Lucius Fox (file photo)

As of Friday, August 28, 2020

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LUCIUS Fox

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Lucius Fox has been traded for the second time in his young baseball career.

#Fox will be headed to the Kansas City Royals after he was traded away from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Brett Phillips.

#Fox will immediately join the Royals’ 40-man roster and was assigned to the Royals’ alternate site at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

#He was a member of the Rays’ taxi squad this season and was assigned to the club’s alternate training site this season. He saw playing time during MLB Spring Training and Summer Camp, most recently in a pair of intrasquad scrimmages ahead of the regular season opener.

#The Royals are currently 12-19 on the season, fifth in the American League Central.

#Fox, 23, has been listed at shortstop for the duration of his career but saw time at centrefield, secondbase and thirdbase during Spring Training. He was listed as an infielder/outfielder for the Rays’ 2020 player pool.

#The Rays’ loaded prospect list at shortstop includes the No.1 player overall in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 – Wander Franco, No. 49 overall Vidal Brujan (second base/shortstop) and No.77 overall Xavier Edwards (secondbase/shortstop).

#Phillips, 26, was hitting .226 in 18 games for the Royals this season, his third with the Royals.

#Fox began his professional career as a marquee international free agent signing for the San Francisco Giants in 2015. He was then traded to the Rays in 2016 in a deal that involved several prospects in exchange for pitcher Matt Moore.

#Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fox was set to make his 2020 debut in AAA baseball with the Durham Bulls of the International League.

#He spent 15 games last season with the Bulls, but spent the bulk of the year with the Montgomery Biscuits in the AA Southern League. He went on to lead the Southern League with 39 stolen bases.

#He received league-wide recognition and was awarded “Best Hustler” for his baserunning ability when the league announced its Postseason Awards.

#In 119 games last season across both leagues (104 with the Biscuits) Fox hit .221 with a .331 OBP and a .657 OPS.

#He totalled 90 hits including 16 doubles, nine triples, three home runs, 34 RBIs, and scored 66 runs.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

LUCIUS Fox

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#LUCIUS Fox’s debut season in Double A baseball came to an end after his Montgomery Biscuits were eliminated in a decisive game five of the Southern League semi-finals.

#The Biscuits dropped the final game of the 2018 North Division Championship Series 11-7 to the Jackson Generals on Sunday night at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.

#The Generals will take on the Biloxi Shuckers in the 2018 Southern League Championship Series beginning on Tuesday in West Tennessee. Fox finished 1-3 and scored one run in the loss.

#After a 0-10 slump through the first three games of the series, Fox went 2-4 and scored one run with two RBI in a 10-7 game four win for the Biscuits.

#The Biscuits still finished 2018 with the second-most wins in team history (79-61). Fox advanced to the Double-A level for the first time when the Rays assigned him to the Biscuits in August.

#In 27 games with the Biscuits, Fox hit .221 with a .284 OBP, four stolen bases, 23 hits, three doubles, one triple, nine RBI and 14 runs scored.

#He previously spent 91 games with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of Single-A Advanced of the Florida State League.

#He hit .282 with a .724 OPS, .371 OBP, 23 stolen bases, 99 hits, 17 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 30 RBI and 54 runs scored. He was named to the Florida State League’s Southern Division All-Star Team at the midseason classic.

#The 21-year-old shortstop was also named to the roster of the Arizona Fall League’s Peoria Javelinas. The Javelinas have MLB affiliations with the Rays, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves.

#The Arizona Fall League attracts many of the top prospects in the minor leagues.

#The 27th edition of the league begins play on October 9 and ends in mid-November.

#In the preliminary rosters, there are 17 players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list, 10 in the Top 50.

#Overall, there are already more than 80 members of team Top 30 lists slated to participate in the six-week league.

#Fox notched another career milestone last offseason to receive a Major League call-up during spring training when he was assigned to the Rays’ Grapefruit League roster and saw immediate action on the field against the Minnesota Twins.

