Donald Thomas competes in the men’s high jump qualification at the World Athletics Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing. (AP)

Sunday, August 30, 2015

#From BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#in Beijing, China

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH NO team in the grand finale – the men’s 4 x 400m relay – Team Bahamas closed out competition at the 15th IAAF World Championships with two competitors in the men’s high jump final on Sunday at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.

#Donald Thomas soared to sixth place for the second consecutive championships at 2.29m (7ft 6in) and Trevor Barry, back in the championships since he won the bronze medal in 2011 in Daegu, ended up tenth with 2.25m (7ft 4 1/2in).

#The unpredictable showdown concluded with a jump-off between the three medallists after they finished in tie at 2.33m (7ft 7 3/4in).

#Derek Drouin, the Olympic champion and bronze medallist from the 2013 championships, won the gold with 2.34m (7ft 8in) and defending champion Bohdan Bondarenko, of Ukraine, and China’s colourful Guowel Zhang tied again for the silver at 2.33m.

#Thomas, the 31-year-old Grand Bahamian native now coached by Cuban world record holder Javier Sotomayor in Cuba, took a gamble when he passed at the fourth height of 2.33m and opted to go up to the fifth height of 2.36m (7ft 8 3/4in). But he missed all three attempts.

#At the third height of 2.29m, Thomas got his first knockdown and and Barry followed with another, However, Thomas cleared at the second attempt, but Barry missed his second and on his third, his right leg hit the bar and he was eliminated with five others.

#While Thomas remained with a clean slate at the second height of 2.25m, Barry moved into ninth spot with he cleared the mark on his first attempt. The first competitor to be eliminated was Konstadinos Baniotis of Greece, at the height.

#Again, Thomas had no problems going over the opening height of 2.20m (7ft 2 1/2in) but Barry had to go to his third and final attempt to avoid an early elimination. Only Barry and Baniotis had difficulties clearing the opening height. Baniotis cleared it on his second attempt to sit in 13th place with Barry at the bottom in 14th.

#Ryan Ingraham, the other member of the jumping trio for Team Bahamas, failed to advance to the final from the qualifying round on Saturday. Competing with a slight injury he sustained at the Pan American Games where he won bronze, bowed out with a best of 2.26m for a two-way tie for 25th place.

#The Bahamas were eliminated from the final of the men’s 4 x 400m relay for the third consecutive championship. This time, on Saturday, Michael Mathieu had a lane violation on the second leg as the team of Steven Gardiner, Alonzo Russell and Ramon Miller, who finished second, were disqualified.

#The Bahamas finished tied with Trinidad & Tobago and Ukraine for 20th spot in the medals table with the one silver from Shaunae Miller in the women’s 400m and the bronze from Jeffery Gibson in the men’s 400m hurdles.

#Kenya, surprisingly, held on for the top spot with seven gold, six silver and three bronze for 16 medals. Jamaica surged into second with seven gold, two silver and three bronze for 12 and the United States rounded out the top[ three with six gold, six silver and six bronze for a total of 18 medals.

#And in the placings table, the Bahamas was 19th overall with a second, third and sixth place for 16 points. The US, however, turned the tables by winning with 214 points, compared to Kenya’s 173 for second and Jamaica with 132 for third.

#The focus now switches to London, England, for the 16th IAAF World Championships from August 5-13, 2017. Next year the athletes will compete in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon, from March 17-20 and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5-21.

#See Monday’s edition of The Tribune for full wrap up and photos of the championships.

Donald Thomas competes in the men’s high jump qualification at the World Athletics Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing. (AP)

Friday, August 28, 2015

Trevor Barry in action in Beijing. (AP)

#From BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#in Beijing, China

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#TWO OF the three male high jumpers have bolstered Team Bahamas’ chance of climbing up the medals table at the 15th IAAF World Championship here when they compete in the final on Sunday night at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium.

#Donald Thomas,looking to regain the form that enabled him to win the 2007 world title in Osaka, Japan, and Trevor Barry, coming off his silver medal performance at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, last month, clinched their berths in the final.

#They both finished in a five-way tie for 10th place with 2.29 metres (7ft 6in) and will be among a field of 14 of the top jumpers on the planet when the high jump take the spotlight on Sunday, starting at 6.30 am EST.

