Kelly- Ann Baptiste a Genuine Threat for Worlds

MOTORING TO THE LINE: Kelly-Ann Baptiste, right, 

motors to the finish line in the NAAA Sagicor General/NGC National

Open Track and Field Championship women’s 200 metres final,

at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, on Sunday.

Baptiste clocked 22.36 seconds, a new Trinidad and Tobago record, 

to complete an impressive sprint double. Kai Selvon, 

left, seized silver in 22.98. On Saturday, Baptiste retained her

 100m title in 10.83 seconds – 

also a national record. —Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK

Kelly-Ann Baptiste established herself as a genuine World Championship medal contender in both sprints with two sizzling runs at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, on the weekend.

On Saturday, Baptiste established a new Trinidad and Tobago record—10.83 seconds—in winning her seventh women’s 100 metres national title. The clocking was the fastest time in the world this year.

And on Sunday, the final day of the NAAA Sagicor General/NGC National Open Track and Field Championships, Baptiste captured the 200m title in 22.36 seconds—also a new T&T standard. She is joint-fifth on the 2013 women’s 200m world performance list.

But while Baptiste is certain to bid for precious metal in the 100m dash at the August 10-18 IAAF World Championships, in Moscow, Russia, the 26-year-old track star told the Express she has not yet made a decision on her participation in the longer sprint.

“I really don’t know. I actually told my coach if I don’t run a certain time by the World Championships, I’m not going to double. It (the time) was within this ball park, so that’s a good sign.

“I’ll see how I do on the Diamond League circuit against other competitors, and depending on those performances, I will make a judgment then.”

But even if Baptiste decides to chase one individual title in Moscow, her half-lap outings this season will not be in vain.

“I need to work on my speed maintenance towards the end of my 100, and also in the 200. Running the 200 is going to help me gather that in the 100 metres.”

Baptiste said that since she was nursing a quadriceps injury, recently, Saturday’s 10.83 run was particularly gratifying.

“After May I picked up a slight cramp on my quad, so I was out for a while, so it was just about coming out here and getting back some confidence in my execution of my race and just being excited to compete again. The time just came along with my excitement to be able to compete. I wasn’t expecting a 10.83, but it happened and I’m grateful for that.”

The closest challenger for Baptiste in Saturday’s century final was Michelle-Lee Ahye, the 21-year-old sprinter seizing silver in a personal best 11.06 seconds. The competition will be stiffer when Baptiste competes at the July 6 Meeting Areva IAAF Diamond League meet, in Paris, France.

The 2011 World Championship 100m bronze medallist is hoping her times in Europe, in the build-up to the 2013 Worlds, will be similar to what she produced at the Crawford Stadium on the weekend.

“I have to go out there and try to replicate my performance, and replicating it means executing it the same way that I did—whether it’s against Michelle and this type of competition, or whether it’s against Carmelita Jeter and Shelly-Ann Fraser, I have to be able to duplicate the same technical things that I did in this race. It gives me a gauge as to what I need to do when I go on the circuit.” 

Source:trinidadexpress

Kelly Ann Baptiste Visits Chief Secretary

Trinidad and Tobago athlete Kelly Ann Baptiste
paid a courtesy call on THA Chief Secretary Orville London
at his Calder Hall office on Monday (October 15, 2012).

She hasn't yet reached her peak and still has many years ahead of her.

This was an assurance given by Olympian Kelly-Ann Baptiste when she made a courtesy call on THA Chief Secretary Orville London on Monday at his Calder Hall office.

Baptiste thanked the Chief Secretary and Tobago for the support she has received. She said that though she had high expectations, the support of others "helped pick me up from the slump."

But Mr London reassured her. "We do not equate success only with medals," he said.

The Chief Secretary described Kelly-Ann as "an exemplar to Tobagonians." He said Tobago appreciated the effort Baptiste made in London, despite her disappointment. Baptiste had started the season at a near personal best, but injury forced her out of this year's Olympics, though she had made the final of the women's 100 meter.

The Flordia-based athlete took a 3 hour flight to Tobago last Thursday, celebrating her 26th birthday on the island on Sunday. Graduating from Louisiana State University in 2011, Baptiste has a BA in Psychology and would like to continue her education in two years.

Baptiste said she viewed upcoming track and field events as "markers to indicate what I need to change" in preparation for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Baptiste is scheduled to leave Tobago on Wednesday and officially resumes training on November 6th.

Reproduced from THA official site

Olympic Monitor: 6th Place for Kelly Ann Baptiste

Although Kelly Ann produced the best ever Olympic performance by a woman athlete from Trinidad and Tobago, it was not enough to capture gold as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wouldn't have it any other way than to ensure the Gold medal stays in Jamaica. 

A golden ribbon in her hair, the bubbly Jamaican made it back-to-back Olympic titles in the women's 100 meters Saturday night, closing ground over the last 20 meters and leaning at the line to win in 10.75 seconds and edge American Carmelita Jeter by .03 seconds.

Fraser-Pryce became the first woman to repeat in the 100 since Gail Devers of the U.S. in 1992 and 1996. 

Trinidad and Tobago's sprinter, Kelly Ann Baptiste stated that "everything happens for a reason," applauding Shelly Ann Fraser.  "It just shows what champions are made of. To be able to win successive Olympic titles, that's no easy feat. Hats off to her." said Baptiste. 

Running out of lane two, it was difficult for Baptiste to keep pace with the championship leaders. Stating that she could do better, Baptiste tried hard to contain her self, stating that 'I know I'm a better athlete". 

Semoy Hackett, another Trinidad and Tobago sprinter was unable to reproduce her personal best 11.04 seconds clocking from round one,finishing fifth in the opening semifinal heat in 11.26.

"The race wasn't properly distributed," she told the Sunday Express.

"At ten metres I felt I was too low. I felt I was going to fall, so I tried to get up and sprint to catch the pack. It was not as good as I wanted the race to be. I was satisfied with the 11.04 from (Friday), and I was trying to execute this race the same way, but unfortunately I didn't do it.

"I'm trying to make the final for the 200," Hackett continued, "hopefully medal, and then go on to the relay."

Michelle-Lee Ahye also bowed out in the semifinal round of the 100m dash, the 20-year-old T&T athlete finishing eighth in semifinal number three in 11.32 seconds.

"My first Olympics…I'm young. So I'm not really worried. Bigger and better things for Worlds."

Baptiste is also hoping for an improved performance at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

"I have a lot to prove to myself. The battle is within me and my abilities, and what I think I'm capable of. World Championships next year, that's my aim," Baptiste ended. "I'm just going to keep on working harder."