The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

HIS goal was to go to Toronto, Canada, and successfully defend his Pan Am Games gold medal in the men’s high jump. But Donald Thomas had to contend with two Canadians who took full advantage of the home crowd to drop him down to the bronze medal spot on Saturday.

On the final day of competition in athletics on Saturday, Thomas had to settle for the bronze with his leap of 2.28 metres or 7-feet, 5 3/4-inches, relinquishing his title he won in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2011 to Derek Drouin, who led a Canadian sweep of the gold and silver.

Drouin, the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, 2013 World Championship bronze and 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, cleared 2.37m (7-9 1/4) to secure the title and Mike Mason, the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, picked up the silver with 2.31m (7-7).  

Also in the event was national champion Ryan Ingraham, who did a best of 2.25m (7-4 1/2) for sixth place. Ingraham, the 21-year-old 2012 World Junior Championship bronze medallist, reportedly had some problems with his jumping shoe after his first attempt and because he didn’t have an extra pair, had to tape it up to continue competing.

Thomas, 31, returned to the podium for his first medal since the last Pan Am Games. Prior to that, he won the gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and the same year won the CAC Games gold medal. He also won the Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2010 and the Continental Cup silver medal that year.

He will be going to Bejing, China next month to try and win another medal at the World Championships since taking the title in 2007 in Osaka, Japan, where he will not only compete again with Ingraham, but also Trevor Barry, who didn’t compete in Toronto.

It will mark the first time at the Worlds that the Bahamas will have three competitors in the high jump pit.