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. 2010 Commonwealth Games On 10 October 2010 Baptiste won the 200 m gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games 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 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. On 12 May 2014 Baptiste announced his retirement from competitive sport but will concentrate on his coaching career. (Source, "Athletics Weekly")http://www.athleticsweekly.com/featured/leon-baptiste-retirement-2800/ References 1985 births Living people English male sprinters British male sprinters Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics Black British sportsmen Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games