#Team Bahamas was hoping for a triple threat, but national champion Ryan Ingraham had to bow out of the competition during the qualification round on Friday with a best of 2.26m (7fft 5in) that left him tied for 25th place overall.

#For both Thomas and Barry, they are right where they want to be – in the final.

#“It was good. It was an early morning. Thank God I got through the qualification. That is always the most difficult part,” Thomas pointed out. “I’m just looking forward to the final.”

#En route to qualifying, Thomas made the first attempt on all of the heights he had to jump until he got to 2.31m (7ft 7in). He missed for the first time and passed up the second after he realised that he was safely through on countback.

#“First attempts are always crucial,” Thomas said. “That takes you into the final.” And looking forward to the final, he gave this assurance to the Bahamian people.

#“You can expect us to go out there and represent the 242 to the best of our abilities,” he said. “This is what we train for. It’s going to be nice and fun.”

#The fun for Barry will be in the fact that he is in the final after competing in the event in 2011, but had to skip 2013 because of an injury.

#“I’m glad that I made the final,” Barry told The Tribune. “That’s one step to trying to get to the podium. It was tough competition. It’s always a mental thing, just trying to get through on the first attempt.”

#As for the final, Barry said if both he and Thomas can find their rhythm early, the Bahamas will be a force to be reckoned with in the final. “It’s always good to have two countrymen in the final. Unfortunately, we couldn’t bring Ryan along, but we’re going to go out there and do our thing.”

#The duo had some comforting words of encouragement for Ingraham, who was nursing a slight left (jumping) knee injury that he sustained at the Pan Am Games, where he followed Barry for the bronze medal.

#“It was hot, but it was good jumping temperature, so hopefully I can get it together next year,” he said. “Hopefully I can qualify for the Olympics in Rio and I can do better there.”

#Ingraham said he was more concerned about the injury but was more surprised that he jumped as high as he did.

#“It could have been better, I wanted to jumper higher, but I can’t feel sad,” said Ingraham, in his second non-appearance in the final at the global meet. “Next year. But it was good to be out there with the other three guys.”

#Once he can take some time of to heal properly, Ingraham said he’s looking forward to getting his career back on track.

#“This was the worst season that I’ve had,” he said. “I showed up at nationals and I jumped pretty good there. But I wasn’t pleased with the way I jumped in the other meets. I know that I could have done better.”

#On Friday, starting at 10.15pm EST, the Bahamas will run out of lane eight in the last of the two women’s 4 x 400m relay heats. The first three and the next two fastest times will advance to the final on Sunday.

#Following at 10.40pm EST, the men’s 4 x 400m team will run out of lane six in the first of two qualification heats for the final on Sunday. The same scenario applies as to the women.

#And the men’s 4 x 100m will run at 12.20am EST on Saturday in the first of two heats in lane six to get their spot in the final that will be contested on Saturday at 9.10 am EST.

#The nine-day championship will close on Sunday following the final of the men’s 4 x 400 relay at 8.25am EST.

Donald Thomas competes in the men’s high jump qualification at the World Athletics Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing. (AP)

f Monday, August 31, 2015

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BEIJING, China — With no team represented in the grand finale in the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay, Team Bahamas closed out competition at the 15th IAAF World Championships with the men’s high jump final at the Bird’s Nest Stadium last night.

#With two of the three men qualified, Donald Thomas soared to a sixth place for the second consecutive championships at 2.29 metres or 7-feet, 6-inches and Barry, back in the championships since he won the bronze medal in 2011 in Daegu, ended up 10th with 2.25m (7-4 1/2).

#The unpredictable showdown concluded with a jump off between the three medallists after they finished in a three-way tie at 2.33m (7-7 3/4).

#Derek Drouin, the Olympic champion and bronze medallist from the 2013 championships, won the gold with 2.34m (7-8) and defending champion Bohdan Bondarenko of the Ukraine and China’s colourful Guowel Zhang got the silver and bronze respectively at 2.33m (7-7 3/4)..

#Thomas, who voiced his disappointment in the men’s 4 x 100 or 4 x 400m relay team-mates in the stands cheering them on, took a gamble when he passed at the fourth height of 2.33m (7-7 3/4) and opted to go up to the fifth height of 7-6 3/4). But he missed all three attempts.

#At the third height of 2.29m (7-6), Thomas got his first knockdown and Barry, who followed with another. However, Thomas cleared the second attempt but Barry missed his second and on his third, his right leg hit the bar as he got eliminated with five others.

