The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS the track and field season intensity as athletes prepare for the major international meets this year, a quartet of Bahamian athletes competed at the Duval County Challenge at the University of Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.

Exuma native Samson Colebrooke continued his preparation for the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July with a 13th place in the men’s 100 metres on Saturday in a time of 10.53 seconds.

Colebrooke has already produced the 13th best time of the season, running 10.01 on April 9th at the Cheney Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. He surpassed the World’s qualifying standard of 10.05.

Brandon Cranes of Adidas won the straight away race in 10.19, while American Elijah Hall- Thompson was second in 10.,23 and Isiah Young, competing for Nike, was third in 10.30.

Competing against a pretty good field, led by a host of Americans, Grand Bahamian TyNia Gaither had to settle for 15th place in the women’s century in her time of 11.46. Gathier has the second fastest time this year of any Bahamian of 11.11 behind Anthonique Strachan’s mark of 10.99 as both have surpassed the World’s qualifying standard of 11.15.

Aleia Hobbs took the title in 11.28 for the American sweep as Kayla White got second in 11.30 and Brittany Brown representing adidas, was third in 11.30 as well, but beaten out in the photo finish.

American Sha’Carri Richardson got fifth in 11.37 behind compatriot Twanisha Terry, who did 11.34. Richardson, however, came back and redeemed herself by winning the women’s 100m exhibition race in 11.27 over Terry in 11.29.

In the men’s 400m, Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell posed an 11th place finish out of a field of 24 competitors, who competed. His time was 47.78. Russell has a season’s best of 45.65 that he clocked on April 16th at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida.

World and Olympic champion Steven Gardiner of Abaco, still hold onto the world’s leading performance of 44.22 that he established on April 23rd at the LSU Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which surpassed the World’s qualifying standard of 44.9.

Winning Saturday’s event in Jacksonville, which saw a diversity of competitors from around the world, was American Trevor Stewart in 45.91. Jamaican Nathon Allen was second in 46.17 and Kenya’s Emanuel Korir was third in 46.22.

Rounding out the field of competitors was Grand Bahamian Holland Martin in the men’s long jump. He placed tenth out of a field of 11 competitors with a best leap of 22-feet, 5 2/4- inches or 6.85 metres, his only legal mark in three attempts. He scratched his first and final got on the scoreboard in his third and final try.

Holland has not cracked the top 50 list of performers in the event, which has Laquan Nairn sitting in ninth place with a leaping feat of 26-11 ¾ (8.22m) on April 16 at the USATF Golden Gala to match World’s qualifying standard.

Tajay Gray of MVP cleared 28-8 1.4 (7.83m) on his fourth attempt to win Saturday’s event in Jacksonville. Tristen James of DMA got second with25- 8 (7.82m) on his sixth and final try and American Tariq Evans was third with 24-9 ¾ (7.56m) on his opening leap.