media_artricles :: 2014

Effortless 60 impresses Thompson

Ahye on course for sub-11

Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye is on course to dive under 11 seconds in the 100 metres this year.

This is the view of triple Olympic medallist Richard “Torpedo” Thompson.

Thompson was in Houston, Texas two weekends ago when Ahye bolted to a new 60m personal best, the 21-year-old athlete clocking 7.15 seconds to secure silver at the Howie Ryan Invitational indoor meet.

Ahye was beaten to the line by Ivory Coast sprinter Muriel Ahoure, who stopped the clock at 7.03 seconds—the fastest time in the world this year.

Ahye is third on the 2014 world indoor performance list, behind Ahoure and British sprinter Asha Philip (7.09).

The 7.15 clocking produced by Ahye is just two-hundredths of a second slower than the 7.13 national record set by Kelly-Ann Baptiste in 2008.

“I saw Michelle live in action at Houston,” Thompson told the Express, “and all I can say is that she’s ready. This is the best I’ve seen her look, and she’s doing it effortlessly. I’m expecting an indoor national (60 metres) record and a sub-11 100 metres. She will be a household name by the end of this year,” the 2008 Olympic men’s 100m silver medallist declared.

Ahye’s 100m PR (personal record) is 11.06 seconds.

The Carenage sprinter is expected to represent the Red, White and Black at the March 7-9 IAAF World Indoor Championships, in Sopot, Poland. Thompson, however, is not certain to face the starter in Sopot.

“Coach (Dennis) Shaver and I spoke about doing World Indoors. We said we would decide on whether or not to do it based on how my body responds to this string of meets. If I don’t do it, I’m sure these few races indoors will set me up nicely for outdoors. So there’s nothing to lose.”

Thompson opened his 2014 indoor campaign at the Howie Ryan Invitational. He clocked 6.69 seconds for fifth spot in the men’s 60m final, and followed up with bronze at last Saturday’s Texas A&M Aggie Invitational in 6.72.

Top