The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BOTH the men’s and women’s 4 x 400 metre relay teams secured a medal yesterday to close out competition at the NACAC Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, to push the Bahamas’ total to five.

The men’s team of LaToy Williams, Alonzo Russell, Wesley Neymour and Ramon Miller ran three minutes and 00.53 seconds for the silver medal. The United States took the gold in 3:00.07 and the bronze went to Cuba in 3:01.22.

Their performance came just before the women’s team of Lanece Clarke, Christine Amertil, Katrina Seymour and Adanaca Brown picked up the bronze in 3:31.80. They trailed the United States who won the gold in 3:25.39 and Jamaica, the silver medallists in 3:28.65.

The other three medals came on the field in the men’s high jump and the men’s triple jump.

In the high jump, Trevor Barry and Ryan Ingraham both cleared 2.20 metres or 7-feet, 2 1/2-inches, but Barry got the silver on fewer knockdowns as Ingraham had to settle for the bronze. Winning the gold was American JaCorissn Duffield, who tied the meet record of 2.25m/7-4 1/2.

And in the triple jump, Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands, still fresh off his Pan American Games silver medal, got on the podium again, this time with the bronze with a best leap of 16.53m (54-2 3/4) on his sixth and final attempt. Yordany Duranona of Dominica won the gold with 16.98m (55-8 1/2) and Josh Honeycutt from the USA got the silver with 16.57m (54-4 1/2).

Earlier in the day on Sunday, the men’s 4 x 100m team of Warren Fraser, Teray Smith, Johnathan Farquharson and Trevorvano Mackey clocked 40.33, but it was only good for eighth place overall.

And the women’s 4 x 100m team of Devynne Charlton, Carmeisha Cox, Tayla Carter and Adanaca Brown just missed out on getting on the podium with a fourth place finish in 44.28.

The three medallists in order were the United States (42.24), Puerto Rico (43.51) and Trinidad & Tobago (44.28).

Also yesterday, Teray Smith was seventh in the men’s 200m final in 20.66.

Lester Taylor got eighth in the men’s 800m in 1:53.31. The USA got a 1-2 sweep with Ryan Martin winning in 1:45.79 and Clayton Murphy the silver in 1:46.38. The bronze went to Jamaal Jones of Trinidad & Tobago in 1:47.07.

The Bahamas had four other appearances in the final at the three-day meet.

In the women’s triple jump, Tamara Myers just missed out on a medal when she placed fourth in 13.78m (45-2 1/2). Jamaica’s Shanieka Thomas got the gold with 14.23m (46-8 1/4), Ana Jose Tima got the silver with 14.21m (46-7 1/2) and the bronze went to American Lynnika Pitts with 14.02m (46-0).

On the track, Devynne Charlton ran 13.01 for sixth place. The USA got the 1-2 spots with Lolo Jones taking the gold in 12.63 and Tenya Jones the silver in 12.68. The bronze went to Kierre Beckles of Barbados in 12.88.

Christine Amertil ran 52.86 for seventh place in the women’s 400m. The United States saw Courtney Okolo win the gold in 51.57 and her compatriot Kala Funderburk in 52.22. Jamaica’s Bobby-Gaye Wilkins-Goode got the bronze in 52.45.

And in the men’s 400m, Alonzo Russell’s time of 46.20 was only good enough for seventh place. Trinidad & Tobgo’s Lalonde Gordon won the gold in 44.89. The silver went to Costa Rica’s Nery Brenes in 45.22 and the bronze went to Ricardo Chambers of Jamaica in 45.37.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is expected to submit its final roster to the IAAF today for the World Championships in Beijing, China, August 24-31.

It’s not known if any additions will be made to the original team that was recently named. The BAAA is also hoping that both the men’s and women’s 4 x 100 and the women’s 4 x 400 relay teams will join the men’s 4 x 400m team that has already qualified for the championships.