The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DAY three of the IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships produced another series of close finishes for Team Bahamas yet more athletes came up short in their bid to reach the final in their respective events.

At Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the Bahamas’ schedule featured the 200m which produced a trio of semi-finalists and the women’s 400m hurdles.

In the men’s half lap, Steven Gardiner finished third in semi-final three in 20.89s which placed him No.12 overall. Trentavis Friday of the United States was the fastest qualifier in the event in 20.35s. Gardiner was the highlight of the morning session for the Bahamas as he advanced to the semi-finals by winning heat four. The Moore’s Island native took the race in 21.10s, the ninth fastest qualifier in the field.

Ian Kerr ran to a fifth place finish in heat three in a time of 21.45s. His heat was won by Friday in 20.60s.

Friday was tied as the fastest qualifier in the heats along with Thomas Somers of Great Britain who also ran 20.60s, a new PB.

Carmiesha Cox and Kieanna Albury both advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s 200m but neither was able to claim a spot in the final eight.

Cox finished fifth in semi-final three in a time of 23.92s, her second SB time of the meet. Albury finished eighth in semi-final one in a time of 24.17s. Irene Ekelund enters the finals with the fastest qualifying time of 22.97s.

Cox advanced through the heats when she ran 24.18s and finished third in heat four. Jada Martin of the United States finished first in heat four in 23.62s while Kayelle Clarke of Trinidad and Tobago was second in 24.00s. Albury ran in the fastest heat of the preliminaries which produced five qualifiers for the semi-finals. Her time of 23.96s was No. 13 overall in the prelims. Kaylin Whitney of the United States took the heat in 23.31s, followed by Veronica Shanti Pereira of Singapore in 23.87s and Sarah Atcho of Switzerland in 23.94s.

Leya Buchanan of Canada finished fifth behind Albury and also advanced to the semis. In the women’s 400m hurdles, neither Bahamian athlete was able to advance. Mesha Newbold finished fifth in the heat two in 1:01.24s while Talia Thompson was seventh in heat four in 1:02.33s.

On day four, Devynne Charlton will be the lone individual competitor for the Bahamas. In the women’s 100m hurdles, she will run in lane eight of heat five at 2pm local time.

In the afternoon session, the 4x100m relay teams will attempt to reach the final. The women are slated to race in lane two of heat one at 9:05pm. They enter the event with a season’s best time of 45.47s.

The men’s event begins at 9:40pm and the Bahamas is set to race out of lane seven in heat three. They enter with a season’s best time of 40.35s. The top two in each heat and the next two fastest times will qualify.