The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net. 


FREEPORT, Grand Bahama: Bahamian two-time Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo breezed to victory in the 400m Women’s semi-final at the NACAC Championships on Friday morning at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport. 

The 28-year-old Miller-Uibo looked relaxed and as always showed her Bahamian pride with her “pretty cute” ombre aquamarine-coloured hair.



The first heat of the semi-finals started shortly after 9:30am, with Miller-Uibo running in lane four.  

Conditions were hot but breezy and Grand Bahama fans packed the stadium early to see the quarter-miler in action on the track.

Miller-Uibo will run in the finals of the 400m on Saturday at 6.15 pm.   

“I just give God all the thanks and praise,” she said after winning her heat. This is going to be my last one for the season and it’s no better place to do it than home.”

“When I came in for the first rounds today, I just wanted to take it easy and get ready for the finals tomorrow.” 

Miller-Uibo, the world champion quarter-miler, plans to start training for the 200 metres. 

When asked whether she still wanted to give up the 400m, she said: “You know, a lot of people took it wrong, we said we are going to start training for the 200 metres, and we are still going to do the 400m throughout the season.

“It’s just we are going to get a little bit more speed based on this and focus on the 200m. But you know I love the 400. It is my favourite event and the best of them. It is the one thing I am not just going to give up.”

Miller-Uibo said that she plans to go out and do her best in the finals for the Grand Bahamian fans on Saturday. 

“For me, it is just going out there and giving my all, putting on a show for the Bahamian crowd, she stated. This is my last one for the season and you know we really have not been training these last few weeks, and so I just want to come out here and put on a show.” 

Known for her beautiful, flamboyantly-coloured hair, Miller-Uibo said she enjoys giving a little Bahamian flavour to her hairstyle. 

“I just have fun with it like I always do, and so it came out pretty cute,” she said. “Today I just wanted…to get a little bit of the Bahamian colours in it.”

Miller-Uibo admits that conditions were hotter than expected and that she is looking forward to the evening sessions on Saturday when she is scheduled to compete in the 400m Final, and on Sunday in the Women’s Relay final. 

“It is a lot more humid than I think all of us expected, but I made the best of it,” she said of her semi-final on Friday morning.   

When asked about the field of competitors, Miller-Uibo said: “You know we always bring a good field of girls and some of the best athletes in the 400m and the NACAC region, and so I expect the finals to be pretty good. 

“We have a lot of our girls who made the finals at the World Champs as well, and so I am looking forward to it, and today I think everyone ran pretty decent just to make it through the rounds,” she stated.

On a more personal note, Miller-Uibo says a prayer before her race. 

“I just say a prayer to God and just kind go from there. I don’t have specific things that I do to get ready. It’s just about going out there and having some fun. And you are more in that focused mindset and it is just pretty much what you've been training for all season long. You just want to make sure you execute it correctly and kind of relax.”

Miller-Uibo keeps a lean physique and when asked about her diet, she said. “After this, I will go a little crazy but for now it is kind of the same, not too strict, but not loose either. I try keeping a balanced diet,” she said.   

She is often told by people and fans that she looks bigger on television.

“Everyone always says that and I am like, wow, ’cause I always watch myself too on the screen… but I get that all the time,” she said.