Michelle-Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste will square off for Ahye's women's 100 metres title, at this weekend's NGC-Sagicor NAAA (National Association of Athletics Administrations) Open Track and Field Championships.
Though she was not the first sprinter to cross the finish line at the 2013 edition of the meet, Ahye is actually chasing a hat-trick of national 100m titles.
Two years ago, it was Baptiste who got home first. However, she subsequently received a doping ban, and many of her 2013 performances were scratched from the books, including the 10.83 seconds national record run that earned her gold at the Trinidad and Tobago Championships.
Ahye finished second to Baptiste in that race in 11.06, and was promoted to the top spot following her rival's disqualification.
Last year, Ahye enjoyed a conventional triumph, striking gold in 10.88 seconds. On Saturday, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, she will bid for her third century title on the trot.
Based on her early-season form, Ahye will go into the Championships as the favourite. On March 28, the Texas-based sprinter won the Texas Relays women's invitational 100m dash in a wind-assisted 10.87 seconds.
But the performance that signalled a warning to the world's sprint elite came five days later, at the Florida Relays, where Ahye won in 10.97, in spite of a 2.5 metres per second headwind. There's a question mark, however, over her fitness. On May 30, at the Prefontaine Classic IAAF Diamond League meet, in Oregon, USA, the 23-year-old athlete was injured during the 100m event, and finished eighth in 11.90 seconds. She has not competed since. Baptiste was sixth in that race in 11.08.
If there is anyone who can capitalise on a chink in Ahye's armour, it is Baptiste. This weekend, the 2011 World Championship 100m bronze medallist will compete on home soil for the first time since completing her 21-month drug ban on January 23. All eyes at the Crawford Stadium will be on Baptiste, who clocked an impressive 10.98 seconds in her 100m season-opener on April 24. In mid-May, she produced an 11-flat run. And 12 days ago, the 28-year-old track star finished third at the adidas Grand Prix IAAF Diamond League meet in New York, USA in 11.19.
The T&T Championship women's century will feature another athlete on the comeback trail following a doping ban. Semoy Hackett's 28-month suspension ended on April 30. Based on her 22.81 seconds 200m run in Florida on June 6, Hackett will challenge for honours this weekend.
Like Baptiste, a drug ban cost Hackett a national 100m title. Back in 2011, she grabbed gold in a wind-aided 11 seconds flat. However, Hackett tested positive for Methylhexaneamine at the T&T Championships, and was handed a six-month ban. Methylhexaneamine was also the illegal stimulant that led to Hackett's more recent suspension.
Kai Selvon, the 2011 women's 100m runner-up, was upgraded to gold. Selvon is not expected to make a bid for the title in 2015. She is recovering from an injury, and has requested an exemption from the NAAA. Selvon has to prove her fitness before being considered for selection on the national teams for the July 10-26 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada and the August 22-30 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China.
In addition to Ahye, Baptiste and Hackett, Saturday's NGC-Sagicor NAAA Open Track and Field Championship women's 100m final is likely to feature Kamaria Durant and Reyare Thomas.