The 2011 track and field season can be considered one for the ages. From the extraordinary performances by Yohan Blake and his Jamaican teammates to Grenada’s Kirani James' battle with USA’s LaShawn Merritt to the consistent and gutsy performances of veterans Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jam) and Kelly-Ann Baptiste (T&T), and the rejuvenated display by St. Kitt’s Kim Collins, 2011 can be considered a phenomenal year for Caribbean athletics. So it is most fitting that we use this opportunity to distribute the following symbolic awards to our athletes.
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Blake
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Baptiste
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James
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Ferguson
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Collins
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Man of the Year:
Yohan Blake (Jamaica): The 22-yr-old Jamaican used the 2011 season and specifically the World Championships stage in Daegu to announce to track fans his arrival as a top-tier world-class sprinter. The St. Jago High School product capitalized on teammate and training partner Usain Bolt’s 100m false start nightmare to become the youngest ever 100m world champion. Blake also ran the 3rd leg on the Jamaican world record-breaking 4x100m relay team (37.04secs). What was even more impressive for Blake was his post-Daegu tour in Zurich and Brussels, in which he set a personal best (PB) 9.82 and 19.26 in the 100m and 200m, respectively. Blake’s 19.26 Brussels performance represents the second fastest 200m in history. While Usain Bolt had an undefeated season except for the Daegu false start, one has to admit that he had a mediocre season based on his high standards. Man of the Year award therefore goes to Yohan Blake.
Woman of the Year:
Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica): Despite her affinity to change coaches, VCB, the Vere Technical High graduate had an excellent 2011 season that saw her set a personal best 10.76 in the 100m and run a gutsy stretch in the 200m (22.22) in Daegu to defend her World Championships title against the USA’s sprinting sensation Carmelita Jeter. VCB was second in the 100m (10.97) behind Jeter (10.95) in Daegu. VCB later anchored the Jamaican 4x1 relay team to a national record 41.70secs. VCB was also credited as the only woman to beat Jeter in the 100m during the 2011 season. She accomplished that feat in the Shanghai Diamond League on May 15, 2011. Honorable mention goes to Kelly-sprinter Ann Baptiste (T&T) and 400m hurdler Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica).
Male Break-Through Performer of the Year:
Kirani James (Grenada): While there are several eligible candidates, such as Yohan Blake (Jamaica), Rondel Bartholomew (Grenada) and Nickel Ashmeade (Jamaica), the award goes to Kirnai James. Carrying an impressive resume in the 400m (World Junior champion, World Youth champion, breaking Usain Bolt’s under-20 400m Carifta record), the 19-yr-old sophomore at the University of Alabama came into the 2011 season with a PB of 45.01secs in the 400m. At season’s end James, the Gouyave native, lowered his personal best to 44.36, was crowned the 400m world champion, and ran the second fastest collegiate indoor 400m (44.80), and was the Diamond League trophy winner, even though running his first professional race in London in earlier August. While Ashmeade joined the sub-20 200m club in 2011 and with Bartholomew having a world-leading 44.65 for most of the season, the Male Break-through Performer of the year award goes to Kirani James.
Female Break-Through Performer of the Year:
Kelly-Ann Baptiste (Trinidad and Tobago): Prior to Daegu, Jamaica’s Melanie Walker seem to be having an average season in the women’s 400m hurdles but then put on a gutsy performance in the 400m hurdles finals in Daegu to take 2nd place in a season best 52.73secs. However, Baptiste was credited with several sub-11 100m performances during the season. She set a season 10.91 and garnered T&T’s only medal in Daegu by earning the bronze medal in the 100m event. She defeated VCB on two occasions within a three-day span. (On one occasion, VCB false-started and did not compete).
Most Consistent Female Performer of the Year:
Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica): This Stephen Francis-coached young lady had a superb year in the women’s 400m hurdles. The talented 24-yr-old ran a 52.79 400m hurdles PB in London in earlier August. She also had a season best 50.71 in the flat 400m and briefly toyed with the idea of doing the 400m-400m hurdles double. Spencer was obviously injured for Daegu and was able to garner a 4th place finished as she did back in the 2009 Berlin Championships. However, the Westmoreland-borned Spencer secured over five wins and two second-place finishes in the Diamond League and was the most consistent female hurdles in the 2011 season. Honorable mention goes to sprinter Debbie-Ann Ferguson (Bahamas) and 800m runner Kenia Sinclair (Jamaica).
