The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON: Steven Gardiner feels he's in the right company at the right time to join fellow Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo as a medallist at one of the major international track and field meets.

While Miller-Uibo returns as the athlete to watch on the 24-member team representing the Bahamas at the 16th IAAF World Championships, Gardiner has assumed the role of leader of the pack on the men's side.

"It feels good. This is my first time competing in London and so I'm here to do my best and to represent my country," said Gardiner, who will be the second Bahamian in action at these games when he runs in the heats of the men's 400 metres on Saturday.

"It's been good so far. A lot of wind, but at least the rain has held up and it's becoming a lot warmer right now."

As this is his third international championships - he burst onto the senior circuit after he closed out his junior career as a 200m specialty - Gardiner said he's just looking forward to going out on the track and performing to the best of his ability.

"This year so far, I've had an amazing season. I got a new coach so I'm just taking things differently," he said. "Everything has changed. It's so different, so I'm just looking at going out there and doing my best.

"Me and coach have a very good relationship. We actually have some very good conversations, which is good. I'm in a new environment, new coach and everyone is happy for me, including my management and agent. So I just have to go out there and do what I do best and that is to run."

The holder of the Bahamian national record at 44.26 seconds said he's feeling so good about his progression this year that he's looking to dip under the 44-second barrier.

"The field has always been stacked, but everybody is not going to be at their best all the time, so this time I know it's going to be me at my best," he projected. "So I'm looking forward to going out there to compete."

Predicting a time for his performance, Gardiner said he's expecting to go 43 seconds because "I've been having some great practices so far. I'm almost there at 43, so why not go for it?"

And while everybody has expressed their concerns about whether or not he can take the pressure of running the gruelling three rounds, Gardiner said he's more ready than he's ever been.

"I think I'e gotten better because for the past three weeks, I wasn't on the circuit. I was actually at practice doing the rounds," he pointed out.

"One day I would have a broken 400, like a 3, 2 or broken 500. Then one day I went out and did a 400- in practice. So it's been going real well.

"For the rounds, I think I will manage because there's only one round per day and there's a day in between the semi-final and the final. So I will be able to manage it."

Now under the same management with Miller-Uibo, Gardiner said they both have the same thing in common.

"We do the same event and we're both fast and we get along very good," he insisted.

The only difference is the fact that Miller-Uibo has an individual medal, having won the gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Gardiner is still searching for his first one.

"I'm going for my own here," he claimed. "It doesn't matter what colour. I've never been to a final, but if I can get into the final, I know the medal will come. It will top my year off."

And after tasting victory when he and Miller-Uibo ran the first two legs of the mixed relay at the third IAAF World Relays, helping Anthonique Strachan and Michael Mathieu join them on the podium, Gardiner said he'd like to have that same feeling with his teammates in the men's 4x400m relay on the final night of competition here.

"We're looking good," he said. "Everybody is just waiting."

In the meantime, Gardiner said his concentration is on his 400m this weekend.

Miller-Uibo, who will follow Gardiner when he attempts the 200-400 double, said she's really excited for Gardiner because of what he's been doing this year and this is now the time for him to really put it all together.

"He's looking good," she stated. "I think he will do very well."

Miller-Uibo said she really wants to see Gardiner put his race together to get on the podium.

She admitted that it's going to be an interesting event to watch as world record holder Wayde van Niekerk from the Republic of South Africa will be looking to duplicate his feat from the Olympics last year in Rio.

The other event, she said, that will hold her interest is the men's 100m where Jamaican Usain Bolt competes in his final World Championships.

But after having seen all of that, Miller-Uibo said she will remain focus on her goals: trying to become the first female to complete the 200-400m double when she swings into action on Monday.