Leon Baptiste
Encyclopedia
Leon Baptiste is an English sprint runner who specialises in the 100 metres
and 200 metres
events. He became the 100 m European junior champion
in 2004 and won his first major title six years later by taking the 200 m gold medal
at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
held in Delhi. He competes domestically for Enfield and Haringey and is coached by Michael Khmel at Loughborough University
alongside the likes of Harry Aikines Aryeetey, Tim Abeyu and James Dasaolu
.
injury whilst only 14 ruled him out of the sport. Speaking of the injury Baptiste said "My main passion was football, but I saw the talent I had in athletics. I was playing for a Sunday League team
in the Enfield area and I tore ligaments in my knee during a game. I was 14 at the time...I carried on playing and made it worse. I still can’t kick a football. Amazingly, the injury does not affect my running. When I kick a ball, my knee goes out of place, but when I run, it is fine." As a result of the injury Baptiste focused his attention on sprint running and he won the gold medal
in the 100 metres
at the European Junior Championships
in Finland when only 18. He also anchored the 4x100 metres relay team to win his second gold of the competition. As a result, he was named junior male athlete of the year by the British Athletics Writers' Association. At the annual UK AAA Junior championships Baptiste won the 200 m title for three years in a row in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the 100 m title twice in 2003 and 2004.
In 2004 he improved his 100 m best to 10.33 sec with a run in Watford
. Aiming to build upon his European junior title, he ran at the 2004 World Junior Championships
. However, in the 100 m semi-finals he was eliminated after finishing third, beaten out of qualification by James Ellington.
, that he improved upon his 2004 performance. He began to focus on running the 200 metres
instead and finished sixth in the event final at the 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
. The next year he set a 200 m best of 20.76 sec to take third place in the British Olympic Trials. Baptiste won consecutive UK indoor titles over 200 m in 2009 and 2010, which included an indoor best of 20.90 sec to become the third fastest European that year.
in New Delhi
, ensuring England's first sprint gold at the games for 12 years since Julian Golding
in 1998
. In the final he ran 20.45 secs to overcome fellow British athletes Marlon Devonish
and Christian Malcolm
, as well as Jamaica's Lansford Spence
who came in second. The win came on the back of disappointment for Baptiste as only earlier in the year he had failed to qualify for the 2010 European Championships, losing a run off for a place in the squad to Devonish. Speaking of his surprise at the turnaround in his fortunes at the Commonwealths, Baptiste said "If you had told me I would be Commonwealth champion at the start of the year I really would have doubted it so this win for me is just amazing." Later in the tournament he competed as part of the English 4x100 m relay team running the second leg. Running alongside Ryan Scott
, Mark Lewis-Francis
and Marlon Devonish
, Baptiste picked up his second gold medal of the games as the relay team finished with a time of 38.75 sec pipping the Jamaicans.
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
events. He became the 100 m European junior champion
European Athletics Junior Championships
The European Athletics Junior Championships are the European championships open for those of age. The IAAF defines Junior as athletes who are 19 years of age or under. It is currently organized by the European Athletic Association....
in 2004 and won his first major title six years later by taking the 200 m gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
held in Delhi. He competes domestically for Enfield and Haringey and is coached by Michael Khmel at Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
alongside the likes of Harry Aikines Aryeetey, Tim Abeyu and James Dasaolu
James Dasaolu
James Dasaolu is a British sprint athlete who specialises in the 100 metres.He began his career in competitive athletics relatively late, first competing in 2006...
.
Junior career
Baptiste chose athletics over football when a ligamentLigament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
injury whilst only 14 ruled him out of the sport. Speaking of the injury Baptiste said "My main passion was football, but I saw the talent I had in athletics. I was playing for a Sunday League team
Sunday league football
Sunday league football is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe those association football leagues which play on Sunday, as opposed to the more usual Saturday. These leagues tend to be lower standard amateur competitions, whose players may have less ability, or less time to devote to...
in the Enfield area and I tore ligaments in my knee during a game. I was 14 at the time...I carried on playing and made it worse. I still can’t kick a football. Amazingly, the injury does not affect my running. When I kick a ball, my knee goes out of place, but when I run, it is fine." As a result of the injury Baptiste focused his attention on sprint running and he won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
at the European Junior Championships
2003 European Athletics Junior Championships
The 2003 European Athletics Junior Championships was held in Tampere, Finland from 23–27 July 2003. A total of 44 events were contested; 22 by men and 22 by women. Germany had the biggest medal haul with nine golds and a total of 27, closely followed by Russia . Great Britain was third with 17...
in Finland when only 18. He also anchored the 4x100 metres relay team to win his second gold of the competition. As a result, he was named junior male athlete of the year by the British Athletics Writers' Association. At the annual UK AAA Junior championships Baptiste won the 200 m title for three years in a row in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the 100 m title twice in 2003 and 2004.
