The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas’ medal haul and place in the standings could increase today as four Bahamians will be featured in final events as IAAF World Junior Championships continue in Barcelona, Spain.

Anthonique Strachan, who has already inked her name into the history books, is hoping to cement her claim as the best female sprinter on the global scene for athletes under 19 years of age when she attempts to add the gold in the 200 to her 100 feat two days ago.

Strachan, the 18-year-old former St Augustine’s College standout now training in Auburn, will run out of lane six sandwiched between two Americans after she posted the second fastest qualifying time of 23.28 to win the second of three heats on Thursday. The fastest qualifier was American Dezerea Bryant, who clocked 23.11 to win heat three. Bryant will be in lane seven and compatriot Olivia Ekpone, winner of heat one in 23.49, will trail in lane five.

Bahamian Carmiesha Cox, competing out of heat one, failed to advance to the final after she finished fourth in 23.94 for the 12th best time.

Earlier in the day on Thursday, Cox got second in the first of seven heats in 24.08, while Strachan won heat three in 23.70. Strachan had the fourth best time and Cox was 19th.

Strachan, who will be heading to the 2012 Olympic Games following the completion of the World Jrs, put the Bahamas on the medal table with her gold in the century. The Bahamas is currently tied with six other countries for ninth place. Ethiopia (two gold, three silver), Kenya (two gold, two silver and three bronze) and the United States (two gold, two silver and two bronze) are the top three leaders respectively.

Jamaica is currently tied with Brazil and Cuba just ahead of the Bahamas with a gold and a bronze each for sixth place.

In addition to Strachan, the Bahamas will also be seeking a medal in the men’s 200 as Teray Smith will run out of lane two in the final. Smith qualified with a third place finish in the first of three heats in yesterday’s semifinal in 21.06. Jamaican Julian Forte won in the fastest qualifying time of 20.83, followed by American Aaron Ernest in 21.06, the same time as Smith.

Smith, Ernest and Zhenye Xie of China were all tied for the sixth best times overall.

Competing in the heats earlier in the day, Smith got second in the fourth of eight heats in 20.79, but Blake Bartlett was fourth in heat two in 21.41. Smith had the fourth fastest time to advance to the semis, but Bartlett was 29th, failing to move on.

Shaunae Miller, meanwhile, has returned to the final and will defend her women’s 400 title today that she won at the last championship. She will run out of lane seven as a rabbit for a pair of Americans, Ashley Spencer in lane six and Erika Rucker in five.

Miller, the St Augustine’s College graduate who is bound for the University of Georgia after she competes at the Olympics as well, won the second of three heats in 52.75 for the seventh best time. Rucker had the fastest qualifying time to win heat one in 52.05 and Spencer got the second best in taking heat three in 52.24.

Grand Bahamian Rashan Brown, making a sensational comeback this year after an injury-plagued season last year, just missed out on giving the Bahamas a 1-2 punch when she got third in heat three in 52.88. She is the first competitor looking in the final with her ninth place overall.

The fourth and final Bahamian into a final today is former CI Gibson basketball star Ryan Ingraham. The world leader will be the last of 12 competitors in the men’s high jump. He was tied with Falk Wendrich of Germany as the best qualifiers on Monday at 2.17 meters.

In addition to the four finals today, twin brothers Latario and Lathone Collie-Minns will be going for a double threat in the men’s triple jump final. Lathone will be the 10th out of 14 competitors in the Group A qualifying round, while Lathone will be number 11 out of a field of 15 in Group B.

The Collie-Minns duo will have to jump at least 15.90m or finish in the top 12 to advance to the final.

Also yesterday, Devinn Cartwright ran 1:00.72 for third in the third of five heats in the women’s 400 hurdles for the 25th spot overall to advance to the semifinal. Pedrya Seymour was sixth in heat four in 1:01.09 for 29th as she failed to join Cartwright, who will run out of lane nine in the last of three heats in the semis today. The championships will end Sunday.