Strong performances turned in at Star Trackers Meet

The CARIFTA Games have been canceled for a second consecutive year, but that did not stop athletes from coming out to perform at the 18th Star Performers Track Classic 2021 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium this past Saturday.

One of those athletes was Swift Athletics under-20 boys competitor Wendell Miller. He ran personal best times in the 200 and 400 meters (m) races.

In the under-20 boys 400m, Miller ran his way to a time of 46.33 seconds to come away with the win. That time qualified him for the NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association) Under 18 and Under 23 Championships, set for July 9-11 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Omar Kelly, who ran for S.P.I.A, was second after posting a time of 48.47 seconds. Grand Bahama Heats Athletics Shamar Smith came in third with a time of 48.72 seconds.

“Iron sharpens iron” could not be any truer in the under-20 boys 200m as Miller faced Fast Forward sprinter Wanya McCoy. They ran in heat eight of that event, and the highly anticipated race did not disappoint as they put on a thrilling performance. It was a two-man race coming off the curve. The two were neck-and-neck before Miller found a little gas for his jet at the end, crossing the finish line in a personal best time of 20.75 seconds. It was the first time Miller went under 21 seconds.

“I am very excited. It was a pleasure to participate against those runners. My plan was to get to the curve before them. I felt like I did that and I just ran fast on the straight down to the finish line,” Miller said.

McCoy also was able to come away from the meet with a personal best time of 20.84 seconds. It was also his first time dipping under 21 seconds.

“Coming off the curve it was a head-to-head race but then coming down the straight it continued being a head-to-head race until he dipped ahead of me at the end,” McCoy said.

Bahamas Speed Dynamics’ Antoine Andrews was third with a time of 21.19 seconds.

All three of the top finishers ran below the World Athletics Under-20 Championships standard of 21.38 seconds. The race was a quick one as even fourth place finisher Lamont Moss of the DTSP Wolf Pack went under the qualifying standard when he clocked 21.27 seconds.

Blue Chip Athletics’ Tarajh Hudson was able to launch the discus 54.87m (180’ 0-1/4”) for a personal best. He won the under-20 boys division with that throw, going under the NACAC Under 23 qualifying distance once again, and also breaking the junior national record of 54.78m (179’ 8”) that was set by Drexel McIntosh in 2015.

Finishing a distant second was Seth Thompson from Tabernacle Baptist Academy who posted a throw of 37.65m (123’ 6-1/4”). Kingsway Academy’s John Huyler threw 30.43m (99’ 10”) to finish third.

Running away with the under-20 girls 100m dash title was Red-Line Athletics’ Larcarthea Cooper who sped to the finish line in 11.71 seconds. Fast Forward Athletics’ Shavantae Roberts clocked 11.79 seconds to finish second. Cooper and Clarke both went under the World Athletics Under-20 qualifying standard of 11.85 seconds.

Finishing third was DTSP’s Lydia Clarke, running 12.13 seconds.

Fast Forward’s Paige Archer was able to qualify for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships after she posted a time of 24.14 seconds in the under-17 girls 200m. Kenyan Knights’ Shatalya Dorsette ran 24.39 seconds to place second, just missing the standard of 24.35 seconds. Star Trackers’ Nia Richards was third after she clocked 24.45 seconds.

Archer also went under the World Athletics Under-20 Championships qualifying time of 11.85 seconds in the 100m. However, it was a wind-aided time of 11.76 seconds. Richards was second in this race with a time of 12 seconds flat. Red-Line Athletics’ Nya Wright was third after posting a time of 12.13 seconds.

Grand Bahama athletes Erin Barr and Chanya Taylor finished first and second respectively in the 800m and the 1500 races. Barr clocked 2:25.25 in the 800m while Taylor posted a time of 2:32.41. Finishing third was the Road Runners Track Club’s Tellica Seymour who ran 2:34.30.

In the 1500m race, Barr ran 5:02.13 to win. Taylor crossed the finish line second in 5:10.28. In this race, a teammate of Barr and Taylor, Akaya Lightbourne, finished third with a time of 5:13.99.

Still looking to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics in the triple jump are Kaiwan Culmer and Lathone Collie. Culmer, who jumps for Leap of Faith, jumped 16.03m (52’ 7”) to win the open men’s triple jump. Keianno Rolle, who jumped unattached, was second with a leap of 14.25m (46’ 9”). World championships jumper Collie came in third place with a leap of 13.70m (44’ 11-1/4”).

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