The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DEMETRIUS Pinder and Donald Thomas were the flag bearers for the Bahamian flag at the 53rd edition of the Ostrava Golden Spike in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The IAAF World Challenge was held on Tuesday.

Pinder, going head-to-head with his American training partner LaShawn Merritt, had to settle for a fourth place in a season’s best of 45.30. Merritt won the race in 44.16, erasing the meet record of 44.49 that was set by Kirani James of Grenada last year. Taking second was Isaac Makwala in a Botswana’s national record of 44.83, while Martyn Rooney of Great Britain got third in a season’s best of 45.03.

Pinder’s time is recorded as the third fastest by any Bahamian this year. Veteran Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown, still on a roll after his silver medal feat in a personal best at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, has posted the two best times of 44.61 and 45.15.

Ramon Miller is next with 45.21 and Michael Mathieu trails Pinder with 45.34.

Meanwhile, on the field, Thomas cleared 2.22 metres or 7-feet, 3 1/4-inches that placed him in a two-way tie for sixth with Mihai Donisan of Romania. World champion Bogdan Bondarenko of the Ukraine soared 2.33m (7-7 3/4) to replace the meet record of 2.32m (7-7 1/4) that was held by Russian Ivan Ukchov.

So far this year, Thomas has done a season’s best of 2.25m (7-4 1/2). The Bahamas’ best mark so far has been 2.26m (7-5) by national record holder Ryan Ingraham. Trevor Barry, who is making a comeback after sitting out last year with an injury, has also done 2.25m (7-4 1/2).

The athletes are now building up the excitement for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations National Open Track and Field Championships at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium June 27-28. The Nationals will also serve as a trials for the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for July 23 to August 3 in Glasgow, Scotland.

CHRIS BROWN’S

IAAF INTERVIEW

The fourth episode of IAAF Inside Athletics is available to watch online now. This show features an exclusive and in-depth interview with Bahamian 400m runner Chris Brown, the reigning world indoor silver medallist and Olympic 4x400m champion.

IAAF Inside Athletics is hosted by Trinidad and Tobago’s 1997 world 200m champion Ato Boldon, who is now an internationally respected broadcaster.

Exclusive to the IAAF, the show appears on the IAAF World Athletics Club Facebook page. Fans can interact and ask questions, either on Facebook or by email to insidesthletics@iaaf.org