SPORTS SECTION E
MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018
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Gardiner, Miller-Uibo in record-breaking runs By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN quarter-mile twin towers Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo highlighted the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s Shanghai Diamond League Meet by winning the men’s 400 and women’s 200 metres in record-breaking times respectively on Saturday. Gardiner, coming off his sensational world leading 43.87 seconds in Doha, Qatar, on May 4 at the first of the 12 Diamond League events before the two finals are held at the end of the year, pulled away for another fantastic performance as he took the men’s one-lap race in 43.99. In the process, the 22-year-old 6-foot, 2-inch Abaco native and
former Moore’s Island student erased the meet record of 44.02 that was set by American Jeremy Wariner in 2007 and tied by Grenada’s Kirani James in 2013. The 2017 IAAF World Championship silver medallist is running MILLER-UIBO both the 200 and 400m this year. Once again, Gardiner beat out a talented field that included Botswana’s triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Isaac Makwala, who had to settle for second in a season’s best of 44.23 after he got third in the first meeting
of the three top performers in the world so far this year. Makwala switched places with Qatar’s Abdalelah Haroun, who was third in 44.51. Haroun, the World Championship bronze medallist, was second GARDINER in Qatar. “I saw the same strategy as the one in Doha, but I changed up a few things because some new guys were there,” Gardiner said. “I managed to carry out my strategy and race form the way I wanted it.” As for Miller-Uibo, she said anytime she and Gardiner hook
up to compete for the Bahamas, Miller-Uibo said one can expect some fireworks. “Stevie is an exceptional athlete and he has been performing extremely well so far this season,” she said. “I’m happy for him and excited to see what God is going to do for the both of us this year. When Bahamians are on the scene, that could only mean great things for our country.” Miller-Uibo, 24, made her 2018 IAAF Diamond League debut an impressive one as well as she ran away with the women’s 200m in 22.06 for her season’s best and a meet record, replacing the previous mark of 22.36 that was held since 2014 by Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor. The 6-1 Miller-Uibo, a native of Nassau and a graduate of St Augustine’s College, was just
short of posting the fastest time in the world as she trails OkagbareIghoteguonor, who clocked 22.04 in Abilene, Texas, on March 24. Miller, the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, is coming off her triumph at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. “It was a great race and great start to the Diamond League season,” Miller-Uibo said. “I give God all the thanks and praise yet again for allowing me to be victorious and finish the race healthy.” Securing her third consecutive win at the meet in Shanghai, Miller-Uibo got the best of the much anticipated showdown against Netherland’s two-time world champion Dafne Schippers, who was second in her season’s best of 22.34, Jamaican
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Reckley national bodybuilding champion By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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or the second consecutive year, Charles Reckley has emerged as the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation’s national bodybuilding champion. Reckley, competing in the men’s welterweight division, won the title on Saturday night at the Melia resort where the federation hosted a joint 2018 National Novice and Open Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships. Among the other winners were Lyndsey Curry as the women’s open figure champion, Raynor ‘The Black Viking’ Ferguson, the men’s open physique champion, Athena Bain, the women’s wellness champion, Tashara Seymour, the women’s open bikini champion and Japhier ‘Jackie’ Gardiner, the novice bikini champion. Moving up from the lightweight division, Reckley outperformed Reginald Delancy, Mario Sweeting and Giovanni Farrington to clinch the welterweight title. In the pose down, he won over lightweight champion Paul ‘Mighty Mouse’ Wilson and masters’ heavyweight champion 73-year-old Sydney ‘Butts’ Outten. “It feels great. Last year, I was in the lighter weight class, but this year I moved up,” he said. “Tonight, I feel really great because I was fighting against three great guys and I came out with the award again.” When the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships takes place in Aruba
