The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOR the second consecutive edition of the IAAF/BTC World Relays, the Bahamas finished fifth in the Men’s 4x200m final.

The team of Blake Bartlett, Samson Colebrooke, Ian Kerr and Shavez Hart ran 1:22.26 seconds in the stacked field and improved on 2015’s time of 1:22.91 and a seventh place finish in 2014.

Canada won its first world relays gold medal and led by Olympic medallist Andre de Grasse, finished in a world-leading time of 1:19.42. The team also included Gavin Smellie, Brendon Rodney and was anchored by Aaron Brown. The United States finished second in 1:19.88, Jamaica finished third in 1:21.09 and Trinidad and Tobago was fourth in 1:21.39.

Canada was lucky to even advance to the final after initially being tagged with a false start penalty in the prelims, which was later rescinded.

Bartlett was the only returning member of the 2015 team.

“It was fun, a pretty electrifing run. There may have been some problems before the race but we didn’t let that phase us we just went out there to execute and we were able to do that,” he said.

Collegiate sprinters Kerr and Colebrooke considered the race an indication for improvement in the 4x100.

“The experience was great. I was happy I was able to be aprt of it. I think it gives us more experience in terms of the chemistry for our handoffs in the 4x100m,” Kerr said.

Colebrooke added: “For practicing just about three times I thought our handoffs were really pretty good. For 2019 it’ll be a totally different scenario, handoffs will be perfect and we’re coming to bring the gold home.”

It was a thrilling anchor leg from Hart that vaulted the Bahamas into the final after they finished second in heat two in 1:23.71 secs.

Hart, the former All-American at Texas A and M, said the youthful team has the foundation to contend in the near future.

“I thought it was really good. We had young guys performing at this level for the first time. You had the big crowd, it was a field with world champions, record holders, guys running low 19s, alot of sub 20 runners and we did well for the first time, no fumbling, no signs of nerves. We’re only looking up from here, all of these guys are under 24,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Canadians were able to gain a reprieve after a disqualification in the 4x100m and the near false start in the prelims.

“It did not go well [Saturday] but I’m glad we were able to break the curse, get the monkey off our backs and show the world what we are able to do in the relays,” Brown said.

De Grasse said: “It was a great run by all of us. We just wanted to keep the stick today, but we told each other to trust each other and be patient. If we could do that, we could come away with the gold today.”