The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

HER dream was to become an Olympic medallist, but having fallen short of that goal, Devynne Charlton said she gave it all she had, finishing sixth in the women’s 100 metres hurdles final in Tokyo, Japan, in her first appearance at the games.

Having had to skip the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, because of a back injury, Charlton led Team Bahamas in a gutsy performance against the world’s best as the 2020 Olympics shifted into high gear at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium over the weekend.

The 25-year-old graduate of Purdue University, coached by Bahamian Lonnie Greene, surged over the 10 flights of 33-inch hurdles in 12.74 seconds as she watched newly minted Olympic record holder Jasmine Camacho-Quinn pick up the first gold for Puerto Rico in 12.37. With what turned out to be an historic final, world record holder Kendra Harrison had to settle for the silver in 12.52 and the diminutive Megan Tapper got the bronze for Jamaica in 12.55, becoming the first English-speaking competitor to win an Olympic medal in the event.

No doubt disappointed in her performance, an emotional Charlton admitted that it was all she had on Monday.

“That’s what I had today. So I am happy with it. I wanted to be up there on the podium, but it just wasn’t mine today,” said Charlton, as she tried to hold back the tears in her eyes. “I expected more, so I think that hurts more. It’s an experience that I have to build on.”

Her compatriot Pedrya Seymour fell short of advancing out of the semi-final after she got eighth in her heat in 13.09 for 21st overall. Charlton, on the other hand, had another spot with a second place in her heat in 12.66.

Medal hopefuls in the mix

While one final appearance is completed for Team Bahamas, two more spots are coming up and both Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo have placed themselves in the mix for a place on the podium in the men’s 400 and the women’s 200m respectively.

Against a stacked field in the men’s 400m semi-final, Gardiner, the Bahamian national record holder, proved that he’s ready for the challenge as he contends for his first Olympic medal in two consecutive appearances.

Already the World championship from 2019 in Doha, Qatar, the 25-year-old Abaco native won his heat in a season’s best of 44.14 as he held of American Michael Norman, who did 44.52 and Botswana’s Isaacs Makwala, third in 44.59. Left without a lane in the final is world record holder Wayde van Niekirk, fifth in 45.15.

With the third best time in the semi’s, Gardiner will prepare for the showdown in the final on Thursday in lane seven as he contain with the American duo of Michael Cherry in six and Norman in eight.

Also trailing behind him will be Kirani James of Grenada, the 2012 London Olympics gold medalist and 2016 Rio silver medalist in lane four with the fastest qualifying time with his season’s best of 43.88 with Colombia’s Anthony Jose Zambrano with the second best of 43.93 in five.

The race should be won in the middle of the pack and Gardiner will be right in the mix.

Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell will have to watch the big dance after he was out of contention in his heat of the semi’s, placing seventh in 47.04 for 24th place overall.

As the reigning Olympic 400m champion, Miller-Uibo said her concentration this year is on getting the medal in the 200m that has eluded her. Now on her third consecutive appearance at the games, Miller-Uibo posted a second place finish in her heat in 22.14 as Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, who missed out on a medal behind the Jamaican sweep of the 100m final, won in a season’s best of 22.11.

With the final set for today, Miller-Uibo will have to do it blind-sided as she drew lane nine with the entire field behind her.

The field include American world leader Gabrielle Thomas in three; Jamaica’s 100m medalists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Fraser (silver) in four and Elaine Thompson-Herah (gold) in seven. Ta Lou is in six; Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji in two and Namibia’s two rising young stars Christine Mboma in five and Beatrice Masilingi in eighth.

Anthonique Strachan, who gave it a gallant effort in her semi-final heat when she placed third in a season’s best of 22.56, will be looking in at the competition after she fell short of a lane with her 11th spot overall.

More drama unfolds

The Bahamas was scheduled to have three competitors in the 200m, but after not getting into the final of the 100m, Grand Bahamian Tynia Gaither opted not to contest the 200m. By then, it was too late for Team Bahamas officials to have fellow Grand Bahamian Brianne Bethel inserted.

Only three women from each country are eligible to compete in an event, but the Bahamas had four.

The Bahamas Coaches Association had petitioned the Bahamas Association of Athletic Association to recommend to the Bahamas Olympic Committee stage a runoff between Gaither and Bethel because they both opted not to run the 200m at the nationals, producing medical reports.

As a result, Strachan went up against Miller-Uibo and ended up as the fourth qualifier for the games. Team officials in Tokyo decided to stage a runoff in Tokyo between Strachan and Bethel over 150m. Strachan won and was allowed to join Miller-Uibo and Gaither in the event.

Prior to the runoff, the Coaches Association sent a letter to the team officials demanding that Strachan be included in the line-up and a runoff be between Gaither and Bethel. With immediate effect, Tokyo’s team manager Dawn Woodside-Johnson and head coach Rudolph Ferguson resigned from the Coaches Association as the treasurer and first vice president respectively.

Based on what transpired in Tokyo, there was another calamity as Rupert Gardiner, the relay coordinator reportedly got into a verbal confrontation with team officials and had his accreditation revoked and is now heading home before the games are completed on August 8.

Before the games are completed, the Bahamas will have one relay team in action. It’s the women’s 4 x 400m team consisting of Miller-Uibo, Strachan, Bethel, Doneisha Anderson and Megan Moss. High school sensation Lacarthea Cooper was left home after she tested positive for Covid-19.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold over the next few days as Team Bahamas continue to compete at the games.