media_artricles :: 2012

Best Ever

Baptiste tops all T&T women at London 2012 Olympics

Kelly-Ann Baptiste produced the best ever Olympic performance by a woman athlete from Trinidad and Tobago, at the Olympic Stadium, here in London, England, yesterday.

But though she understands the significance of her sixth-place finish in the London 2012 women's 100 metres final, the 25-year-old sprinter was very disappointed.

"I know I got to put things in perspective," Baptiste told the Sunday Express. "It's something I wanted to achieve, but I consider myself a better athlete. Making the Olympic final is a great accomplishment and I will not take anything away from that. But it's disappointing to come here and not have my best race."

The World Championship 100m bronze medallist clocked 10.94 seconds, one-tenth of a second slower than her 10.84 national record.

Baptiste, though, was part of a special race, yesterday.

It was the first time in the history of the Olympic Games that as many as six women came in under 11 seconds in a 100m final.

Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retained her Olympic title with a blistering 10.75 seconds run.

American Carmelita Jeter clocked 10.78 to snap up silver, while bronze went to Fraser-Pryce's teammate, Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.81).

Americans Tianna Madison (10.85) and Allyson Felix (10.89) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

"Everything happens for a reason," said Baptiste, "and I applaud Shelly-Ann Fraser. It just shows what champions are made of. To be able to win successive Olympic titles, that's no easy feat. Hats off to her."

Baptiste could not keep pace with the leaders in the second half of the championship race.

"It wasn't well put together. I'm hugely disappointed, and I'm really trying to contain myself. I know I'm a better athlete."

Drawn on the inside, in lane two, Baptiste did not have a feel for what was happening in the middle of the race.

"I couldn't see anyone. I just tried to run my own race."

In the semi-final round, Baptiste finished third in heat two in 11 seconds flat, and had to wait on the result of heat three to know her fate. She got into the final as a "fastest loser".

Baptiste has been attending to an Achilles injury this season, but insisted it did not affect her here in London.

"Not my performance at the Olympics, but preparations in between. That's not even an excuse because injuries are part of the sport, and that's something you have to handle and be mature about. I would never place that as a reason I didn't perform. It's just that I didn't put it together at the time. Winners and champions find a way to win, and clearly Shelly-Ann did."

Semoy Hackett was unable to reproduce her personal best 11.04 seconds clocking from round one, the T&T sprinter finishing fifth in the opening semifinal heat in 11.26.

"The race wasn't properly distributed," she told the Sunday Express.

"At ten metres I felt I was too low. I felt I was going to fall, so I tried to get up and sprint to catch the pack. It was not as good as I wanted the race to be. I was satisfied with the 11.04 from (Friday), and I was trying to execute this race the same way, but unfortunately I didn't do it.

"I'm trying to make the final for the 200," Hackett continued, "hopefully medal, and then go on to the relay."

Michelle-Lee Ahye also bowed out in the semifinal round of the 100m dash, the 20-year-old T&T athlete finishing eighth in semifinal number three in 11.32 seconds.

"My first Olympics…I'm young. So I'm not really worried. Bigger and better things for Worlds."

Baptiste is also hoping for an improved performance at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

"I have a lot to prove to myself. The battle is within me and my abilities, and what I think I'm capable of. World Championships next year, that's my aim," Baptiste ended. "I'm just going to keep on working harder."

Top