#While Thomas remained with a clean slate at the second height of 2.25m (7-4 1/2), Barry moved into the ninth spot when he cleared the mark on his first attempt. The first competitor to be eliminated was Konstadinos Baniotis of Greece at the height.

#Again, Thomas had no problems going over the opening height of 2.20m (7-2 1/2). Barry had to go to his third and final attempt to avoid an early elimination. Only Barry and Baniotis had difficulties clearing the opening height. Baniotis cleared it on his second attempt to sit in 13th place with Barry at the bottom in 14th.

#Ryan Ingraham, the other member of the jumping trio for Team Bahamas, didn’t advance out of the qualifying round on Saturday. Competing with a slight injury he sustained at the Pan American Games where he got a bronze, he bowed out with a best of 2.26m for a two-way tie for 25th place.

#The Bahamas got eliminated from the final of the men’s 1,600m relay for the third consecutive championship. This time, on Saturday, Michael Mathieu had a lane violation on the second leg as the team of Steven Gardiner, Alonzo Russell and Ramon Miller didn’t move.

#The Bahamas finished tied with Trinidad & Tobago and Ukraine for the 20th spot in the medal table with the one silver from Shaunae Miller in the women’s 400m and the bronze from Jeffery Gibson in the men’s 400m hurdles.

#Kenya, surprisingly, held on for the top spot with seven gold, six silver and three bronze for 16 medals. Jamaica surged into second with seven gold, two silver and three bronze for 12 and the United States of America rounded out the top three with six gold, six silver and six bronze for a total of 18 medals.

#And in the placing table, the Bahamas was 19th overall with a second, third and sixth place for 16 points. The USA, however, turned the tables by winning with 214 points, compared to Kenya’s 173 for second and Jamaica with 132 for third.

#The focus now switches to London, England, for the 16th IAAF World Championships August 5-13. Next year, however, the athletes will compete in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon, March 17-20 and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 5-21.

Donald Thomas reacts during the men’s high jump final. (AP)

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Trevor Barry competes in the high jump final. (AP)

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#RIO de Janeiro, Brazil — Donald Thomas and Trevor Barry were nowhere near their best, finishing seventh and 11th overall respectively, as they made their return to the men’s high jump final at the 2016 Olympic Games.

#The duo, who got eliminated in the qualifying rounds in London, England four years ago, came up with their best performances yesterday in the Olympic Stadium with 2.29 metres or 7-feet, 6-inches for Thomas and 2.25m for Barry.

#Canadian Derek Drouin went on to clinch the gold with a season’s best of 2.38m (7-9 3/4), while Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar was the silver medallist with 2.36m (7-8 3/4).

#Bohdan Bondarenko of the Ukraine secured the bronze with 2.33m (7-7 3/4) as he edged out three other competitors on fewer knockdowns.

#Thomas, the 32-year-old 2007 IAAF World champion in Osaka, Japan, was clear through the first three heights at 2.20m (7-2 1/2), 2.25m (7-4 1/2) and 2.29m (7-6) before he knocked down all three attempts at 2.33m (7-7 3/4).

#Thomas, coming off his bronze medal at the Pan American Games and sixth place at the World Championships last year, ended up tied with two other competitors.

#Barry, on the other hand, cleared his first two heights at 2.20m (7-2 1/2) and 2.25m (7-4 1/2), but he struggled at 2.29m (7-6) and wasn’t able to go any higher.

#“I was disappointed,” Barry said. “But I give God thanks for allowing me to compete and come out uninjured. But I’m very disappointed.”

#During his jump phases, Barry said he was accelerating to the bar but not the curve going into the pit, he just didn’t get it right.

#“I might shut it down,” said Barry when asked where he goes from here. “I have to talk to my agent and see what’s going on.”

#Barry said the competition was extremely tough as the top three contenders were hoping to make an attempt at the world record of 2.45m set by Cuban Javier Sotomayor in Spain in 1993.

#“I was jumping good up to 2.25. At 2.29, I was pressing it too much and I wasn’t relaxed on the curve,” he said. “All of those are manageable heights. They just didn’t come through today.”

