The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Quarter-miler Shaunae Miller and her management team will have a major decision to make in the weeks leading up to the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China in August - whether she will compete in the 200 or the 400 metres.

Miller, fresh off her appearance at home in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Open Track and Field Championships at Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium over the weekend, has qualified with one of the top five times in the world in both the 200 and 400m.

It’s the same dilemma that American Allyson Felix has found herself in as she too is now deliberating on exactly which event she will compete in when she goes to Beijing after she skipped the 200m and won the 400m national title at the US Championships as well in Eugene, Oregon, over the weekend.

“It is a mind game right now, but I’ve been running more 200s this year than 400s,” said Miller about her performance so far this year. “I guess before the World Championships, they will make the decision on which events I will get to compete in, so I have to wait and see.”

If it was her choice, Miller said she will probably look at her signature event in the 400m, but there’s a lot of argument for the times she has posted in the 200m, so it’s really a hard decision for her to consider right now. Whatever decision is made, Miller said she’s confident that she will continue to perform as well as she has been doing so far this year.

The 21-year-old is hoping to go to Beijing to add an individual medal to the World Indoor Championship bronze last year in Sopot, Poland and the back-to-back gold at the World Junior and Youth Championships in Moncton, Canada and Lille, France in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

The St Augustine’s College standout now enrolled at the University of Georgia while she’s pursuing her pro career, is listed as the second fastest competitor in the world in the half-lap race in 22.14, which she recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, on May 9. Only Felix has ran faster than Miller with her time of 21.98 that she did in Doha.

Miller is also the fifth fastest competitor in the world in the 400 with her time of 50.17 that she ran in Gainesville, Florida on April 24. Francena McCorory has the best time of 49.85 that she ran on June 26 in Eugene. Sanya Richards-Ross is next at 49.95 posted in the Jamaican meet on May 9, while Felix has done 50.05 in Eugene, Oregon on May 30 and Jamaican Christine Day has a time of 50.16 in Kingston on June 28.

What is creating the problem is the way the two events are stacked with their three rounds in Beijing. 

The World Championship heats for the 200m is on Wednesday, August 26 with the semi-final on Thursday, August 27 and the final on Friday, August 28. The 400m heats is scheduled for Monday, August 24 with the semi-final on Tuesday, August 25 and the final on Thursday, August 27.

What makes it so intriguing is the fact that on Thursday, August 27, the 200m semi-final is set for 7:30pm and right after the women’s 800m semi-final at 8:05pm, the 400m final is slated to be contested at 8:40pm.

“I’m in great shape and I’m ready for the rounds. I’m looking forward to putting down some fast times,” said Miller. “I am pleased with the times I have ran so far in both events, but I’m just waiting to see which event I will get to compete in.”