Michelle-Lee Raquel Ahye (last name rhyming with Lee, thus, ah-ee)[2][3][4] (born 10 April 1992) is a Trinidadian sprinter. She was the gold medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the women's 100 metres.
She was part of Trinidad and Tobago's squad that finished fourth in the women's 4 × 100 m relay at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, while running a national record time of 42.50 seconds in the heats.[5]
She was born in Port of Spain but lives in the community of Carenage with her mother, Raquel Ahye. She attended Carenage Girls' Government Primary School where her talent of running was discovered, with the help of her Physical Education teacher, Ms. Akowe. She then furthered her career by running in the Milo Games where she proved herself to be one of the best runners in her age group.[6]
Ahye won the Trinidad & Tobago National T&F Championships 100m title in both 2013 and 2014. In 2013, Ahye traveled to Moscow, Russia to compete at the IAAF World Outdoor T&F Championships, representing her country of Trinidad & Tobago. In the winter of 2014, Ahye traveled to Sopot, Poland representing Trinidad & Tobago at the IAAF World Indoor T&F Championships in the women's 60m dash. In the finals, Ahye set a new National Record for 60 meters by running 7.10 seconds and placing 6th overall.
In the 2014 outdoor season, Ahye burst onto the worldwide professional Track and Field scene by running at personal best 10.85 in the 100m, winning 12 of 13 races and ranking third in the world by Track and Field News. Ahye placed 1st in the 100m event at the Lausanne Diamond League meet on July 3, 2014 running 10.98. Michelle then traveled to the Glasgow Diamond League meet in Scotland, and defeated the defending 100m Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica by running 11.01 on July 12, 2014. Ahye was also victorious in several other world-class T&F meets in Guadeloupe, Ponce Puerto Rico, Paris France and Switzerland. On Sept 13, 2014 Ahye placed 2nd at the Continental Cup in Marrakech Morocco for the Americas Team.[7]
Ahye won the first ever gold medal for a female Trinidadian track and field athlete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia
Ahye is coached by Fritzroy "Eric" Francis in Houston, Texas and managed by Stellar Athletics.[8]
She is openly lesbian.[9][10] In 2023, she married Canadian sprinter Crystal Emmanuel-Ahye.[11]
International competitions
edit| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 1st | 100 m | 11.14 |
References
edit- ^ "2018 CWG bio". Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ^ "2014 Spitzen Leichtathletik women 200m- Michelle Lee Ahye wins in 22.77 then collapses". YouTube. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- ^ "Michelle-Lee Ahye - Training Camp - RioToday". YouTube. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- ^ "Michelle-Lee Ahye". Olympedia. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ T&T women’s relay team sets national record
- ^ Michelle-Lee Ahye. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2015-04-26.
- ^ "Home". trackandfieldnews.com.
- ^ "Michelle-Lee Ahye". Stellar Athletics. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- ^ Outsports (2021-07-12). "At least 161 out LGBTQ athletes at the Tokyo Olympics, a record by far". Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ^ "Trinidad sprinter Michelle Lee Ahye weds long-time girlfriend". Loop Jamaica. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ^ Holmes, Jon. "Michelle-Lee Ahye, Crystal Emmanuel-Ahye are married Olympians". OutSports. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
