The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

QUARTER-miler Ramon Miller became the latest Bahamian to attain the A qualifying standard for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia, when he finished second in his specialty in the 400 metres at the Exxon Mobil Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway.

The performance came one day after Bianca ‘BB’ Stuart soared to victory in the women’s long jump at the IAAF World Challenge de Dakar in Senegal on Wednesday where she just fell shy of the A standard, but went under the B mark.

The duo joined sprinters Derrick Atkins, Michael Mathieu, Jamial Rolle and Sheniqua ‘Q’ Ferguson who all turned in A qualifying times at the Star Athletics Sprint Series in Montverde, Florida, on Saturday.

All of the performances are gearing the athletes up for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations National Championships at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex next weekend, which will serve as the final trials for the worlds August 10-18.

For Miller, who ran the anchor leg on the men’s 4 x 400 relay team that clinched the gold at the Olympic Games in London, England last year, turned in his season best time of 45.58 to trail Youssef Masrahi of the Republic of South Africa, who won in 45.33.

“The race was okay,” said Miller in a brief interview with The Tribune after the race. “Thanks to God for health. I’m just trying fine tune until Nationals.”

It was Miller’s first race since he ended up third at the inaugural Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational on April 13 when he ran 45.84 behind Mathieu, who did 45.83 and Grenada’s World and Olympic champion Kirani James, who won in 44.72.

“My goal was to run the A standards in both races, but I didn’t,” Miller said. “I think those were B standards. I ran 20.63 and 45.58, a couple season best.”

Miller, however, said the performances are just an indication of what to expect from him this year. “The competition was okay,” he said of the meet yesterday. “A lot of top guys are off to slow starts this year. Expect (American LaShawn) Merritt and James. So I’m hoping to have a good showing at Nationals, God spares my life.”

Going into the nationals, Miller now has the fastest time posted so far this year.

Meanwhile, Stuart had her best showing on the international scene when she won her first title in Senegal. The Bahamian national record holder took the women’s long jump with her leap of 6.73 metres or 22-feet, 1-inch. The mark surpassed the Worlds B standard of 6.65m (21-10), but was just shy of the A standard of 6.75m (22-13/4).

CORRECTION

IT was incorrectly stated in an article on Monday that sprinter Jamial Rolle won the second of six heats in 20.51 seconds for second place overall at the Star Athletics Sprint Series in Montverde, Florida, but missed out on making the A standard for the IAAF World Championships.

Rolle, in fact, did attain the Worlds A qualifying time of 20.52 with his performance. The Tribune apologises to Rolle for the error.