The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON: By the time you read this, the 16th International Amateur Athletic Federation’s World Championships will be underway with a lot of expectations of the 24-member team in England.

The games were due to get started with the opening ceremonies just before the first night of competition.

Warren Fraser was scheduled to be first on the starting blocks for Team Bahamas in the men’s 100 metres. Fraser will be out to bring some respectability back to the men’s sprinting crop after the positive testing of one of the members of the men’s 4 x 100m team that competed at the 3rd IAAF World Relays at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in April.

The Bahamas has not seen any success in the men’s century since national record holder Derrick Atkins sped to silver behind American Tyson Gay and ahead of Jamaican Asafa Powell in Osaka, Japan in 2007.

Following Fraser, national record holder Steven Gardiner will be out to prove that, after changing coaches and moving into a new environment, he’s ready to claim a place as a medallist in the individual 400m on the men’s side.

After that, Shanuae Miller-Uibo will be out looking to add not just one, but two medals to the gold she secured at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Miller-Uibo has the track world buzzing as one of the top athletes to watch at these games. She’s being spoken about along with Jamaican legend Usain Bolt and Republic of South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk, both of whom are chasing some lofty goals of their own.

Competing next week will be Donald Thomas, who many are hoping to see return to the form that led to his triumph as the world champion in the men’s high jump in Osaka.

A year ago, Devynne Charlton was on pace to becoming an international star before she was hit by the injury bug at the start of the outdoor season. But she’s back and, if her performance at the NCAA’s is any indication, look for her to have a breakout meet, similar to what Pedrya Seymour did in Rio last year.

Outside shots of getting into at least a final are the other competitors, including TyNia Gaither and Anthonique Strachan in the women’s 200m, along with Teray Smith in the men’s half-lap race.

And don’t forget veteran Bianca ‘BB’ Stuart in the women’s long jump and Tamara Myers in the women’s triple jump. The duo were given an invite, along with Fraser, to compete in their respective events although they didn’t make the standard.

To me, the most interesting events to watch for the Bahamas will be the relays. The Bahamas has all four teams entered and it will come down to who coordinator Rupert Gardiner sends to the starting line-up and in what order.

Right now, I will make a prediction of the Bahamas coming out with three medals. I won’t say which events and what colours, that’s as far as I’ll go.

These are the World Championships where the top athletes come to compete, with the added incentive of hefty cash prizes.

And so it’s not going to be a walk in the park, so to speak.

If anything, it will come down to who makes the necessary adjustments to the change in weather as we are expecting all four seasons in one day.

So it’s time for the games to start. I’m off to get started on covering what we hope will be a great showing by Team Bahamas in London.