#Fox entered spring training at No.7 on the prospect list for the Rays among players still listed with rookie eligibility.

#“Fox is a top-flight athlete with plus-plus speed and three more tools that should be at least solid. The switch-hitter profiles as a future leadoff-type hitter, as he employs a solid approach, produces line-drive contact from both sides of the plate and knows how to use his impressive wheels once on base.

#“Fox won’t offer much in the way of over-the-fence power, but he does have some strength and can drive some balls to the gaps, making him a source of doubles and triples,” MLB Prospect Watch said.

#“Fox’s range, quick hands, and arm fit easily at shortstop, though, like any young shortstop, he needs to fine-tune his game and learn the nuances of the position. Some scouts don’t love his middle-infield actions and think he’ll fit better in centre field, though the Rays believe he can stay at short, lauding his super athleticism and ability to learn quickly.”

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

LUCIUS Fox

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#LUCIUS Fox continues his progression through the Tampa Bay Rays organisation and has ascended to the Double-A level for the first time in his young career.

#Fox was assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League.

#Based in Montgomery, Alabama, the club plays its home games in the 7,000 seat Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.

#The 21-year-old shortstop got his first hit in Double-A when he went 1-2 with one RBI in the Biscuits’ 7-4 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. His sacrifice bunt plated Brett Sullivan to tie the game at two in the top of the 7th inning, and Fox also reached safely on a throwing error.

#Fox joined a team that currently leads the Southern League’s North division with an overall 61-52 record. They currently have a 2.5 game lead in the playoff race of the second half standings at 24-19.

#He spent 91 games with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of Single-A Advanced of the Florida State League. He hit .282 with a .724 OPS, .371 OBP, 23 stolen bases, 99 hits, 17 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 30 RBI and 54 runs scored.

#Fox was named to the Florida State League’s Southern Division All-Star Team at the midseason classic.

#In 2017, his first season with the Stone Crabs, Fox appeared in 30 games, hit .235 with a .608 OPS, .350 OBP, one home run, three stolen bases, 12 RBI and 19 runs scored.

#He was assigned to the Stone Crabs in July after spending the previous 77 games with the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Midwest League at the Single A-Full level.

#In the previous 77 games with the Hot Rods, Fox hit a career-best .278 and ranked third in the Midwest League with 27 stolen bases. He also ranks second on the team with 45 runs scored, collected 27 RBI and totaled a .362 OBP and a .722 OPS with two runs. Fox was also featured in the annual showcase of Major League Baseball’s top minor league prospects during the midseason All-Star classic.

#He was selected to represent the World team in the 2017 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game during MLB All-Star weekend and drove in an RBI in the loss to team USA. The Futures Game showcases the minor league during the MLB All-Star week festivities.

#Within the Rays organisation he was recognised as the Baserunner of the Year. His 30 stolen bases ranked second among Rays minor leaguers. He was successful on 30 of his 43 attempts (69.7 per cent).

#Fox notched another career milestone last offseason to receive a Major League call-up during Spring Training when he was assigned to the Rays’ Grapefruit League roster and saw immediate action on the field against the Minnesota Twins.

#Fox entered spring training at No.7 on the prospect list for the Rays among players still listed with rookie eligibility.

#Fox is a top-flight athlete with plus-plus speed and three more tools that should be at least solid. The switch-hitter profiles as a future leadoff-type hitter, as he employs a solid approach, produces line-drive contact from both sides of the plate and knows how to use his impressive wheels once on base. Fox won’t offer much in the way of over-the-fence power, but he does have some strength and can drive some balls to the gaps, making him a source of doubles and triples,” MLB Prospect Watch said.

#“Fox’s range, quick hands, and arm fit easily at shortstop, though, like any young shortstop, he needs to fine-tune his game and learn the nuances of the position. Some scouts don’t love his middle-infield actions and think he’ll fit better in centre field, though the Rays believe he can stay at short, lauding his super athleticism and ability to learn quickly.”

