Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Keston Bledman were on fire at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, yesterday.

Baptiste bolted to victory in the NGC-Sagicor National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Open Track and Field Championship women's 100 metres final in 10.84 seconds, equalling her own national record and breaking the Championship record.

Defending champion Michelle-Lee Ahye could not respond to flying Baptiste, and had to settle for silver. Ahye, who was limping after the race, clocked 11.17 seconds. Reyare Thomas secured bronze in a personal best 11.22, while fourth spot went to Semoy Hackett (11.23).

Bledman dominated the men's 100m final, winning in 9.86 seconds to equal his personal best.

Bledman was unchallenged for the top spot. The race for silver, however, was keenly contested. Marcus Duncan won that battle, securing the runner-up spot in 10.15 seconds--a new PR (personal record). Duncan just got the better of Rondel Sorrillo, the bronze medallist in 10.16. Emmanuel Callender, meanwhile, clocked 10.21 to finish fourth.

There were just six starters in the final. Darrel Brown was disqualified for a false start, and reigning champion Richard "Torpedo" Thompson opted out of the championship race.

Thompson had some anxious moments after his semifinal. The national record holder looked to be struggling with an injury, and finished third in heat three in 10.40 seconds, qualifying for the final as a "fastest loser".

There was joy, and then sorrow for Machel Cedenio.

Cedenio scorched the track in 44.29 seconds to finish first in the men's 400m final, but was later disqualified for running out of his lane. Renny Quow was promoted from second to first, the 27-year-old quartermiler retaining his title in a Championship record time of 44.90 seconds.

Silver went to Jarrin Solomon in 45.58, while bronze was bagged by 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon (46.45).

About 150 metres into the race, Cedenio surged past Quow. But the defending champion was not about to surrender his title without a fight, and responded with a surge of his own. Cedenio came off the final turn in front. Quow made a valiant attempt to catch him, but the reigning world junior champion was too strong.

Cedenio bowed and acknowledged a cheering main stand crowd following his one-lap run. The celebration, however, was shortlived.

Janeil Bellille made a successful defence of her women's 400m title, completing the lap of the track in 53.39 seconds for the most comfortable of victories.

By the halfway point, Bellille was in full control, and by the time she turned for home, the national record holder looked a winner. Bellille got to the line well ahead of her rivals.

The best of the rest on the day was Romona Modeste, the silver medallist in 54.48 seconds. Bronze went to Jessica James (54.98).

Guadeloupe's Christelle Laurent returned a Championship record time of 19 minutes, 00.61 seconds to win the women's 5,000m title. April Francis was a distant second in 20:50.43, while third spot went to Curacao's Anne Woude (22:09.03).

American-born Jaleesa Williams was impressive in the women's discus, striking gold with a 55.19m effort. Hezekiel Romeo threw the iron ball 17.04m to capture the men's shot put title. And Ayanna Alexander won the women's triple jump with a 13.60m jump.

SATURDAY'S FINALS

Men's 100m (wind: +1.1): 1 Keston Bledman (Simplex) 9.86, 2 Marcus Duncan (Rebirth) 10.15, 3 Rondel Sorrillo (La Brea) 10.16

Women's 100m (wind: +1.4): 1 Kelly-Ann Baptiste (Zenith) 10.84 =NR, CR, 2 Michelle-Lee Ahye (unattached) 11.17, 3 Reyare Thomas (Abilene) 11.22

Men's 100m “B” race (wind: -2.0): 1 Levi Cadogan (Barbados) 10.33, 2 Antoine Adams (St Kitts & Nevis) 10.37, 3 Shermund Allsop (Concorde) 10.55

Women's 100m “B” race (wind: -0.4): 1 Tahesia Harrigan-Scott (British Virgin Islands) 11.46, 2 Shun-Shauna Mason (Concorde) 11.89, 3 Taylor Hill (British Virgin Islands) 11.93

Men's 400m: 1 Renny Quow (Zenith) 44.90 CR, 2 Jarrin Solomon (Memphis) 45.58, 3 Lalonde Gordon (Nike) 46.45

Women's 400m: 1 Janeil Bellille (Abilene) 53.39, 2 Romona Modeste (Abilene) 54.48, 3 Jessica James (Abilene) 54.98

