The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON, England — Quarter-miler Shaunae Miller is recuperating fine from her inability to finish the first round of the Women’s 400m on Friday.

Miller, the 18-year-old phenol from St Augustine’s College who is heading to the University of Georgia later this month, pulled up coming off the first bend in the one-lapper at the National Stadium with what appeared to be a left hamstring injury.

Jenn Davis, one of the team’s physiotherapists, confirmed on Monday that Miller’s condition had improved and it was nothing to be concerned about right now.

“With the change in weather at the last minute, she felt a cramp, but it wasn’t a tear or a strain. It was just the change in weather,” Davis said. “She felt a cramp, which she thought was a pull. She took several more strides and she felt it right tight again.

“But the good news is that it wasn’t any pull or strain. She just felt a bit of tightness and when I looked at her, it was what I thought it was, just a cramp.”

Davis said with a promising future ahead of the 2010 IAAF World Junior and 2010 IAAF Youth champion, the public should rest assured that Miller will be back.

In fact, Davis said Miller would have been ready to compete in the Women’s 200m, but the coaching staff had already withdrawn her after the 400.

“So she will just shut it down now and get ready for the next season,” Davis said. “There’s nothing holding her back. She’s been good. I haven’t had to see her. She’s had a couple of massages here and there, so she’s just enjoying the rest of her London experiences.”

This was Miller’s debut at the Olympics and her first major senior international meet.

The Women’s 400 saw American Sanya Richards-Ross hold off Great Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu for the gold in 49.55. Ohuruogu did a season’s best of 49.70. American Deedee Trotter took the bronze in her SB’s of 49.72.

Miller was coming off her fourth place finish at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain. She won the 2010 title in Moncton, Canada and took the IAAF World Youth Championship title last year in Lille, France, becoming only the first Bahamian to win both global titles back-to-back in any event.

She produced her personal best of 51.25 in a meet that was held in Grand Bahama. She had hoped to take her Olympic debut in a much faster time.