media_centre :: 2011

"I would not have gotten this far without the people around me."

Kelly Ann Baptiste celebrated by NAAA

Kwame Laurence :: Trinidad Express :: 14 October 2011

Kelly-Ann Baptiste was honoured on Wednesday evening by the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA), at an Appreciation Function, at the Hyatt Regency, in Port of Spain. But the 2011 World Championship women's 100 metres bronze medallist used the opportunity to express her gratitude to the people who have supported her on her journey to the top.

"I want to thank my parents (Hiram Baptiste and Hazel Taylor), my other family members, my coaches, I want to thank the athletes around me especially."

Running into a 1.4 metres per second headwind, Baptiste bagged bronze in the women's century at the World Championships, in Daegu, Korea. She clocked 10.98 seconds.

With that superb run, Baptiste became only the second female athlete from Trinidad and Tobago to secure precious metal at a major senior global meet, following in the strides of 2009 World Championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist, Josanne Lucas. Baptiste is the first female sprinter from this country to achieve the feat.

The Plymouth, Tobago sprinter closed off her World Championship campaign by leading a young team of sprinters—22-year-old Semoy Hackett and 19-year-olds Kai Selvon and Michelle-Lee Ahye—to fourth spot in the 4x100m relay final.

On Wednesday, Baptiste paid tribute to her sprint relay teammates, as well as the other athletes on the 2011 World Championship team.

"When you're around a group of people and they make you laugh and they make you smile and they share in your joys and they share in your sorrows...Just being on a journey with everybody, the more the memories I will carry with me when I'm done with track and field.

"I just want to thank all the athletes. It's not just about me, it's about all of us. I just pray and hope that we all could build upon the performances of this year, and take it forward to 2012, which I truly believe is going to be a special year for all of us."

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