Home|Sports|Charlton, Strachan to compete in ZürichSports
Sheldon LongleySend an emailAugust 30, 2023 92 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
BUDAPEST, Hungary – The 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, might be over, but the season continues for a number of Bahamian elite athletes.
The start lists for the Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League Meet at Letzigrund Stadium in Zürich, Switzerland, are out, and a couple Bahamians will be in action.
Fresh off her fourth place finish at the world championships, Devynne Charlton will be back in action, competing in the women’s 100 meters (m) hurdles, and looking to book a lane in the Diamond League Final, set for September 16-17 in Eugene, Oregon, USA. Once again, Charlton will be up against a stacked field.
In the race are World Champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica, world championships silver medalist and Olympic Champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, of Puerto Rico, world championships bronze medalist and former world record holder Kendra ‘Keni’ Harrison of the United States, world championships finalists Nia Ali of the United States and Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland and Americans Alaysha Johnson and Tia Jones.
The only other athlete in the field in Zürich this Thursday is Pia SkrzysZowska, of Poland.
It will be a tough race for Charlton as six of the ladies have run faster than her this season. She recently went on social media to express thanks and appreciation for the support she has received this season and to profess her love for country.
“I’m proud to wear these colors and proud to represent my country,” she said. “I’m proud of the series of rounds I put together – running three of my four fastest times ever this week, along with one of them being a new national record. Coming into the meet, I wasn’t even projected to make the final but by the end of the second round, I was in medal contention. I’m proud of the season I’ve had so far, and even though it was shaky at times, I remained focused on the bigger picture, stayed the course, and held the faith in the process. As always, I’m forever grateful to those around me who supported me through this season. It means the world.”
After Zürich, Charlton will likely line up in the Diamond League Final in Eugene.
The other Bahamian in action in Zürich this Thursday will be Anthonique Strachan in the women’s 200m. She will be joined by the second-fastest woman in history over that distance, and two-time World Champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica. Also in action in Zürich in the women’s 200m will be Daryll Neita, of Great Britain, and five Americans inclusive of world championships silver medalist Gabrielle Thomas, Twanisha Terry, Tamara Clark, Brittany Brown and Kayla White.
Strachan has a season’s best and personal best time of 22.15 seconds, but five of the other seven ladies in the race have run faster than her this year.
Like Charlton, she is vying to book her ticket for the Diamond League Final. Following Zürich, the inaugural Wanda Diamond League Xiamen will be the next Diamond League Meet on the calendar. That meet will be held at Egret Stadium in Xiamen, People’s Republic of China, on September 2.
The Allianz Memorial Van Damme Diamond League Meet will be held at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, on September 8, and the Diamond League Final, the Prefontaine Classic, will wrap up the Diamond League season at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA, September 16-17.