By BRENT STUBBS
Chief Sports Editor
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
Although there were some notable performances amidst the absence of some top-notch competitors, athletes will have to wait and see if they have booked their tickets to the 2024 Olympic Games.
For those who didn’t officially qualify, they will have to rely on their world rankings by World Athletics before the Bahamas Olympic Committee announces who will represent the Bahamas in Paris, France, July 27 to August 11.
However, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will get to decide who will compete at the World Athletics’ Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, August 27-31.
The performances will be decided based on the BAAA three days of competition that was held from Wednesday to Friday at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
One of the highlights of the final day of competition came on the field from national record holder and NCAA Championships back-to-back champion Rhema Otabor with her toss of 190-09 or 58.15 metres.
Otabor, who has already surpassed the Olympic qualifying standard of 209-11 (64.00m) in repeating as the NCAA champion for Florida International University, finished well ahead of Davanna Collie who was a distant second with 137-08 (41.96m).
Taysha Stubbs took the under-20 girls’ javelin with her toss of 48.01m 157-06 (48.01m). Kamera Strachan was second with 148-03 (45.18m) and Gshan Brown was third with 121-10 (37.15m).
In the marquee men’s high jump, the 39-year-old vintage Donald Thomas won his fourth straight and eighth overall national title clearing 7-1 (2.15m). Shaun Miller Jr, was second with 6-8 3/4 (2.05m), tied with Kyle Alcime, who got third on more knockdowns. Joshua Williams won the under-20 boys’ high jump with 6-06 3/4 (2.00m). Justin Hanna was second at the same height with Jelani Morrison third with 6-0 3/4 (1.85m).
Olympic hopefuls Kaiwan Culmer soared 55-1 (16.79m) to win the open men’s triple jump, while collegian Shyrone Kemp was second with 52-9 1/4 (16.08m).
William McKinney claimed the under-20 boys’ triple jump title with 49-08.25 (15.40m). Rollie Hanna was second with 48-04.75 (134.75m) and Johnathon Rogers was third with 48-02.75 (14.70m).
On the track, without defending Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo competing, collegian Javonya Valcourt won the women’s 400 metres in 52.32 seconds, well off the qualifying standard of 50.95.
Fellow collegians Quincy Penn and Lacarthea Cooper got second and third in 53.35 and 53.38 respectively.
Miller-Uibo, who was runner-up to Valcourt in the semifinals on Wednesday, stopped running in the semifinals of the 200m on Thursday and was unable to go in the 400m final. She is reportedly nursing a hamstring injury..
Valcourt, coming off her semifinal appearance at the NCAA Championships for the University of Tennessee, said while she didn’t achieve the time she anticipated, she was thrilled to secure the victory.
“I was glad that I came out injury free because last year, I didn’t get to finish my last year under-20 because of an injury,” said Valcourt, who still has hopes of going to the Olympics to compete in the mixed 4 x 400m relay.
The 19-year-old, who ran a lifetime best of 51.15 at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida in April 13, said she has to continue to work on her start and her strength.
A change in the schedule saw both the final of the women’s 400 and 200m held on the same day. The 400m for women was moved from day two of the championships when the finals for the men took place.
In the final of the women’s 200m, Kristina Knott from the Philippines took the title in 23.33. American Tricht Jocelyn was second in 24.43 and Bahamian Miriam Byfield got third in 27.05.
The men’s 200m also missed two of the top Bahamians in collegians and Terrence Jones.
In their absence, Ian Kerr pulled off the victory in 20.47 with Samson Colebrook second in 20.93 and Adam Musgrove third in 20.97.
Eric Cray, also from the Philippines, won the open men’s 400m hurdles in 49.86, but Bahamian Olympic hopeful Shakeem Hall-Smith struggled with a slight injury for second in 1:00.19.
Morgan Moss also secured his ticket to the World under-20 championships with his win in 53.34. Clinton Laguerre, who did the standard at college, was second in 53.41 and Berkley Munnings, another collegian, was third in 53.41.
Winning the under-20 girls 400m hurdles was Rachari Wildgoose in 1:08.77. Kei-Mahri Hanna was second in 1:00.91 and Aydin-Bethany Bullard was third in 1:20.73.
Carlos Brown Jr opted to compete in the open men’s 200m.
Instead, he clinched his ticket along with Andrew Styles for the World Under-20 team after they were both clocked in 20.83. Nijae McBride was third in 21.75.
“First of all, I want to thank God for allowing me to go out there and do my best, execute my race and finish injury free,” said Brown Jr, who also pulled off the win in the 100m on Wednesday in 10.48.
“The season started off rough for me. I was dealing with slight injuries, but I’m back and I’m better. I want to break the junior national record and bring back the gold.”
