media_artricles :: 2012

Baptiste clocks 10.86 in Jamaica

Fast Track

Kelly-Ann Baptiste produced a sizzler in her 2012 individual opener, at the Jamaica International Invitational in Kingston, Jamaica, late on Saturday.

The Trinidad and Tobago sprint star clocked 10.86 seconds for silver in the women's 100 metres dash, behind reigning world champion Carmelita Jeter, the American winning in a world-leading 10.81. Jamaica's Kerron Stewart got to the line in 10.98 to pick up bronze.

Baptiste challenged Jeter all the way to the line, eventually securing the runner-up spot with the second fastest time of her career. Her personal best is the 10.84 national record run she produced in 2010.

Saturday's 10.86 clocking puts Baptiste in second spot on the 2012 world performance list. The Plymouth, Tobago sprinter is the 2011 World Championship women's 100m bronze medallist.

Jehue Gordon was also impressive at the Jamaica International Invitational, the 20-year-old T&T athlete seizing silver in the men's 400m hurdles in 48.98 seconds. Gordon moved into seventh spot on the world list.

Americans Bershawn Jackson (48.73) and Justin Gaymon (49.08) finished first and third, respectively.

Renny Quow just missed out on gold in the men's 400m. The T&T quartermiler clocked 45.48 seconds to finish second, trailing Calvin Smith by one-hundredth of a second, the American winning in 45.47. Jamaica's Jermaine Gonzales copped third spot in 45.66.

Finishing strong, as he usually does, Quow seemed on course for gold. Smith, however, out-leaned him at the line to capture the title.

Cleopatra Borel threw the iron ball 18.69 metres to secure silver in the women's shot put. Thanks to that heave, the T&T thrower is seventh on this season's world performance list.

American Michelle Carter won the event with a 19.22m effort, while third spot went to Nigeria's Vivian Chukwuemeka (16.95m).

T&T's Ayanna Alexander jumped 13.69m to bag silver in the women's triple jump. Jamaican Kimberly Williams (14.33m) and American Whitney Liehr (13.18m) earned gold and bronze, respectively.

T&T sprinter Richard "Torpedo" Thompson finished sixth in the men's 100m dash in 10.14 seconds.

Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt dominated the field, the Jamaican megastar winning in a world-leading 9.82. His compatriots, Michael Frater (10.00) and Lerone Clarke (10.03) finished second and third, respectively.

Thompson had been disqualified for a false start, but was allowed to run after pleading his case with officials.

Reigning 100m world champion, Yohan Blake topped the men's 200m field on Saturday night. The Jamaican sprinter clocked 19.91 seconds.

At the Bob Pollock Spring Invitational, in South Carolina, USA, Josanne Lucas struck gold in the women's 400m hurdles in 57.29 seconds. Another T&T athlete, Stann Waithe got home in 47.20 for second spot in the men's 400m.

Semoy Hackett finished third in the women's 200m, at the Samford Multi and Invitational meet, in Alabama. The Louisiana State University (LSU) student got to the line in 23.32 seconds.

Last Tuesday, at a meet in Baie Mahault, Guadeloupe, T&T sprinter Rondel Sorrillo clocked 20.42 seconds to earn silver in the men's 200m. And T&T half-miler Melissa De Leon returned a time of two minutes, 05.18 seconds to bag bronze in the women's 800m.

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