Donald Thomas reacts during the men’s high jump final. (AP)

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

#10.15pm: Shaunae Miller speaks to Brent Stubbs after receiving her gold medal:

stubbobs@gmail. com by Brent Stubbs

#10.10pm: So no medals for Trevor Barry or Donald Thomas in the high jump. Ty’Nia Gaither bows out in the 200m semis and Bianca Stuart doesn’t advance in the long jump.

#But on Wednesday, Pedrya Seymour takes to the track in the women’s 100m hurdles semi-final one at 7.45pm.

#9.05pm: An eighth place finish for Ty’Nia Gaither in the 200m semi-final one – with a time of 23.45.

#9.00pm: Ty’Nia Gaither is now up in lane one in the women’s 200m semi-final.

Bianca Stuart competes in the long jump. (AP)

#8.50pm: Bianca Stuart’s third attempt in the long jump reaches 6.39. Her best jump of 6.45 won’t be enough to qualify. And Donald Thomas hasn’t managed to clear 2.33 on his third attempt in the high jump final. So no medals or qualification from Thomas, Barry or Stuart tonight.

#8.45pm: Donald Thomas has now had two attempts at 2.33 without success. Meanwhile, in the women’s long jump, Bianca Stuart’s second attempt stands at 5.40. Her first leap was 6.45.

#8.40pm: Donald Thomas doesn’t manage to clear 2.33 on his first attempt.

#8.25pm: Donald Thomas has cleared 2.29 – but Trevor Barry hasn’t managed to in three attempts. And in the women’s long jump qualifying group A – Bianca Stuart has jumped 6.45 and is currently sitting seventh in the group.

#7.55pm: Both high jumpers have now cleared 2.25.

#7.45pm: Donald Thomas has also cleared 2.20 in the men’s high jump final – so far, so good for Team Bahamas tonight.

#7.38pm: The men’s high jump final is now underway with two members of Team Bahamas – Trevor Barry and Donald Thomas – taking part. Trevor Barry has cleared 2.20 at his first attempt.

#7.28pm: The 400m champion is all smiles as the Bahamian national anthem plays in the Olympic stadium.

Gold medalist Shaunae Miller, centre, silver medalist Allyson Felix of the USA, left, and bronze medalist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica hold their 400m medals in Rio. (AP)

#7.25pm: Shaunae Miller is now on the podium and has received her gold medal from fellow Bahamian golden girl Pauline Davis-Thompson.

From left, Bahamas’ Shavez Hart, Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, United States’ Ameer Webb, and South Africa’s Anaso Jobodwana compete in a men’s 200-metre heat. (AP)

#3.10pm: The full story of Pedrya Seymour’s 100m hurdles qualification is now online HERE.

#And Brent Stubbs speaks to the men’s 200m competitors HERE.

#12.05pm: After last night’s triumph in the 400m final – Shaunae Miller spoke to The Tribune’s Brent Stubbs:

Shaunae Miller speaks to Brent Stubbs by Tribune242

#11.15am: Teray Smith finishes sixth in heat four with 20.66.

#11.00am: Not a great start for Team Bahamas in the men’s 200m heats. Demetrius Pinder was disqualified in heat one and Shavez Hart finished seventh in heat two with a time of 20.74. Teray Smith still to run.

#10.30am: Pedrya Seymour has qualified for the women’s 100m hurdles semifinal. She finished third in heat two with a time of 12.85 – behind the USA’s Nia Ali (12.76) and Canada’s Phylicia George (12.76).

#9.25am: If you’ve managed to catch your breath after all of last night’s drama, here is the schedule for Team Bahamas at the Olympic Games today:

#10:05 am EST – Pedrya Seymour, women’s 100m hurdles heats.

#10:50 am EST – Shavez Hart, Demetrius Pinder and Teray Smith, men’s 200m heats.

#7:30 pm EST – Trevor and Donald Thomas at No.10 and No.13 respectively in the men’s high jump final.

#8:05 pm EST – Bianca Stuart – Women’s long jump qualifying.

#9 pm – Ty’Nia Gaither, women’s 200m semi-final.

Shaunae Miller on the ground after winning the 400m final. (AP)

#And HERE, gold medal winner Shaunae Miller reflects on that thrilling 400m final.

