The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON, England — Ramon Miller gave it a gallant effort, but in his debut in the Men’s 400m at the 2012 Olympic Games on Sunday, in the keenly contested semifinals, he fell short of joining national champion Demetrius Pinder and veteran Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown in the final.

The 25-year-old, who was an alternate on the men’s 4 x 400 Relay team that won silver at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, ran 45.11 seconds for fourth in the last of three heats that was won by Luguelin Santos from the Dominican Republic in 44.78.

Self-coached Miller finished 10th overall, just two spots shy of booking his trip to the final. Brown got in with the third fastest time of 44.67, a season’s best behind 2011 world champion Kirani James’ SB of 44.59. Pinder was the sixth fastest qualifier in heat one in 44.94 for second. Trinidad & Tobago’s Lalonde Gordon took the heat in the fastest qualifying time of 44.58.

Not in the least disappointed in his effort, Miller said he went out and did what he had to do. “I executed to the best of my ability and I wasn’t able to come out on top,” he said. “There were a few technical things that happened, but I’m all right. The time is all right, but I have to put that aside and get ready for the relays.”

Running out of lane seven, Miller said he knew he would have been the “rabbit” for the field, but he went out there and stuck to him plan. It just didn’t end up with him getting into the final.

With both Pinder and Brown into the final and the United States without LaShawn Merritt, who went down with a hamstring injury in his first round heat, Miller said the Bahamas can look forward to winning the 4 x 400 gold medal on Friday when the final is held.

“We showed here that we are still here, so all we have to do is go out and execute,” Miller said. “We weren’t worried about LaShawn Merritt. We just came here to focus on the 400 first and then execute the relay.”

With sufficient time to recuperate, Miller said he will definitely be ready to help the Bahamas win the elusive Olympic gold medal at the Olympics.

Miller, however, missed a chance to add to the 400 bronze medals he got in both the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2011 Pan American Games that was held in Guadalajara, Mexico.