By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday that Shaunae Miller’s dramatic gold medal winning performance at the 2016 Olympic Games is one of the most extraordinary moments in this country’s history.

Mr Christie said as they watched the event from home, he and his family danced with joy, but like other Bahamians, nervously paused at the end to determine who won the race.

“The impression initially from the announcers was the American had won until they looked at the photo finish and they saw the results listed that Shaunae had won,” he said.

“These moments in our history unify our country because every Bahamian, notwithstanding challenges, despair, hopes, everyone came together as Shaunae was running for all of us and all of us were running for her.”

Ms Miller finished the 400 metres race in a personal best time of 49.44 seconds, ahead of one of the world’s most decorated sprinters, the USA’s Allyson Felix who clocked in at 49.51.

Ms Miller’s dive at the end of the race may have been decisive in her victory and ignited fierce debate among observers on social media who questioned whether it was appropriate.

For his part, Mr Christie said the dive towards the finish line displayed Ms Miller’s indomitable spirit, regardless of whether it was intentional.

“Whether she intentionally dove herself over, you know most athletes lean to get the edge at the finish line, but whether she accidentally fell or whether she purposefully did it, it was a wonderful outcome, a wonderful result for our country. She reflected everything we would want Bahamians to be and everything we have demonstrated through the ages as people who live throughout these islands, the indomitable spirit, never giving up, never giving in and being able to bring every possible muscle and sinew at the right time aimed at holding on and crossing the finish line. We are so incredibly proud of her that this demonstration of who we are, who we should be, who we wish to pass on to young Bahamians, she’s put it all out there for us and the world is talking about her today and that is the most important thing. She gave everything of herself and it was such an extraordinary moment in this history of our country and I’ve identified it as one of the iconic experiences of our country, one of the iconic moments in the history of our country.”

Mr Christie said Ms Miller’ accomplishment highlights the need to do more to develop the athletic talents of Bahamians.

“One of the great challenges we have is, unlike countries like Jamaica that continue to do well, Trinidad that we see is doing well in the region, little small Grenada that we see had two athletes in the 400m finals, what our challenge is as an island nation is we have our resources concentrated in Freeport and New Providence and we don’t have the facilities yet in our islands to take advantage of some of these athletes who are gifted. We have to make haste right now to give them facilities in the islands even if it’s just an open great lawn of grass that you can train on so that we are able to cause them to be identified.”