Tynia Gaither (left) finishes third to qualify for the 200m semifinals. (AP)

Monday, August 15, 2016

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#RIO de Janeiro, Brazil: Bahamian double sprint national champion Ty’Nia Gaither shook off her disappointment in the 100 metre preliminaries on the opening day of athletics at the 2016 Olympic Games to make it to the semi-final of the 200m on Monday at the Olympic Stadium,

#Gaither posted a time of 22.90 seconds for a third place finish in the first of nine heats to advance. She had the fifth of the six fastest times after the two automatic qualification spots in each heat.

#“That race definitely felt a lot better. I was definitely more comfortable with that. I was more in my zone and my mind was in a much better place,” she told The Tribune as she watched as Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers take the tape in the fifth fastest time of 22.51.

#As for the 100m, where she ran 11.58 for fifth in her heat and 39th overall, Gaither said everything just happened so fast and she wasn’t as relaxed and comfortable in the half-lap race. She will now prepare for the semi-final on Tuesday at 9pm when she will run out of lane one in the first of three heats. She will need to finish as one of the top two finishers or have one of the next two fastest times to get into Wednesday’s final.

#Two other Bahamians were joining to join Gaither in her Olympic debut, but Anthonique Strachan and Sheniqua ‘Q’ Ferguson didn’t make it.

#Strachan, back in action since having surgery in November, was also third in her heat in a season’s best of 2.96, just missing the cut of 24 with 26th position overall. She was one spot ahead of Jamaican former Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, who did 22.97 for third in her heat as well and 27th overall. Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare was the winner of the heat in 22.71.

#“It’s good. Lane one was just a dead lane, but I can’t complain because you have other competitors running in it,” Strachan lamented. “But it feels good to get a season’s best.”

#Ferguson, on the other hand, was eighth in her heat in 23.62 as she ended up 58 out of a field of 72 competitors. Ferguson was visibly upset over the media suggestion in another publication that she should not be allowed to compete if Shaunae Miller wanted to pursue a possible 200/400 double. Ivet Lalova-Collio of Bulgaria won the heat in 22.61.

#Ferguson declined to speak to the media.

Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers, left, crosses the finish line to win the Women’s 200 metre final from Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, right, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, centre, at the World Athletics Championships in London Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Friday, August 11, 2017

#4.55pm UPDATE: Shaunae Miller-Uibo finished third in the 200m final to win the bronze medal for the Bahamas in 22.15. TyNia Gaither was eighth with 23.07. Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands won the gold and Marie-Josée Ta Lou, of the Ivory Coast, the silver. Full story HERE

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#LONDON, England: Forget about the disastrous 400 metre final that denied her a special place in history. Shaunae Miller-Uibo is determined to leave the 16th IAAF World Championships with at least a medal in the women’s 200 metres.

#After her bid for the 200/400m double went up in smoke in the one-lap final on Wednesday night at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, Miller-Uibo shook it off and sped to victory in the second of the three semi-finals.

#The Bahamian national record holder clocked an impressive 22.49 seconds to erase any doubts about her fitness, after her legs wobbled in the final 50m of 400 metres the night before.

#“I felt fine. I just want to go out and put on a great show tomorrow night,” said Miller-Uibo, after she matched the qualifying time of defending champion Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands. Schippers won heat two which also featured Anthonique Strachan. “I had to refocus for the 200m and now I’m ready to compete.”

#Looking back at what transpired in the 400m final where she blew a considerable lead, Miller-Uibo cleared up any misconception of what transpired in the final 50 metres of the race that was won by American Phyillis Francs, followed by Silva Eid Naser from Bahrain and American Allyson Felix.

#“I had the race under control, everything felt fine and then I took a look up at the screen, lost my balance and that was about a wrap up,” she said. “By the time I caught myself, the race was already done, so I live and I learn through it. I’m getting over it and focusing on the 200m.”

#And if you’re wondering, Miller-Uibo said she didn’t let her misfortune in the 400m get to her.

#“One thing about me is I love a strong competition,” she insisted. “The girls came out there and did their best. But one thing about me is that I’m not afraid to lose. Every time I step out there, I give a good try. That is what I do.”

#Coming into the championships, 22-year-old Miller-Uibo lowered the national record to 22.71, the second fastest time in the world this year behind her American training partner Tori Bowie, who was unable to suit up for the preliminaries after she went down with a spill that left her bruised after winning the 100m.

#Jamaican Olympic double sprint gold medalist Elaine Thompson also missed the start after she only contested the 100m where she was fifth.

