The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama — In what could be described as the best showing in the history of the event, the Bahamas wrapped up the 2022 North American, Central American and Caribbean Open Championships with a total of seven medals.

The competitive three-day championships, which produced a total of 22 records, ended with a bang for the Bahamas with the women’s 4 x 100m and the men’s 4 x 400m teams earning silver and bronze medals respectively in yesterday’s final day of competition at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.

Behind the inspirational anchor leg by Tynia Gaither, bringing the Bahamas from fourth place to second, the remainder of the team, including Printassia Johnson, Anthonique Strachan and Devynne Charlton, clocked a season’s best of 43.34 seconds.

The United States of America held on for the victory in 42.35 and Jamaica trailed in third for the bronze in 43.39.

“It was a lot of fun running in front of the home crowd, so there was no better way to end the meet than the way we did,” she said. “When I got the baton, I just decided to go for it. I was happy to be able to run with these girls. We had a lot of fun out there.”

In passing the baton to Gaither, Charlton, the bronze medallist in the 100m hurdles, said although it was a last minute decision to put the team together, they did very well.

“Everybody was well rested for the race and so I think that made the difference,” Charlton said. “I don’t remember the last time I got to run on a relay team, so for me, it was good to be out there with those girls.”

Strachan, who got the baton to Charlton, had to be treated after she completed her portion of the race, but she was just as jubilant as her team-mates with their performance.

“I think we were able to get the baton around. That’s what counted the most,” she said.

“I’m not really fond of relays, but I’m a team player, so when they need me and I’m available, I will step up and help out. But I want them to know that I have my speed, so the start should be mine.”

And Johnson, in getting the team off to a great start, said she just wanted to execute a good leg.

“It was good for us to get a relay team out there again,” she said. “I just hope that this will be the start of great things for us again in the relay.”

As for the men’s 4 x 400m relay, the team of Kinard Rolle, Alonzo Russell, Shakeem Smith and Wendell Miller produced a time of 3:06.21 for their bronze medal behind the United States in 3:01.79 for the gold and 3:05.47 for the silver by Jamaica.

“I felt great about my leg,” Miller said. “I was happy with the way things went. I ran pretty well coming off an injury, so I’m happy that they chose me to be a part of this relay team. I’m happy that we walked away with a medal.”

Russell, running in front of the home crowd after he had to sit out the men’s 400m, said it wasn’t the result they expected, but he was happy with the way everybody went out and performed for the team.

“We got a medal, so we can’t ask for more than that.”

For Rolle, who missed making it to the final of the 400 metres, running on the team was redemption.

“We had to bring home some hardware,” he said. “I tried to run my best on the first leg and get the crowd jumping a little bit.”

And after he didn’t get a medal in the 400m hurdles, Smith said he too was delighted to get one on the relay team.

“Despite we don’t win, it’s okay man. I didn’t think I would get to run this lap. I took a leap of faith,” he said.

“I had to put my big boys shoes and be a soldier. We did it. Even though we came third, there’s more to come next year. We will be stronger, healthy, more smarter. We will plan it well in advance what we are going to do.”

The men’s 4 x 100m team of Antoine Andrews, Ian Kerr, Carlos Brown Jr and Wanya McCoy ran 39.42, but it was only good enough for fourth place.

The USA took the gold in 38.29 with Trinidad & Tobago the silver in 38.94 and Jamaica the bronze in 38.94.

“I think we did pretty good with the time frame we had to work with these guys,” Kerr said. “We just wanted to come out here, represent our country the best we could.”

Andrews, coming off his gold medal performance in the men’s 400m hurdles at the World Junior Championships, said it was a blessing to run in his first senior meet on a relay team.

“It’s a blessing to come out here and represent my country at the senior level,” he said.

“It’s a blessing to represent my country.”

For Brown, also a participant at the World Junior Championships, he said as the youngest member of the team, he was thrilled to get the exposure and he’s looking forward to running with these guys again.”

McCoy said he’s looking forward to running with the team and he’s confident that they will be able to run “a lot better in the future.”

But he’s glad to be able to close out his year on such a note.

The Bahamas didn’t field a team in the women’s 4 x 400m, nor the mixed 4 x 400m relay.