media_artricles :: 2014

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PRESIDENT OF the National Association of Athletic Administrations (NAAA) Ephraim Serrette is impressed by the consistency being shown by national 100-metre and 200m champion Michelle-Lee Ahye.

On Saturday, Ahye continued her gold medal form in Europe this season with her ninth successive victory, in the 100m at the Glasgow Grand Prix in Scotland.

The 22-year-old crossed the finish line in 11.01 seconds, ahead of two-time Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (11.10).

According to Serrette, “it’s always a good feeling to know that you have athletes performing at a particular level. Michelle has been performing from the primary school stage, right to where she is now.”

The former national sprinter added, “it’s not that she’s just popped on the stage. She has been performing at a high level, at primary school, to the junior level and now she’s on the international scene.

“I think this may just be the transition and she’s doing quite well.”

Ahye has propelled herself to become the year’s fastest female 100m runner to date.

“She has moved to a camp in Houston (Texas) some time ago and I guess the work there and the attitude that she may have adopted, as well as the running of the 200 metres,” said Serrette.

“A lot of our sprinters tend not to run 200 and I think that augurs well for our 100 metres,” he added.

“I think that’s one of our failures. She never liked to run the 200 but I think she has done so now. I think it’s paying off well for her in the 100 metres.”

With the Commonwealth Games approaching, Ahye has put herself as a gold medal threat for the Games in Glasgow.

“She is, at the present time, the world leader, (with) the best time in the world by a female sprinter,” Serrette noted.

“But that does not translate dramatically into a Commonwealth gold medal, it’s the performance on the day.

“I just hope that she remains healthy and could perform at that same level when representing Trinidad and Tobago at the Commonwealth level.”

A number of Olympic and World medallists are also on the national squad for the Commonwealth Games, including Keshorn Walcott, Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Lalonde Gordon and Jehue Gordon.

The national athletes are currently competing on the European circuit and Serrette stated, “it’s good that the Commonwealth Games is in a time when all the athletes are available and in a year where there is no competing events.

“The last Commonwealth Games was held in Delhi in October (2010), which (was) in the off- season for athletes. The timing this year is very good and all athletes are available.”

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