The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Shaunae Miller-Uibo didn’t skip a beat as the newly wed returned to the Armory’s New Balance Track and Field Center in New York City and continued her dominance at the 110th edition of the Millrose Games.

Miller-Uibo, whose ink hasn’t yet dried on her marriage certificate to Estonian decathlete Maicel Uibo in a lavish ceremony that was held last weekend at Atlantis, repeated as champion of the women’s 300 metres on Saturday.

The 22-year-old who dove across the finish line in front of American Allyson Felix to secure the Olympic women’s 400m gold last year, pulled away from the field in the one and-three-quarter-lap race to win in 35.71 seconds. Americans Ashley Spencer and Natasha Hastings ran 36.27 and 36.88 respectively for second and third.

Miller-Uibo, running out of lane five, lowered her national record of 38.10 that she set last year in winning the Millrose Games title for the first time on February 15 as she posted the third fastest time in the history of the event and is now tied for the world’s best time ran so far this year.

“It’s an amazing feeling. I just thank God for everything. I was sick right after the wedding, but I’m getting through it,” said Miller-Uibo in a live television interview with American sportscaster Lewis Johnson after the victory.

“That’s what training is for. So I just came out here and I competed well. I’m just thankful that I started 2017 the way I did. I’m looking forward to it.”

Among those in attendance to watch the meet were Miller-Uibo’s parents, Shaun and Maybelene Miller. Shaun Miller was the proud father at his daughter’s wedding last week.

Prior to taking the gold at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last year, Miller-Uibo won the silver medal at the IAAF World Championships in London, England and bronze in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon.

Before she turned pro out of the University of Georgia, Miller-Uibo was back-to-back champion of the IAAF World Junior and Youth Championships.

BAHAMIAN

CONNECTION

AT THE TYSON

INVITATIONAL

While Miller-Uibo was making headlines in New York, a number of Bahamians were holding their own at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

On the track, Purdue’s senior Devynne Charlton clocked 8.02 for second in the final of the women’s 60m hurdles behind LSU’s junior Mikiah Brisco, the winner in 7.98. Charlton qualified with the third fastest time of 8.15.

Charlton also ran 23.99 for 15th place overall in the women’s 200m that another Bahamian Ronnecie Ferguson place 41st overall in 25.58.

Charlton’s teammate Carmiesha Cox was 14th overall in the women’s 60m in 7.39. The event also saw one half of the Grand Bahamian twin sisters Brianne Bethel turn in a time of 7.52 for 24th place.

Brianne and Brittni Bethel, the other twin, are freshmen at the University of Houston where veteran sprinter Debbie Ferguson is an assistant coach.

And Shaquania Dorsett, another Grand Bahamian, got eighth in the women’s 400m. The sophomore at Florida State ran 54.44.

Nebraska’s junior Kaiwan Culmer came through with a fifth place finish in the men’s triple jump after he cleared 16.06 metres or 52-feet, 8 ¼-inches. Clive Pullen, a senior at Arkansas, won with 17.19m (56-4 ¾).

Also on the field, LaQuan Nairn, a freshman at South Plains, was fourth in the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.80m (25-7 ¼).