The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SOPOT, Poland — Let the 15th version of the International Amateur Athletic Federatiion (IAAF) World Indoor Championships begin today at Ergo Arena.

The Bahamas’ 11-member team, managed by Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) president Mike Sands and coached by Rupert Gardiner and Keith Parker, will swing into action in the first session this morning with potential medallist Shaunae Miller leading the pack.

The new professional athlete, who abandoned the rest of her collegiate eligibility at the University of Georgia, will be one of two athletes competing in the early segment. She will be joined by multiple medallist Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown.

Immediately following an opening ceremony where there will be no athletes carrying the flags for their respective countries, sprinters Warren Fraser and Adrian Griffith will race up the straight away on the inside of the 200-metre track in the men’s 60 metres. Both Miller and Brown are anticipated to be back for the semifinal of their events to put a cap on day one.

The team, which arrived here on Tuesday night, has settled in at the Golden Tulip, one of the six venues that are being used as the homes for the more than 600 athletes from 150-member countries.

Miller in heat four

Although she only ran one 400m indoors this year, a 53.34 seconds that has placed her eighth on the performance list coming in, Miller is hoping to benefit from her three spectacular showings in the 300m that have been listed on top of the world. She will be running her preliminary round out of lane five in heat three. She has the fastest personal best time of the six competitors of 50.88, but only Kseniya Ryzhova of Russia has ran the fastest this year at 51.03, which is pegged at No.2.

The top performer so far this year is American Francena McCorory, who has done 50.85. She will run out of the last of four heats.

Unlike the 400m outdoors, runners will get the opportunity to cross over in lane one in the two-lap race. It will come down to who manueuvers their way around the track the best to come out on top.

The first two in each of the four heats and the next four fastest times will qualify to come back to run in the semifinal tonight. The final will be contested on Saturday at 1:40pm.

Brown in men’s 400m

Like Miller, Brown is also a favourite to win a medal. The difference is he has done it four times - once as a gold medallist and three times, including his last appearance in Istanbul, Turkey - as a bronze medallist.

Brown is looking to continue his streak when he contests the last of the six heats in the men’s 400m today. He will run out of lane six with the world leading time of 45.93.

Again, the first two finishers in each heat and the next two fastest times will advance to the semis, which will also be contested in the evening session.

Fraser and Griffith in 60m

It’s very rare to see two competitors on the runway for the Bahamas in the men’s 60 metres. In fact, it’s virgin territory for both Warren Fraser and Adrian Griffith as they carry the flag in the first event following the opening ceremonies.

Fraser, fresh off his collegiate eligibility at Clemson, has the best time of the duo in 6.54 seconds, which is ninth on the world list this year. Griffith has done 6.63, which is 23rd.

When their prelims are run, Fraser will be first out of the blocks in heat three, lane seven. Only Jason Rodgers of St Kitts has ran faster in 6.52. Griffith will follow in heat five, lane six. Femi Ogunode of Qatar has the fastest time in the heat of 6.51.

The rest of the Bahamian contingent will be competing on Saturday.

Sheniqua ‘Q’ Ferguson will open the day in the women’s 60m prelims, followed by the men’s 4 x 400m relay team, including Ramon Miller, Michael Mathieu, LaToy Williams and Andretti Bain with Donald Thomas and Ryan Ingraham wrapping up the session in the men’s high jump.

This is the first time that Poland has hosted the World Indoors, but there have been other events here, including the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1987 in Warsaw.

Bydgoszcz also hosted World Cross Country Championships in 2010 and 2013, along with the IAAF World Youth Championships in 1999 and the 2008 IAAF World Junior Championships in 2008.

The Ergo Arena, a multiple-purpose indoor arena that was opened in 2010, sits on the boundary of two cities - Sopot and Gdansk. It has a seating capacity of 11,409, which the IAAF is hoping will be sold out all three days.

The IAAF is offering more than $2.5 million in cash prizes ranging from $40,000 for first place to $4,000 for sixth place and a bonus $50,000 for any (world) record broken during the competition.

• The Tribune’s senior sports reporter Brent Stubbs will be covering the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, March 7-9.

Check out our full coverage of stories and photos on tribune242.com@tribune242.

The team, made up of two women and nine men, is expected to compete in the three days of intense competition between the 143 registered countries.

The 11 athletes will be among the list of 600 that will be in the event, one of the largest in the 29-year history since the inaugural event - known back then as the World Indoor Games - which began with just 319 athletes from 69 countries.

EVENTS SCHEDULE:

Day one morning - Friday, March 7

4:05pm - Women’s 400m heats - Shaunae Miller

4:45am - Men’s 400m - Chris Brown

Day one afternoon session - Friday, May 7

12:35pm - Men’s 60m heats - Warren Fraser and Adrian Griffith

3:25pm - Men’s 400m semifinal - Chris Brown

Day two morning session - Saturday, March 8

4:40am - Women’s 60m heats - Sheniqua Ferguson

5:50am - Men’s 4 x 400m relay heats - Chris Brown, Ramon Miller, Latoy Williams, Andretti Bain and Michael Mathieu

6:05am - Men’s high jump qualifying round - Donald Thomas and Ryan Ingraham

Day two afternoon session - Saturday, March 8

12:30pm - Men’s 60m semifinal - Warren Fraser and Adrian Griffith

1:40pm - Women’s 400m final - Shaunae Miller

2:30pm - Men’s 400m final - Chris Brown

3pm - Men’s 60m final - Warren Fraser and Adrian Griffith

Day three final session - Sunday, March 9

9:15am - Women’s 60m semifinal - Sheniqua Ferguson

10:30am - Men’s high jump final - Donald Thomas and Ryan Ingraham

12:05pm - Women’s 60m final - Sheniqua Ferguson

12:40pm - Men’s 4 x 400m relay final - Chris Brown, Ramon Miller, Latoy Williams, Andretti Bain and Michael Mathieu