The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHILE she continues to put herself in a unique position heading into Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August, quartermiler Shaunae Miller will be hard pressed with the decision on which event she will compete in at the 2016 Olympic Games.

On Saturday in the inaugural JN Racers Grand Prix meet in Kingston, Jamaica, Miller lowered her national record in the women’s 200 metres to 22.05 seconds to snatch the victory.

Improving on her previous record of 22.14 that she ran in another meet in Kingston, Miller finished with the third fastest time in the world so far this year.

The 22-year-old adds the performance to her world- leading time of 49.69 that she ran at the Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational in April, leaving her as a bonafide contender for both events in Rio.

Miller said she had one ultimate goal going into Kingston and she achieved that.

“Everything went well,” she told The Tribune. “I give God all the thanks and praise for the opportunity to compete and finish the race healthy. I’m excited with how things are going.”

Now with just over a month to go before the biggest sporting spectacular is staged in Rio, Miller said she’s awaiting the final decision from her coaching staff.

“My coaches know exactly what they’re doing,” she said. “We’re happy to see where we are at but we also have a lot to work on. But we will be ready in time for the Olympics.”

Both events will require competitors to run three rounds in order to determine the medallists. But the schedule for the two events is too compacted for any competitor to go for the double.

The first round of the women’s 400m is scheduled for Saturday, August 13 with the semifinal on Sunday, August 14. The final is on Monday, August 15. Just before the 400m final, the first round of the women’s 200m will be held in a space of two hours. The semifinal is on Tuesday, August 16 and the final is set for Wednesday, August 17.

“As far as Rio is concerned, the final decision always lies with my coaches,” Miller stressed. “Whatever they want me to do I’ll do. I trust my coaches.”

Miller, however, hinted that she maybe leaning more towards her specialty in the one-lap race as opposed to the shorter half-lapper.

“The bend really didn’t go as planned but that’s something we’ll have to work on,” she pointed out. “I actually didn’t think the time would have been so fast. I actually thought the time would have been around 22.4 but I have so much to be thankful for. “

Despite her sentiments, Miller admitted that it was truly an exciting meet to be a part of.

“It was by far one of the best meets I’ve ever been too and all the other athletes agreed,” she summed up.

She now turns her attention on the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Open Track and Field Championships, scheduled for June 24-25 at the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

For those who are wondering, she has indicated that she will be coming home to run in the 400m and not the 200m.