The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RIO de Janeiro, Brazil — Just like that, it’s down to the final two days of competition at the 2016 Olympic Games. Can’t believe that time has passed by that quickly.

While the jury is still out on the performances of Team Bahamas with the final two events to be contested in the preliminaries of both the men and women 4 x 400 metre relay today and hopefully the final on Saturday, here’s just a snippet of some of my most memorable experiences here so far.

Diving for Gold

Shaunae Miller did what any athlete would do and what many thought about doing to get the edge over American Allyson Felix to claim the gold in the women’s 400 metres.

She could have used the excuse that the track at the Olympic Stadium was still moist from the pouring rain that had delayed the men’s 110m hurdles at the start of the evening competition. Or she could have suggested that she saw Brazil’s Joao Vitor de Oliveira do it first in the preliminaries of the men’s hurdles after the rain subsided and nobody complained.

Like we say in basketball, a win is a win, no matter whether it’s by one point or a blowout.

She did it fair and square and was rightfully awarded her hardware. It was certainly worth the weight in gold.

Star is born

Who would have thought that in competing in the event in one year that Pedrya Seymour would emerge as the next star for Team Bahamas.

Many expected Miller to shine and there were others who were projected to do it before and after her. But while she confidently produced the most steady performance through the rounds, Seymour almost accomplished her feat.

Her goal of becoming an Olympic medallist was hampered by the clipping of the last of 10 hurdles.

But to leave the games after lowering her national record in the semi-final and ending up sixth in the final, Seymour has set the stage to what could be an exciting showdown next year. She shined brightly in the spotlight.

My biggest

disappointment

As a Bahamian it was hard to watch as Jeffery Gibson struggled to make it around the track in the men’s 400 metre preliminaries, primarily because so much more was expected of him, until he revealed how he came into the games hurt. Whether it was a wise decision or not on his path, it was an uncharacteristic performance from the best male athlete a year ago.

The injury bug set in and it hampered his performance.

But it’s no excuse to come to the biggest stage in sports and not be fully prepared to compete. And that’s not just for Gibson, but all of those athletes who didn’t live up to their expectations. I can understand that these are the Olympics and they only come around every four years.

You just need to be better prepared or don’t compete at all.

Farewell to the ‘Fireman’

It’s the farewell for the Bahamian male ambassador for track and field as Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown completed his final 400m in the men’s preliminaries.

Running out of lane one, the 37-year-old male captain was unsuccessful in his bid to chase down the field and as a result was denied the opportunity to advance. He will complete his fifth and final appearance at the games without the one individual medal that has eluded his career - the Olympics.

But before he’s done, Brown said he doesn’t mind settling for another in the men’s 4 x 400m relay as the Bahamas gets set to defend its title tonight in the preliminaries. Brown has had a stellar career and it will be a big miss because he has provided the stability for the quarter-milers, not just at home but worldwide, over the years.

He will be missed when it’s all said and done.

Passing the baton

Although she didn’t get to compete in what would have been her final Olympic Games as well as the women’s 4 x 100m didn’t qualify, veteran Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie has been a role model to her peers, including double national champion Ty’Nia Gaither, who has participated in both sprints here, making the semi-final of the 200m after her disappointment in falling short in the 100m.

It was so refreshing to see how Ferguson-McKenzie has taken Gaither under her wings in the Games Village as I watched them manoeuvre.

Ferguson-McKenzie’s role here is an important one because the female athletes need someone like her who has been there and done it, similar to what Brown is trying to do with the quarter-milers before he too makes his exit.

She has always been an inspiration on and off the track.

Over the next two days, the Bahamas will complete its appearance here in Rio before the games come to a close on Sunday.

There have been so many outstanding and disappointing performances and unforgettable moments that I know I will take with me and share with those who are interested.

But it has been a wonderful experience here in Rio, despite all of the negative publicity prior to the start of the games.

I got to see an unbelievable world record run by South African Wadye van Niekerk, a near attempt by Kenyan David Rudisha, the sterling 5,000 metres by Great Britain’s Mo Farah and the continued dominance in the sprints by the Jamaicans, just to name a few.

But I will cherish the moment I spent with Shaunae Miller after she received her medal for her sensational performance in the 400m.

Even if I had to watch a lot of swimming at the end of it.