Published On:Wednesday, September 01, 2010

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Although only Donald Thomas has earned the rights to compete in an individual event, two other Bahamians have been named to the Americas team for the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup.

Formerly called the World Cup in Athletics, the two-day meet that was reformatted by the IAAF in November, 2008, is scheduled to take place over the weekend of September 4-5 in Split, Croatia.

Based on their performances during the year, athletes have been selected to represent four continental teams, known as the Americas (NACAC and Consudatle), Africa, Asia/Pacific (Asia and Oceania) and Europe.

Two athletes will represent each team in the individual events, except in the 1,500 metres, 3,000m, 3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m where three athletes may enter with two to score.

Thomas, the 2007 world champion, is expected to represent the Americas in the men's high jump on the first day. His season's best (SB) is 2.30m, or 7-feet, 6 3/4-inches, just off his personal best of 2.35m or 7-8 3/4. The Grand Bahamian native will compete with American Dusty Jonas, who has a SB of 2.33m or 7-8.

Meanwhile, sprinter Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and quarter-miler Christine Amertil have been added for relay purposes.

Ferguson-McKenzie, who previously indicated that she shut down her season after her last meet on Sunday, was named to the 4x100 relay team that also features Cayman Island's Cydonie Mothersille, Trinidad & Tobago's Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Americans Consuella Moore and Shalonda Solomon.

Baptiste and Solomon are entered in the women's 100m, while Mothersille and Moore have earned the rights to compete in the 200m.

Amertil was named to the 4x4 relay team that is also expected to have Jamaicans Shericka Williams and Nickiesha Wilson and Americans Debbie Dunn and Nicole Leach. Williams and Dunn have gotten the nod to compete in the 400.

Athletes compete for prize money offered by IAAF:

Individual events:

1st place - $30,000

2nd - $15,000

3rd - $10,000

4th - $7,000

5th - $5,000

6th - $3,000

7th - $2,000

8th - $1,000

Relays: (4x100m, 4x400)

1st - $30,000

2nd - $20,000

3rd - $10,000

4th - $8,000

5th - $6,000

6th - $5,000

7th - $4,000

8th - $3,000