Sprint champion Baptiste sets new national records
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Kelly-Ann Baptiste underlined her superiority as Trinidad and Tobago’s top female sprinter by setting two national records in two days as the curtains came down on the National Track and Field Championships at the Hasely Cawford Stadium on Sunday.
Baptiste completed the sprint double by racing to victory in the 200 metres on Sunday after breaking the national 100 metres record with a world-leading 10.83 seconds on Saturday.
The 26-year-old smashed fellow Tobagonian Semoy Hackett’s time of 22.55 en route to a 22.36 clocking in the half lap on Sunday.
Baptiste, representing the club Zenith, opened up a wide gap over her rivals, with club-mate Hackett in second spot in 22.98 and Kai Selvon of Air Bon Sonics third in 23.05.
All three made qualifying times for the IAAF World Championships, which is carded from August 10-18 in Moscow, Russia.
Double Olympic bronze medallist, Lalonde Gordon, who placed fourth in the 400m on Saturday, made amends with a gold medal run in the 200m the following day.
Gordon, representing Club Tigers, earned the qualifying time for the World Championships with a 20.26 clocking, after a powerful surge from the bend.
Jehue Gordon made the qualifying standard for the World Championships when he won the men 400m hurdles in 49.25.
Also, Shakiel of Waithe threw a distance of 65.63 metres to become the new national javelin champion in the absence of injured Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott.