Shaunae Miller with her gold medal in France Photo: Kermit Taylor / Bahamas Athletics
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Lille, FRANCE - At 1:05pm Nassau time on Friday, July
8th, 2011 Shaunae Miller made believers of the entire world
Track and Field community. The 2010 World Junior 400m Champion went
out and won her second world title, the IAAF World Youth 400m title.
This was in Lille, France where the
weather this evening was around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and windy, definitely
chilly for the Bahamas.
The silver medal was won by Canadian
Christian Brennan in 52.12sec. Jamaican Olivia James captured the bronze
medal in 52.14sec.
The world leader, Jamaican Chris Ann
Gordon after running such a swift semi-final, was only able to run 53.31sec
for seventh.
This is a great day for Miller and
for The Bahamas.
Miller’s gold was the first for The
Bahamas in the World Youth, the second for her at the world level, and
the second medal for The Bahamas in the World Youth. Grand Bahama’s
Nivea Smith won a bronze in the 200m in 2007.
Miller was one of three athletes invited
to the IAAF Press Conference at the Opening of the Championships.
It is also sweet for Miller after false
starting at the Carifta Games in Montego Bay earlier in the year.
Shaunae Miller in action at the IAAF World Youth Championships Photo: Kermit Taylor / Bahamas Athletics
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Andre Wells finished sixth in his 400m
some fifteen minutes earlier. He ran 47.22sec.
Earlier in the day Stephen Newbold
won his heat of the 200m in 21.40sec, the fastest time for the day.
Anthony Adderley was only able to run 22.64sec for fourth in heat five.
Carmiesha Cox, in her first world event,
finished second in heat seven in 24.25sec and will advance, as Newbold,
to the semi-final tomorrow.
Desiree Henry of Great Britain won
Cox’s heat and had the fastest time in the heats of 23.57sec.
Kirk Lewis ran 14.52sec in the semi-final
of the 110m hurdles for eighth place in heat three.
On the field, Latario Collie-Minns
had the best jump in the Triple Jump qualifying rounds. The world’s
Youth leader jumped 15.61m for an automatic qualifier. His best is 16.55m.
His twin Lathone Collie-Minns jumped 15.16m to qualify also. Lathone
has the third best jump of any Youth athlete in the Triple Jump, 15.73m.
Lathone won Group A and Latario Group
B.
Shaunae Miller receiving much media attention at the IAAF World Youth Photo: Kermit Taylor / Bahamas AthleticsChampionships in France
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This is certainly a great day for Bahamian
Track and Field, Small Country, Great Athletes.
Keep tuned for the performances tomorrow,
Saturday, July 9th.
