By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

VERSATILE Charisma Taylor booked her ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France and birthday girl Shaunae Miller-Uibo proved that she’s on her way back for another appearance at the Tom Jones Memorial at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida.

The duo led a field of Bahamians in action over the weekend as they also prepared for the return of the sixth edition of the World Athletics’ World Relays at the newly refurbished Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium May 4-5.

The 24-year-old Taylor, now under the sponsorship of TaylorMade Limeade, dipped under the qualifying standard of 12.77 seconds with her ninth place finish in the women’s 100m hurdles final in 12.76 after she won the first of two heats.

“I feel great about getting the standard. I’m in great shape and my coach and I have a plan for the season and so far we are going as planned,” Taylor said.

“I’m grateful that I got the standard for 1/2 of my events, which is a large weight lifted. Now I can focus more on getting the standard for the triple jump.”

It was an extra special time for Taylor, whose parents Patrice and Dewey, came and watched “my meet and gave me the extra push I needed to exceed the standard.”

American Nia Ali, representing Nike, was the winner of the other heat in 12.44 as she took the overall title. “The race was what I expected we knew that I am in shape to run fast, it’s definitely what I expected,” said Taylor. Taylor also participayed in the women’s triple jump invite, pulling off the victory with her leap of 45-4 1/4 (13.82m) on her first ty, but the former Queen’s College sensation missed the Olympic cut of 14.55m. Her nearest rival was Natricia Hopper of Gainesville Elite with 44-8 (13.62m).

In making the cut for the hurdles, this marks the third straight global meet that Taylor has qualified for, coming off her first appearance in March at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Queen’s College graduate was sixth in the women’s 60m hurdles behind the world record breaking performance from Bahamian gold medalist Devynne Charlton.

Last year, coming out of her completion of her collegiate tenure as a transfer from the University of Tennessee to Washington State University, Taylor got her breakthrough at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary where she competed in the preliminaries of the triple jump, finishing 28th overall.

Next weekend, Taylor will be competing at Lousiana State University before she headcto Jamaica for an Invitational meet in May.

Miller-Uibo, the reigning two-time Olympic 400m gold medalist celebrating her 30th birthday today, showed that she’s getting back to full form from motherhood after the delivery of her son, Maicel Jr, who will turn one on April 20.

Participating on the Empire Athletics’ team that included Alyssa Marsh, MaKenzie Dunmore and Jessika Gbai, Miller-Uibo ran a split of 49.60 on the third leg as her team won the women’s 4 x 400m relay in 3:23.85.

The USA Red team of NaAshe Robinson, Karimaah Davis, Abby Steiner and Bailey Lear, got second in 3:24.09.

Miller-Uibo, a graduate of St Augustine’s College, is expected to provide some more fireworks for the Bahamas in the mixed 4 x 400 metre at the World Relays. She ran on the team that included Steven Gardiner, Michael Mathieu and Anthonique Strachan that won the title in the third edition in 2027, the last time that the event was last held here.

Anthaya Charlton, a sophomore at the University of Florida, was fourth in the women’s long jump final with her best performance of 21-feet, 8-inches or 6.60 metres on her third attempt.

The versatile sprinter who is also the younger sister of Devynne Charlton, both SAC alumni, had her only other legal jump was 21-0 1/2 (6.41m) on her third attempt. She fouled her first and fourth teries and passed up on her final two attempts.

Quanesha Burks of FP Movement was the winner with 22-9 3/4 (6.71m) on her first try.

Javonya Valcourt, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee and formerly of Queen’s College, was eighth in the women’s 400m invite in 51.15. Kaylyn Brown, a freshman at the University of Arkansas, was the winner in 49.95.

Another Queen’s College standout, Paige Archer, competing as a sophomore for University of Central Florida, was 37th in the women’s 200m in 23.80 after she got eighth in the fourth of sixth heats.

McKenzie Long, a senior at Ole Miss, won the title in 22.18.

Wanya McCoy, a junior at the University of Florida, rebounded from a slight injury he suffered at the NCAA Indoor Championships. McCoy got seventh in the men’s 200m invite in 20.40, while fellow Bahamian Texas Tech’s sophomore Antoine Andrews came in .20.65.

Tarsis Orogot, a junior at Arkansas, clocked a personal best of 19.90 for the win,

In preparation for the World Relays, the Bahamas team of Wendell Miller, Alonzo Russell, Zion Shepherd and Shakeem Hall-Smith was second in the first of six heats for eighth in a season’s best of 3:04.99.

Florida won the title in 3:01.20 in their season’s best as well.

The Bahamas also entered the men’s 4 x 100m relay,but didn’t compete. Auburn won in a season’s best of 38.64.9.

Also on the field, national record holder Keyshawn Strachan, a sophomore at Auburn University, took third place in the men’s javelin with his season’s best toss of 250-0 (76.25m) on his second attempt.

The 20-year-old St John’s College graduate opened the competition with 223-0 (67-99), but scratched his third and fourth attempts and passed up the fifth and sixth tries.

Marc Minichello, a senior at Georgia, won with 265-10 (81.03m) on his fourth attempt.

And Kaiwan Culmer, a University of Nebraska graduate out of Nassau Christian Academy, saved his best performance for his last attempt as he soared 54-51/2 (16.60m) for third place as well in the men’s triple jump invite.

The 27-year-old who is being sponsored by his employers at Arawak Homes in his quest to qualify for the Olympics, opened up the competition with a foul, leapt 53-61/2 (16.32) on his second, 47-113/4 (14.62) on his third and 53-1 (16.18m) on his fourth before he fouled his fifth.

Donald Scott, competing for Adidas was third in his flight of the men’s triple jump invite with 55-81/2 (16.98m).

Penn Improving

Abaco native Quincy Penn lowered her 100m time to 11.51 as she took the victory at the Troy Doc Anderson Invitational & Multis at Troy State in Troy, Alabama.

The versatile sprinter also ran on Alabama State’s 4 x 400m relay team of Nauti’ka Robinson, Jaqual Bush and Chloe Vines, who won in 3:42.88.

Penn’s individual performance came after she posted her best 400 of 51.91 at the Pepsi Florida Relays and 23.42 in the 200m at the UCF Black & Gold, both last month.