The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama — With the home crowd cheering her on at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex, Tynia Gaither powered through for a silver medal at the 2022 North American, Central American and Caribbean Open Championships.

It was her second time on the podium, coming three years later since she ascended the dais for the bronze at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru in 22.76 seconds in 2019.

This one, however, was sweeter, doing it on home soil in equalling her personal best of 22.41.

American Brittany Brown took the title in a championship record of 22.35, erasing American Kyra Jefferson’s time of 22.50 she set in San Juan, Costa Rica, in 2015, while her team-mate A’Keyla Mitchell took the bronze in 22.53.

The 29-year-old Gaither, coming off her semi-final appearance at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, after she had a false start in the 100m and a seventh place in the 100m at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, said it was a great race.

“I felt great. The race itself was really great,” Gaither said. “The energy of the crowd was so motivating. I never saw the energy like that. I think it made all of the difference. I’m extremely great for everybody coming out. It made so much.”

Shooting out of the blocks with the pack in lane six, Gaither came off the curve in contention for the lead. As she surged through the home stretch, only the Americans stood in her way for a medal the exact colour she would secure.

“I felt really heathy. Surprisingly at this stage of the season, I’m dealing with a lot of things, but I have a new coach and a new training group, I think it’s working very well for my body.

“I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m excited to see what the rest of the season has in store for me.”

With the Wanda Diamond League still in progress, Gaither said she will continue competing through September before it’s determined whether or not she qualifies for the finals in Zurich, Switzerland September 7-8. She is currently tied for fifth place with three other competitors with 10 points in two events.

In the men’s final that followed, Ian Kerr had to settle for fourth place in a personal best of 20.53. The race was won by Jamaica’s Andrew Hudson in a championship record of 19.87, erasing the old mark of 20.11 set by Kyle Greaux of Trinidad & Tobago in 2018 in Toronto, Canada.

The silver went to American Kyree King in 20.00 with his compatriot Josephus Lyles getting the bronze in 20.18.

“I was a little nervous going in, but I knew I had to keep my composure because composure brings results,” Kerr said. “So I tried to pick it up coming off the curve and attack the final 100 and just finish strong.”

Kerr said he was thankful for the support from his family and the Bahamian people to help propel him through to the finish line.

He noted that he was pleased with the way his season ended up. “I kept preserving and with my mentality, I kept pushing and pushing,” Kerr said. “It was rough, but I was glad that I got through it.”