The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Coaches Association’s Shaunae Miller-Uibo Bay Street Mile once again attracted a large number of competitors, despite the fact that the Saturday morning early raiser had to finish in the rain.

Competitors, in age group divisions for boys and girls from under-10 to open, competed in a run from in front of the Straw Market on Bay Street and concluded at the Bahamas Football Association’s Beach Soccer facilities at the foot of the Sir Sydney Poitier bridge.

As the patron, Miller-Uibo said despite he inclement weather, she was pleased with the turnout.

“It’s always a pleasure to come back home and do something like this for the coaches in saying thank you for what they do for the athletes,” Miller-Uibo said. “The turnout was great and even though it rained, it was still a good event.”

Miller-Uibo, still in a celebratory mood from her silver medal performance at the IAAF World Championships in the women’s 400 meters in Doha, Qatar, said she intends to continue to support the Coaches Association in sponsoring the early morning riser.

As for her off-season, Miller-Uibo said she hasn’t started preparing for the long trek to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in August, but she intend to be ready when she report to coach Lance Bruaman at Pure Athletics Inc. in Clermont. Florida.

The official results were not available, but some of the top competitors expressed their delight in being a part of the event.

Joel Forbes, winner of the past two cross countries, including the William ‘Knucklehead’ Johnson and the St John’s College events, said as one of the top runners in the country, he had to uphold his position for Quick Step Athletics Club, headed by coach

“It was competitive. I didn’t know that it would have been as competitive because I’m in the open division now,” the 20-year-old St John’s College graduate now attending the University of the Bahamas. “But there were a lot of good runners who pushed me.

“This season, I just start getting into track. I feel my mileage is much better, so I hope to go out there next year and run a personal best in the 800 metres, bringing it down to about 1:55. My endurance is very good, so I know with good speed work, I can make some things happen.”

Deandre said although he got some competition, he too was glad that he secured the win in his age group.

“It was a bit hard to run, but I finished,” said the eighth grader at Queen’s College. “I was happy to be here to run with Shaunae being here.”

Jadan, made his debut a successful one and he’s eager to compete again.

“I jogged most of it and just sprinted the last 200 metres. I performed very well and I had a good time, so I’m happy with it,” said the 15-year-old Lyford Cay School 10th grader, who competed in his first road race. “I was happy with my performance. It’s good to see my training is paying off.”

The middle distanced runner said he’s looking forward to next year as he attempt to run the 800m 1,500 and 3,000 metres in a bid to qualify for Carifta, was happy to meet Miller-Uibo, who presented the medals and trophies to the outstanding performers.

“It’s good to see her. I’ve never met an Olympic gold medalist, so it’s cool to see her,” he said.

JJames Augustin, another distance runner, was even more thrilled of his effort.

“It was good to competing again so many athletes,” said Augustin, an 18-year-old student at the Bahamas Vocational and Technical Institute. “I have the concept, so I just have to hold my pace until I got to the gas stations and I went from there to win.”

Lily Comacho, a 13-year-old grade eight student at Queen’s College, felt she was right on target with her performance.

“I worked my hardest and I trained really hard,” she said. “It was long and very tiring. At the start, I was really scared, but as the race went on, I got better.”

And for Comacho, it was good to be in the company of Miller-Uibo again.

“I met her before. She is so very nice,” she reflected.

DeKye said he enjoyed himself and the competition.

“I was thinking about how I’m going to run this,” he said. “I just let some of the runners get ahead of me, but I came back and I ran them down.”

The 14-year-old tenth grader at C I Gibson said it’s a great feeling to be with Miller-Uibo and he’s confident that she will repeat as Olympic champions next year.

As one of the veteran competitors competing, winning the women’s over 40 category, Eve Maycock-Dorsett said she was not going to miss the event, even though it was her second victory in the same morning after she took the overall crown from the organizing committee.

“I always like to compete in the local races and with Shaunae doing this for the kids, I think it’s a great thing,” stressed the 55-year-of Maycock-Dorsett, who was also inspired that Miller-Uibo decided to give back to the community.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, even though I just came from participating in the first Law Enforcement Race as the first female in the three-mile run and then I came here to do this. I do it for health reasons and it’s a good thing to get up in the morning and exercise. It helps you to avoid chronic deceases. I love running. It’s my passion.”