The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHILE strongwoman Rhema Otabor, versatile Anthaya Charlton, hurdler Gabrielle Gibson and sprinter Wanya McCoy were taking care of business over the weekend in the United States, sprinters Anthonique Strachan and Wendell Miller were making their presence felt at the Velocity Fest 13 in Kingston, Jamaica.

At the Michael Johnson Invitational at the Hart Track and Field Stadium at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, Otabor - a junior at Nebraska - had a personal best heave of 194-feet, six-inches or 59.28m to win the women’s javelin throw, well ahead of second place finisher Maddie Harris, a junior at Nebraska, who did 183-03 (55.86m).

Also at the meet, Charlton, a member of the Bahamian connection at the University of Kentucky, led by head coach Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene and his assistant “Golden Girl” Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, secured the win in the women’s long jump.

For good measure, Charlton also ran on Kentucky women’s 4 x 100m relay team that won in 43.38.

Fellow Kentucky team-mate Megan Moss came through with a fourth place finish in the women’s 400m in a season’s best of 52.55.

Moss also contested the women’s 200m where she had to settle for 23rd place in 24.09.

Moss also teamed up on the women’s 4 x 400m relay for Kentucky as they ran 3:28.21 for the sixth fastest time this year and is now ranked as the fifth best in Kentucky history. Charlton ran on Kentucky women’s 4 x 100m relay that ended up on top of the field of teams in 43.38.

Antoine Andrews, representing Texas Tech, came through the men’s 110m hurdles final in 13.85 for fifth place.

In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Gibson clocked13.07 to pull off the victory in the women’s 100m hurdles. Her nearest rival was Kiara Smith, a junior at Missouri Southern in 13.22.

Gibson also had double duties, running in the 200m where she placed fourth in 23.35. Rosey Effiong, a sophomore at Arkansas, was the winner in 23.02.

McCoy, a sophomore at Clemson University, won the men’s 200m in 20.46 at the USC Outdoor Open/. Jadyn Tabois, a junior at Iowa, came in second in 20.55.

Strachan lead duo in Jamaica.

At the National Stadium in Jamaica, Strachan picked up a third place finishers in the women’s 100 and Miller ended up fourth in the men’s 200m.

In the final of the 100m, Strachan held on for third in 11.11 seconds as she trailed Jamaicans Shericka Jackson, who ran a meet record 10.82, and Natasha Morrison, who got second in 11.09. Strachan won her heat of the women’s 100m in 11.30,

“It was good. I’m constantly trying out new things and trying to correct what’s wrong so when it matters, I can just do it,” Strachan said. “I had no expectations.”

Strachan was scheduled to run the 200m, but didn’t compete. The event was won by Jamaica’s Josean Williams in a season’s best of 23.56.

Miller, also competing for the MVP Club, got fourth in his heat of the men’s 400m, but had to settle for 11trh overall in 21.82. Rasheed Dwyer of Jamaica was the winner in 20.68.