The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After completing two intense days of competition in 10 events, Ken Mullings clinched a silver medal in the men’s decathlon last night at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Mullings, the former national record holder, secured the medal with a personal best total of 8,060 points, and just shy of Kendrick Thompson’s national record of 8,182 he set in May in Austria.

Thompson, 25, was unable to complete the first day of competition on Monday in the 400m and had to withdraw from the rest of the competition.

As Mullings, 26, held on for his silver, he couldn’t catch Ayden Owens of Puerto Rico, who was crowned the champion with 8,281 points for the gold. The bronze went to Jose Paulino of the Dominican Republic with 7,762 points.

It was the second track and field medal for the Bahamas, coming behind the bronze from Shaun Miller Jr in the men’s high jump and the fourth overall, adding to the gold and bronze captured by Lamar Taylor last week in swimming the men’s 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle.

As the final day of the multiple events began yesterday, Mullings led off with a second place in the 110m hurdles in 14.06 for 994 points. He won the discus with a heave of (44.63m) for 759 points, was tied for third in the pole vault with (4.60m), second in the javelin with (55.92m) for 677 points and he finished fifth in the final event in the gruelling 1,500m in 4:59.92 for 560 points.

Mullings closed out the first day of competition in second place with 4,307 points on Monday after he was third in the 100m in 10.69 for 931 points, ninth in the long jump with 23-2 (7.06m) for 828 points, second in the shot put with 48-4 ½ (14.74m) 774 points, won the high jump with 6-11 ¾ (2.13m) for 925 points and fifth in the 400m in 49.26 for 849 points.

National record holder Kendrick Thompson had to withdraw from the competition after the high jump. He was unable to compete in the 400m, which eliminated him from further competition.

NCAA champion Rhema Otabor just missed out on getting a spot on the podium in the women’s javelin when she placed fourth with her best heave of 184-10 (56.34) on her third attempt. She opened with 178-3 (54.34m), scratched the second, threw 179-4 (54.68m) on her fourth and scratched both the fifth and sixth.

It was a 1-2 sweep for Colombia as Flor Ruiz took the gold with 198-6 (60.52m) and Maria Murillo got the silver with 193-3 (58.92m), both on her third throws. Mexico’s Luz Castro claimed the bronze with 188-7 (57.50m) on her second toss.

Tamara Myers is the last member of Team Bahamas to compete in the track and field competition. She will be on the runway in the women’s triple jump.

In beach football or soccer men’s team competition, Team Bahamas pulled off a 6-2 win over Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday as Davin Christie and Lesly St Fleur both booted in a pair of goals and Wood Julmis and Evert Julmis both added one. The team came back on Monday and was knocked off by Venezuela 7-3. Wood Julmis scored twice and Sr Fleur added another goal to his ledger.

After falling in doubles competition on Sunday, Leron Rolle and Rachal Taylor-Brown got eliminated in doubles in archery on Monday. While Rolle lost 142-141 to Bryan Thompson of the Dominican Republic in the men’s compound individual, Taylor-Brown went down 145-116 to Anna Sofia Hernandez of Mexico in the women’s compound.

In equestrian, Anna (Gulliver du Saint-Chene) Vlasov finished 24th in the 5rd jumping qualifier with 94.32 points. She was 15th in the 2nd with 72.96 after she opened competition with 19th in the first round with 85.58.

After a day’s rest, the water polo team will be back in action as they compete in the men’s team quarter-final match today against Puerto Rico. Team Bahamas won its opener 10-9 over Centro Caribe Sports, but lost 27-2 by Mexico and 11-7 to Trinidad & Tobago.