The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

OPTING not to compete in the rematch of the women’s 400 metres from the 16th IAAF World Championships in London, England, Shaunae Miller-Uibo decided to try her hand in the 100 metres yesterday at the Grand Prix Birmingham in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Miller-Uibo, however, got left in the blocks and couldn’t turn it on the stretch to catch the rest of the pack and ended up in eighth place in 11.37. Jamaican Olympic double sprint champion Elaine Thompson, shaking off her disappointing fifth place in London, won the final in 10.93.

Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the World Championships’ double silver medallist (100 and 200), came in second in 10.97 and Jamaica’s Jura Levy was third in 11.08. Netherland’s Dafne Scheppers, the 100m bronze and 200m gold medallist in London, was sixth in 11.22.

Earlier in the day in the heats, Miller-Uibo came in fifth in 11.19 and advanced to the final with the last of the two fastest losing qualifying times. Ta Lou took the heat in 10.94 over Levy, who did 11.15. Thompson won the other heat in 10.95.

Many were expecting to see Miller-Uibo go against the three medallists in the 400m from London in Birmingham. But in her absence, Salva Nasar, the new star from Bahrain, who shattered the national record in the three rounds on her way to the silver, took the tape in 50.59.

American Allyson Felix, the bronze medallist in London, held on for second place in 50.66 just ahead of her compatriot Courtney Okolo in 50.63. World champion Phyllis Francis could only muster a fourth place in 51.18. Three Jamaicans followed in order with Nolvene Williams-Miller (51-62), Shericka Jackson (52.08) and Chrisann Gordon (52.08).

Meanwhile on the field, Donald Thomas ended up in a four-way tie for seventh place with 2.20 metres or 7-feet, 2 1/2-inches in the men’s high jump. Thomas is coming off his disappointment in London where he failed to advance out of the qualifying round with 2.22m after he was 14th in his group and tied with another for 22nd.

Olympic and world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim put on another show as he posted a season’s high of 2.40m (7-10 1/2) for the victory. His nearest rival was World Championships’ bronze medallist Majd Aldin Ghazal of Cyprus with 2.31 (7-7). After the event, Barshim took possession of the bar as it was the final major meet for the year featuring the high jump.

Left on the circuit are the Grand Prix final meetings.

The first will take place at the Weltklasse Zurich on August 24 in Zurich, Switzerland where World Championships’ silver medallist Steven Gardiner will compete in the men’s 400m. It’s not known yet if Miller-Uibo will contest the women’s 200m. She will probably wait for the final meet at the AG Memorial Van Damme that will take place on Friday, September 1 in Brussels, Belgium, with the women’s 400m on the programme.