Styles, who was third in the 100m in 10.71, was just as thrilled to make the team. “I just wanted to have a smooth transition, get out and stay relaxed,” he said. “I know Carlos is a fast competitor. He’s going to push me off the curve. Off the curve, I just stayed with my game plan.”
Going into Peru, Styles said although he had a slight injury, he was thankful to God for allowing him to get through it without injury and so he just wanted to stay sharp and be ready for the championships.
Alexis Roberts, winner of the under-20 girls’ 400m the day before in 55.88, completed a double dose of victory in the 200m in 24.34.
Nia Richards was second in 24.48 and Morgan Komolafe was third in 24.85. Komolafe also got second in the 400m in 58.36.
Everette Fraser won the under-17 boys’ 200m in 21.3 for his sprint double as he also took the 100m in 10.77. Barry Miller was second in the 200m in 22.39 and Jonathan Higgs third in 22.50.
Kianna Henchell took the under-17 girls 200m in 25.00 with Caitlyn Smith second in 25.72 and Nataya Watson third in 26.40. It was the same two positions for Henchell (12.24) and Smith (12.70) in the 100m with Shekinah Johnson third in 13.06.
Aiden Musgrove won the under-15 boys 200m in 22.42. Kamron Henfield, the 200m champion, was second in 22.79 and Shawne Ferguson got third in 23.02.
Brianna Bootle won the under-15 girls 200m in 25.31. Zara Fraser was second in 25.44 and Rocelis Moxey was third in 25.59.
The positions changed in the 100m with Moxey, Bootle and Fraser taking the top three spots.
Nipsey Jones also got the sprint double in the under-13 boys division as he added the 200m title in 26.24 to add his win in the 100.
Patricio Sherman was second in the 200m in 27.03 and Kendal Garcis was third in 27.45.
Symone Martin took the girls under-13 200m in 26.28. Cassidy Pratt was second in 26.48 and Sandra Russell was third in 26.66. Russell, Martin and Pratt finished in that order in the 100m.
The under-11 boys was won by Aiden Knowles in 29.25 with Liam Bethell second in 29.80 and Liam Thompson third in 31.03. It was the same order for the trio in the 100m.
Cai-Lily Catalyn was the winner of the girls under-11 200m in 28.81. Tanaz Davis was second in 28.98 and Keeshan Rolle got third in 30.16. Catalyn, Davis and Laveah Johnson got the top three spots in the 100m.
In the under 11 boys 150m, Gabriel Deleveaux won in 23.65; Leslie Munnings got second in 23.78 and Jaden White was third in 25.00.
The girls under-11 150m was won by Jazmyn Demeritte in 22.61. Monae Miller was second in 24.38 and Daejah Farrington was third in 26.45.
Two competitors contested the boys under-7 150m with Giovanno Bain running 27.14 to edge out Kamaro Hunt, who trailed in 27.18.
The girls under-7 150m title went to Ledeya Walker in 29.71. Darina Cooper was second in 31.95 and Aria Moss was third in 40.87.
Joel Forbes was the lone competitor in the open men’s 800m, running 1:53.75.
Raywind Winder, however, had some competition as he took the under-20 boys race in 1:57.80 with Sharan Roker second in 1:58.55 and Christopher Minors third in 1:59.93.
Jennifer Estime was also the only competitor in the open women’s two-lap race, winning in 2:29.19.
The under-20 girls race had a pair with Jasmine Mackey clocking 2:21.75, ahead of A’Karee Roberts’ time of 2:37.76.
Tieano Ferguson was the winner of the under-17 boys 800m in 2:03.56.
Kyden Ferguson was second in 2:04.22 and Jenico Gibson was third in 2:11.40.
Yulianis Akompi won the under-17 girls 800m in 2:32.58 with Denika Gittens, second in 2:33.78 and Ramonique Mclennon was third in 2:33.78.
The under-15 boys 800m was won by Cordell Munroe in 2:08.32, Devontae Crowl was second in 2:12.30 and Arjay Roberts got third in 2:16.56.
Winning the under-15 girls 800 was Cierra Delancy, Cierra in 2:36.86. Haleel Munnings was second in 2:41.22 and Aliyah Culmer was third in 2:45.06.
Fabian Sautil won the open men’s 5,000m in 17:44.69 with Devonta Newbold second in 18:49.06.
Johnathan Turner took the under-20 boys race in 17:30.09 and Edoney Russell was second in 19:50.57.
And Grace Farrington captured the under-20 girls 5000m title in 22:28.84.
Breynice Kemp finished second in 23:26.81 and Tellica Seymour third in 23:51.31.
