By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THEY’VE had some keenly contested match-ups. Now Devynne Charlton can look forward to competing with her long time arch-rival Pedrya Seymour on the grandest stage at the 2020 Olympic Games.

Charlton joined Seymour in qualifying for the games, rescheduled for July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo, Japan, at the Miramar South Florida Invitational on Saturday when she matched the standard of 12.84 in the preliminaries.

For Charlton, who would have qualified for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but opted not to compete because of a back injury, she said she’s healthy and eager to see what she can do in her first Olympic appearance.

“It was a season’s best that I ran in the heats, came back in the finals and it was wind-aided, but it was around the same time,” said Charlton, who was competing in her third meet for the season.

“I felt the execution of the race could have been a whole lot better, but this gives me an idea of the things that I need to work on when I get back in training.”

Having graduated from Purdue University where she trained under the Bahamian duo of Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene and Norbert Elliott, Charlton is now training at the University of Kentucky where Greene is now the head coach.

As a professional athlete now, Charlton said it brought back memories of her collegiate days, even when she faced Seymour, whom she competed against when the Bahamian national record holder ran for Illinois.

“It’s always good to see other Bahamians competing in the same event at the same meet that you are in,” Charlton said.

“I made a comment to someone that no matter where I go in the world there’s always someone else competing.

“It speaks to our level of competition for such a small country, so having Pedrya in the same race was exciting. We kind of go back and forth. Having her in the race just made me work harder because she is such a fierce competitor.”

Their paths may or may not clash until they face each other, along with a number of rising young stars like Charisma Taylor from Washington State and Sasha Wells from Oral Roberts, at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Nationals whenever they are held.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise because we have a lot of talent coming up. It was Pedrya and I for the past few years, but we also have some collegians, who are putting down some good times,” Charlton reflected.

“So it’s going to be interesting to see what happens the rest of the season, but I can’t see why we can’t have three women qualified for the hurdles at the Olympics.”

With a few minor things to work on, Charlton is hoping that she will be included. “My start isn’t where I want it to be, so it can definitely get some work,” Charlton said in critiquing her performance.

“It’s not that bad, but I just need to tighten that up some more.

“The middle of my race has improved and I’m quite pleased with that. I think I’m becoming a lot stronger and faster in my races. The end over those last three or four hurdles is where I have to work on.”

Once she can rectify the problem, she should be ready to be a contender in Tokyo, considering the fact that she’s had a rough transition from college to the pro ranks.

“In 2019, I had a coach that turned out not to be the best interest for me,” Charlton pointed out. “I was able to get in contact with coach Greene and I’m training with him.

“I train with the Kentucky kids and a club that consists of professional athletes. So it’s like night and day for me now. When I was in Alabama, I was the only hurdler so there wasn’t really that much pressure.”

In Kentucky, there’s a lot more pressure, but Charlton said she’s enjoying her training camp and she’s making the best of her situation.”

Charlton, a graduate of St Augustine’s College, is the daughter of former hurdler turned track coach David and administrator Laurel Charlton, who have a younger sister, Anthaya Charlton, who is also holding her own at the high school level at SAC.

The 25-year-old Charlton, who has run a personal best of 12.70, is expected to be back in action in two weeks at a meet that she and coach Greene have not completely settled on yet.