The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

It was a record breaking performance meet for both sprinter Tynia Gaither and hurdler Devynne Charlton as they led the way for a few Bahamians competing at the 2022 Texas Tech’s Red Raider Invitational over the weekend.

At the Texas Tech University’s Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas, Gaither established her meet record in the women’s 200m invite in a winning time of 23.44 seconds, erasing the previous mark of 23.58 that was set by Cierra White of Nike in 2018. Ashley Spencer was second in 23.70.

Gaither’s performance came after the Adidas representative got fourth in the final of the women’s 60m invite in 7.45. She went into the final with the fourth fastest qualifying time of 7.43.

Also qualifying for the final was Charlton with the sixth best time, although she matched Gaither’s time. However, Charlton, representing Puma, did not contest the final.

Her younger sister Anthaya Charlton, a freshman at the University of Kentucky, just missed making the cut for the final in ninth place in 7.67.

Devynne Charlton, a graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky where she trains under Bahamian head coach Rolando Greene and assistant “Golden Girl” Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, concentrated more on the hurdles.

Competing in the women’s 60m hurdles invite, Devynne Charlton clocked 7.99 for her meet record, replacing the previous time of 8.10 that was set by Taliyah Brooks in 2020. Demisha Roswell, a junior at Texas Tech, was second in 8.02.

Anthaya Charlton, competing in her signature event in the long jump, was seventh with a best of 19-feet, 6-inches or 5.94 metres. Another Bahamian Alexis Tilford-Rutherford, a freshman at the University of Houston, was ninth with 19-1 ¼ (5.82m). Monae’ Nichols, a senior at Texas Tech, won the event with 21-10 ¼ (6.66m).

Also at the meet, University of Houston’s freshman Camille Rutherford came in fifth in the women’s 60m in 7.38 after she matched the same time for the sixth best in the preliminaries. Texas’ junior Julien Ford, the fastest qualifier in 7.17, won the final in a facility and meet record of 7.10m.

Rutherford was also 11th in the women’s 200m in 25.12. Texas’ junior Kynnedy Flannel won the race in a new meet record of 22.97. And Kentucky’s Megan Moss didn’t get to complete the women’s 400m that saw Texas’ junior Kennedy Simon clock 52.15 for the win to erase the meet record of 54.00 that Bahamian Lanece Clarke established in 2018.

The Wildcats are slated to return to Lexington to compete in the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet on Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29 at Nutter Field House in Lexington, Kentucky.

Taylor pops lifetime best

Competing at the Hokie Invitational in Blackwood, Virginia, Tennessee’s junior Charisma Taylor soared a lifetime best of 20-9 ¾ (6.31m) for second place in the women’s long jump. Madisen Richards, competing unattached, won with 20-9 ¾ (6.34m).

Greene settles for third

At the Larry Wieczorek Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, Purdue Boilermakers’ fifth-year senior Tamar Greene got third in the triple jump with the fourth-best jump in the Big Ten in 2022 with 51-0 ¼ (15.55m).

Greene and Purdue, coached by Bahamian Norbert Elliott, travel to compete in either Lexington, Kentucky, for the Rod McCravy Memorial and Bloomington, Indiana, for the Indiana Relays. Both meets will be held from January 28-29.