The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian national record holders Jeffery Gibson and Pedrya Seymour just missed out on getting on the podium with a medal in their respective men's 400 and women's 100 metre hurdles yesterday at the Pan American Games.

In defending his title at the games in Lima, Peru, Gibson ran a season's best of 49.53 seconds for fourth place in a bizarre finish in the men's one-lap race.

Dominican Republic's Juander Santos led the race through the first nine flights of hurdles. When he got to the final flight on the home stretch, his left leg clipped the hurdles and after he crossed over he tumbled and fell.

Brazil's Alison dos Santos, who had gained enough ground to make it a battle to the end, surged ahead for the gold in a personal best of 48.45. American Amere Lattin got the silver in 48.98. Jamaican Kemar Mowatt bagged the bronze in 59.09.

In a show of sportsmanship, Gibson waited at the finish line and was the first to greet a teary eyed Santos as he eventually got up and made his stroll to stop the clock at 2:09.37.

Seymour didn't have any theatrics in her race, but she too missed out on a medal with her fifth place finish in the women's 100m hurdles in 13.12. Costa Rica's Andrea Vargas took the gold in 12.82, American Chanel Brissett won the silver in 12.99 and Jamaican Megan Simmonds came through with the bronze in 13.01.

Devynne Charlton, the other Bahamian entered in the event, didn't advance to the final.

Also yesterday, there was mixed results for the Bahamian competitors in the 200m. While both female sprinters advanced to the final, Cliff Resias failed in his bid to get into the men's final.

He was 14th overall after placing sixth in the first of three heats of the men's half-lap semis in 21.74.

Tynia Gaither, competing in the last of the three women's 200m semi-finals, was second in 23.06 for the fourth fastest time.

Double national sprint champion Anthonique Strachan also got second in the second heat in 23.41 for the eighth and final spot.

Brazil's Victoria Silva Rosa had the fastest qualifying time in winning Gaither's heat in a personal best of 22.72. Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce emerged out of the first heat with the second fastest time of 22.90.

Missing in action yesterday was Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell, who reportedly didn't arrive in Lima until the day of competition because of some problems with his papers.

The IAAF World Championship qualifier at the BAAA Nationals in Grand Bahama will now have to contend with just running in the pool for the men's 4 x 400m relays. There will be no heats with the final set for Saturday night.

The Bahamas has not won a medal yet, but Ken Mullings improved on his national record in the men's decathlon with a total of 7,517 points for sixth place in the two-day, 10-event competition that was split up on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Over at the swim complex, two Bahamians made it to the B final in their respective events.

However, the results for Margaret Albury Higgs and Jared Fitzgerald were not available up to press time last night.

Higgs advanced to the B final of the women's 200m breaststroke preliminaries in a time of 2:33.67 for 11th place overall. She had splits of 34.93 in the first 50m, 38.14 (1:13.07) at 100m, 38.51 (1:51.56) at 150m and 38.65 as she got fourth in her heat.

And Fitzgerald advanced to the B final of the men's 100m freestyle after he placed 15th in a time of 51.16, splitting the first 50m in 24.58 as he was sixth in his heat.

Lilly Higgs, sister of Albury Higgs, also saw action yesterday, coming in seventh in her heat of the women's 100m freestyle in 59.32. That placed her 20th overall and out of contention to move on.

In what turned out to be a busy morning session for the Bahamas, Davante Carey also came close to advancing in the men's 100m backstroke where he was 20th overall in 59.45. He did a split of 28.59 in his first 50m, placing seventh in his heat.

And William Tyler Russell placed 22nd overall in the men's 200m breaststroke. In a time of 2:29.37, Russell had splits of 33.51 in his first 50m, 38.97 (1:12.48) through 100m and 38.51 (1:50.99) at 150m and 38.38 in his final 50m for seventh place in his heat.

The Bahamas did not participate in the mixed 4 x 100m medley relay.

Today, Ariel Weech will contest the women's 50m free out of lane one in the third of four heats. Bahamian Ariana Vanderpool-Wallace left her mark on the meet record at the last games in Toronto in a time of 24.31.

And Gershwin Greene will swim out of lane eight in the third of four heats in the men's 50m preliminaries.

The games close on Sunday.