By BRENT SETUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

STEVEN Gardiner accomplished an historic feat as the first Bahamian male gold medalist and the country’s second athlete to win both the World Championship and Olympic Games title in the same event when he powered past his rivals in the men’s 400 metres on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

The 6-feet, 4-inches native of Moore’s Island, Abaco ran a conservative 150 metres as he dropped behind the pack. He rallied on the back stretch to get back into the race and by the time he came off the curve, he propelled himself into another gear.

In the final 80m, Gardiner out-sprinted the field to post a season’s best of 43.85 seconds to emerge as the 2020 Olympic Games champion. It was another time to celebrate as he added to the title he won in 2019 at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

In producing the sixth gold medal for the Bahamas in track and field, Gardiner became the first male track athlete to ascend on top of the podium and followed Tonique Williams, who achieved the feat in the women’s 400m in 2004 in the Athens Olympics and 2005 Helsinki World Championships.

“It feels amazing. The first male in the country to do it, I’m excited,” said Gardiner in his post race interview after he took his time coming off the Tokyo National Stadium where he celebrated his latest accomplishment.

He held off Columbia’s Anthony Zambrano, who surged ahead just enough to secure the silver in 44.08. Grenada’s Kirani James picked up his third medal with the bronze in 44.19 as he completed the three colours in a row with the gold in 2012 in London England and silver in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“I didn’t get out like I wanted to, but it’s not hard you start, but how you finish,” said Gardiner of the old adage that helped in his comeback. “For me, I did it in the end. I gave it my all. I could feel the pain from it, so I know I did it.”

After stumbling out of the blocks, Gardiner said he had to keep his composure coming off the first curve.

“I kind of stutter step, but I didn’t let it get the best of me,” he reflected. “But the final 80 metres, oh, it was long. I was just happy to see the finish line, just to be done.”

It looked like he had a lot more in the tank as he ran through the tape, but Gardiner admitted that it was just to “win.” He admitted that it “hurt,” but he’s delighted that “it’s done.”

Not only did he achieve the goal, but Gardiner also put the Bahamas on the medal chart in 60th place overall, ensuring that the country continued its legacy of winning at least one medal at every Olympiad since 1992 when Frank Rutherford broke the athletic ceiling with his bronze in the men’s triple jump in Barcelona, Spain.

Albeit not in the same sport, the Bahamas got its first gold medal in 1964 right in Tokyo when Sir Durward ‘Sea Wolf’ Knowles teamed up with Cecil Cooke in the Star Class in sloop sailing.

Running out of lane seven, Gardiner charted his own historic feat when he delivered a masterful performance out of lane seven. Hampered with an injury during the lead up to the games, Gardiner competed sparingly and his American coach Gary Evans cautiously prepared him for the challenge he faced at the games.

After lowering his lifetime best to 43.48 for the national record in clinching his first global international title at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019, Gardiner managed a season’s best of 44.47 in Hungary on July 6 before he arrived in Tokyo.

In Tokyo, he made it look so easy in the rounds, getting second in the first round in 44.34 behind Zambrano’s 44.07 for fourth place overall. But he stepped it up another notch in the semi-final when he lowered his season’s best to 44.14 as he won his heat for the third best time going into the final.

With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Gardiner saved the best for the last and it produced another sterling gold medal performance.

“In the final, I just wanted to do it one more time,” quipped Gardiner, who sent out a shout out to his parents, his friend Ashley and the entire Bahamas for their support. “Here I am tonight, Olympic champion.”

From one champion to the next, James applauded Gardiner for his effort. He was the first competitor to reach over and extended a hand to him to help him up off the track after the race to begin the celebrations.

For James, it was just as a remarkable accomplishment for the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, who added the silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 when Gardiner made his debut, but didn’t advance out of the semi-finals.

The 28 year-old James, who was diagnosed with Grave’s disease and lost his mother, his rock, in 2019, fought his way back through all of his adversities to give Grenada a little more to celebrate as well as they took to the streets in the Spice island.

“It’s always great and you have to give credit to the eight guys in the race. They are all so good, so tough to race against,” James said. “I’m just happy to compete against those guys and to get a medal in that whole field.”

The field included a pair of Americans, Michael Cherry, fourth in 44.44 and Michael Norman, fifth in 44.52. Botswana’s Isaacs Makwala was sixth in 44.59; Netherland’s Liemarvin Bonevacia was seventh in a national record of 44.82 and Jamaican Christopher Taylor came in eighth in a seasons’ best of 44.92.

Missing was South Africa’s world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, who didn’t survive the semi-final. The Bahamas also had another in Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell, but he didn’t get into the semis.

But obviously with who was entered, the race belonged to Gardiner and the former volleyball player, who started running in 2014 under coach Anthony Williams as a 20-second 200m runner at the age of 17. He came to Nassau and was converted to a 400m runner by coach George Cleare.

He has inked his name in track and field’s almanac as a Bahamian champion - again.

“It feels amazing. My first Olympic Games didn’t go well for me (he didn’t make the final at Rio 2016) but this one here, I’m cherishing this moment. Olympic champion,” Gardiner said.

“I came across the line and saw my name on the big screen and I was in first place. I’m just happy.”

So are Bahamians, who relished the performance.