The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH her parents in the stands in Austin, Texas, cheering her on, Texas A&M’s Serena Brown didn’t want to disappoint them as she improved on her women’s national discus record to lead the way for Bahamians in track and field competition over the weekend.

Brown pushed her national record from 56.84 metres or 186-feet, 6-inches she set last year at the SEC Relays, to an impressive 60.39m (198-1) on Sunday coming off an injury, while Steven Gardiner came close to erasing the men’s 200m record of 20.16 held by Michael Mathieu when he won the men’s half-lap race at the 2018 Pepsi Florida Relays on Thursday.

For Brown, it was just a matter of time before she surpassed one of her major barriers, the 60-metre mark. She credited her parents, who brought some hot cross buns and Vitamalt for her to digest before she stepped out on the field in the 91st Clyde Littlefield Relays.

“It was so good to have them in the stands,” Brown said. “I was waiting for so long to break the 60-metre barrier and to do it in a meet like that with them there was so special.

“We’ve been working on it in practice and so I knew it was only to be a matter of time before I did it. After I did, I know I have to stay calm in order to continue with my competition and improve on my performance.”

After getting over the jitterbug competing after at injury that sidelined her during the indoor season, Brown fouled her first attempt, Brown popped 53.83 (176-7) and 55.97 (183-7) before she got over the 60m hump. She followed that with a foul and ended up with a 43.70m. Despite faltering down the stretch, her father Whittington Brown said he and his wife Sonjia could not be more proud of their daughter.

“This was the first time that we actually got to watch her with a record-breaking performance,” he said. “We knew that she had the ability to do it. We’re just so glad that she chose to do it when we were there to watch her. This is not just a big day for her, but one for us as well.”

Brown, 19, said after she was sidelined with the injury to her shoulder on her right throwing arm, she worked on other parts of her body, including strengthening her legs and it paid off for her in her return to competition outdoors.

Also at the meet, Grand Bahamian Holland Martin, competing as a freshman for South Plains, won the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.73m (25-4 1/2) on his second attempt. He opened with 7.56 (24-93/4) and after his best mark followed with 7.68m (25-21/2), 7.45m (24-5 1/2), afoul and 7.50m (24-7 1/4).

On the track, Texas senior transfer Pedrya Seymour had the fastest qualifying time of 12.97 in the women’s 100m hurdles preliminaries, but had to settle for third in the final in 12.85.

In the men’s 110m hurdles, Kirk Lewis also won his heat, but finished 10th, one spot from advancing to the final, in 14.04. The ninth and final spot went to Charie Forbes, a junior at Barton County, in 14.03.

Samson Colebrooke, a sophomore at Barton County, won his heat of the men’s 100m in 10.41, but that only placed him in 15th place.

And Grand Bahamian Brianne Bethel, in her sophomore year at the University of Houston, was fourth in her heat of the women’s 100m for 15th place overall in 11.49. Bethel also anchored Houston women’s 4 x 400m relay that won their heat, but placed 15th overall in 3:45.20 after she did the same on their 4 x 200m team that clinched that position overall in 1:37.22.

Tynia Gaither, who is preparing to head to Australia for the Commonwealth Games this week, didn’t get a chance to run after the TS Elite team that she was supposed to anchor in the women’s 4 x 400m invitational, didn’t get to finish the third leg of the race.

Gardiner in fine form

Gardiner, who will forego his appearance in the Commonwealth Games because he’s attempting to get his American green card, clocked 20.20 seconds to take the tape in the men’s half lap at the Percy Beard Track at the University of Florida where a number of Bahamians were in action.

Representing Empire Athletics, Gardiner beat out fellow Bahamian Teray Smith, who will compete here in the 200m. Smith, also competing for Empire Athletics, was fourth in 20.50. Cameron Parker, competing for Circle Sport, was 19th overall in 21.02 and Keanu Pennerman, a junior at Pursue University, was 73rd overall in 22.74.

“I felt pretty good. I just got out and went to my race plan and finished the race. It was pretty good,” Gardiner told The Tribune.

“I PRed in my opener and I PRed again this week, so hopefully the next one would be 19 seconds and a new Bahamian national record.”

Gardiner, already the Bahamian national record holder in the men’s 400m in 43.89, said he is hoping to compete again this weekend in Miami since he won’t be going to Australia and, if he does, he intends to stick to his game plan and “when I cross the line it would 19 seconds and history.”

For those going to the Commonwealth Games, Gardiner wished them all every success.

“I just want everyone to go out there and do their best as they represent Team Bahamas,” he stated.

Also at the meet were Commonwealth Games participants Alonzo Russell, who won the men’s 400m in 45.44 competing for Adidas as he held off American Christian Taylor, who trailed in 45.48 and Jeffery Gibson, representing Empire Athletics, was second in the men’s 400m hurdles in 49.21 behind winner Shawn Rowe in 49.17.