Friday, July 19, 2019

LUCIUS Fox

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#LUCIUS Fox has made another progression in the Tampa Bay Rays organisation, and is now just one step away from Major League Baseball.

#The 22-year-old shortstop was assigned to the Durham Bulls, the Rays’ AAA affiliate based in Durham, North Carolina. He saw his first action as a pinch hitter in the Bulls’ 6-4 win over the Toledo Mud Hens Wednesday night at Fifth Third Field.

#At 58-39, the Bulls currently lead the International League South by 2.5 games over the Gwinnett Stripers.

#Prior to the call-up, Fox concluded his tenure with the Montgomery Biscuits on a nine-game hitting streak in the AA Southern League. In 84 games with the Biscuits, Fox led the Southern League with 31 stolen bases. He also hit .225 with a .341 OBP and a .707 OPS. He totalled 64 hits including 15 doubles, eight triples, three home runs, 26 RBIs, and scored 46 runs.

#Fox is currently listed as the No.9 overall prospect in the Rays organisation and spent time with the club’s major leaguers in Spring Training on the Grapefruit League roster. The Rays were listed as the No.2 farm system in all of the MLB.

#“Fox’s athleticism and speed are among the best in the organisation, and he has three other tools that should be at least solid. He’s a switch-hitter who has the ingredients of a prototypical leadoff hitter with his advanced approach and knack for making line-drive contact from both sides of the plate. Fox projects for well-below-average power overall, but he tallies his share of doubles and triples thanks largely to the 70-grade speed that also fuels his impact potential on the basepaths,” his MLB Pipeline Prospect Analysis said.

#“A true shortstop, Fox has the range, hands and above-average arm strength to remain at the position long-term. He lacks consistency at times and will appear a bit raw with some of his actions, but he’s also capable of making electric, highlight-reel plays. The Rays are confident in his abilities there, viewing him as an above-average defensive shortstop when all is said and done.”

#Last season, Fox achieved two All-Star appearances and his year was highlighted by his progression to the AA level and the Arizona Fall League. He spent 91 games with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of Single-A Advanced of the Florida State League where he hit .282 with a .724 OPS, .371 OBP, 23 stolen bases, 99 hits, 17 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 30 RBI and 54 runs scored. He was named to the Florida State League’s Southern Division All-Star Team at the midseason classic.

#That production led to a AA call up when the Rays assigned him to the Biscuits.

#In 27 games with the Biscuits to conclude the season, Fox hit .221 with a .284 OBP, four stolen bases, 23 hits, three doubles, one triple, nine RBI and 14 runs scored.

#The next progression was to the Arizona Fall League where he concluded the season with an AFL Championship as a member of the Peoria Javelinas.

#In the AFL he hit .326 for Peoria with a .437 OBP, an .821 OPS in 22 games.

#Fox had 29 hits, including three doubles, one home run, collected 11 RBIs, eight stolen bases and 12 runs scored. He was also named an AFL All-Star.

f Thursday, July 2, 2020

Jazz Chisholm in action.

Lucius Fox (file photo)

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#MAJOR League Baseball is set to make its return and several Bahamian prospects have joined their team’s player pool in training camp for the shortened 2020 season.

#As members of their team’s respective 40-man rosters, Jazz Chisholm of the Miami Marlins and Lucius Fox of the Tampa Bay Rays were named to each team’s player pool of up to 60 players that can be used throughout the season.

#The 60 players will be invited to training camp and active rosters will include 30 players. After two weeks the roster will be reduced to 28 and after a period of two weeks, a final cut of 26 players.

#The Marlins’ pool will participate in workouts both at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida, and the alternate training site at the Miami Marlins Player Development Complex in Jupiter, Florida. The Rays will conduct workouts with one group at Tropicana Field in Tampa, Florida, and their alternate training site in Port Charlotte, Florida.

#The 2020 MLB season will feature a shortened 60-game season played over 66 days. Players will report to training camp on July 1 and opening day will be hosted July 24.

#The regular season is expected to conclude by late September and the playoffs will begin in October. A player must be on an official roster in order to be eligible for the playoff roster.

#In addition to the shortened season, the MLB will feature several rule changes, most notably the use of the designated hitter in both leagues and beginning extra innings with a runner on second base.

#Chisholm, the 22-year-old shortstop, was set to make his 2020 debut in AAA baseball with the Wichita Wind Surge of the Pacific Coast League and the AAA affiliate of the Marlins. The No.3 ranked prospect in the organisation was listed at No.66 overall among the top 100 Prospects by MLB Pipeline. He made nine spring training appearances and hit .308 with three RBI, one home run, scored four runs, with a 1.115 OPS and two stolen bases.

#Last season, Chisholm was named the top defensive shortstop in the Double-A Southwest League and his advancement to Double-A baseball produced a Southern League All-Star selection after he led all the league’s shortstops with 21 home runs and 173 total bases.

#Chisholm has continued to make strides for the organisation this season as he progresses toward the major leagues. He was among the top prospects from each Major League Baseball organisation represented at the Rookie Career Development Programme in Miami, Florida.

#Each organisation sends their top prospects expected to reach the big leagues in the near future to sit through sessions aimed at easing their transition. Sessions included ones on media training, clubhouse relationships, drugs in baseball, inclusion and financial planning, and others. He was also present at the Marlins’ annual Fanfest which gave fans their first opportunity to interact with the 2020 roster.

#Fox, 22, has been listed at shortstop for the duration of his career but saw time at centerfield, second and third during Spring Training. He is listed as an infielder/outfielder for the 2020 player pool.

#He was also set to make his 2020 debut in AAA baseball with the Durham Bulls of the International League and the AAA affiliate of the Rays.

#Fox is currently listed as the No.24 prospects in the Rays organisation.

#“He’s maintained strong on-base skills as he’s climbed the ladder thanks to a penchant for walking and knows how to use his plus speed on the bases. After recording at least 25 steals in each of his first three seasons, Fox swiped a career-high 39 bags in 2019,” his MLB Pipeline analysis said, “One of the better athletes in Tampa Bay’s system, Fox is a rangy, above-average defensive shortstop with good hands and an above-average arm. That the Rays began to increase his versatility with reps at both second (13 games) and third base (nine) in 2019 suggests a potential bench role for Fox.”

#Fox received league wide recognition and was awarded “Best Hustler” for his baserunning ability when the league announced its Postseason Awards.

#He spent 15 games last season with the Bulls, but spent the bulk of the year with the Montgomery Biscuits in the Double A Southern League. He went on to lead the Southern League with 39 stolen bases. In 112 games this season across both leagues (104 with the Biscuits) Fox hit .221 with a .331 OBP and a .657 OPS. He totaled 90 hits including 16 doubles, nine triples, three home runs, 34 RBIs, and scored 66 runs.

Monday, August 31, 2020

LUCIUS Fox

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#LUCIUS Fox had a simple message for the Kansas City Royals fan base after he was traded to the team last week:

#“Ready to work,” Fox said via Twitter, “KC you’re getting my all.”

#Fox is now listed at No. 26 in the Royals organisation among its minor league prospects. “We talked to Tampa about Fox for quite some time, not necessarily about Brett Phillips,” Royals assistant general manager Scott Sharp told reporters on a Zoom call. “[Fox] is just a really interesting athlete. He has three options left. He is using one this year.”

#Fox was traded for the second time in his career when the Tampa Bay Rays sent him to the Royals in exchange for outfielder Brett Phillips.

#Fox, 23, has been listed at shortstop for the duration of his career but saw time at centrefield, secondbase and thirdbase during Spring Training. He was listed as an infielder/outfielder for the Rays’ 2020 player pool.

#“He is a switch-hitter,” said Sharp. “He plays shortstop. He can play second base. Some people have talked about him possibly playing centre field because of his speed element. He has played at the upper levels of the Minors at a young age.”

#The Rays’ loaded prospect list at shortstop includes the No.1 player overall in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 – Wander Franco, No. 49 overall Vidal Brujan (second base/shortstop) and No.77 overall Xavier Edwards (secondbase/shortstop).

#Fox immediately joined the Royals’ 40-man roster and was assigned to the Royals’ alternate site at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

#He was a member of the Rays’ taxi squad this season and was assigned to the club’s alternate training site this season.

#He saw playing time during MLB Spring Training and Summer Camp, most recently in a pair of intrasquad scrimmages ahead of the regular season opener.

#The Royals are currently 13-20 on the season, fifth in the American League Central.

#Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fox was set to make his 2020 debut in AAA baseball with the Durham Bulls of the International League.

#He spent 15 games last season with the Bulls, but spent the bulk of the year with the Montgomery Biscuits in the AA Southern League. He went on to lead the Southern League with 39 stolen bases. In 119 games last season across both leagues (104 with the Biscuits) Fox hit .221 with a .331 OBP and a .657 OPS. He totalled 90 hits including 16 doubles, nine triples, three home runs, 34 RBIs, and scored 66 runs.

Monday, August 31, 2020

Anthonique Strachan

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribuneedia.net

#COMING off her last meet on her 27th birthday when she was unable to finish her 100 metre race because of the cramps, Bahamian sprinter Anthonique Strachan returned to action on Saturday with another second place behind Jamaican double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah.

#Competing at the Velocity Fest #7 Meet at the Sports Development Foundation National Stadium on Saturday, Strachan came through the line in the women’s 200m in 23.87 seconds to follow Thompson-Herah, who sped to victory in 22.79.

#Their Maximising Velocity & Power (MVP) Track and Field Club training partners Srabani Nanda (24.06) and Junelle Bromfield (24.33) rounded out the third and fourth spots.

#“Honestly, more could have been done, but it’s been a tedious season, but it isn’t over yet,” Strachan said.

#“I still have to regroup and re-energise myself.”

#After she suffered some cramps from a back problem she experienced during the 100m last week, Strachan said she was eager to compete again this weekend.

#“Usually I don’t make it this far in the game, but I feel good due to the fact that I learnt a lot about team management this year and I am now learning to balance things out,” Strachan said.

#“During the whole pandemic, isolation and quarantine and stuff like that, it could really be messing with your head, so I’m glad that I am learning how to deal with all off those situations now.”

#On top of that, Strachan is getting the top notch competition that she would have expected had she been able to travel around the world to compete in the various meets on the World Athletics’ campaign.

#When it’s not Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the back-to-back World champion or Thompson-Herah, the reigning Olympic 100/200m champion, Strachan said being a part of the MVP stable has brought out the best in her.

#“We are training together, so it feels like training. It doesn’t feel like a track meet,” Strachan said.

#“So it takes a lot to get used to the fact that it’s not training, but it’s actually a track meet. So you have to get yourself in that competitive edge so that you can compete.”

#Still in a celebratory mood from her birthday on Saturday, August 22, Strachan said she advised her training partners two weeks ago that she just wanted some cupcakes and ice cream and now she has a house full and she has to digest it in moderation as her season is still not complete. “We’re supposed to go to Europe and do a few meets there in September before the season is done,” Strachan said.

#“But we don’t know exactly when we will be going.”

#At this point in the coronavirus-plagued season that was disrupted from March when sports worldwide came to a halt, Strachan said she’s pleased with the progress she made and it only bodes well for her future.

#“I ran my fastest times in six years, so even if I want to complain, I can’t complain,” said Strachan, who posted 22.6 in the half-lap race a couple weeks ago.

#“I’m better than where I was six years ago. So I have to be grateful for what I got.

#“Atleast I’m able to see that the work that I put in, I’m getting the benefits back from it. So I just have to work harder and train more to get the best out of my situation.”

