The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE last chance at a medal for Team Bahamas at the 15th IAAF World Junior Championships faded in the final event of the meet, the only event where the Bahamas produced a finalist.

The team of Henri Delauze, Janeko Cartwright, Steven Gardiner and Kinard Rolle finished sixth in the men’s 4x400m relay in 3:08.08 seconds at Hayward Field in Eugene Oregon last night.

The United States set a world junior leading mark of 3:03.31s followed by Japan’s new area junior record in 3:04.11s and Jamaica in third and a new season’s best time of 3:04.47s.

The quartet headed into the final after setting a new national junior record Saturday night in 3:07.03s to qualify. With the points gained in the final, the Bahamas finished No. 55 overall in the field.

It was the first time the Bahamas failed to medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships since the 2006 edition in Beijing, China.

On day one, several Bahamian sprinters advanced out of the heats into the semi-finals of their respective events, including Kirk Lewis in the 110m hurdles, Delauze and Cartwright in the 400m and Keianna Albury in the 100m.

Lewis was able to secure the final qualifying spot in a 24-member field on their way to the semi-finals.

Despite the slowest reaction time in the field (.243), he recovered to finish third in heat five and receive an automatic qualifying time of 13.93 seconds. He went on to finish seventh in the semis in a time of 14.05s to finish at No.21 in the field.

In the men’s 400m, Delauze finished third in heat six and earned an automatic qualification in a time of 47.07s while Cartwright finished fourth in heat five but qualified with his time of 47.10s as one of the next three fastest times.

In the 400m, both Janeko Cartwright and Henri Delauze ran high 47s races and failed to advance. Cartwright finished sixth in heat two in 47.88s while Delauze was seventh in heat three in 47.78s.

In the men’s century, neither Bahamian sprinter was able to advance. Cliff Resias came in with a SB of 10.50s, but finished fourth in heat three in a time of 10.60s. Keanu Pennerman also ran well below his SB of 10.51s and finished fourth in heat four in 10.57s.

In the women’s 100m, Albury received an automatic qualification when she finished third in heat five in 11.70s. Albury was third in heat three in 11.76s, good enough to finish No.12 overall. Brianne Bethel finished fifth in heat five in 11.88s and did not advance.

Danielle Gibson failed to qualify in the women’s long jump and did not record a mark in her three attempts.

On day two, a day of close calls began in the morning session with LaQuan Nairn in the men’s long jump.

After scratched jumps on his first two attempts, Nairn finally recorded a mark of 7.29m to place him fifth in group A. The mark placed him at No.13 overall, just one spot out of a qualifying position.

The action shifted to the track when Shaquania Dorsett competed in the 400m. Dorsett’s heat five was the fastest of any in the preliminary round and fielded six qualifiers, however, her time of 55.53s in a seventh place finish was not enough to advance. Her time placed her 23rd overall.

D’Mitry closed out the morning session with a fifth place finish in heat five of the 400m hurdles. His time placed him at No.32 overall.

On day three the 200m was the main feature. In the men’s half lap, Steven Gardiner finished third in semi-final three in 20.89s which placed him No.12 overall.

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. Carmiesha Cox and Keianna 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. 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.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, neither Bahamian athlete was able to advance. Mesha Newbold finished fifth in heat two in 1:01.24s while Talia Thompson was seventh in heat four in 1:02.33s. Devyne Charlton was the lone individual competitor remaining and advanced to the semifinals of the 100m hurdles. She finished fourth in heat three in 13.36s.

The women’s 4x100m relay team was disqualified while the men finished third in heat three in 40.45s.

In event history, the Bahamas is ranked No.30 on the medal table after they won a total of nine medals - four gold and five bronze.

At the most recent edition of the meet hosted in Barcelona, Spain, in 2012, the Bahamas won a total of four medals led by Anthonique Strachan’s historic sprint double in the 100m and 200m. Ryan Ingraham and Latario Collie-Minns took bronze medals in the high jump and long jump respectively.