The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DONEISHA Anderson came through with the only medal - a bronze in the women’s 400 mertres - at the XX Pan American Under-20 Track and Field Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Anderson was a part of the Bahamian 14-member delegation that represented the country at the championships that ran from Friday to Sunday. However, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations encountered some financial constraints and were unable to send a full team.

On Friday, Anderson clocked 53.23 seconds to secure her berth on the medal podium with the bronze. The United States clinched the top two spots as Kayla Davis got the gold in 51.61 and Alexis Holmes trailed in behind in 52.59 for the silver.

In the semi-finals earlier in the day, Anderson clocked 52.56 for second place in the first of two heats behind Davis’ time of 51.27 as they posted the fourth and second fastest times respectively going into the final.

Holmes had the fastest time of 51.76 in winning heat two.

Anderson’s medal enabled the Bahamas to end up in 11th place on the medal chart that was controlled by the United States with 16 gold, 12 silver and seven bronze for their total of 35 medals.

On Saturday night, the Bahamas men’s 4 x 100m relay team of Denvaughn Whymns, Rico Moultrie, Terrance Jones and Adrian Curry had a chance to get a medal, but settled for fourth place in 40.33.

The United States claimed the gold in an under-20 world record time of 38.62 with Jamaica getting the silver in 39.20 and Brazil the bronze in 39.42.

Another close finish came in the men’s high jump where Shaun Miller could taste the bronze medal with his fourth place finish with a height of 2.12 metres or 6-feet, 11 1/2-inches.

The gold went to Mexico’s Erick Portillo with 2.18m (7-1 3/4), while American Charles McBridge was awarded the silver over Chile’s Nicolas Rueda on fewer knockdowns after they both cleared 2.14m (7-0 1/4).

Travis Joseph also represented the Bahamas in the event, but didn’t clear any height.

Sprinter Rico Moultrie made the final of both the men’s 100m and 200m where he was eighth in the straight-away race in 10.62 and seventh in the half-lap race in 21.44.

Moultrie advanced to the final with an eighth place finish in the semi-final of the century in 10.41 in an event that saw Adrian Curry left behind in 11th place in 10.53. Moultire and Curry were both third in their heats.

Moultrie also did 21.19 to get out of the semis of the 200m for third in his heat and seventh place overall, while Terrance Jones just missed out of a lane with his ninth place in 21.26, although he was second in his heat.

Denvaughn Whymns, competing in the final of the men’s long jump, cleared 6.64m (21-9 1/2) for 11th place overall. He also contested the 110m hurdles where he was fourth in his heat in 14.25 that pushed all the way to ninth overall, just outside looking in on the final.

Gabriel Curtis, coming off his success at the past two CARIFTA Games, could only muster a ninth place in the men’s 5,000m in 15:51.59.

Canada got a sweep of gold (15:17.15 by Joshua DeSonuza) and silver (15:17.56 by Marc-Andre Trudeau) with Mexico snatching the bronze (15:18.64 by Cesar Daniel Gomex Ponce).

Grand Bahamian Jasmine Knowles placed 11th overall in the women’s 800m final in 2:19.42. Athing Mu won the gold in 2:05.50. Canada’s Aurora Rynda got the silver in 2:07.78 with American Morgan Foster picking up the bronze in 2:07.96.

Although they produced a 1-2 punch for the Bahamas, Ken Mullings’ victory with 7,319 points and Kendrick Thompson’s second place with 6,549 were recorded as an exhibition as they were the only two competitors entered.

Mullings did 10.94 (874 pts) in the 100m; 6.99m (790) in the long jump; 13.42m (693) in the shot put; 2.05m (850) in the high jump; 51.00 (769) in the 400m; 14.70 (886) in the 110m hurdles; 42.09m (707) in the discus; 4.30m (702) in the pole vault; 42.09m (707) in the discus and 5:35.14 (374 in the 1,500m.

Thompson, on the other hand, ran 10.72 (924) in the 100m; leapt 7.21m (864) in the long jump; tossed 12.42m (632) in the shot put; cleared 2.02m (822) in the high jump; got disqualified in the 400m; ran 14.61 (897) in the 110m hurdles); threw 37.20m (608) in the discus; soared 4.30m (702) in the pole vault; threw 59.16m (725) in the javelin and ran 5:35.09 (375) in the 1,500m.

The BAAA had to leave six athletes - one male and five females - home after they fell short of securing the estimated budget of $45,000 to fund the entire team.