#And while she has made some drastic improvement in her speciality in the 200m, Strachan said she doesn’t have any aspiration of concentrating on the double by adding the 100m or the 400m to her résumé. “You could look back at my start and look at it now and you can see that it has improved drastically, but I am not getting that quick reaction that is needed for the 100m,” Strachan pointed out.

#“As for the 400m, I have been strong armed to run it.

#“I do intend to run some 400m to get some strength for the 200m, but I don’t expect that my coaches will allow me to do it competitively at the major international meets.”

#With the latest improvements coming out of Jamaica with regard to legendary sprinter Usain Bolt, Strachan said he’s in isolation and according to his long-time friend and rival, Asafa Powell, he doesn’t have any symptoms, but he’s progressing.

#“It’s a good thing I didn’t go to the party to celebrate,” said Strachan, who like many of the current athletes didn’t attend the bash that took place to commemorate the superstar’s 34th birthday.

#Strachan, who has moved to Jamaica in 2018 to help rejuvenate her career, said she’s practicing the safety protocols of wearing her mask, washing her hands and keeping her 3-6 feet spacing.

Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

Monday, July 27, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Another pair of world leading victory performances, including a personal best in the 100 metres, was logged into Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s account at the Back to the Track: Clermont Series over the weekend.

#In contrasting style to her now specialised 200/400m double where she posted the world’s best times then of 50.52 in the 400m and 22.61 in the 200m at the Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida two weeks ago, Miller-Uibo displayed her youthful versatility at the National Training Centre in Clermont, Florida on Friday and Saturday.

#In a span of one hour on Friday, Miller-Uibo produced the fastest qualifying time of 11.03 in the women’s 100m, only to come back and clinch her lifetime best of 10.98 in the final, surpassing the previous world-leading mark of 11-flat by Jamaica’s Olympic and world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce two weeks ago in Kingston, Jamaica.

#“The meet was great,” Miller-Uibo told The Tribune. “I was glad for the opportunity to compete again seeing that not much is happening because of the pandemic.”

#As a result of her century time, the 26-year-old Miller-Uibo joined a lofty group of just four women to run sub-11s in the 100m, sub-22s in the 200m and sub-49s in the 400m.

#The list comprises France’s Marie José-Pérec (10.96 in the 100m, 21.99 in the 200m and 48.25 in the 400m), American Valerie Brisco-Hooks (10.99, 21.81 and 48.83) and Germany’s Marita Koch (10.83, 21.71 and 47.60, which stands as the world record from October 6, 1985).

#With such historic feats to her ledger, Miller-Uibo, representing Adidas and Pure Athletic Track Club, returned on Saturday to conclude the two-day meet by lowering her world-leading time to 21.98 with her victory in the 200m.

#She can now boast of having her name inked on the world’s fastest times of 10.98 in the 100, 21.98 in the 200 and 50.52 in the 400m, the latter coming at her previous double dip at the Showdown in Otown Meet at the Montverde Academy where she posted her previous world’s best of 22.61.

#“I feel great about the times I did at the meet,” Miller-Uibo said. “It was great to be able to hit subs 11, 22 and 49 and be the fourth female to ever do it.”

#In the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic that has halted sports globally in March, Miller-Uibo has been on a tear as she re-established her dominance of the sport coming out of her loss (48.37) to Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser (48.14) at last September’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games 400m champion snatched the straight away title in Clermont from American Tamari Davis, the second place finisher in 11.15 and Aleia Hobbs, who ran in race 2, got third in 11.16.

#In the preliminaries, Miller-Uibo was trailed by Natalliah Whyte of Puma in 11.15, while Davis, representing Adidas, had the third fastest time of 11.18.

#And in the half-lap race, she was no match for second-place finisher Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who ran 22.45 and Lynna Irby, third in 22.47.

#“I am satisfied with my performances for the three events this year,” Miller-Uibo stressed. “It shows that I am in good shape despite all of the challenges that are ongoing.”

