The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The men’s 4 x 400 metre relay team of Michael Mathieu, Alonzo Russell, Shavez Hart and veteran Chris “Fireman” Brown saved the best performance for the last as they clinched the Bahamas’ only medal in the final event on the final day of competition as the curtains came down on the IAAF World Indoor Championships yesterday in ‘Track City USA’ Portland, Oregon.

The quartet posted a national record of three minutes, 04.75 seconds to pick up the silver behind the United States of America, the gold medallist in a world leading time of 3:02.45. Trinidad & Tobago claimed the bronze in a national record as well of 3”05.51.

The team was the only competitors to compete for the Bahamas as the four-day championships and their performances moved the country into a six-way tie for 19th on the medal chart with Australia, Spain, Hungary, Qatar and Serbia.

The USA, with 13 gold, topped the chart with 23 medals. Ethiopia was second with five medals, including two gold.

And on the Placing Table, the Bahamas finished tied with Serbia and Barbados at No. 30 with seven points. The USA once again dominated the chart with 259 points. Ethiopia was next with only 56 points.

For their efforts, the relay team got to share $20,000 for winning the Bahamas’ first ever World Indoor medal, the only one that has eluded Brown, who has ran on every international team that has won a medal from the major senior events starting from the Central American and Caribbean Championships to the Olympic Games.

Brown had opted not to compete in the open men’s 400m so that he can concentrate on getting a relay medal at the championships.

The previous national record was held by the combo of Dennis Darling, Troy McIntosh, Tim Munnings, the Director of Youth, Sports and Culture, and Brown.

In the 4 x 400 preliminaries on Saturday, the team of Mathieu, Hart, Ashley Riley and Brown ran a season’s best of 3:07.55 to place second in their heat behind Belgium, who featured the three Borlee brothers. Belgium won in their SB’s of 3:07.39 for the third fastest qualifying time with the Bahamas fourth. The Americans had the fastest time of 3:05.41 with Jamaica second in a SB’s of 3:07.30.

Also on Saturday, Donald Thomas and Jamal Wilson came in 10th and 11th respectively in the men’s high jump final out of a field of 12 competitors. Thomas bowed out at 2.25 metres or 7-feet, 4 1/2-inches on his third and final attempt, while Wilson made his exit at 2.20m (7-2 1/2) on his first attempt. They both cleared the opening height of 2.20m (7-2 1/2), but Thomas failed to clear all three attempts at 2.29m (7-6), but Wilson missed at three of his at 2.25m (7-4 1/2).

Italy’s Gianmarco Timberi took the gold with 2.36m (7-8 1/4), Robert Grabarz of Great Britain won the silver with 2.33m (7-7 3/4) and American Erik Kynard was the bronze medalist at the same height.

In the women’s 60m preliminaries, Tynia Gaither didn’t advance after she finished fifth in her heat in 7.41. Gaither was 28th overall out of a field of 44 competitors. American Barbara Pierre had the fastest qualifying time of 7.07 and she went on to secure the gold in the final in 7.02.

On Friday, the Bahamas had two athletes advanced to the semifinal of their respective event.

In the men’s 60m, Adrian Griffith got eighth in his heat in 6.71 for 22nd out of 24 competitors. Jamaican Asafa Powell had a world leading time of 6.44. followed by Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis in a season’s nest of 6.49 as he won the heat that featured Griffith. However in the final, American Trayvon Bromell saved the best for the last as he pulled of the victory in a persona best of 4.67 to snatch the gold from Powell, who had to settle for the silver in 6.50 and Barbados’ Ramon Gittens ran a national record of 6.51 for the bronze. Collins slipped all the way to eighth in 6.56.

In the men’s 400m semi’s, Alonzo Russell ran 47.07 for fifth in his heat that was won by Paval Maslak in 45.71. The Czech Republican went on to successfully defend his title in the final in 45.44. Russell advanced out of the preliminaries with a fourth place finish in his heat in 46.66 for seventh overall. Michael Mathieu, who had originally crossed the finish line in third place in his heat, was disqualified for stepping on the line.

And in the women’s 60m hurdles, Pedrya Seymour’s debut at the senior international level came to an end in the first round with a personal best performance. The clocked 8.15 for fifth in her heat that was won by American Brianna Rollins in 7.82. Rollins had the second fastest qualifying time behind fellow American Kendra Harrison in 7.81. Seymour, a last minute invite to the meet by the IAAF, was 11th overall.

American Nia Ali clinched the gold in a season’s best of 7.81 with Rollins picking up the silver in 7.82. The bronze went to Great Britain’s Tiffany Porter in 7.90. Harrison finished eighth in 8.87.