in August, the 31-year-old Reckley said it’s his goal to go there and become the latest Bahamian to earn his pro card. “It’s time to move on, so I’m going to push towards that,” he insisted. “The competition here was great. The guys came after me, but I wasn’t stopping. I fought it out and it paid off.” Curry, winner of the D class over Roberta Wheeler and the overall pose down winner over Tanya Forbes, the B class winner, said it was a well-deserved victory. “It’s been long road just to get here, so I had to do the best that I could,” Curry said. “This is not my first year, so to be right here holding the trophy is just special for me. I had a lot of fun. I enjoyed it.” Curry said she will be looking forward to
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TOP - Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation first vice president Kenny Green pose above with the overall winners of the Bahamas National Bodybuilding and Novice Championships. ABOVE - Wellington ‘Cat’ Sears, Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation stage manager and pro bodybuilder Lakeisha Miller pose with Tashara Seymour, the women’s open bikini champion. RIGHT - Kenny Green, Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation first vice president, pose with men’s bodybuilding champion Charles Reckley. Photos: Michael O’Brien
Olympian Stuart named to MVC 25-year anniversary team BAHAMIAN two-time Olympic long jumper Bianca Stuart was among five Southern Illinois alumni named to the Women’s Field 25-year anniversary team in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team, including DeAnna Price, Brittany Riley, Jeneva (McCall) Stevens and Amarchi Ukabam, was selected by a
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25-person committee (two representatives from each MVC member institution and a panel of five voters from the conference office). The voting panel determined a “Top-10” from a list of 25 finalists. Stuart, a 2009 graduate at SIU, earned two All-America honours and was a seven-time MVC champion in the jumps, including the only four-year sweep of the indoor long jump in conference history. At the 2009 MVC Indoor Championships, Stuart broke the meet record with her jump of 21-6.25, a record that still stands. She finished 16th in the long jump at the 2016 Omypics and 18th in the event at the 2012 games. Price was a two-time national champion in the hammer throw and a four-time All-American. She had one of the most dominant senior seasons in collegiate hammer throw history, winning her second NCAA hammer throw title with a meet record heave of 234 feet, 8 inches. She later captured bronze at the US Olympic
Trials to punch her ticket American Junior Athto the 2016 Olympics in letics Championships, Rio. winning a silver medal. Her throw of 239-9 at A four-time MVC most the trials was the furthest outstanding field athlete, all-conditions throw in Riley’s name is all over collegiate history. The the collegiate record four-time MVC chambooks. She still holds pion went on to finish the American Collegiate eighth at the 2016 Olymweight throw record and pics, the seventh time in has eight of the top-10 SIU track and field hismarks in the event in tory that a Saluki alum NCAA history. has finished top-8 at the Stevens is one of the STUART Olympics. most decorated studentRiley was a two-time athletes in Saluki track NCAA champion in the weight and field history. She won three throw and a six-time All-Amer- national titles, the most by an ican. At the 2007 NCAA Indoor individual in the programme’s stoNational Championships, Riley ried history, and was a three-time set a world-record in the weight NCAA runner-up. throw with her toss of 83-10.25 en In 2012, the 13-time All-Ameriroute to being named the NCAA’s can won NCAA titles in both the Indoor National Athlete of the weight and the hammer throw Year. while also taking second in the As a freshman, Riley broke indoor shot put. In doing so, Stethe school record in the hammer vens was named the USTFCCCA throw to win the USA Track and Midwest Women’s Field Athlete Field Junior Championships. of the Year, marking the first and She advanced to the 2005 Pan only time that a student athlete
from the Valley has earned the honour. Professionally, Stevens became the first American woman to ever medal in the hammer throw in worldwide competition with her win in the event at the 2013 World University Games. She recently finished second in the shot put at the 2018 USATF Indoor Championships. Ukabam, who transferred to SIU from Ohio State in 2004, won six All-American honours with the Salukis from 2004-06. She won MVC titles in the shot put, weight throw and discus in 2004 and set Valley records in the indoor shot put, weight throw and discus. She went on to win a total of six MVC titles during her collegiate career and helped Southern win the 2005 MVC indoor team title, its first since 1989. Brittany Smith (Illinois State), Kylie Hutson (Indiana State), Felisha Johnson (Indiana State), Rachel Jansen (Northern Iowa) and Paige Knoodle (Northern Iowa) rounded out the 10-woman team.