Baptiste breaks 200 record
For the second time in as many days, Kelly-Ann Baptiste left the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain with a new national record.
Baptiste blazed to victory in yesterday’s NAAA Sagicor General/NGC National Open Track and Field Championship women’s 200 metres final in an impressive 22.36 seconds. The clocking was 19-hundredths of a second faster than the previous Trinidad and Tobago record of 22.55, established by Semoy Hackett last year.
With the 22.36 run, Baptiste is now joint-fourth on the 2013 world performance list, with reigning Olympic champion Allyson Felix of the United States and Ivory Coast sprinter Murielle Ahoure.
By the time she came off the bend, Baptiste was in full control of yesterday’s half-lap final. She motored to the line, getting home well ahead of Hackett, the silver medallist in 22.98. Kai Selvon clocked 23.05 to bag bronze.
On Saturday, Baptiste retained her 100m title with a 10.83 scorcher—a new national record and the fastest time in the world this year.
“Definitely more excited about my 200 than I am about my 100,” Baptiste told the Express, “because I have been trying to piece together a great 200 for a long time. To come out here today and to be able to kind of figure it out, and run a good time behind that, I feel really good about that performance.”
Lalonde Gordon was also a satisfied athlete yesterday. The Olympic men’s 400m bronze medallist captured the national 200m title with a fast 20.26 seconds run—a new personal record (PR). Kyle Greaux and Jereem Richards picked up silver and bronze, respectively, clocking 20.57 and 20.72.
“Big PR, so I’m very, very happy,” said Gordon. “I just wanted to go out there and do something big. I haven’t been doing that for the whole year. I’m just trying to push myself and get back on pace.
“Right now,” Gordon continued, “I’m lacking a lot of speed work. I don’t know how I run that time. That was a shock.”
Jehue Gordon was dominant in the men’s 400m hurdles. The former world junior champion turned for home with a huge cushion on the field. He tightened up a bit in the final stages of the race, but still recorded a big victory.
Gordon clocked 49.25 seconds, while second-placed Emmanuel Mayers got home in 50.50.
Sparkle McKnight topped the women’s 400m hurdles field in 56.59 seconds.
The men’s 800m title was won by Jamaal James in 1:49.22, while women’s two-lap gold went to Alena Brooks in a personal best 2:05.25.
Chris Hercules emerged as men’s triple jump champion with a 16.21 metres effort. Ayanna Alexander (13.72m) did the same in the women’s triple jump. And in the men’s discus, Quincy Wilson threw 57.15m to secure the top spot.
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
Men’s 200m (wind: +0.5)
1 Lalonde Gordon (Tigers) 20.26
2 Kyle Greaux (Abilene) 20.57
3 Jereem Richards (Abilene) 20.72
Women’s 200m (wind: +0.3)
1 Kelly-Ann Baptiste (Zenith) 22.36 NR, CR
2 Semoy Hackett (Zenith) 22.98
3 Kai Selvon (Air Bon Sonics) 23.05
Men’s 200m “B” race (wind: 0.0)
1 Kevin Haynes (Defence Force) 20.98
2 Stephon James (Guyana) 21.17
3 Dan-Neil Telesford (Neon Trackers) 21.59
Women’s 200m “B” race (No Wind Indicated)
1 Reyare Thomas (Neon Trackers) 23.43
2 Karene King (British Virgin Islands) 23.44
3 Ashley King (British Virgin Islands) 24.30
Men’s 800m
1 Jamaal James (Rebirth) 1:49.22
2 Mark London (Zenith) 1:50.98
3 George Smith (Defence Force) 1:53.38
Women’s 800m
1 Alena Brooks (Memphis) 2:05.25
2 Domonique Williams (Neon Trackers) 2:09.71
3 Jessica James (Neon Trackers) 2:11.22
Men’s 5000m
1 Denzel Ramirez (Unattached) 15:23.41
2 Richard Jones (Unattached) 15:34.68
3 Matthew Hagley (Defence Force) 15:34.70
Men’s 400m hurdles
1 Jehue Gordon (Memphis) 49.25
2 Emmanuel Mayers (Rebirth) 50.50
3 Ruebin Walters (Memphis) 53.21
Women’s 400m hurdles
1 Sparkle McKnight (Neon Trackers) 56.59
2 Romona Modeste (Neon Trackers) 58.56
3 Kernesha Spann (Neon Trackers) 1:00.67
Men’s high jump
1 Omari Benoit (Falcons) 2.01m
2 Mikhail Matthews (Zenith) 1.98m
2 Rodney Liverpool (Defence Force) 1.98m
Women’s long jump
1 Dorane McNee (UTT Fast Track) 5.45m
(wind: +3.8)
2 Aiesha Colthrust (Neon Trackers) 5.34m
(wind: -0.2)
3 Alisha St Louis (D’Abadie) 5.11m (wind: 0.0)
Men’s triple jump
1 Chris Hercules (Memphis) 16.21m (wind: 0.0)
2 Seon Michael Stafford (Toco TAFAC) 15.44m
(wind: -0.5)
3 Kyron Blaise (Rebirth) 14.98m (wind: -0.7)
Women’s triple jump
1 Ayanna Alexander (Unattached) 13.72m
(wind: +1.2)
2 Natrena Hooper (Guyana) 11.94m (wind: +1.4)
Women’s shot put
1 Portious Warren (Toco TAFAC) 12.87m
2 Dimonique McGruder (Athletics In Action) 12.78m
3 Chelsea James (Falcons) 12.71m
Men’s discus
1 Quincy Wilson (Rebirth) 57.15m
2 Keon Francis (UWI) 45.89m
3 Micah McNish (Striders) 42.59m
Men’s javelin
1 Shakiel Waithe (Zenith) 65.63m
2 Leslain Baird (Guyana) 65.32m
3 Precious George (Warriors) 49.90m
Men’s decathlon
1 Gayell Engeso (Suriname) 5,984 points
2 Quincy Sempai (Suriname) 5,726 points
Men’s 4x100m
1 Alpha Athletics 41.09
2 Concorde 42.01
Women’s 4x100m
1 Memphis 46.41
2 Simplex 46.62
Men’s 4x400m
1 Abilene 3:09.70
2 Guyana 3:15.57
3 Defence Force 3:15.93
Men’s 100m Masters (wind: -0.3)
1 Andie Montique (T&T Masters) 11.36
2 Norton St Louis (Defence Force) 11.37
3 Martin Prime (ZC Athletics) 11.89
Women’s 100m Masters (wind: -2.1)
1 Angela Darceuil (Defence Force) 13.87
2 Joan Hospedales (T&T Masters) 14.51
3 Krista Francis-Raymah (ZC Athletics) 14.52
NR = National Record
CR = Championship Record