The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

QUARTER-MILER Alonzo Russell turned in a good performance on Sunday as he competed along with triple jumper Kaiwan Culmer at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix at the Flora Duffy Stadium in Bermuda.

Russell, gearing up to represent the Bahamas on the mixed 4 x 400 metre as well as the men’s 4 x 400m teams this weekend at the BTC World Relays 2024 Bahamas, placed second in the men’s 400m.

The Grand Bahama native led the field through the first 200m, but he was caught by three of the six athletes in the race coming off the final bend. down the home stretch, Russell mounted his comeback. Beating off the strong breeze, Russell ended up in second in 47.05, but it wasn’t enough to catch Grenada’s hughly decorated Olympic and world champion Kirani James, who had already surged out front for the win in 46.00.

In a strong international field of competitors from within the region, Jamaican Demish Gay trailed Russell in 47.15 for third. American Elija Godwin got fourth in 47.37. Trinidad & Tobago’s Asa Guevara was fifth in 47.50 and American Daewan Butler completed the field in 51.88 for sixth.

Culmer, competing in the men’s triple jump, had to settle for fifth place with his best leap of 54-feet. 1 3/4-inches or 16.50m on his second attempt. He scratched his first try and came back and followed up with leaps of 52-10 3/4 (16.12m), 53-11 (16.43m) and 53-5 3/4 (16.30m).

Jamaica’s Jayden Hibbert took the title after he soared 56-10 1/4 (17.33m) on his first attempt. He only had one other jump of 55-9 3/4 (17.01m) on his third try, which would have kept him in medal contention.

Hometown boy Jah-Nhai Perinchief got second with 56-2 1/2 (17.13m) on his fourth try. Jamaican Jordan Scott was third with 55-11 1/4 (17.05m) on his fourth as well and American Donald Scott was fifth with 54-10 1/4 (16.72m) on his fifth. American Chris Benard was sixth with 53-2 1/4 (16.21m) on his third.

The 32-year-old Russell is scheduled to head home to join Steven Gardiner, Wendell Miller, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Anthonique Strachan and Lacarthea Cooper in the pool for the mixed relays this weekend at the World Relays.

Russell, Gardiner and Miller are also entered in the men’s 4 x 400m pool that include Deedro Clarke,Shakeem Hall-Smith, Lhevinne Joseph, Zion Miller and Zion Shepherd.

The Bahamas will also field a men’s 4 x 100m team from the pool that consist of Jeremiah Adderley, Blake Bartlett Jr, Carlos Brown Jr, Deedro Clarke, Samson Colebrooke, Samalie Farrington and Warren Fraser.

There will also be a women’s 4 x 100m relay team that will come from the combo of Devynne Charlton, Shayann Demeritte, Printassia Johnson, Jamiah Nabbie, Nia Richards, Camille Rutherford, Pedrya Seymour and Charisma Taylor.

The World Relays will serve as a qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France from July 27 to August 11. The competition will get started at 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

However, there will be a pre-game show starting at 4 pm each day, which will feature the top junior athletes from the Bahamas against some of the athletes coming from some of the other countries.