The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CHRIS ‘Fireman’ Brown didn’t enter, Demetrius Pinder withdrew from the final and Ramon Miller had to watch from the sideline nursing an injury.

Yet, in their absence, LaToy Williams still ran a blistering season’s best of 44.97 seconds to win the marquee men’s 400 metres on day two of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ BTC Junior and Senior National Track and Field Championships.

“I can’t ask for anything else,” said Williams, who was shy of his personal best. “I’m just happy that I was able to come out of the race healthy.”

The time would have placed Williams third overall at the USA Nationals, also held over the weekend with Gil Roberts winning in 44.53, followed by Josh Mance in 44.89 in Saturday’s final held simultaneously in the Sacramento State University in Sacramento, California.

Not taking anything away from the rest of the field, but with Pinder, who had posted the fastest qualifying time in the preliminaries on Friday’s day one, just imagine how fast they could have ran prior to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, at the end of July.

Given the fact that the BAAA could not secure the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium because of the hefty $50,000 per day being charged by the National Sports Authority, very few fans were in the stands at the original TAR Stadium.

That, in no way, deterred Williams from his goal.

In fact, all those factors seemed to have spurned him on even more as he held off Michael Mathieu, the runner-up in 45.53, while Alonzo Russell got third in 46.21 and Andretti Bain continues to make his comeback for fourth in 46.31 and visitor Danzell Fortson completing the field of competitors who crossed the line in 47.77 for fifth.

Both Andrae Williams and Wesley Neymour didn’t complete the race.

“It didn’t matter whether they were here or not, I still had to come out here and run,” Williams said. “It didn’t really matter. I just tried to execute like my coach told me to. So I went out there and did that. I’m just happy for the result.”

It wasn’t quite the result that Mattieu had anticipated, but he will still take it.

“That was kind of a concern for me. Demetrius was supposed to be in lane four and I was in lane three. I didn’t have anybody there, so I ran a bad race,” Mathieu said. “But I was glad that I was able to come second. I just have to get ready for the Commonwealth Games.”

Mathieu, however, was delighted to see Williams emerge as the new champion.

“LaToy is back in shape. He’s back in full form,” Mathieu said. “He’s a real competitor.”

After running the fastest qualifying time of 45.65 ahead of Williams’ 45.82, Pinder warmed up but declined to take lane four for the final.

“In the warm up, my hamstring wasn’t on my side, so I tried not to play it too close,” Pinder said. “I had a big injury season last year, so I didn’t want to experience that again, so I tried to play it close.”

In the absence of some of the top notch competitors, Pinder said he was thrilled to see Williams run the 44.

“To see LaToy do it as he comes back strong and healthy was good,” Pinder said. “You never know what would have happened if we all were there. You would have just had to wait and see. There will always be that question, what if?”

It’s still a wait and see mode for Ramon Miller.

With his left foot in a boot from a broken bone he suffered prior to the heats of the men’s 4 x 400m at the IAAF World Relays, Miller came out and watched the final with a lot of enthusiasm.

“It’s different as a spectator, not being able to be on the track,” Miller said. “It’s a different feeling, but I came out to support the guys. LaToy ran a good time and he say he’s back. That’s good to see in my eyes.”

For those who could see, it’s obvious the way he moved around that Miller is slowly getting back to full strength.

“It’s been about four weeks. A couple more weeks and I should be out of the boot and back in training,” Miller said.

Brown, the IAAF World Indoor silver medallist, had opted out of the 400 and was entered in the 200m. But he didn’t compete as there was a change in schedule from a two-day to three-day meet. He had booked his ticket to return home to Atlanta on Sunday.

Also on the track, fresh off his appearance at the NCAA Championships for Texas A&M, Shavez Hart proved that his victory in the men’s 100m was no fluke as he returned for the double in the 200m.

For starters, the 2013 World Championship competitor sped to the fastest 100m ran locally in 10.11 to dethrone Adrian Griffith as the national champion. Warren Fraser was second in 10.14 and Griffith had to settle for third in 10.18.

Hart, 22, came back in the half lap race to pull three other competitors in another fast time as he won the 200m in 20.57. Teray Smith was second in 20.82 wirth Trevorvano Mackey third in 20.83 and Stephen ‘Dirty’ Newbold fourth in 20.95. Blake Bartlett rounded out the top five in 21.19.

Moore’s Island’s Steven Gardiner won the under-20 boys 200m in 20.77, while Cliff Resias was the winner of the under-20 boys 100m in 10.70. Keanu Pennerman was the winner of the under-18 boys 100m in 10.56 and the 200m in 21.35.

Janeko Cartwright booked his ticket to the World Juniors by winning the under-20 boys 400m in 47.50 ahead of Kinard Rolle, who ran 48.12 for second.

“The race was good. I feel very proud of myself right now. I got out. My mindset was to run a 47 from the heats and come here in the final and really put it all out on the line,” Cartwright said. “We didn’t have the heats, so that changed things a bit. I had to do it all in the final.”

In the hurdles, Dennis Bain made his return home, taking the open men’s 110m race in 13.91 over Aaron Wilmore, second in 14.21.

“It was good to be back home competing again. The time wasn’t where I wanted it. I wasn’t competition sharp. My last race was about a month ago. But overall I thank God for the victory, no injuries,” Bain said. “The last time I was here was 2012, so it was great to be back home competing.”

Oneil Williams, out to establish himself on the distance races, took the men’s 1,500m in 3:57.83 as he ran away from Benjamin Najmin, who did 4:11.91 for second. Desmond Jones was third in 4:30.25.

Williams, however, didn’t contest the 5,000m that was won by Adelet Elysee in 18:36.42. Kardashian Armbrister was second in 20:11.63 and Leamshould Morris got third in 20:23.39.

Jeffrey Gibson was the winner of the men’s open 400m hurdles in 50.97. Patrick Bodie came in second in the two-man field in 52.95. D’Mitry Charlton was the under-20 boys 400m hurdles champion in 53.48. Xavier Coakley got second in 53.62 and Alexander Edwards was third in 53.93.