The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@rtribunemedia.net

FOR the second consecutive race within a week, Anthonique Strachan picked up a victory, this time with fellow Bahamian Tynia Gaither trailing as the duo went head-to-head on Friday at the Hungarian Grand Prix Series in Budapest, Hungary.

It was the first time the two met since the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association’s National Championships at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium when Gaither took the 100m over Strachan, while Strachan came back for second ahead of Gaither in the 200m won by Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

While the pair of sprinters renewed their rivalry in Budapest, Devynne Charlton, who joined them on the Bahamas’ silver medal 4 x 100m relay team at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships in Grand Bahama two weeks ago, had to settle for sixth place in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Charlton, 26, was the only Bahamian competing at the Wanda Diamond League in Brussels, just ahead of the two-day finals from September 7-8 in Zurich, Switzerland.

29-year-old Strachan, getting back to full form after she suffered an injury at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July, won the 200m in Budapest on Friday in 22.63 with Gaither taking second in 22.89, while Jamaican Natasha Morrison got third in 23.95.

“The meet was good. I’m happy with it,” said Strachan of her performance.

Coming off her victory on Tuesday in Luzern, Switzerland in 22.68, Strachan said she didn’t have any expectations going into Friday’s race.

“All I wanted to do is stay sub-23 to set me up for next season,” Strachan said.

Strachan, however, said it was good to have a compatriot competing in the event.

“I enjoy competing with familiar faces especially my fellow country competitors,” she noted.

The feeling was mutual for Gaither, the NACAC 200m silver medalist and member of the women’s 4 x 100m relay team of Printassia Johnson, Strachan and Charlton that clinched the silver behind the USA on her brilliant comeback effort over Jamaica on the anchor leg.

“It was nice having Anthonique there,” Gaither said. “Any time I line up with one of my countrywomen, it feels like we’re doing it for our country. I love that feeling.”

Gaither, also 29, noted that she was content with her performance in the race.

“It was my first out of the last four races of my season and so I’m just really allowing myself to fully enjoy these last few moments and trust my body,” she stated.

At the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Brussels, Charlton, the World Indoor and Commonwealth Games silver medalist and NACAC bronze medalist, running out of lane one, ended up sixth in the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.66, but secured her berth into the finals next week in Zurich with a fourth place with 19 points.

Running a season’s best of 12.27 for a meet record, Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Puerto Rico took the title over the American duo of Tian James (personal best of 12.38) and former world record holder Kendra Harrison (12.40).

The Jamaican pair of Britany Anderson (12.44) and Megan Tapper (12.51 – a personal best as well), finished ahead of Charlton in fourth and fifth respectively.

Camacho-Quinn pushed her lead in the field with 32 points, followed by world record holder Tobi Amusan, the World Championships and Commonwealth Games’ champion from Nigeria, in second with 29, and Anderson in third with 23.