The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THERE were no medal-winning performances for Team Bahamas at the 9th IAAF World Youth Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia. However, a number of athletes recorded personal bests in a series of spirited performances against the top junior athletes in the world.

The Bahamas’ 12-member team produced one finalist and five semi-finalists, while several athletes also set new personal bests.

Team Bahamas concluded competition on July 18, finishing with the eighth fastest time in the co-ed 4x400m.

The Team of Branson Rolle, Donovan Storr, Dreshanae Rolle and D’Nia Freeman finished fourth in heat three in 3:28.24 seconds. They were unable to advance by virtue of Romania advancing as an automatic qualifier with a second place finish in heat two, despite a time of 3:29.40.

The lone field athlete of Team Bahamas, Serena Brown successfully advanced through the qualification rounds of the girls’ discus on day one. In the final, she finished 11th with a throw of 43.93 metres.

In group A of the qualification round, Brown tossed a personal best of 44.96 metres on her third attempt to finish sixth in the group. She advanced to the final ranked No.11 in the 12-member field.

Sprinters and hurdlers were able to advance to the semi-finals in their respective events.

Javan Martin and Perez Knowles competed in the boys’ 100m. Martin advanced to the semi-finals but finished fifth in his heat in a time of 10.69 and was unable to advance. He opened with a third place finish in heat three and finished with an automatic qualifying time of 10.61.

Knowles finished sixth in heat one in a time of 11.10 and failed to advance. He finished 36th overall.

In the 200m, Martin and Donovan Storr were unable to advance beyond the preliminary round in the 200m.

Martin finished fifth in heat one in 22.75 while Storr finished fifth in heat seven in 21.76.

In the girls’ 100m, Brianne Bethel advanced as far as the semi-finals, but finished just out of reach of a spot in last night’s highly anticipated final. She finished fifth in semi-final three in a time of 11.92 seconds and a final ranking of No.16 overall.

In the opening round, Bethel finished second in heat six in 11.88 to earn her spot in the semis.

Also competing for the Bahamas, Blayre Catalyn finished fifth in heat five of the preliminaries and did not advance with her time of 12.18.

Bethel also advanced to the semi-finals of the 200m but was unable to compete.

In the preliminary rounds, she finished second in heat three to automatically qualify with a time of 24.32.

Catalyn finished sixth in heat six with a time of 25.58 and was unable to advance beyond the opening round.

In the hurdles, Tavonte Mott and Charisma Taylor were also able to reach the semi-finals in their respective events.

In the boys’ 110 metre hurdles, Mott was able to advance to the semi-finals after he emerged as an automatic qualifier in the preliminaries. He finished third in heat two in 13.81 and will enter the semis with the 16th ranked time overall.

In the girls’ 100m hurdles, Taylor recorded her second personal best in as many days with a time of 13.85 in the semi-final. She finished seventh in heat three and No.21 overall.

Taylor ran a previous personal best time of 14.06 in heat one and was just able to advance to the semi-finals as the last of the 24 qualifiers.

In the boys’ 110 metre hurdles, Tavonte Mott was able to advance to the semi-finals after he emerged as an automatic qualifier in the preliminaries. He finished third in heat two in 13.81.

In the semi-finals, Mott finished fourth in 13.38.

In the 400m heats. Dreshanae Rolle turned in a new personal best of 55.51 and finished fifth in heat four. D’Nia Freeman finished sixth in heat six in a time of 57.34. Neither was able to advance to the semi-finals.

Branson Rolle competed in the boys’ 400m hurdles heats where he finished sixth in heat four with a time of 55.70.

The top juniors in athletics took centre stage on the IAAF circuit as the meet featured over 1,200 athletes from 154 countries.

The team was coached by Stephen Murray while Roosevelt Thompson serves as manager and Margo Major as assistant manager.