In 2004 he improved his 100 m best to 10.33 sec with a run in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
. Aiming to build upon his European junior title, he ran at the 2004 World Junior Championships
2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics was the 2004 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Grosseto in Italy.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:-References:*. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-06-06....
. However, in the 100 m semi-finals he was eliminated after finishing third, beaten out of qualification by James Ellington.
Senior competition
His progress in the 100 metres stalled as he moved into the senior ranks and it was not until 2008, when he ran 10.26 sec in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, that he improved upon his 2004 performance. He began to focus on running the 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
instead and finished sixth in the event final at the 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
The 6th European Athletics U23 Championships was held between 12 and 15 July 2007 in the Gyulai István Athletic Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary.- Men :- Women :-Medal table:-References:General*-External links:**...
. The next year he set a 200 m best of 20.76 sec to take third place in the British Olympic Trials. Baptiste won consecutive UK indoor titles over 200 m in 2009 and 2010, which included an indoor best of 20.90 sec to become the third fastest European that year.
2010 Commonwealth Games
On 10 October 2010 Baptiste won the 200 m gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth GamesAthletics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
The athletics competition at the 2010 Commonwealth Games was held in New Delhi, India between 6 and 14 October. The track and field events took place between 6–12 October at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium while the marathon contests were held on a street course running through the city on 14...
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, ensuring England's first sprint gold at the games for 12 years since Julian Golding
Julian Golding
Julian Emmanuel Golding is an English sprinter.Julian Golding was born in Harlesden North West London. He enjoyed playing all sports before taking up athletics seriously in 1991...
in 1998
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
. In the final he ran 20.45 secs to overcome fellow British athletes Marlon Devonish
Marlon Devonish
Marlon Ronald Devonish, MBE is an English sprint athlete.He is a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers athletics club and is coached by Tony Lester. Early in his career he was successful at both 100 and 200 metre distances, winning English Schools and European Junior titles at both, but in recent...
and Christian Malcolm
Christian Malcolm
Christian Sean Malcolm is a Welsh athlete, specialising in the 200m.Malcolm was born in Cardiff and resides in Newport, Wales. He won the title of World Junior Athlete of the Year in 1998 and in the 1998 World Junior Championships, he won the 200m in 20.44 seconds...
, as well as Jamaica's Lansford Spence
Lansford Spence
Lansford Spence is a Jamaican sprinter. Together with Sanjay Ayre, Brandon Simpson and Davian Clarke he won a bronze medal in 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. He also competed in the individual contest, but was knocked out in the semi final. In 2006 the relay team...
who came in second. The win came on the back of disappointment for Baptiste as only earlier in the year he had failed to qualify for the 2010 European Championships, losing a run off for a place in the squad to Devonish. Speaking of his surprise at the turnaround in his fortunes at the Commonwealths, Baptiste said "If you had told me I would be Commonwealth champion at the start of the year I really would have doubted it so this win for me is just amazing." Later in the tournament he competed as part of the English 4x100 m relay team running the second leg. Running alongside Ryan Scott
Ryan Scott
Ryan Scott is an English sprint runner from Henleaze who competes in the 100 metres.His first international appearances for Great Britain came in 2007. He ran in the 60 metres at the 2007 European Athletics Indoor Championships, but was disqualified in the final while his running mates Jason...
, Mark Lewis-Francis
Mark Lewis-Francis
Mark Anthony Lewis-Francis is a British track and field athlete, specifically a sprinter, who specialises in the 100 metres. A renowned junior, his greatest sporting achievement at senior level has been to anchor the Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4 x 100 metres relay team to a shock gold...
and Marlon Devonish
Marlon Devonish
Marlon Ronald Devonish, MBE is an English sprint athlete.He is a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers athletics club and is coached by Tony Lester. Early in his career he was successful at both 100 and 200 metre distances, winning English Schools and European Junior titles at both, but in recent...
, Baptiste picked up his second gold medal of the games as the relay team finished with a time of 38.75 sec pipping the Jamaicans.