Men's 400m “B” race: 1 Winston George (Guyana) 46.19, 2 Brandon Valentine-Parris (St Vincent) 46.76, 3 Kimore Shearman (St Vincent) 47.23

Women's 400m “B” race: 1 Kineke Alexander (St Vincent) 52.99, 2 Ashley Kelly (British Virgin Islands) 53.76, 3 Thyla-Marie Scott (Memphis) 56.80

Men's 1500m: 1 Nicholas Landeau (Rebirth) 4:01.11, 2 Paul Gilhuley (unattached) 4:02.35, 3 George Smith (Defence Force) 4:06.08

Women's 1500m: 1 Dawnel Collymore (Memphis) 4:42.64, 2 Christelle Laurent (UWI) 4:59.66, 3 Qyone Antersyn (Curacao) 5:20.76

Women's 5,000m: 1 Christelle Laurent (Guadeloupe-UWI) 19:00.61 CR, 2 April Francis (Abilene) 20:50.43, 3 Anne Woude (Curacao) 22:09.03

Men's 3,000m steeplechase: 1 George Smith (Defence Force) 10:40.23

Women's 100m hurdles (wind: +2.5): 1 Deborah John (Air Bon Sonics) 13.37, 2 Jeminise Parris (Memphis) 13.85, 3 Dannielle Davis (unattached) 14.08

Men's 110m hurdles (wind: +2.4): 1 Orlando Ortega (Cuba-Rebirth) 13.32, 2 Mikel Thomas (Rebirth) 13.47, 3 Eddie Lovett (US Virgin Islands) 13.64

Women's high jump: 1 Deandra Daniel (Dovers) 1.70m, 2 Juliana Krishona (Curacao) 1.65m, 3 Khemani Roberts (Zenith) 1.65m, 3 Antonia Glenka (Curacao) 1.65m

Men's long jump: 1 Dwaine Herbert (Dovers) 7.45m (wind: +4.7), 2 Che Richards (Oasics) 7.31m (wind: -1.7), 3 Andwuelle Wright (Rebirth) 7.17m (wind: -1.9)

Women's triple jump: 1 Ayanna Alexander (unattached) 13.60m (wind: -1.3), 2 Natrina Hooper (Guyana) 12.44m (wind: -1.4), 3 Alisha St Louis (D'Abadie Progressive) 11.54m (wind: -1.8)

Men's shot put: 1 Hezekiel Romeo (Rebirth) 17.04m, 2 Shervorne Worrell (UTT) 14.71m, 3 Shaquille Singuineau (Abilene) 14.43m

Women's discus: 1 Jaleesa Williams (D'Abadie Progressive) 55.19m, 2 Chelsea James (Falcons) 43.62m, 3 La Toya Gilding (Striders) 39.62m

Women's javelin: 1 Marelly Balentina (Curacao) 45.31m, 2 Geraldine George (Palo Seco) 42.72m, 3 Gwendolyn Smith (Palo Seco) 39.79m

NR – National Record, CR – Championship Record

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The Soca Warriors are putting in hard, daily double sessions, ahead of their departure on Wednesday for Miami, USA, en route to the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the region’s premier football competition.

The Soca Warriors will also have another one-week overseas camp in Miami, during which they play an international friendly against fellow Gold Cup qualifiers Haiti, who beat 2013 quarter-finalist Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 at the group stage of the last competition. T&T is expected to have another warm-up against a club team, before opening the tournament on July 9 against Guatemala in Chicago.

Stephen Hart, Trinidad and Tobago’s head-coach, had hit out at the performance of the Soca Warriors over a recent 3-0 defeat to Jordan in an international friendly, describing them as putting in a “fete match” performance.

More recently, Hart seems more pleased with the work being put in by his players. During a live-in camp, the Soca Warriors endured two sessions per day training, with physical work on mornings and ball working in the evening.

“They have been fantastic. There’s been absolutely no complaint. Everybody has been training very, very hard,” stated Hart, the former Canada national coach. “It’s been a lot, a lot of work. The work has been the equivalent of a pre-season. At some point I will have to give them a half-day off.”

“We sort of segmented what we need to do. The early stages will focus on our physical and sort of mental preparation and then we will move into the ball phase, or the sort of tactical phase of the team development and working on a couple of different systems to suit the opposition we will be meeting.”

