The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

QUARTERMILERS Shaunae Miller and Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown and jumpers Donald Thomas and Bianca ‘BB’ Stuart are expected to lead the Bahamas’ contingent at the 15th IAAF World Indoor Championships in the Ergo Arena in Sopot, Poland, March 7-9.

Although the team has not been announced by the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, Shaun Miller, the designated coach selected by the Bahamas Coaches Association to travel along with Peter Pratt, said based on the performances, he anticipates that the Bahamas should have a very good team at the championships.

His daughter, Shaunae Miller, who has lowered the national 300 metres twice this year, heads the women’s side, having ran the ninth fastest time so far this year in the 400m in 52.34 on February 8 in Blacksburg, Virginia. American Natasha Hastings leads the list with 51.69 at a meet in Moscow, Russia, February 2.

The only other Bahamian in the ranking is Lanece Clarke at No.68 with 53.79 in Virginia as well.

The 300m is not an entry that will be contested at the championships.

“As for her progress for the World Indoors, she’s pretty much on tap,” said Miller, whose daughter is currently being trained by Bahamian George Cleare, an assistant coach at the University of Georgia where she forfeited the remainder of her collegiate eligibility to compete as a professional athlete under the sponsorship of Adidas.

“Her season opener in the 400m wasn’t that bad, considering that she has broken the stadium record and the national record twice. So I’m pretty pleased with her progress heading into the World Indoors.”

Brown, the most decorated Bahamian at the World Indoors, having won a gold in Doha in 2010 and bronze respectively in 2006 in Moscow, Russia, 2008 in Valencia, Spain and 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey, has ran the eighth fastest time this year of 45.93 in Glasgow, Scotland in January 25. He is followed by LaToy Williams at 46.26 on February 1 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Alonzo Russell is next at 46.44 from Albuquerque on January 25 and Ramon Miller is 34th at 46.55 on February 8 in Birmingham, Alabama.

The world leaders are Trinidad & Tobago’s Lalonde Gordon with 45.17, posted on February 8 in Boston and Deon Lendore in 45.47 in Fayetteville on February 1.

“Chris Brown has been running very well, so we’re looking for him to do very well at the championships,” Miller said. “All of the guys from the relay team are back and they are running very well.”

Only the 4 x 400m relays are contested at the indoor championships and the Golden Knights’ team of Chris Brown, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller and Demetrius Pinder has ran the 13th best time of 3:07.30 as the Commonwealth Selection in Glasgow on January 25.

The time, however, is the second best by a country, following Great Britain, at the meet in 3:06.27. The other times were posted by collegiate teams.

Donald Thomas, the 2007 world outdoor champion who is still looking for his first indoor world medal, is currently tied with four others at No.5 in the men’s triple jump with 2.33m or 7-feet, 7 3/4-inches that he did on February 8 on Arnstadt. Trevor Barry, back from injury, is tied with two others at 2.25m (7-4 1/2) that he did on February 1 in Hustopece. Ryan Ingraham is tied with more than 16 competitors at 2.24m (7-4 1/4). The best mark in the world is 2.41m (7-10 3/4) by world outdoor champion Ivan Ukhov on January 16 in Chelyabinsk.

In other events, Bianca Stuart has cleared 6.46m (21-2 1/2) in the women’s long jump on January 18 in Birmingham for a tie at 27th.

Russia’s Svetlana Denyaeva-Biryukova tops the field with 6.98m (22-10 3/4) twice in Moscow and Volgograd on January 12 and 25 respectively.

The men’s long jump has Raymond Higgs sitting tied for 12th at 7.99m (26-2 3/4) on February 14 in Fayetteville. Russian Aleksandr Menkov has the best mark of 8.30m (27-2 3/4) that he did in Moscow on February 2.

In the men’s triple jump, Latario Collie-Minns, one half of the dynamic twin brothers, has returned from a year’s absence to move into a tie for sixth place in the men’s triple jump with 16.72m (54-10 1/4) that he did on February 25 in Fayetteville. The world leader is American Will Claye with 17.04m (55-11) that he did on January 25 in New York.

Sheniqua ‘Q’ Ferguson is tied for 47th with three other competitors at 7.31, having done her time on February 8 in Birmingham. The next best time is 7.34 by Tynia Gaither February 8 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The world leader is Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast in 7.03 on February 1 in Houston, Texas.

Gaither, a sophomore at the University of Georgia, is also tied for 11th in the 200m in 23.31 that she did on February 15 in Fayetteville.

Warren Fraser, in his post-Clemson University era, has started his first pro campaign, running 6.54 for a 12th place tie in the men’s 60m on January 18 in Birmingham. Adrian Griffith has ran 6.63 for a five-way tie for 51st on February 8 in Newport News, Virginia. The best time done so far is 6.47 by James Dasaolu of Great Britain on February 15 in Birmingham.

Shavez Hart, who made his senior debut at the IAAF World Championships last year, has ran three impressive times in the 200m, including 20.72 that is tied for 120th on the list. But like the 300, the 200 is no longer on the list of events at the championships. Dominic Demeritte has made history as he holds the title of being the last world champion in 2004 in Budapest, Hungary.

“We have some athletes like Bianca Stuart and the high jumpers and a lot of other athletes doing quite well,” Miller said. “So based on what I’ve seen so far, I think we should do quite well at the World Indoors.”

Just like the World outdoors, athletes will be competing for prize money in Poland. First through sixth place will be awarded purses of $40,000, $20,000, $10,000, $8,000, $6,000 and $4,000 respectively. Relay teams will share the same amount for each of the top six positions.

While the jury is still out on the team selection, Miller said he would welcome the opportunity to coach the team in Poland.

“I’m hoping the recommendation that the Coaches Association made will go through,” Miller said.

Since the championships got started in 1985, the Bahamas has accumulated a total of 17 medals, inclusive of three gold, five silver and nine bronze to sit 27th on the list that is headed by the United States with 219 (93 gold, 61 silver and 65 bronze), followed by Russia with 139 (49 gold, 46 silver and 44 bronze).

Frank Rutherford, the first Bahamian to win a track and field medal at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain in 1992 in the triple jump, holds the distinction of winning the Bahamas first world indoor medal as well when he picked up a bronze in 1987 in Indianapolis, Indiana.