The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SPRINTER Anthonique Strachan is content going into the season-ending Prefontaine Classic Diamond League Final of the Wanda Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon on the weekend of September 16-17.

This weekend, in the last of the 13 races during the course of the season in the lead up to the grand finale, Strachan placed second in the women’s 200 metres at the Memorial van Damme in Brussels, Belgium.

In what could be considered her best showing in the series of meets that started in Doha, Qatar in May, Strachan clocked 22.31 seconds as she trailed her Jamaican training partner, Shericka Jackson, who won in 21.48 - erasing the meet record previously held by her compatriot Merlene Ottey with 21.64 in 1991.

Strachan and Jackson, who continue to get closer to cracking the late American Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 from the 1988 Olympic Games, were followed by Jenna Prandini of the United States in 22.47.

“It was good. I can’t really complain about it,” said Strachan, a very close friend of Jackson, whom she got to interview in a special segment in Zurich where they competed in their first meet since Budapest.  

“The race went well. I didn’t go into the race with any expectations like that, so I’m content with the results.” 

Running out of lane six ahead of Strachan in five, Jackson said she was elated with her performance.

“For me personally, it is just to show up and especially in front of such an amazing crowd,” she said. “You just have to put in your best and that’s what I did today. It felt really good tonight, I definitely feel like I’m getting there, closer to that record. 

“But it’s also important to have some fun and I really had fun tonight. It’s amazing to run against such a strong field and everyone did good tonight but for me personally it’s important to have fun.”

Jackson noted that the crowd really urged her on as she continued her quest for the world record.  

“It helps with the sprinting and I’m really enjoying the sprinting. Life recently is very good for me and I had the same feeling this evening,” she added. “I am loving it here, I run here since 2016 I think and I enjoy it every time.

“Even if I didn’t win, it has been a good season and I hope to get one more win and to get closer to that record.”

As a result of their performances, Jackson, who has made a remarkable showing since dropping down from the 400 to the sprints in 2021, leads the pack with 32 going into the finale. 

Strachan will head into the final with the third highest qualifying spot with a total of 22 points. Great Britain’s Neita Daryll, who was fourth in Friday’s race in 22.59, is sitting in second with 24.

“This race was just to sharpen up what I’ve already done to get into the final,” Strachan said.

It’s also a good indication of the tremendous season that Strachan has enjoyed since she captured the world junior titles in both the 200 and 200m in 2012, making her first global final as a senior at the World Championships as a senior in Budapest, Hungary last month.

“I feel alright with my progression since Worlds,” said Strachan, who got sixth in 22.29 in Budapest. “So I can’t complain. I wanted to run faster, but that’s not in my cards right now because my body can’t manage it.

“I’m just trying to get my body to stay in that healthy position so that I can end the season injury free and so I can get ready for next year at the Olympic Games (in Paris, France) where I hope I can run even faster.”

The Bahamian top female sprinter this year admitted that she’s content with her accomplishments and it’s all based on the sacrifices that she made to get to the point where she is right now.

“I trained and I worked hard for this,” she declared. “What I put in is what I’m going to get out. I know where I’m at, so I don’t have anything to prove to anybody.”

Strachan, who celebrated her 30th birthday in Budapest, got a prank played on her by one of the mascots at the championships as she waited in the call room during the semifinal to see if she would earn one of the spots in the final.

As she sat on the couch, the mascot rubbed her out stretched arm. As she jumped to her feet, anticipating that it was a spider or some type of creature, Strachan was shocked when the mascot revealed himself.

“He got me good,” Strachan quipped. “He got me good.”

With the Prefontaine Classic as she final event for the year, Strachan said she’s hoping there wont be any more surprises. She’s just hoping that she can close out the season with a bang and earn some of the hefty cash prize that is being offered.

The winner will earn $30,000, while the remaining positions will pocket $12,000 for second, $7,000 for third, $4,000 for fourth, $2,500 for fifth, $2,000 for sixth, $1,500 for seventh and $1,000 for eighth.

“I also want to change my history of competing in Eugene,” said Strachan, referring to her injury that prevented her from coming out of the first round of the World Championships last year. “People find it hard that I don’t have much expectations, but I really don’t have any.”