Two personal tragedies hit the team last week, the death of Hart’s mother, while 19-year-old debutant Kadeem Corbin, also lost his guardian and aunt, 48 year-old Michelle Corbin-Superville, who died in her sleep last Monday, due to heart failure.

“It will be no effect on the team,” Hart said of the passing of his 92-year-old mother, Monica Hart, last Thursday at the Scarborough Hospital, Tobago.

“She will want me to be here doing what I love to do. I will get on with the work that has to be done.” Hart goes to the Gold Cup with a team missing two key attacking midfielders, Hughton Hector and Kevin Molino, both injured.

“You really can’t replace the type of player. But you have other players that will step in,” Hart said. “They play a lil bit differently so we will have to adjust to show their sort of strengths. All that will be in the later part of the camp. Injuries are a part of football. Unfortunately it is in the department we are a bit suspect about, which is scoring goals.”

“But in the last two games we created a lot of opportunities. It’s just a matter of tucking them away.

“I think there is a lot of distraction when the players are in Trinidad and Tobago. It’s important to go overseas. Be isolated. Be away from all the sort of entourage that kind of follows around the team, and just be able to focus on the task at hand.

“Plus, we will get to play an international game. So we want to be in a situation where we are sort of in the mindset that Gold Cup actually starts just a few days after that. The international game will tell me a lot,” Hart added.

“Hopefully, I will also get a closed-door club game and I can experiment on a different way of playing—which we have been doing. We did it against Curacao (1-0 defeat). We did it against Jordan (3-0 defeat). Those things take some understanding. We’re not a club team. So, if things did go wrong, and they did go wrong, it’s better to get it wrong at that time period rather than the Gold Cup.”

Harts want everything right by the time they face Guatemala on July 9.

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Trinidad and Tobago’s women footballers are still pleading forassistance, just few months after they marginally failed to qualify last December for the Women’s World Cup, currently taking place in Canada.

Having recently led Defence Force to two professional league titles, Ross Russell inherited the team which finished fourth at the 2014 CONCACAF Championships and lost a playoff to Ecuador 1-0 on aggregate for the final spot in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. There was a public outcry and great show of support when the Women Warriors were reported to have gone to the 2014 CONCACAF Gold Cup with little funds. Since then, much of the corporate support have dried up, once the team missed out on World Cup qualification.

“We not really crying, but we need some help. We need corporate sponsors to come aboard and help us,” siad Russell, while also indicating that the players are also doing their part to raise funds.

“Ladies have a way of getting the job done. Right now they are going to play a game against the netballers to raise funds,” Russell added.

The women’s football tournament at the 2015 Pan American Games will be held at the Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium, in Canada, from July 11 to 25. The women are divided into two groups for the eight-team tournament.

The top two teams in each group will advance to a semi-final stage. Canada are the defending champions from the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, where they defeat Brazil in the final.

Trinidad and Tobago open the tournament on July 11 against Argentina, before meeting Colombia (July 14) and Mexico (July 18). Russell has been in charge of the Women Warriors for about six weeks.

“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “We suppose to leave on the 6th (July). Our group opponents are Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. It’s a very tough group. The only thing good for us is that the three teams play similar, so we do not have to change our style going into the three games.

“We are grouped with big names in football. So we have to be very careful how we go up against them. But our girls are very confident we can go out there and do well,” Russell added.

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Jehue regains 400 metres hurdles title

Global champions Keshorn Walcott and Jehue Gordon enjoyed contrasting wins at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, yesterday, the final day of the NGC-Sagicor National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Open Track and Field Championships.

Walcott was in a class of his own in the men's javelin. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist landed the spear 84.84 metres in the very first round to break his own Championship record, putting the title beyond the reach of any of his 12 rivals.

Walcott followed up with an 82.71m throw in round two. Having thoroughly entertained his adoring home fans, the 22-year-old national hero then passed on his last four attempts, leaving Shakiel Waithe and 17-year-old Grenadian Anderson Peters to battle for the minor medals.

Waithe seized silver with a big 77.30m throw--a new personal best. Peters, meanwhile, produced a 74.20m effort to bag bronze.