#But Miller-Uibo said she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to get her second global gold to match the one she got in the 400m last year at the Olympic Games.

#“My focus coming in here was the 400 and 200,” she summed up. “We (coaching staff) just refocus and get ready for the 200.”

#And for the record, Miller-Uibo reiterated that when she looked up at the screen, she lost her balance, kicked into the track with her left leg and things just fell out of place for her in that 400m final.

#“A lot of people were thinking that it was (a cramp), but I just lost my balance,” she concluded.

#She will get a chance to redeem herself in the final when she will run out of lane five at 4:50 pm EST next to Schippers in six and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the 100m silver medalist, in four.

#Another Bahamian, TyNia Gaither, will be making her global final debut when she runs out of line three. She finished in fourth place in her heat with 22.85 for the last of the two fastest losers spots.

#It will be the first time in the championships that the Bahamas will have two competitors in the final of the half-lap race.

Bahrain’s Edidiong Ofonime Odiong, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Jamaica’s Simone Facey and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji race in their women’s 200m semifinal heat. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Thursday, August 10, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#LONDON, England: It was a day of redemption for national record holder Shaunae Miller-Uibo and an emotional one for TyNia Gaither as they both booked their ticket to an historic women’s 200 metre final for the Bahamas at the 16th IAAF World Championships.

#It will be the first time that the Bahamas has had two competitors in the event which takes place on Friday at 4:50pm EST. But Anthonique Strachan, the other Bahamian contesting the semifinal on Thursday inside the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, failed to make the cut.

Anthonique Strachan runs in her semifinal heat. Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics

#Strachan, the first of the three competitors to compete in the three heats, came off the curve out of contention and wasn’t able to make up any ground as she finished eighth in 23.21 for 16th place overall.

#However, a rejuvenated Miller-Uibo, looking well rested and confident coming off that disappointing 400m final on Wednesday night, didn’t leave anything to chance as she powered from behind for her victory in 22.49 seconds. 

#“I felt fine. I just want to go out and put on a great show tomorrow night,” said Miller-Uibo, as she matched the qualifying time of defending champion Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands in winning heat two that featured Strachan. “I had to refocus for the 200m and now I’m ready to compete.”

#Miller-Uibo also cleared up any misconceptions about what transpired in the final 50 metres of the 400m final was won by American Phyillis Francs, followed by Silva Eid Naser from Bahrain and American Allyson Felix.

#“I had the race under control, everything felt fine and then I took a look up at the screen, lost my balance and that was about a wrap up,” she said. “By the time I caught myself, the race was already done, so I live and I learn through it. I’m getting over it and focusing on the 200m.”

#Gaither duplicated Miller-Uibo’s feat, reeling in two competitors for fourth place in 22.85. It turned out to be the last of two fastest qualifiers that earned her a trip to her first global final.

#As she entered the mixed zone to speak to the media, Gaither’s performance brought her to tears.

#“It’s the best feeling in life,” said Gaither, who is making her breakthrough in her first professional season. “My season was so long and so hard. I fought hard for that. To be able to do that is a blessing.”

#When the final is contested on Friday, Miller-Uibo and Gaither will be out to become the first Bahamians to medal in the event in the championships since Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie was elevated from silver to gold due to a doping violation by American Marion Jones in 2001 in Edmonton, Canada.

#Miller-Uibo, 22, has the second fastest time for the year at 21.91 behind her American training partner Tori Bowie, who had to withdrew from the 200m after she tumbled over and bruised herself at the end of winning the 100m title. Miller-Uibo’s national record is set at 21.971.

#Gaither, 24, was tied with Jamaican Shashalee Forbes with the 13th best time of 22.71. Gaither has a personal best of 22.54.

#The lane assignments for the final have Canada’s Crystal Emmanuel in two, Gaither in three, 100m silver medalist Marie-Josee Ta Lou from the Ivory Coast in four, Miller-Uibo in five, Schippers in six, American Daejah Stevens in seven, Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith in eight and American Kimberley Duncan in nine.

The Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Tynia Gaither In Doha.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#DOHA, Qatar: Running blind out of lane two of the women’s 100 metres heats, Tynia Gaither bolted out to a terrific start, but didn’t see the rest of the field as they reeled her in.

#Competing in his first sprint double at the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s World Championships, Gaither overcame the jitters in the first event on day two at the Khalifa International Stadium as she surged to a fourth place finish in the fourth of six heats in a time of 11.24 seconds.

