GOLD FOR SHAUNAE: Miller-Uibo wins 400m final at World Athletics Championships

Gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo after winning the final of the women's 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships on Friday in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo after winning the final of the women’s 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships on Friday in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

As of Friday, July 22, 2022

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Shaunae Miller-Uibo wins gold

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Scenes from Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s gold medal-winning race in the women’s 400m at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. (AP photos)

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Bahamian sensation Shaunae Miller-Uibo added the 2022 World Athletics Championships 400 metre title to her glittering collection of global medals on Friday night in Eugene, Oregon.

#Running out of lane three, 28-year-old Miller-Uibo ran the perfect race with a world leading time of 49.11 seconds.

#She surged ahead on the back stretch and was in control of the race coming through the first 200m as she made up the stagger on Dominican Republic’s 21-year-old Fiordaliza Cofil in lane four.

#Her only threat left was Dominican Republic’s world leader Marileidy Paulino in lane six, but by the time Miller-Uibo maneuvered off the final curve, she was in complete control, and she switched into another gear on the home stretch to separate herself from the rest of the field.

#Paulino, who handed Miller-Uibo her only defeat this season at the Ooredoo Doha Meeting on May 13, exerted some of the energy that had her listed as the world No 1 contender. She stormed back down the home stretch for second in 49.60, while Sada Williams of Barbados clocked a national record of 49.75 for the bronze.

#But the night belonged to Miller-Uibo, who was greeted by her husband Maicel Uibo of Estonia and her mother May Miller, who got to drape her with the Bahamian flag, as the nation continued its streak of winning at least one medal at every championship since 2012.

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Shaunae Miller-Uibo wins the final of the women’s 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships on Friday, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

#Miller-Uibo, coming off her World Indoor title in Belgrade, Serbia on March 13, has now won every global medal in the 400m, adding to her back-to-back Olympic crowns in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the world junior championship title in Moncton, Canada on July 22, 2010 and the world youth championship title in 51.84 in Lille, France on July 8, 2011.

#Miller-Uibo has indicated that this was going to be her final 400m at a major international meet as she intends to try to achieve some more historic performances in the 200m.

#Paulino, 24, beat Miller-Uibo on May 13 when she won in 51.20, with Miller-Uibo in third place in 51.48 at the Ooredoo Doha Meeting. Stephanie Ann McPherson of Jamaica was second in 51.69.

#But at the delayed Olympics last year, Miller-Uibo won with 46.36 – Paulino once again playing second fiddle with the silver in 49.20.

#While it was the first medal at these championships for the Bahamas, Devynne Charlton, coming off her first global medal with a silver at the World Indoors, is hoping to add her first outdoor medal when she starts her campaign in the women’s 100m hurdles heats on Saturday.

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Gold medalist Shaunae Miller-Uibo after her win in the final of the women’s 400 meters at the World Athletics Championships on Friday in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

#The Bahamian national record holder will run in the second heat in lane eight. She will be just ahead of Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in seven as they aim for a spot in the semi-finals and final on Sunday.

#Also competing on Saturday will be Ken Mullings as he makes history as the first Bahamian entered in the men’s multiple 10-event decathlon. The event will conclude on Sunday.

#And to round out the competition for the Bahamas will be the women’s 4 x 400m in lane five in the second of two heats on Saturday. In the pool to run are Megan Moss, Doneisha Anderson, Javonya Valcourt and Jenae Ambrose as they compete with Jamaica out in lane eight.

#Should the women get into the final, Miller-Uibo could be back, along with sprinter Tynia Gaither, for a possible leg. Anthonique Strachan is currently nursing an injury from the 200m semi-final and will be excluded.

#In addition to Miller-Uibo getting on the podium for her medal presentation at the end of Friday night’s competition, World Athletics’ Council Member Mike Sands, the NACAC president, presented the medals after the men’s 400m to American gold medallist Michael Normal (44.29), Grenada’s silver medallist Kirani James (44.48) and Great Britain’s bronze medallist Michael Hudson-Smith (44.66).

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