TOKYO, Japan – It was obvious that Shaunae Miller-Uibo was physically drained when she crossed the finish line in her semifinal heat of the women’s 400 meters (m) on Wednesday, having run five races in three days, but she knows there is just one more to go for Olympic glory and gratification.
Miller-Uibo cruised into the Olympic final on Wednesday, comfortably winning her semifinal heat in 49.60 seconds – the fourth-fastest qualifying time for the final. She will run out of lane seven in the final, which will take place on Friday at 9:35 p.m. at the Japan National Stadium here in Tokyo, Japan.
Miller-Uibo experienced discomfort in her hamstring in the women’s 200m final on Tuesday night, fading to eighth, and appeared to still be feeling it on Wednesday, but was determined to advance to the final in her specialty, where she will have an opportunity to make history.
Just one woman in history has ever repeated as Olympic champion of the women’s 400m – Marie-José Pérec, of France, in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996. She is also the only woman in history to win more than one Olympic title in the women’s 400m.
As for Bahamian superstar athlete Miller-Uibo, she showed her emotions after her semifinal heat on Wednesday, showing the effects of doubling in the women’s 200m and 400m. The schedule certainly wasn’t in her favor, having to run five races in three days.
Be that as it may, she said she is grateful to be in the women’s 400m final at these Tokyo Olympic Games and is looking forward to the opportunity to make history. She will be going after her second consecutive Olympic title in that event.
“I just give God all the thanks and praise. I’ve had to deal with a lot of injuries, especially with them surfacing these past three days,” she said. “The main thing was to come out here, get a feel of the legs and move on to the final. I was able to save up enough energy, so I’ll be ready for the final when it comes.”
Thankfully for Miller-Uibo, she’ll have 48 hours’ rest between the semifinals and the final.
“I normally don’t like the day break but I think this one was needed this time,” she said. “I’m going to go back and get a lot of therapy done. My doctor was able to help with a lot of the pain. I’m going to go back and hopefully get a lot more of the pain out of the way and hopefully be ready for the final.”
Biting on her chain and blocking out the pain, Miller-Uibo stuck to her race strategy on Wednesday, not going out too fast and conserving as less energy as possible. She was composed around the second bend, coming into the straightaway with a slight lead. Glancing up at the scoreboard a few times on the homestretch, Miller-Uibo paced herself properly and relaxed coming into the tape. Still, she was able to break 50 seconds and record her second-fastest time of the season. She ran 50.50 seconds in her opening round heat and 49.60 seconds in the semis. The 27-year-old Bahamian track star has a season’s best time of 49.08 seconds, done in April.
She knows she will have to go much faster, possibly running sub-49 seconds, if she wants to repeat as Olympic champion.
Jamaican Stephenie Ann McPherson, who has been in fine form all season, was the fastest qualifier for the final, winning her semifinal heat in a personal best time of 49.34 seconds. Marileidy Paulino, of the Dominican Republic, who was spectacular for their mixed relay team, helping them win silver, was the second-fastest qualifier for the final, winning her semifinal heat in a personal best national record time of 49.38 seconds. Jamaican Candice McLeod was special as well, running a personal best time of 49.51 seconds to qualify for the final with the third-fastest time.
All eight ladies who qualified for the final ran under 50 seconds in the semifinals. Included in that are a pair of Jamaicans, McPherson and McLeod, a pair of Americans including Miller-Uibo’s rival over the years Allyson Felix and US National Champion Quanera Hayes, Miller-Uibo, Paulino, Roxana Gomez, of Cuba, who ran a personal best time of 49.71 seconds in her semifinal heat, and Jodie Williams, of Great Britain, who qualified in a personal best time of 49.97 seconds.
Putting the disappointment of the 200m behind her, Miller-Uibo said she will go out there on Friday evening and give it her all in the women’s 400m final.
“I always say what God has for me, no man could take away. That one (200 meters) just wasn’t for me, and now I’m going to focus on the 400,” she said. “I know that He’ll see me through. I’ll just keep my faith in Him and let Him have His way.”
She said she appreciates all of the support she gets from back home, and Bahamians everywhere, and will try her best to make a tiny nation proud once again.
“Thank you guys for all the support. I’m going to go out there and fight hard for you guys in this final and hope to bring home the gold for The Bahamas,” she said.
As mentioned, the final is set for Friday at 9:35 p.m. at the Japan National Stadium here in Tokyo – 8:35 a.m. Friday morning back in The Bahamas. Miller-Uibo will run out of lane seven.
The post Miller-Uibo qualifies for 400m final appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/miller-uibo-qualifies-for-400m-final/
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