The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SPRINTER Adrian Curry will have a chance to compete for the Bahamas' first medal today at the third Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

On Friday in his heat of the men's 100 metres, Curry posted a third place finish in a time of 11.03 seconds, which has been recorded as the 12th fastest overall. Winning the heat was Fabian Olbert of Germany in 10.93, the fourth fastest, while Shelton Keyrine St Rose of St Lucia was second in 11.01, the 10th fastest.

Curry, 17, will now run out of lane three in the fourth of five heats in the second round. He goes into the race with a lifetime and season's best of 10.43.

The two times posted by each runner will be combined to determine where they will finish at the end of the second stage today.

On Sunday, Shaun Miller was tied for sixth place with Kam Kampton of Singapore in the second stage of the men's high jump with a leap of 2.07 metres or 6-feet, 9 1/2-inches.

However, they both placed seventh overall when their first round height of 2.05m (6-8 3/4) gave them a total of 4.12m apiece.

Contrary to the report in Friday's edition of The Tribune, all of the athletes will have a chance to compete.

Long Chen of China held onto his first round lead of 2.13m (6-11 3/4) to take the gold with 2.22m (7-3 1/4). The silver went to Australia's Oscar Miers with 2.05m (6-8 3/4) in the first round and 2.22m (7-3 1/4) as well in the second stage for a total of 4.27m. Oleh Doroshchuk of the Ukraine got the bronze with a total of 4.23m with respective heights of 2.09m (6-10 1/4) and 2.14m (7.04 1/4).

On the track, Raymond Oriakhi had to settle for 13th place overall after he got second in the second of four heats in the second round of the men's 400m in 50.01. Improving on his first round time of 51.01 for fourth in the third of four heats, he finished the two rounds with a total of 1:41.02.

Luis Antonio Aviles Ferreiro of Mexico won the gold with his total of 1:34.23 in his two times of 47.45 and 46.78. The silver went to Kennedy Luchembe of Zambia with 1:34.34 (47.98 and 46.36) and the bronze was won by American Nicholas Ramey with 1:34.87 (47.60 and 47.27).

Also, Megan would have had a chance to redeem herself in the women's 400m after she finished eighth in her first round heat in 1:02.25 as she faded from first coming into the home stretch and eventually stopped and walked across the line in the final metres with what appeared to have been a hamstring injury.

But she didn't line up in the second stage where Barbara Malikova from the Czeck Republic took the gold in her two times of 54.18 and 54.68 for her combined total of 1:48.85. Marie Scheppanm of Germany won the silver (54.91 and 55.15 for 1:50.06 total) and Niddy Mingilishi of Zambia got the bronze (55.16 and 55.32 for 1:50.48 total).

Chef de mission Clarence Rolle said Moss is okay.

"She did not start today as she was managing her health," he stated. "She will have many other opportunities and will be a bright spot for the Bahamas for a long time."

The Bahamas only other hope for a medal will come from Matthew Thompson when he compete in the first of two heats in the second stage of the men's 400m hurdles. He will run out of lane seven with a lifetime and season's best of 54.04. In the first stage on Saturday, Thompson was seventh in the last of the two heats in 55.43 for 13th place overall.

"We are encouraged to see the improvements as the stages advances," said Rolle, who is assisted by Oria Wood. "The games are taking place during an off peak time for athletics, so no one has reached top form yet. But they have made full use of the time they have had here and we are very proud of their effort so far."

The track team is being coached by Stephen Murray.

Last week, the two-time swim team participated with Izaak Bastian turning in the best performance, making it back for the semifinal of the men's 50m breaststroke. He also participated in the 100m breast, 50m free and 200m breast. He was joined by Victoria Russell in the 50m butterfly.

The swim team was coached by Sara Knowles.

The Bahamas got a pair of bronze medals from swimmer Joanna Evans and quarter-miler Henri Delauze in athletics at the second Youth Olympics that was held in Nanjing, China in 2014. The initial youth Games took place in Singapore in 2010. The fourth Youth Games will be staged in Dakar, Senegal in 2022.