The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON, England — Can it get any worse for Team Bahamas at the 2012 Olympic Games?

Just when Michael Mathieu seemed to be a sure bet to advance out of the third and final heat of the men’s semifinal round of the 200 metres, he false started and was disqualified from competition. When the starter gave the command for set, Mathieu was the last man up and the first to get out of the blocks when the gun blasted twice - the first to start the race and the second to call the runners back.

In fact, Mathieu knew that he did the infraction and before the officials could hold up the sign to indicate his lane two, he had already walked off the track. For the formalities, the officials held him at bay and carried out the procedure as he could only watch from the side of the track as the other competitors lined back up to get the race started all over again.

As Mathieu made his exit out of the stadium the way he came in, Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles went on to win the heat in 20.17 seconds, followed by Jamaican Warren Weir in 20.28. They were the two automatic qualifiers, one of the spots that was certain Mathieu could have occupied based on his performance.

The 28-year-old Grand Bahamian had ran a national record of 20.16 this year, but coming off a slight injury that prevented him from competing at the Bahamas Nationals in June, in his first race back, he clocked 20.62 for third in his first round heat on Tuesday to advance to the semis.

After the disqualification, Mathieu never made it through the mixed zone where he was to be interviewed by the media.

And men’s head coach Dave Charlton said he could understand why. “He was disappointed, so he didn’t hang around,” he said. “He prepared for this for a long time. He stumbled out of the blocks and it cost him.”

Although he saw Mathieu when he returned to the warm up track where he was transported back to the Games Village, Charlton said he didn’t get to talk to him because he knew “he was distraught. He knew he had to run hard from lane two, so he was overwhelmed going into the race.”

As for the false start, Charlton said it was just one of those things that happens in athletics. One false start and you’re eliminated.

It was the second consecutive year that Mathieu had to endure a major setback in the 200.

At the 13th IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Mathieu advanced out of the first round when he trailed Jamaican Usain Bolt to the tape. But in the second round, Mathieu pulled up coming off the curve and wasn’t able to complete the race that was won by Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis.

Mathieu was the only Bahamian in action on Wednesday, but because of his false start, he provides more ammunition for the Bahamas in the men’s 4 x 400 relay team that will run their first round heat today.

The final will be held on Friday instead of Saturday’s closing day, which has been changed to accommodate the men’s 4 x 100 relay as the grand finale for athletics at the stadium.