By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Teenagers Keianna Albury and Steven Gardiner got their feet wet on the renovated Thomas A Robinson National Stadium as they prepare to represent Team Bahamas at the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s inaugural World Relays.

The two sprinters led the way for St Augustine’s College and Moore’s Island respectively, dominating the girls’ and boys’ performances at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ High School Relays.

The relays served as a “test run” for the BAAA, the Local Organising Committee and the IAAF in preparation for the World Relays, scheduled for May 24-25 at the stadium.

Albury ran the second leg on SAC’s team of Blayre Catalyn, Makeya White and Doneisha Anderson that won the girls’ 4 x 100 metre relay in 45.45 seconds over arch-rivals Queen’s College (47.02).

Albury also teamed up with the same trio as they stopped the clock in the girls’ 800 metres sprint medley final in 1:45.27, once again ahead of Queen’s College (1:49.60).

“I love the new track. It has a great feeling,” Albury said. “As a team, we did exceptionally well. We won both relays that we competed in and we ran faster times than we actually did at Penn. So we’re doing very well.”

Of the two events, the 6-foot, 3-inch 16-year-old Albury said she was more thrilled about the 4 x 1 because of the way they executed the baton.

On being named to the pool for the IAAF World Relays for both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200m relay, Albury said she’s excited.

“That’s an honour. I’m more excited because even though I’m not up there (with the elite athletes), my time is right there with them,” she said. “I expect for us to do very well. I’m sure that if I get to

compete, I will do my very best.”

Gardiner, the rising young star from Abaco who made his claim to fame at the CARIFTA Trials, also ran on the second leg of Moore’s Island’s victorious 4 x 200m team of Shakeem Henchell, Devano Mackey and Freceal Cornish that won in 1:27.06 over Government High (1:28.26).

Gardiner ran on the opening leg of Moore’s Island’s 4 x 400 relay team of Henchell, Mackey and Brandon Davis, but they got disqualified for an exchange violation. Moore’s Island, however, won the 1,600m sprint medley final in 3:31.70 with the team of Brandon Davis, Freceal Cornish, Whistun Bain and Rocky St Louis.

“It feels good because the new surface is much better than the old one,” Gardiner said. “It’s also very fast.”

As for his team’s performance, Gardiner said he was disappointed that they got disqualified in the 4 x 400m relay, but he was happy that they still emerged triumphant in their other events.

“We’ve been training hard and working very hard,” said the 18-year-old Gardiner, who is 6-4. “WẂith God’s help, anything is possible.”

On being named to the relay pool, Gardiner said he’s confident that Team Bahamas will be very successful.

Results of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Association’s IAAF High School Relays held over the weekend at the new Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium are as follows:

Girls 4 x 100 metre final

St Augustine’s College (Blayre Catalyn, Keianna Albury, Makeya White, Doneisha Anderson), 45.45; Queen’s College (Andira Ferguson, Janae Ambrose, Taryn Rolle, Kerystal Mitchelle), 47.02; CV Bethel (Monisha Tilme, Iesha Lockhart, Jodie Miller, Prolene Pierre), 48.42.

Girls 4 x 200 metre final

Queen’s College (Taryn Rolle, Talia Thompson, Krystal Mitchelle, Janae Ambrose) 1:40.94; Sunland Baptist Academy (Shaqunna Dorsette, Brianne Bethel, Vashanti Simmons, Kennedy Culmer) 1:42.48; St. Anne’s, 1:45.26.

Girls 4 x 400 metre final

Queen’s College (Mesha Newbold, Janae Ambrose, Talia Thompson, Vanallian Walker) 3:51.95; St Augustine’s College (Shante Russell, Marissa White, Megan Moss, Doneisha Anderson) 3:53.30; Queen’s College B (Alexya Sawyer, Charisma Taylor, Angel Collie, Daejha Moss) 3:58.47.

Girls 800 metres sprint medley final

St Augustine’s College (Blayre Catalyn, Keianna Albury, Makeya White, Doneisha Anderson) 1:45.27; Queen’s College (Khadija Fraser, Andira Ferguson, Dawaynia Pratt, Kimona Wilson) 1:49.60; St. John’s College (Dejanique Lightbourn, Kendesha Ingraham, Alexis Gray, Amber Ford) 1:50.18.

Boys 4 x 100 metre final

Government High (Clyde McKinney, Samson Colebrooke, Ashtera Coakley, Deedro Clarke) 42.01; Tabernacle Baptist Academy (Johnathon Smith, Ken Russell, Karon Bsin, Kevin Wallace) 42.62; Grand Bahama Catholic High (Steven Tate, Tyler Bowe, Coty Willis, Adriel McPhee) 42.66.

Boys 4 x 200 metre final

Moore’s Island (Shakeem Henchell, Steven Gardiner, Devano Mackey, Freceal Cornish) 1:27.06; Government High (Samson Colebrooke, Deedro Clarke, Ashtera Coaskley, Clyde McKinney), 1:28.26; Grand Bahama Catholic High (Adriel McPhee, Coty Willis, Ashtera Coakley, Clyde McKinney), 1:29.26.

Boys 4 x 400 metre final

St Anne’s (Xavier Coakley, Donovan Storr, Justin Pinder, Kinard Rolle) 3:27. 46; St. Anne’s (Schamal Forbes, Keanu Pennerman, Kristin Collie, Dominick Lightbourne) 3:27.60; CR Walker (Bradley Dormeus, Edison Clarke, Oral Rolle, Ricardo Russell) 3:29.05.

Boys 1,600m Sprint Medley final

Moore’s Island (Brandon Davis, Freceal Coernish, Whistun Bain, Rocky St Louis) 3:31.70; Queen’s College

(Dimitry Charlton, Ian Krr, Theotis Johnson, Darren Young) 3:34.89; CV Bethel (Shakeem Munroe, Cliff Resias, Yurick Dean, Derico Hinsey) 3:38.12.