Baptiste set to take on the world

With 19 days to go to the 2011 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Kelly Ann Baptiste is showing she is ready to taken on the World. Baptiste will be among scores of local stars on show this weekend at the Sagicor National Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
She has been enjoying a relatively successful season with some big wins and upsets. In her first professional outdoor in May the former Signal Hill Secondary student blasted to 10.94 to take second in the women’s 100m at the Jamaican Invitational behind American Carmelita Jeter and getting to the line ahead of A-list World and Olympic medallists headed by Jamaicans Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson and USA’s Marshavet Mayers.

The 24-year-old then won her next three races with her most impressive triumph coming at the Diamond League Paris Grand Prix on July 8 where she whipped the 2007 World champion and triple Olympic gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica (10.91 to 10.95). Most recently she was second again to Jeter at the Diamond League Aviva Grand Prix in Crystal Palace London on Saturday clocking 10.97 to Jeter’s 10.93. Baptiste’s only defeats on the circuit have been to Jeter. At the start of the year Baptiste declared that she is going for the gold in Daegu. “If you are not in it to win it then what is the point (in entering).” The Plymouth resident is on track to grab the main prize in the finals set for August 29. Baptiste will be seeking fifth national sprint title at the Sagicor Open National Championships on the weekend at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Kelly Ann Baptiste

Biography:
Born: October 14, 1986
PB: (Outdoor) 100-10.84; 200: 22.60; (Indoor) 60m-7.13; 200-22.90)
Club: Zenith Athletic Club
School: Signal Hill Secondary, Louisiana State University
Home town: Plymouth, Tobago
Coaches: Gerard Franklyn, Lance Brauman
Sponsor: Adidas

2001: Debuted for T&T at the 2001 Carifta Games in Bridgetown, Barbados where she was fifth (25.27) in the girls under 17 200 and sixth in the 100 (12.39). 
2002: Captured her first medal at the Carifta Games in the Bahamas where she was third in the Girls under 17 100m 12.05. 100m semifinalist at the World Junior Championships in Kingston Jamaica.
2003: Copped bronze at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada in 100m in 11.58.
2004: Fourth in her second World Junior Championships in Grosetto, Italy: 200-23.46/4x100-44.14). Won the CAC Junior Championships (Mexico) girls under 200(23.37) gold and second in the 100m (11.50). Ran the lead off leg for T&T women's 4x100 at the Athens Olympics (team did not finish).
2005: Started athletic scholarship at Louisiana State University. Struck double gold at the Carifta Games in front of her home crowd in Bacolet in the girls under 20 100 (11.39) /200 (23.25). 100m quarterfinalist at her first World Senior World Championships (11.42). Set national junior record in 100 (11.17)  and 200 (22.93).
2006: Lowered her national records to 11.08 (100) and 22.73 (200). Won NCAA medals at 100/200
2008: Won the NCAA indoor (60) and outdoor (100) titles.  Improved T&T  records(100-11.06) and (200-22.67). 100m quarterfinalist at the Beijing Olympics (11.42). Was named the top T&T Sportswoman.
2009: Won her third national 100m title in a national record of 10.94. Also improved the 200m mark to 22.60. 100/200 semifinalist at the World Outdoor Championships in Berlin Germany. Was part of T&T women's 4x100m which finished seventh Berlin.
2010: Reduced the national 100m record to 10.84 to become the first local woman to be ranked number one in a track and field event in the World. Took fourth national crown (10.98). Won the Continental Cup 100m title (11.05) and anchored the Americas 4x100m team to gold.