Baptiste heads athletes to World Youth Games

CARIFTA GAMES double gold-medallist Rhonda Watkins, Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Jamil James are the leading stars on the Trinidad and Tobago’s seven-member team for the Third IAAF World Under-18 Youth Championships, which will be staged in Sherbrooke, Canada from July 9 - 13.

Watkins emerged as TT’s shining star at the 2003 Carifta Games held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium over the Easter weekend. She won the Girls Under-17 long jump and high jump. And at the national senior championships held last weekend at the same venue, the talented teenager whipped her senior rivals and emerged as the new high jump champion by clearing a height of 1.76 metres. Baptiste and James also proved their worth at the just concluded senior championships. Baptiste picked up the senior 200-metre bronze medal with an improved time of 23.06 seconds while James produced a remarkable time of 46.68 secs in the seniors 400 metres, which was won by US-based Damion Barry (45.67 secs) and followed home by another US-based quarter miler Ato Modibo (45.97).

Baptiste, the Tobago-based Zenith Club runner will also compete in the 100 at the World Championships, which is held biennially for athletes between 15 and 17 years. World junior record holder Darrel Brown brought glory to the twin-island republic with the gold in the boys Under-18 100 metres at the last championships in Hungary. He has stepped up the ladder to the higher age group and has shown marked improvement. Team manager George Commissiong is looking forward to outstanding performances from all the young athletes and hopes that “Brown’s and Marc Burns magnificent performances at the high level World Junior Games will inspire the nation’s younger talents.”

Apart from Baptiste, James and Watkins who placed second in the long jump with a new personal best (5.97metres) at senior championships, 2003 Carifta Games high jump silver medallist Cory Gibbs will be given the chance to showcase his talent in Canada. He copped the gold medal at the Carifta Games (Bahamas) last year but faltered this year and had to settle for the silver. The newcomers to international competition are Marcus Duncan (100 metres and 200 metres), Monique Cabral (100 and 200) Abigail David (200 and 400) and Crystal Skeete (200 and 400). Commissiong disclosed that TT would enter the medley relay for girls with Baptiste, Cabral, Skeete and David doing the honours. Trevor James will serve as coach of the team with Althea George-Busby doubling up as assistant coach/chaperone.