Shaunae Miller-Uibo (File photo)
#By BRENT STUBBS
#Senior Sports Reporter
#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
#FRESH off the end of what could be described as her swan song in the women’s 400 metres at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon a couple weeks ago, Shaunae Miller-Uibo returned to the 200 metres where she placed second.
#It was the return of athletes on the international scene after the World Championships as they competed in Chorzow, Poland, on Saturday where Miller-Uibo was greeted back with a second place finish in 22.35 seconds.
#Taking the tape was Jamaica’s world champion Shericka Jackson in 21.84 as the two athletes were among a group of stars from Eugene, who opted not to participate in the Commonwealth Games this past week in Birmingham, England.
#Tynia Gaither, who was in Birmingham where she got seventh in the 100m final but left for Poland the same day as the start of the 200m, was fourth in Saturday’s race in 22.70 behind American Jenna Prandini, who did 22.39.
#In getting back to what she called her “first love,” Miller-Uibo said she enjoyed the entire atmosphere in Poland.
#“I did not want to put too much pressure on myself and wanted to have fun,” she stated. “I think I’m going to skip the indoor season and just focus on the outdoors next year. This is a part of the preparation.”
#Miller-Uibo was also asked about whether or not she will join her husband decathlete Maicel Uibo and venture into the heptathlon, now that she indicated that she’s done with the 400m. She noted that “I am still not sure about multievents. Before the next season, we start with the endurance.”
#While she didn’t run the 400m, Femke Bol from the Netherlands took the title in a national and meet record of 49,75. Miller- Uibo, who left the world leading time of 49.11 on the board with her gold medal performance in Eugene, is still sitting in fourth place in the Diamond League standings with 16 points. Jamaica’s Stephanie-Ann McPherson is out front with
#As for the 200m, Miller- Uibo is also fourth with 12 points, while Gaither is sitting in seventh with 10 points. Jackson tops the chart with 23, followed closely by Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith with 20.
#The Wanda Diamond League encompasses 32 Diamond Disciplines, following a championship style model. Athletes earn points at the 13 series meetings to qualify for the final of their discipline.
#At the end of the 13 series meetings, athletes are awarded 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 points for ranking from first to eighth place respectively.
#The top six in the field events, top eight for the 100m-800m and the top 10 for the 1,500m and long distances will qualify for the final.
#In case there is a tie, the best legal performance of the qualifying phrase wins.
#The winner of each Diamond Discipline at the final will become “Diamond League Champion” and be awarded a Diamond Trophy, USD 30,000 prize money and a wild card for the World Athletics Championships with certain conditions applied.
#While the winner receives the hefty $30,000. The reaming eight places in order will collect $12,000, $7,000, $4,000, $2.500, $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000. For each series meeting, the winner earns $10,000, while from second to eighth, the figures are $6,000, $3,500, $2,000, $1,350, $1,000, $750 and $500 for the remaining positions.
#The Wanda Diamond League started in Doha, Qatar on May 14 and will wrap up on September 2 in Brussels, Belgium. The final will be staged from September 7-8 in Zurich, Switzerland.
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