The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ATHLETICS moved to the forefront in competition for Team Bahamas yesterday at the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

The eight-member team, the largest of the four disciplines for the Bahamas, opened competition at the Nanjing OSC Stadium led by quarter-miler Henri Delauze.

He finished second in heat two of the men’s 400m in a time of 47.44s. He was just edged out by Alemu Lama of Ethiopia who finished first in a season’s best time of 47.42s, a new personal best. Kashief King of Trinidad and Tobago was third in 48.66s.

As one of the top eight finishers in the field, Delauze advanced to the A Final, which takes place on Saturday. Delauze will run out of lane nine and goes into the final tied with Ben Vedel of Denmark for the fourth fastest time this season of 47.06s.

Martin Manley of Jamaica has posted the fastest time of the field this season in 46.24s.

In the women’s discus qualification, Serena Brown finished no.12 in the field of 16, with a throw of of 38.90m. Brown, who came in with a season’s best of 42.37m, managed just two successful throws in her four attempts. Her recorded mark came on her second attempt, while her final throw went for 36.89m. She will compete in Saturday’s B Final with the eighth thrower relegated to the second flight.

In the men’s 110m hurdles, Tavonte Mott raced to a personal and season’s best time of 13.86s to finish fourth in heat three. Germany’s Henrik Hannemann took the heat in 13.55s, followed by David Zebrowski of Poland in 13.64s and Joshuan Mora of Colombia in 13.66s. Mott finished just outside the top eight qualified for Saturday’s B Final.

World junior champion Jaheel Hyde, of Jamaica, finished with the fastest qualifying time of the field in 13.16s.

In the women’s 400m, Shaquania Dorsett finished fourth in heat two in 55.74s. Canada’s Kyra Constantine took the heat in 54.24s. Dorsett will advance to the B Final this Saturday where she will run out of lane six.

Sailing was the only other discipline contested yesterday with Bahamian flag-bearer Paul de Souza taking to the water at the Jinniu Lake Sailing venue in the Byte CII - Men’s One Person Dinghy.

De Souza finished 13th in race five, 14th in race six, and 18th in race seven to complete the day. He is currently ranked no.21 in the 30-man fleet. Each of the four disciplines will compete today at their respective venues.

On the track, Jenae Ambrose is slated to run out of heat one of the women’s 100m and Tyler Bowe will be in heat four of the men’s 100m.

Following the historic bronze medal triumph of Joanna Evans, the swim team returns to the pool when Dustin Tynes will compete in the last of the five heats in lane two of the men’s 50m breaststroke.

And in tennis, Rasheed Carey and Simona Heinova of the Czech Republic will face Dabin Kim and Duckhee Lee of South Korea in the second round of mixed doubles.