media_artricles :: 2013

Baptiste, Thomas at Sainsbury Games

Trinidad and Tobago’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste snatched the bronze medal yesterday in a hotly contested Women’s 100m final at the Diamond League meet held to commemorate the London Games at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in England.

The Tobago athlete stopped the clock in a fast 10.93 seconds behind winner Blessing Okgabare of Nigeria who became the fastest African woman ever with a time of 10.79. Barbara Pierre of the USA was second in a personal best of 10.85.

Finishing closely on the heels of Baptiste was Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica in 10.94 while Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast followed in fifth place in 10.95.

Fraser-Pryce, who has been in untouchable for this year, seemed to have exerted herself too much in the semifinals earlier, scorching the tracks in a meet record and world leading 10.77 ahead of USA’s Carmelita Jeter (10.93) and her compatriot Kerron Stewart (11.08).

In the other semifinal, TT’s sprint queen placed fourth in 10.99 behind Okagbare who was in ripping form with an Area Record 10.86 which she then bettered in the final. In second and third place were Pierre (10.90) and Ahoure (10.98).

Baptiste’s performance puts the spotlight on her as one of the athletes to look for at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow next month. The Tobagonian and Jehue Gordon, who won gold at the Monaco Diamond League this month, are the only local athletes to medal at the Diamond League this year and eyes will be on them to continue their good form.

In the Men’s 110m hurdles yesterday, TT’s Mikel Thomas finished in last place in time of 13.65.

Taking the gold unsurprisingly was reigning Olympic winner Aries Merritt of the USA in 13.14. A distant second was William Sharman of Great britian in a season best 13.43 while Artur Noga of Poland earned the bronze in 13.47.

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