media_artricles :: 2013

Baptiste, Jehue to challenge for medals

Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Jehue Gordon are well-placed to challenge for precious metal at the August 10-18 IAAF World Championships, in Moscow, Russia.

Baptiste and Gordon are among 29 athletes selected to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the global track and field meet.

In June, Baptiste clocked 10.83 seconds—a new T&T record—to retain her national women’s 100 metres title. At the time, the clocking was the fastest in the world this year.

Baptiste is now third on the 2013 world performance list, behind Jamaica’s two-time Olympic champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.77) and Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare (10.79).

Last month, Gordon won on the IAAF Diamond League circuit for the first time in his career, clocking 48 seconds flat to strike gold in the men’s 400 metres hurdles in Monaco. The clocking earned the T&T athlete second spot on this year’s world performance list, behind American champion Michael Tinsley, the world-leader at 47.96 seconds.

Gordon’s personal best is also 47.96. He produced that national record run in the Olympic semis, last year.

The T&T team for Moscow also includes reigning Olympic men’s javelin champion Keshorn Walcott, 2008 Olympic Games men’s 100m silver medallist Richard “Torpedo” Thompson, 2012 Olympic Games men’s 400m bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon, and reigning national champions Keston Bledman (men’s 100m), Deon Lendore (men’s 400m), and Mikel Thomas (men’s 110m hurdles).

For the very first time, T&T will be represented in all four relays at the World Championships.

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