with a time of 32.37 s, improving his previous mark by 0.1 s. On July 19, at the Liege International meet, he further bettered his own national record in the 300m, clocking 31.92 s, which was 0.29 s faster than his previous best.
At the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, United Kingdom, in August, Gordon again reached the semifinal of the men's 400m but did not advance to the final. However, his most significant achievement came in the men's 4x400m relay. He served as the anchor leg in both the heats and the final. In the final, he received the baton in second place, close behind the United States team. In a thrilling finish, Gordon overtook the American anchor, Fred Kerley, in the final stretch, leading Trinidad and Tobago to a first-place finish with a new national record of 2 s. This marked Trinidad and Tobago's first-ever gold medal in the 4x400m relay at either the Olympic Games or the World Championships.
2.8. 2018 Season
In 2018, Lalonde Gordon competed at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom, where he ran the anchor leg for the 4x400m relay team. The team finished in fourth place, setting a new national indoor record of 3 s. Later that year, at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, he participated in the 400m heats, recording a time of 49.07 s. In the 4x400m relay, he ran the third leg during the heats, with the team clocking 3 s to qualify for the final. Although Gordon did not compete in the final, Trinidad and Tobago ultimately finished fourth with a time of 3 s.
3. Personal Bests
These are Lalonde Gordon's official personal best records for various sprint events, both outdoors and indoors.
| Event | Time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor | ||||
| 100 metres | 10.45 s (+1.9 m/s) | May 12, 2012 | New York City, United States | |
| 200 metres | 20.26 s (+0.5 m/s) | June 23, 2013 | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | |
| 300 metres | 31.92 s | July 19, 2017 | Liège, Belgium | National record |
| 400 metres | 44.52 s | August 6, 2012 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Indoor | ||||
| 200 metres | 20.49 s | January 28, 2017 | Boston, United States | |
| 300 metres | 32.37 s | February 4, 2017 | New York City, United States | Former national indoor record |
| 400 metres | 45.17 s | February 8, 2014 | Boston, United States | Second fastest national indoor record |
| 500 metres | 1 s | 2012 | ||
4. Major Competition Results
This table provides a detailed overview of Lalonde Gordon's performances, including his rankings and times, at major international competitions throughout his career.
| Year | Competition | Place | Event | Result | Time | Leg | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | 4x400mR | Bronze | 3 s | 2nd leg | |
| 2010 | 2010 Commonwealth Games | Delhi, India | 400m | Semifinal | 46.33 s | ||
| 2011 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | 400m | Final | Did Not Finish | ||
| 2011 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | 4x400mR | Silver | 3 s | 1st leg | |
| 2012 | World Indoor Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | 400m | Heats | Disqualified | Lane infraction | |
| 2012 | World Indoor Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | 4x400mR | Bronze | 3 s | 1st leg | National indoor record at the time |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 400m | Bronze | 44.52 s | Personal best | |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 4x400mR | Bronze | 2 s | 1st leg | National record at the time |
| 2013 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Morelia, Mexico | 200m | Silver | 20.28 s (+0.5 m/s) | ||
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 200m | Semifinal | 21.14 s (0.0 m/s) | ||
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 4x400mR | 6th | 3 s | 2nd leg | Best T&T 4x400mR result at World Championships at the time |
| 2014 | World Indoor Championships | Sopot, Poland | 400m | 5th | 46.39 s | ||
| 2014 | IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 4x400mR | Bronze | 2 s | 1st leg | National record at the time |
| 2014 | Commonwealth Games | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 400m | Bronze | 44.78 s | ||
| 2014 | Commonwealth Games | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 4x400mR | Bronze | 3 s | 1st leg | |
| 2015 | IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 4x400mR | 7th | 3 s | 1st leg | |
| 2015 | NACAC Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 400m | Gold | 44.89 s | ||
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 400m | Semifinal | 44.7 s | Missed final by 0.06 s | |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 4x400mR | Silver | 2 s | 2nd leg (final), Anchor (heats) | National record at the time; First silver medal for T&T in 4x400m relay at World Championships |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, United States | 400m | 6th | 47.62 s | ||
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, United States | 4x400mR | Bronze | 3 s | 2nd leg | National indoor record at the time |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 400m | Semifinal | 45.13 s | ||
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 4x400mR | Heats | Disqualified | 2nd leg | Lane infraction during 1st-2nd leg baton exchange |
| 2017 | IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 4x400mR | 4th | 3 s | 4th leg | |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 400m | Semifinal | 45.2 s | ||
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 4x400mR | Gold | 2 s | 4th leg | National record; First gold medal for T&T in 4x400m relay at Olympics/World Championships |
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 4x400mR | 4th | 3 s | 4th leg | National indoor record at the time |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 400m | Heats | 49.07 s | ||
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 4x400mR | Heats | 3 s | 3rd leg | Qualified for final (T&T finished 4th in final with 3 s) |
5. Legacy and Reception
Lalonde Gordon's career has profoundly shaped Trinidad and Tobago's athletic landscape, particularly through his contributions to national records and his groundbreaking achievements on the international stage.
5.1. Contributions to National Records
Lalonde Gordon has made significant contributions to national records across various sprint and relay events. He was instrumental in setting multiple national records for the 4x400m relay. At the 2012 London Olympics, he was part of the team that established new outdoor national records in the 4x400m relay during both the qualifying heats (3 s) and the final (2 s). He also contributed to new indoor national records in the 4x400m relay at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships (3 s), the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships (3 s), and the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships (3 s).
Beyond relays, Gordon set and later improved the national record in the men's 300m. In July 2015, he broke Ian Morris's existing record by running 32.21 s. He further lowered this mark to 31.92 s in July 2017. Additionally, in February 2017, he set an indoor Central American and Caribbean record in the 300m with a time of 32.37 s. His continued efforts in the 4x400m relay also led to further national record improvements, including 2 s at the 2014 IAAF World Relays, 2 s at the 2015 World Athletics Championships, and most notably, 2 s when winning gold at the 2017 World Athletics Championships.
5.2. Historical Significance in National Athletics
Lalonde Gordon holds a significant place in the history of Trinidad and Tobago athletics, particularly in sprint and relay events. His achievements include becoming only the second man from his nation to secure an Olympic medal in the individual 400m, following Wendell Mottley's silver medal performance in 1964. Similarly, he was part of the second Trinidad and Tobago team to earn an Olympic medal in the 4x400m relay, also after Mottley's team in 1964.
Gordon's impact extends to the World Athletics Championships and World Indoor Championships. He was a key member of the team that secured Trinidad and Tobago's second medal in the 4x400m relay at the World Indoor Championships (since 1993). More significantly, he was part of the team that won the nation's first-ever silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the World Championships in 2015, and subsequently, their historic first gold medal in the 4x400m relay at either the Olympic Games or the World Championships in 2017. He is recognized as the fifth fastest 400m runner from Trinidad and Tobago, after Jereem Richards, Machel Cedenio, Ian Morris, and Deon Lendore.