The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama - Shaunae Miller-Uibo ended her season at home in The Bahamas by winning the 400m finals and setting a new record on Saturday evening at the NACAC Open Championships in Freeport.

Cheers erupted at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex as Miller-Uibo finished ahead of her competitors in a time of 49.40 – a new NACAC record – replacing the previous mark of 50.82 by American Courtney Okolo in 2015 in San Juan, Costa Rica.

Her goal was to do her best to make the Bahamian people proud. 

“I just wanted to put on a show for the Bahamian people,” she said, smiling as she picked up her first NACAC gold to add to her array of medals in just about every track event in the 400m. 

For Miller-Uibo this win was for the Grand Bahamian fans.

“It is the end of the season for me and I know it is kind of winding things down, and I just wanted to come out here and put on a show for everybody, and have some fun,” said.   

“Just hearing them even on the walkthrough to the lineup, you know I felt the support and it is always an honour just to be able to come back home and compete, and this time representing the country at home. So, it is an honour, and I just give God thanks and praise for it.”

Grand Bahamians packed the stadium for the race which got underway at 6.15pm. Miller-Uibo ran out of lane five and got off to a great fast start.    

Miller-Uibo, the Bahamian national record holder at 48.36, said that she expected some stiff competition from the field that saw Commonwealth Games’ champion Sada Williams take the silver for Barbados in 49.86 with Jamaica’s Stephanie-Ann McPherson getting the bronze in 50.36.

“A lot of the girls that made the finals also made the World Championship finals as well and also the Olympics as well last year, and so I knew coming out here it was going to be a little bit stiff,” Miller-Uibo said.

“But like I said, for me, it is about coming out here and just having some fun. I wanted to show off a little bit in front of the home crowd. So, I am glad we were able to put on a show and make the Bahamian people proud.” 

Miller-Uibo, whose brother Shaun Miller Jr was competing at the same time in the men’s high jump where he placed sixth as Donald Thomas captured a bronze medal, said she was pleased with her record setting time.

“I am pretty happy with it, 49.40 is a pretty decent run, and like I said it is the last one and it was pretty good,” she said. “I am just glad I was able to do it in front of the home crowd.” 

The 28-year-old has now added NACAC to her collection that includes a gold medal in every major international meet, including the Carifta Games, World Youth and World Junior, World Indoor, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games. The only medal missing is the Pan American Games, although she got one on a 4 x 400m relay team at the Pan Am Junior Championships.

“I said I had gotten everything before, and NACAC too is a big accomplishment and we’ve pretty much ticked every box in the 400m, and I am glad to finally put the season behind me and go and rest a little bit,” she said. “It was the last one for the season, so I did it at home.”  

Her win in Freeport gives her automatic qualifying for the World Championships. When she was asked how that felt, she responded: “The main thing was just to come home and put on a show for the Bahamian people. I know a lot of them have not seen me race here before.

“But it was the last for the season, I got an automatic qualification, and next year we will be focusing on the 200m. So I am going to get some speed up under our belt and go from there.”