Most Consistent Male Performer of the Year:
Usain Bolt: (Jamaica): The 100m and 200m world record holder had a very consistent year in which he was undefeated in both the 100m and 200m, except for his false start 100m debacle in Daegu. Despite having a down year, Bolt was the world leader in the men’s 100m (9.76) and had the second fastest time in the 200m (19.40).Throughout the season, Bolt battled and defeated the competition including Yohan Blake, Walter Dix, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter. Beyond his playful antics prior to his races, Bolt has the reputation of “showing up” for all of his races. Therefore, the Most Consistent Male Performer award goes to Usain St. Leo Bolt. Honorable mention: sprint hurdler Dayron Robles of Cuba.
Female Rising Star:
Shaunae Miller (Bahamas): The future is definitely bright for this 17-yr-old Bahamian, who had a sensational 2011 season. After her unfortunate disqualification in the 400m at the 2011 Carifta Games in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the reigning 400m World Junior champion chose the biggest stage, the World Youth Championships in Lille, France to run her personal best of 51.84secs. Miller, the University of Georgia-bound recruit also set personal best 11.69 (100m) and 23.70 (200m) during the 2011 season. Honorable mention: 400m hurdler Ristanana Tracey (Jamaica), quarter-miler Chris-Ann Gordon (Jamaica), sprinters Anthonique Strachan (Bahamas) and Michelle Aye-Lee (T&T).
Male Rising Star:
Hansle Parchment (Jamaica): This is very crowded category with several individuals who are well-deserving of this award. Among the stars is Jazeel Murphy (Jamaica), Machel Cedenio (T&T), Odail Todd (Jamaica), and Hansle Parchment (Jamaica). While Murphy, Cedenio and Todd were able to post dominant performances in regional competition (Carifta), it was Parchment’s gold medal performance in the men’s 110m hurdles (13.24secs) at the World University Games that was the most impressive. The 21-yr-old Morant Bay High School graduate could challenge Dwight Thomas and Kieron Stewart for a spot on the Jamaican men’s 110m hurdles team to London 2012.
The Iron Man Award:
Kim Collins (St. Kitt’s and Nevis): The 35-yr-old former 100m world champion (2003) experienced a rebirth of sorts during the 2011 season by capturing World Championships bronze in the men’s 100m (10.09secs) behind Jamaica’s Yohan Blake (9.92) and USA’s Walter Dix. Collins, a former Commonwealth 100m champion (Manchester 2002) also lead his country’s 4x100m relay team to bronze medal in 38.49 behind the world-record Jamaican team (37.04). For an encore, Kim took his rekindled confidence to the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico in October, where he earned the silver medal in the 100m (10.04) behind Jamaica’s Lerone Clarke (10.01), notwithstanding tearing his hamstring in the finals. Collins attributed his longevity on the track to “proper nutrition and not over-training his body.” The Iron Man Award goes to Kim Collins.
The Iron Woman Award:
Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica): This award goes to the incomparable VCB. A replay of the women 200m finals in Daegu will justify this choice. In this memorable stretch run, USA’s Carmelita Jeter seemed to have VCB weight and measured and was about to take the lead when VCB responded beautifully to repel Jeter’s challenge and successfully defended her 200m World title. The 2011 season was a trying one for the 29-yr-old VCB, who struggled with her start while evading questions about her coaching situation. She showed sheer resilience to defend her 200m title, captured silver in the 100m, and led her Jamaican team to 4x100m silver in a national record time 41.70secs.
Female Field Athlete of the Year:
Yarelys Barrios (Cuba): The 28-yr-old Cuban is perhaps one of the best discus throwers in the world. The World Championships discus gold medal continues to elude this talented thrower who captured bronze in Daegu with a throw of 65.73m. Prior to that, she settled for silver at the 2007 (Osaka) and 2009 (Berlin) World Championships. Barrios finished her 2011 season by setting a personal best 66.40m in the discus to stand atop the podium at the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara Mexico in October.
Male Field Athlete of the Year:
Trevor Barry (Bahamas): The 28-yr-old had a very impressive season where he set a PB in the high jump with a leap of 2.32m (7ft. 7½ins) in Daegu to garner bronze behind USA’s Jesse Williams (2.35m) and Russia’s Aleksey Dmitrik (2.35m). A month earlier, Barry, the former Dickinson State University standout, took the top spot in the high jump at the 2011 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico with a leap of 2.28m. Barry concluded his season with a 2nd place finish at the Zurich Diamond League (2.30m). Honorable mention goes to the Cuban duo Lázaro Borges (Pole Vault) and Leonel Suárez (Decathlon)
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