#During the meet, Miller-Uibo got a chance to watch as her husband, Estonia’s decathlete Maicel Uibo, finished 13th overall in the men’s 100m in 11.20 on Friday and fellow Adidas/Pure Athletics team-mate Steven Gardiner take second in the men’s 200m in 1996 on Saturday.

#American Noah Lyles won both events in 9.93 in the 100m and 19.94 in the 200m, both now listed as the world leading times.

#Since the return of track and field competition this year after a three-month hiatus due to the coronavirus, Miller-Uibo suffered just one loss and that was in the virtual meeting in a rarely ran 150m at the Weltklasse Zurich Virtual Inspirational Games on July 9th.

#In a race that was ran simultaneously in three different locations, Allyson Felix, the most decorated American female sprinter and a 34-year-old mother, turned in the fastest time of 16.81 in Walnut, California.

#Miller-Uibo, competing out of Bradenton, Florida, was second in 17.15 and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji, the 28-year-old World Championships’ 200m bronze medalist, was third in 17.38 as she competed in Zurich.

#Miller-Uibo’s time of 21.74 in the 200m in Zurich in August and 48.37 in the 400m in October World Championships in Doha are listed as the Bahamas’ national records. Her 100m time, however, is off the mark held by Chandra Sturrup, 10.84, that she posted in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 5, 2005.

#As a junior in 2013 after she completed her tenure at St Augustine’s College, Miller-Uibo left her mark on the national records with times of 22.45 in the 200m at the Bahamas Nationals in Grand Bahama and 50.70 in the 400m for the University of Georgia at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

#It was the same year she earned the Austin Sealy Award title of the Carifta Games at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium as the most outstanding athlete.

#The only junior national record she didn’t hold onto was the 100m – that is occupied by Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, who ran 11.19 in 1995.

#Miller-Uibo had ran a 11.94 as a junior in 2009 at the Carifta Games, but it was wind-aided. She switched to the 200/400m combo following that regional junior games.

#Earlier this month, Miller-Uibo was among a list of 24 athletes named to the newly created board called The Athletics Association (TAA) that was formed to safeguard the global interest of track and field athletes.

#The board is headed by American Olympic and world champion male triple jumper Christian Taylor.

#While Miller-Uibo admitted that she’s not sure exactly when her next meet will take place, she noted that she intent to continue training and competing until the season come to a close and she can take a break to prepare for 2021 when the 2020 Olympic Games, which has been postponed because of Covid-19, is scheduled to take place.

#She had made a plea to the International Olympic Committee and the World Athletics to amend the schedule so that she can go for the 200/400m double, but that request has not been granted as yet.

f Monday, August 10, 2020

Anthonique Strachan

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#With the Jamaican athletic scene turning to some sort of normalcy in the coronavirus pandemic, Bahamian sprinter Anthonique Strachan produced a couple of impressive results over the weekend in a series of Velocity Fest meets against some of the top female sprinters on the island.

#In the last of a pair of meets yesterday at the National Stadium in Kingston, Strachan, now training in Jamaica with the Maximising Velocity & Power Track and Field Club, had to settle for third place overall in the women’s 200 metres.

#In the last of three heats, Strachan improved her season’s best to 22.67 seconds to trail Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who powered home in 22.19 to fall short of the world leading time of 21.98 that Bahamian Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo did last month in Florida.

#Fraser-Pryce, competing in heat two, set the stage with her time of 22.57, but she had to settle for second place overall behind winner Thompson-Herah and ahead of third place Strachan.

#The performances came one day after the fourth edition of the meets took place on Saturday when Strachan clocked 23.58 for her second straight victory in the half-lap race as she out-lasted Jamaican Samantha Curtis, who was second in 24.78. Strachan came back in the 100m and competed against Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah, her training partners from the MVP Club since she has been in Jamaica for the past few years.Fraser-Pryce, coming off her fourth World Championship 100m title last year in Doha, Qatar, won the second of the three century races in 10.87, producing the fastest time in the world for 2020, surpassing the previous best by Miller-Uibo in a personal best of 10.98 last month in Florida like she did in the 200m.

