The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHEN the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations hosts its National Open Track and Field Championships this weekend at the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, one of the notable athletes who will be missing in action is hurdler Devynne Charlton.

Although she has already qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August, the Purdue University junior suffered a back injury that has sidelined her for the rest of the year.

She’s back home and has already started her recovery for the 2017 season, but Charlton admitted that it’s going to be a difficult period for her watching the action from the sidelines.

“I started my rehab about two weeks ago and everything is coming along very well,” she said. “My recovery has been going very good and I think I will make a timely recovery to be ready for September when I start preparing for 2017.”

While she was disappointed when she got the news that she will have to shut down the remainder of her season as she was preparing for a promising outdoor campaign, Charlton said the fact that she won’t be able to represent the Bahamas has had a drastic effect on her.

“Not being able to represent my country has been difficult for me,” Charlton said. “And not being able to come home and compete has been even more difficult for me. We only get to compete here for about twice a year.

“So every time I get to come home to compete, I do cherish it. I was really looking forward to coming home and competing in front of the home crowd and the people who have been supporting me, so that kind of hurt.”

Based on her performance during the indoor season, Charlton said her coaches, Bahamian Rolando Greene and Norbert Elliott, had projected her to run atleast 12.8 or better during the outdoor season. But since the injury, Charlton said she was only able to travel to some of the meets that the Purdue Boilermakers competed in, if it didn’t affect her studies. “I just wanted to let them know that I was still there and I was cheering for them,” she said. “I know I couldn’t help them on the track, but I could be in the stands cheering them on.”

And even though she won’t be competing this weekend, Charlton said she doesn’t mind sitting in the stands watching the Nationals this year.

“Just knowing that I could have been out there competing is more than enough to keep me motivated,” Charlton said. “I know that I will be in a better place next year and in four years when most people will be in their prime.

“This year, I wasn’t really looking for it to be my year. I knew that I had the ability to be right there competing with the top competitors. But to do something big, I think I needed a few more years to mature, so I’m disappointed in that aspect.”

Charlton, however, said she had a bittersweet experience watching Pedrya Seymour break the women’s 100m hurdles national record of 13 seconds that she shared with Adanaca Brown, lowering twice with the newest time now posted at 12.86.

“When you set a record, you don’t want to see it go, especially within the year that you set it,” Charlton stated. “But I can look back and say look at where the Bahamian hurdles is going, especially considering that a year or so ago, she was in my position where she was hurt. “So I know how she feels, coming back from that injury and really getting on top of the standings with the national record. I want to congratulate her because it’s good for women’s hurdling in the Bahamas.”

Once she’s back healthy and at full strength, Charlton said she’s going to be eager to face the challenge of competing against Seymour as they both compete for NCAA glory before coming home for the nationals.

In the meantime, Charlton said she will relish in her absence from the competition this weekend and is eager to visit one or two of the Family Islands as she enjoys the remainder of her summer here at home.