The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Another national record breaking performance from collegian Keyshawn Strachan, a pair of world leading 200 metre performances from collegian Terrence Jones and elite athlete Steven Gardiner and a pair of personal best feats from Anthaya Charlton highlighted an eventful track and field weekend in the United States.

Strachan, in just his freshman year at Auburn University, continues to make his impression with a huge toss of 276-feet, 5-inches or 84.27 metres on his second attempt to easily win the men’s javelin at the Texas Relays at the Mike A. Myers Stadium.

It turned out to be a world-leading mark, surpassing the previous best of 83.78m that was posted by Aliaksei Kqatkavets on February 26 as he obliviated his national record of 79.89 when the 19-year-old established the CARIFTA Games in Kingston, Jamaica, last year for the gold medal.

“I feel pretty good about it. I give God all the thanks and glory for it,” said Strachan, who competed in his collegiate season opener. “I was pretty excited about it going into the event. The night before, I did my usual thing.

“I prayed and I read my bible. I wasn’t nervous at all. I really felt like something big was going to happen.”

Strachan, who is no longer eligible for CARIFTA, only had one other legal throw, which was 258-11 (72.82m) on his fifth attempt. He noted that he hopes to continue to progress with every meet he competes in.

He will take a break this weekend to come home to watch the CARIFTA Games before he heads back to school to compete in his next meet in two weeks.

And to the athletes on Team Bahamas, Strachan advised them to just go out there and put their best foot forward as he indicated that he will be right there to support them, especially his younger sister, Kamera Strachan, who is aiming to not only break the Bahamian junior national record, but to also the games mark.

Jones also tops the world

Competing in his first 200 metres outdoors since May 2021, Jones led a sweep of the half-time lap for Texas Tech by taking the title at the 95th Texas Relays in a world-leading time of 20.05 seconds, ahead of team-mate Courtney Linday, who trailed in 20.11.

The time by Jones, a native of Grand Bahama, was also recorded a meet record for Texas Tech, a qualifier for the World Championships in August in Budapest, Hungary and the second fastest on the all-time list by Bahamians.

Only Gardiner, the national record holder at 19.75 on April 7, 2018, has ran faster in the event.

Jones and the Red Raiders will be back in action this weekend as they compete in the Jim Click Shootout in Arizona.

Gardiner season opener

With his concentration on the 400m as he prepare for another title at the World Championships in Budapest, Abaco native Gardiner won his 200 opener at the Florida Relays at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida on Friday in 20.14.

“It was a good race for me. It was my fastest opener in my whole career so it was a good day for me,” Gardiner said. “My start could have been better and I could have held my drive phrase a little longer, but other than that, UI think I did everything that I was supposed to do.”

Trevor Bassitt, competing unattached, was second in 20.53 and Michael Hudson-Smith, representing Puma, was third in 20.56.

Gardiner, who will return to action this weekend in Miramar, Florida where he will contest another 200m, said it’s just the beginning of his trek back to international prominence this year.

“Our plan was to sprint a little more this year, but of course we will be doing the 400m at the World Championships this year,” said Gardiner, who hope to regain his title he relinquished after missing last year’s event in Eugene, Oregon due to an injury.

“It’s just a part of our plan to sprint a little more. But of course we are going to the World Championships and run the 400.”

Other Bahamians competing at the meet.

Freshman Paige Archer, competing for the University of Central Florida, was 17th overall in the women’s 100m in 11.78. The winning time in the event was 10.92 by Talitha Diggs, a junior at Florida.

Sasha Wells, who competed unattached in the women’s 100m hurdles. She placed 12th overall in 13.42, but didn’t advance to the final.

Charlton double dose of competition

After coming out of the preliminaries of the 100m with the second fastest, but the sixth best on placement in a personal best of 10.98 seconds, Charlton slowed down to run 11.13 for second place in the final. McKenzie Long, a sophomore at Ole Miss, won the race in 11.00. She had the fastest qualifying time of 10.80.

In her double duties in the meet, Charlton picked up third place finish in the women’s long jump with a wind-aided 21-feet, 4 ¾-inches or 6.52 metres on her fifth attempt. She followed that on her sixth and final attempt with her best legal mark of 20-9 ¼ (6.33m).

Texas sophomore Ackelia Smith also had a wind-aided winning leap of 21-6 ¾ (6.57m) on her fourth attempt. However, her best legal mark was 20-11 1/4 (6.38m) on her third attempt. In getting second place, Synclair Salvage, a junior at Louisiana, soared 21-5 ¼ (6.53m) on her first attempt.

Miller soar in high jump

Shaun Miller Jr, a junior at Ohio State, cleared 7-2 ½ (2.20m) for second place in the men’s high jump, beating out two other collegians on fewer knockdowns at the same height at the Texas Relays. The winning jump was 7-7 ¾ (2.33m) by American Olympian JuVaughn Harrison, who representing Pima.

McCoy made final

Wanya McCoy, a sophomore at Clemson, got into the men’s 100m final with the sixth fastest time of 10.04 at the Texas Relays. He ended up seventh in the final in 10.21. Isaiah Trousil, a senior at Northern Iowa, won the race in 10.16.

Taylor shy of final

In the women’s 100m hurdles, versatile Charisma Taylor, representing Tennessee in her senior year, fell just shy of advancing to the final after she placed 10th overall in 13.16 at the Texas Relays. The ninth and final spot went to Madison Langley-Walker, a senior at Arkansas , in 13.14.

Taylor was also entered in the women’s triple jump. But she didn’t compete.

Otabor 11th

Also at the Texas Relay, strongwoman Rhema Otabor, a junior at Nebraska, had to settle for 11th place in the women’s javelin with a heave of 161-8 (49.29m) on her first attempt. Winning the4 event was Valentina Barrios Bornacelli, a sophomore at Missouri, with her toss of 183-9 (56.00m) on her sixth attempt.

Words of advice to Team Bahamas for CARIFTA

Steven Gardiner, the multiple national record holder, who made his debut at CARIFTA in 2014 in Fort-de-France, Martinique as a member of both the men’s under-17 4 x 100m silver medal and 4 x 400m bronze medal teams, said it’s all about having fun.

“I just want to wish them good luck and encourage them to have fun,” Gardiner said. “This is our big one. This is our 50th anniversary of Independence and so just go out there and represent the country and just give it your all, but most have fun.

“Everybody runs best when they are comfortable. So no pressure to them. Just out there and represent our country in front of the fans who will be there for the CARUIFTA Games.