Gordon was forced to work hard for the men's 400 metres hurdles title. Though the 2013 IAAF World Championship gold medallist went out aggressively, defending national champion Emmanuel Mayers was on level terms at the halfway point.

Gordon and Mayers were still battling stride for stride coming off the penultimate barrier. But it was Gordon who was a bit stronger at the end, crossing the line in 50.06 seconds to regain the title he surrendered to Mayers in 2014. Mayers finished second in 50.24, well ahead of third-placed Ruebin Walters (51.82).

"It was definitely not easy," Gordon told the Express, after the race. "These guys, they're hungry. I just had to keep my eyes on my lane, use my experience, and bring my 'A' game at this point in time. The conditions, they were not too good with the wind, but hey, we all had to compete under the same circumstances. I guess I was the better man today."

Gordon will be in Beijing, China in late August to defend his world title.

"I would give it my best. It's definitely not going to be easy. But you know me, it's always about making sure I'll be my best at that point in time. Once it comes to the Championships, it's not really about times, but making sure that we're fit enough to go through the rounds, make it to the final, and bring home a medal."

Kyle Greaux won the men's 200m title in a personal best 20.42 seconds, from Rondel Sorrillo (20.50) and Dan-Neil Telesford (20.53).

Reyare Thomas captured the women's half-lap crown in a wind-assisted 22.97 seconds. Kamaria Durant (23.15) and Magnolia Howell (23.64) picked up the minor medals.

Just two athletes faced the starter in the women's 400m hurdles. But Josanne Lucas and Sparkle McKnight combined to produce one of the most thrilling finishes at the Championships. They both got to the line in 56.76 seconds. Lucas, though, got the win, the 2009 IAAF World Championship bronze medallist beating her rival by just two-thousandths of a second.

"I am really happy," said Lucas. "This is the best race I've had in Trinidad in the 400 hurdles, by far. We pushed each other, so I think it was good.”

Jamaal James just got the better of Nicholas Landeau in the men's 800m final. James returned a time of one minute, 49.36 seconds, while Landeau clocked 1:49.41.

Alena Brooks won the women's 800m in 2:06.71, forcing American-born Myah Hicks to settle for silver in 2:07.66.

Cleopatra Borel threw 18.46m to enjoy a comfortable victory in the women's shot put.

Walcott's brother, Elton Walcott topped the men's triple jump field with a wind-aided 16.40m effort. He also produced a legal 16.32m jump.

Veteran Marsha Mark-Baird accumulated 4,793 points—a new Championship record—to win the women's heptathlon.

There were uninhibited celebrations from Quincy Wilson following his 57.78m fourth round throw in the men's discus. He looked to the heavens with gratitude, dived in the grass, and even treated patrons to the “Usain Bolt pose”.

The competition was not yet over, but Wilson knew he had done enough to secure the gold. More importantly, the huge throw signalled a successful comeback from injury and qualification for next month's Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

SUNDAY'S FINALS

Men's 200m (wind: +1.7)

1 Kyle Greaux (Abilene) 20.42

2 Rondel Sorrillo (La Brea) 20.50

3 Dan-Neil Telesford (Neon Trackers) 20.53

Women's 200m (wind: +2.2)

1 Reyare Thomas (Abilene) 22.97

2 Kamaria Durant (Simplex) 23.15

3 Magnolia Howell (unattached) 23.64

Men's 200m “B” race (wind: +1.9)

1 Tristan Walker (Jamaica) 20.60

2 Winston George (Guyana) 20.68

3 Kevin Haynes (Defence Force) 21.14

Women's 200m “B” race (wind: +1.8)