#Thompson-Herah, the reigning Olympic 100-200m champion from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, followed by taking the third heat in 10.88 for second place in the second fastest time.

#Strachan, competing in the same race with Thompson-Herah, was third in 11.46 for fifth place overall.

#“The 100 went better than I expected because I’m not really a 100-metre person,” said Strachan of Saturday’s races.

#“In the 200, I ran into a head wind, but I was still pleased with the time.”

#With the fact that she’s training with Thompson-Herah and Fraser-Pryce, Strachan said she’s learning to run her races more controlled witbhout thinking too much.

#The IAAF 2012 Rising Star athlete of the year after her double sprint triumph at the World Junior Championships said she gets to focus more on herself and is not fearful running against her rivals.

#Earlier in the day, Fraser-Pryce ran in heat 2 where she posted the fastest time overall in 11.28, while Thompson-Herah took heat three in 11.41 for the 2nd fastest time.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Shaunae Miller-Uibo

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AS a precautionary measure after a sub-par performance in the preliminaries, Bahamian Olympic 400 metre champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo opted not to compete in the women’s 100m final at the Star Athletic Sprint Showcase.

#In the heats of the one-day meet on Monday at the Montverde Academy, a private school facility in Montverde, Florida, Miller-Uibo, competing for Adidas, crossed the finish line in lane three in the preliminaries in fourth place in a sub-par 13.56 seconds.

#Sha’Carri Richardson, representing Nike, had the fastest qualifying time of 10.95. Kourtney Johnson, also of Nike, had the next best time of 11.25, followed by Kimberley Williams, who was unattached, in 12.11.

#The 26-year-old Miller-Uibo’s lane was not occupied when the final took place as Richardson went on to take the title in 10.83 with Johnson second in 11.15 and Williams third in 11.85. Miller-Uibo’s manager Claude Bryan, the chief executive officer of On Track Management Inc., said it was “just a mild discomfort so she opted for caution.”

#Pressed about whether Miller-Uibo would be affected for any other meets, Bryan declined any comments, but stated: “We’re looking for other low key opportunities for her to wrap up the season.”

#Miller-Uibo, who was unavailable for comments, has had a terrific season amidst the coronavirus pandemic that cancelled the remainder of the indoor track season in March and halted the start of the outdoor season.

#However, there were a few meets held in July where Miller-Uibo was able to produce a lifetime best of 10.98 at the Back to the Track: Clermont Series, which was then listed as the world’s fastest time to along with her leading time of 21.98 in the 200m last month as well.

#The 100m time enabled the 26-year-old Miller-Uibo to join a lofty group of just four women to run sub-11s in the 100m, sub-22s in the 200m and sub-49s in the 400.

#The list comprises France’s Marie José-Pérec (10.96 in the 100m, 21.99 in the 200m and 48.25 in the 400m), American Valerie Brisco-Hooks (10.99, 21.81 and 48.83) and Germany’s Marita Koch (10.83, 21.71 and 47.60, which stands as the world record from October 6, 1985.

#However, over the weekend at the Velocity Fest series of meets in Kingston, Jamaica, both Jamaican sensations Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah surpassed Miller-Ubio’s time in the 100m with top performances of 10.87 and 10.88 respectively.

#With Miller-Uibo out of the meet on Monday, Richardson came and picked up the sprint double, taking the 200m in 22.00 over Shakima Wimbley of adidas in 22.88. Johnson was third in 23.01.

#The 400m was also held with Kaylin Whitney of Nike taking the tape in 52.66. Carlin Muir of Puma was second in 53.45 and Lea Tshikaya, unattached, was third in 58.27.

#The meet also saw Trayvon Bromell of New Balance taking the men’s 100 in 9.87, well ahead of Justin Gatlin of Nike, who did 10.02. Miller-Ubio’s husband, Estonia decathlete Maicel Uibo, representing adidas, was 10th overall in 11.41.