The Trinidad & Tobago Championships saw a historic moment on June 22, as Kelly-Ann Baptiste blazed through the 100m final in a record-breaking 10.83 seconds. The sprint star dominated the race at Hasely Crawford Stadium, leaving no doubt about her status as the country’s fastest woman. This performance surpassed her previous national record of 10.84, which she had set in Florida in 2010. With this result, Baptiste also became the fastest woman in the world for 2013, overtaking the 10.85 seconds posted by US sprinters English Gardner and Barbara Pierre at the US Championships just a day earlier.

From the start, Baptiste pulled ahead, separating herself early from the competition before powering through to the finish line. She left a gap behind her, with Michelle-Lee Ahye finishing second in 11.06 seconds, setting a personal best, while Kai Selvon rounded out the podium with a time of 11.23 seconds.

Baptiste’s dominance has further cemented Trinidad & Tobago’s reputation as a force in track and field, particularly in the sprinting events.

Keston Bledman Defends His Title in the Men’s 100m

On the men’s side, Keston Bledman defended his 100m national title in spectacular fashion. He clocked a blistering 9.86 seconds, though aided by an illegal 3.2m/s tailwind. Despite the wind, his performance showed his impressive form, matching his wind-legal time from last year’s championships.

The 2008 Olympic silver medalist Richard Thompson finished second in 9.91 seconds, while Rondell Sorrillo, fresh off his own Olympic qualification, secured third place in 9.99 seconds.

Notably, Bledman had overcome a disqualification in the preliminary round due to a false start. After running under protest and winning the appeal, he went on to dominate in the semifinals with a wind-assisted 10.05 seconds before sealing his title in the final.

Deon Lendore Shines in the 400m

The men’s 400m final provided another thrilling race, with Deon Lendore showcasing his talent with a winning time of 45.29 seconds. The NCAA silver medalist maintained his strong form, fending off challenges from top competitors.

Behind him, Jarrin Solomon delivered an impressive late surge, clocking 45.34 seconds to take silver. Renny Quow, always a strong contender in the 400m, finished third in 45.65 seconds, narrowly edging out Lalonde Gordon, the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, who placed fourth in 45.67 seconds.