#That was good enough for 16th overall with the fastest non-automatic qualifiers for a spot in Sunday’s semifinal on day three, starting at 2:20 pm EST.

#She will run out lane three in the first of three heats, next to Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson in four, for a spot in the final at 4:20 pm when the first two finishers and the next two fastest finishers will advance.

#“I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t know how fast I got out, but that was something that I was working on,” said Gaither, who led the race for the first 70 metres. “It felt really good.

#“I couldn’t tell my pace in the race until the last 20 metres, but overall my body felt great, relaxed and focused. I got my jitters out. My mind is where it should be.”

#After she got caught before she reached the finish line, Gaither trailed Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who won the heat in 10.96 and American English Gardner and Jamaican Jonielle Smith, both in a photo finish in 11.20, for second and third respectively.

#Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce set the stage by posting the fastest qualifying time ever for the championships in 10.80 to win the first heat.

#Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast followed that performance by equaling her lifetime best of 10.85 to take heat two.

#Despite the times, Gaither said she aims to come back on Sunday and secure her berth in the final. She will have to get out of the semifinal at 2:20 pm on day three for the final at 4:20 pm EST.

#Gaither, 26, comes into the championships having ran her lifetime best of 11.04 this season. She will come back on Monday to pursue her quest for the 200m with Anthonique Strachan, starting at 10:05 am EST.

#“I just want to speak on behalf of Team Bahamas. Everything that we do out here, although we are a small team, we are doing it with you in mind,” she stated. “We’re still grieving, but we are putting all of our energy out there to make you proud.”

#The Grand Bahamian native said although she was in Europe competing and training for the championships, she heard that some of her family members were adversely affected by the passing of Hurricane Dorian, but no lives were lost.

#She added hat she’s disappointed that the Bahamas won’t have any relay teams competing here in the championships: “That’s very painful, but next year and the year after, that won’t happen.”

#And she assured the public that the athletes will have a sit down and make it a priority to “show up” in relay events at these games.

#Even with Strachan along with three quarter-milers – Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell – the Bahamas was not able to get into the first mixed gender 4 x 400m relay heats that was contested on Saturday.

#The Bahamas was not able to obtain one of the top 16 times in the world in order to compete here in either the women’s 4 x 100 or the men’s 4 x 400m relay, two events in which the country has had a great deal of success in the past.

#Here’s a glance of what to expect next week:

#Sunday

#1:05 pm EST – Men’s 200m heats

#Terrance Jones, heat one, lane 4.

#(First three in each heat and the next three fastest finishes advances to the semifinal on Monday at 1:50 pm.

#2:20 pm EST – Women’s 100m semifinal.

#Tynia Gaither in lane three in the first of three heats.

#(First two and next two fastest finishers advance to the final at 4:20 pm EST.).

#Monday

#9:30 am EST – Women’s 200m heats

#Anthonique Strachan and Tynia Gaither.

#11:20 am EST – Women’s 400m heats.

#Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

#1:50 pm EST – Men’s 200m semifinal.

#Terrance Jones – If he advances.

#Tuesday,

#9:35 am EST – Men’s 400m heats.

#Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell.

#9:50 am EST – Men’s high jump qualifying round.

#Donald Thomas.

#1:50 pm EST – Women’s 400m semifinal.

#Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

The Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Monday, September 30, 2019

#DOHA, Qatar — Here’s a glance of the upcoming events for Team Bahamas at the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s 17th World Championships:

#Tuesday, October 1

#Men’s 400m heats

#9:35am EST – Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell.

#Men’s high jump qualifying round.

#9:50am EST – Donald Thomas

#Women’s 400m semifinal

#1:50pm EST – Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

#Wednesday, October 2

#Men’s 400m Semifinal

#1:35 pm EST – Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell, if they both advances.

#Women’s 200m Final

#2:35 pm EST – Tynia Gaither and Anthonique Strachan, if they both advances.

#Thursday, October 3

#Women’s 400m Final

#3:50 pm EST – Shaunae Miller-Uibo, if she advances.

#Friday, October 4

#Men’s High Jump Final

#1:50pm EST – Donald Thomas, if he advances.

#Men’s 400m Final

#3:20pm EST – Steven Gardiner and Alonzo Russell, if they both advance.