The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DAYTONA Beach, Florida - Quarter-miler Andretti Bain knows it’s only going to be a matter of time before he starts running as fast as he did in the past.

Bain, Jamaal Moss and sprinter Jamial Rolle were among a small group of elite athletes who participated in the Embry-Riddle Spikes Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida, over the weekend. The meet also featured a seven-member team from the College of the Bahamas.

Competing in the men’s 400 metres, Bain crossed the finish line in a photo finish in 46.89 with Gabor Pasztor of the Athletic Club Miami for second place. Bain led the race until Pasztor surged back on the home stretch, using his tremendous height to dip at the tape.

Just before their race, COB’s Dennis Williams got second in his heat in 47.78 to place fifth overall.

“I felt good today. I just wanted to attack my first 200m a little better and I felt I did that,” said Bain after the race. “One of the things that I’ve been working on for the past two weeks was to be able to finish strong coming home.

“I felt I did a pretty good job of that. I expected the time to be a little faster, considering where I am in my training. I was hoping that I would be able to run a 45 or better, but I know I will get there soon.”

Two weeks ago, Bain ran 46.90 in his first international meet for the year and even though this one was just one-tenth of a second faster, he was still pleased with his accomplishment.

Bain, 29, is expected to be back on the track in two weeks in Clermont, Florida where he’s hoping that his time will drop considerably. He is one of the few Bahamians to crack the 45-second barrier, having ran a personal best of 44.62 in 2008 when he competed for Oral Roberts University.

Jamial Rolle had the second fastest qualifying time in the preliminaries of the 200m in 21.56 behind Pasztor, who did 21.01, while Dennis Williams was 11th overall in 22.04, Jamaal Moss 12th in 22.05 and COB’s Coty Williams was 44th in 23.11.

Rolle, however, didn’t contest the final.

“I don’t know what went wrong. It wasn’t what I expected,” said Rolle, who is making his comeback after sitting out last year with an injury. “I felt okay. I just didn’t like the ending. I didn’t feel comfortable. It felt like it was just me in the race. Other than that, it was good.”

Rolle, who will turn 35 on April 16, said he just wants to stay healthy and be able to run fast, starting with a spot on the men’s team for the 2nd IAAF World Relays at home next month and then eventually getting a lane at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing in August.

“I had a series of injuries last year, so it was good to be able to run again,” he said. “But I really expected a little more. Hopefully as the season progresses, I will get better.”

Moss pulled up midway in the section 2 final of the men’s 100m and coasted through the line in 14.00 for seventh and 12th overall. COB’s Cressy Dussard was ninth overall in 11.29.

Gaither led at Florida Relays

Meanwhile, at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, Tynia Gaither, representing the University of South Carolina, won her heat in 22.98 for fourth place overall. The winner was American Tori Bowie of Pure Athletics in 22.61. Gaither, now in her junior year, also doubled in the 100m where she won her heat again in 11.36 for fifth overall.

Patrick Bodie, competing unattached, was second in his heat in 49.63 for fifth overall.

Steven Gardiner, out of Abaco and competing for OTM, was 11th overall in 200m in 20.69.

Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell, running for Runners Elite, was fourth in his heat in 46.51 for 13th overall.

Lanece Clarke, also competing for OTM and coached by George Cleare along with Gardiner, was fourth in her heat of the women’s 400m in 53.60 for 22nd overall.

Two Bahamians contested the women’s 100m hurdles. Demeteria Edgecombe, a senior at East Tennessee State, was third in her heat in 13.42 for 12th and Devynne Charlton, a sophomore at Purdue, was second in heat three in 13.44 for 15th.