World championships bronze medallist Kelly-Ann Baptiste got her 2012 season off in sensational style, clocking a classy 10.86 seconds in taking the runner-up spot in the women’s 100m at the JN Jamaica International Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday night. Baptiste's time is her best season opener bettering her 10.94 in taking second in last year's race. Despite her outstanding run, reigning World champion Carmelita Jeter of the USA stole the spotlight winning in electrifying 10.81, to take the title for the third straight year. Jeter's time is a meet record and a world leading time. In 2011 Jeter won in 10.86 (the previous meet record) to beat Baptiste by 0.08 seconds but on Saturday the T&T sprint queen closed the gap, missing the top spot by 0.05 seconds. The national 100/200 recorder finished ahead of a quality field with Olympic silver medalist Kerron Stewart (Jamaica) taking third in 10.98. Another top Jamaican Schillione Calvert (11.15), Gabon's Ruddy Milana (11.22), Olympic and World relay gold medallist Aleen Bailey of Jamaica (11.23), 2001 World champion Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas (11.26) and yet another of Jamaica's Olympic and World championship medallist Sherone Simpson (11.28) all saw the back of Baptiste.
The Jamaica meet has become the season opener for Baptiste. Baptiste led the way for T&T athletes in the Jamaican capital as Cleopatra Borel, Jehue Gordon, Renny Quow and Ayanna Alexander all recorded second place finishes. Borel was runner up in the women's shot put in her first competition for the 2012 outdoor season. The reigning Commonwealth/Pan American Games silver medallist got the iron ball out to 18.69 m, her best season opener. The distance is an Olympic A qualifier (A standard-18.30). American Michelle Carter struck gold in 19.22. Gordon hurdled his way to second in the men's 400m hurdles in 48.98, surpassing the Olympic A standard of 49.50. Former World champ Bershawn Jackson of the USA took the race in 48.73 with another American Justin Gaymon in third (49.08). Gordon, the 2010 world junior champion, will next race at the Ponce Grand Prix in Puerto Rico on May 12. Quow repeated his second place finish in the men's 400m clocking 45.48, an Olympic B qualifier. (A standard-45.30, B standard-45.90). The 2009 World Championship bronze medallist was edged out of the title by American Calvin Smith who won in 45.47. Jamaica's national record holder Jermaine Gonzales was third (45.68). Alexander landed silver in the women's triple jump reaching out to 13.69. The Commonwealth silver medallist was beaten by Jamaican Kimberly Williams who won in an Olympic A mark of 14.33. (A standard-14.30, B standard-14.10).
In the men's 100m, reigning double Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson finished down the field taking sixth position in 10.14. World record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica sauntered to victory in world leading time of 9.82 to lead a Jamaican sweep of the top three spots. Michael Frater was second (10.00) with Commonwealth and Pan American champ Lerone Clarke (10.03) in third. American Darvis Patton (10.09) and Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Bailey (10.10) got to the line ahead of Thompson who was seventh in last year's race. World 100m champion Yohan Blake of Jamaica won the men’s 200m in a 2012 best time of 19.91 while another Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills retained the women’s 400m race in a world leading time of 49.99 ahead of the recently crowned World Indoor winner Sanya Ricards-Ross (USA), 50.11.
-Clayton Clarke
Source: www.guardian.co.tt