1 Karene King (British Virgin Islands) 23.26

2 Ashley Kelly (British Virgin Islands) 23.36

3 Ngozi Onwumere (Nigeria) 23.78

Men's 800m

1 Jamaal James (Rebirth) 1:49.36

2 Nicholas Landeau (Rebirth) 1:49.41

3 Kendis Bullard (Defence Force) 1:51.01

Women's 800m

1 Alena Brooks (Memphis) 2:06.71

2 Myah Hicks (Memphis) 2:07.66

3 Dawnel Collymore (Memphis) 2:10.76

Men's 5000m

1 Kenneth Rotich (Kenya) 15:04:66

2 Jules La Rode (Penal) 16:17:15

3 Iley Bruce (Dovers) 16:26:73

Men's 400m hurdles

1 Jehue Gordon (Memphis) 50.06

2 Emmanuel Mayers (Rebirth) 50.24

3 Ruebin Walters (Memphis) 51.82

Women's 400m hurdles

1 Josanne Lucas (Falcons) 56.76 (56.757)

2 Sparkle McKnight (Memphis) 56.76 (56.759)

Men's high jump

1 Brendan Williams (Dominica) 2.10m

2 Omari Benoit (Falcons) 1.90m

3 Rodney Liverpool (Defence Force) 1.90m

Men's pole vault

1 Ian West (Point Fortin New Jets) 3.00m

2 Anderson Subero (Sangre Grande Secondary) 2.60m

Women's long jump

1 Chantel Malone (British Virgin Islands) 6.51m (wind: +2.4)

2 Josanne Joseph (Concorde) 5.76m (wind: +3.3)

3 Dannielle Davis (unattached) 5.64m (wind: +2.1)

Men's triple jump

1 Elton Walcott (UTT) 16.40m (wind: +3.9)

2 Kyron Blaise (Rebirth) 16.23m (wind: +3.0)

3 Steve Waithe (Memphis) 16.04m (wind: +2.5)

Women's shot put

1 Cleopatra Borel (Rebirth) 18.46m

2 Chelsea James (Falcons) 14.54m

3 Jaleesa Williams (D'Abadie Progressive) 14.48m

Men's discus

1 Quincy Wilson (Rebirth) 57.78m

2 Emmanuel Stewart (Zenith) 51.80m

3 Keon Francis (UWI) 46.47m

Men's javelin

1 Keshorn Walcott (Rebirth) 84.84m CR

2 Shaquille Waithe (Rebirth) 77.30m

3 Anderson Peters (Grenada) 74.20m

Men's decathlon

1 Victor Isaac (Toco TAFAC) 5,872 points

2 Shevon Smith (Sangre Grande Secondary) 4,014

3 Brad Robert (Sangre Grande Secondary) 3,875

Women's heptathlon

1 Marsha Mark-Baird (Palo Seco) 4,793 points CR

2 Kechelle Douglas (UTT) 4,590

3 Aeisha McDavid (unattached) 4,569

Men's 4x100m

1 Abilene 40.75

2 Alpha Athletic 41.02

3 Defence Force 41.91

Men's 4x400m

1 Memphis Pioneers 3:13.72

2 Defence Force 3:14.29

3 Dovers 3:22.78

Men's 100m Masters (wind: +1.8)

1 Norton St Louis (Defence Force) 10.98

2 Martin Prime (ZC) 11.85

3 Lester Herbert (ZC) 12.04

Women's 100m Masters (wind: +1.9)

1 Ayanna Hutchinson (Concorde) 11.96

2 Alisha Fortune (Guyana) 12.20

3 Joan Hospedales (T&T Masters) 13.90

CR – Championship Record

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THE Trinidad and Tobago pairs failed to advance from the round-robin group stage of the second leg of the NORCECA (North, Central America and the Caribbean) 2015 Beach Volleyball Tour on Saturday in the Dominican Republic.

After winning one of their two matches when the tournament served off the day before, Fabian Whitfield and Daneil Williams turned in a respectable performance in their final Group C fixture before going down 21-17, 21-18 against unbeaten Canadians Garet May and Daniel Dearing.

The “Toco Boy” then began their quest for a ninth-place finish with an impressive 21-9, 21-9 victory over a pair from Bonaire.

Williams and Whitfield, who last month led T&T to the Caribbean men’s title and a place in the second round of regional qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games in Brazil, had beaten a pair from Jamaica in straight sets (21-9, 22-20) on Friday, but gone under 21-10, 21-14 against two players from United States Virgin Islands.

Playing in their first NORCECA tournament together, Ayana Dyette and Makila Davidson failed to win a set from their three matches against pairs from the United States, El Salvador and Cuba in a tough Group D.

The T&T women were then beaten 21-16, 21-10 against Nicaraguans in their opening match in the playoff for ninth place on Saturday.

Both T&T pairs will next compete in the Pan American Games in Canada in a couple of weeks.

There are ten legs in this year NORCECA Tour, which will conclude in Trinidad in mid-­November.

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