The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

MOSCOW, Russia: After the disqualification of the women's 4 x 100 metre relay team on a lane violation, there was some consolation for Team Bahamas at the 14th IAAF World Championships when the men's 4 x 100 relay team broke the national record for the third time this year.

The quartet of Adrian Griffith, flu-victim Warren Fraser, Jamial Rolle and Shavez Hart were the last chance for the Bahamas to get a medal on the final day of competition just after the team of Sheniqua 'Q' Ferguson, Shanuae Miller, Cache Armbrister and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie were disqualified as the winner of their heat after it was discovered that Ferguson stepped on the line on the first leg.

Running 38.70, the men's 400m relay team shattered the previous record that set by Griffith, Rolle, Trevorvano Mackey and Hart when they won the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Mexico in July.

Without the services of Mackey, who was withdrawn from the team prior to their arrival and the absence of premier sprinter Derrick Atkins, who is nursing a back injury, the quartet put their best foot ford in picking up a sixth place in their heat. It was won by Germany in a season's best of 38.13.

The Bahamas finished 14th on the list of performances led by the United States with 38.06. The eight and final qualifier was the Netherlands, who got third in the Bahamas' heat in 38.41.

That brought the curtain down on the Bahamas' appearance at the championships, marking the first time since 1993 in Stuttgart, Germany that the aqua, gold and marine uniform will not ascend the dais to receive a medal.

Going into the final day of competition, the Bahamas was sitting tied for 30th place with seven other countries on the placing table, thanks to Miller's impressive fourth place in the women's 400m and Donald Thomas' sixth in the high jump.

The women's 4 x 1 relay team's result was a big blow, along with the failure of the men's 4 x 4 relay team of Chris 'Fireman' Brown, Wesley Neymour, LaToy Williams and O'Jay Ferguson to get to the final.