Saturday, August 3, 2024
By BRENT STUBBS
Chief Sports Editor
PARIS, France: It wasn't the time or the position she anticipated, but swimmer Rhanishks Gibbs said she was satisfied with her debut at the 2024 Olympic Games.
It wasn't what was expected either from sprinters Wayna McCoy and Terrence Jones, who were competing simultaneously in another venue for track and field, along with decathlete Ken Mullings.
Gibbs, 18, was one of two Bahamians competing in the swimming competition at the Paris La Defense Arena. She competed during Saturday's morning session in the women's 50 metre freestyle.
The Texas Christian University sophomore was just shy of her lifetime best of 26.22 seconds when she clocked 26.27 seconds for sixth place in the seventh of ten heats.
Jenjira Srisa-ard of Thailand won her heat in 25.18.
Gibbs finished 31st out of a field of 79 competitors, noting that it was all she had on the day.
"Honestly, I thought it was a good race for my first Olympics. However, I was disappointed at the time. I wanted to break that 26 barrier," she stated.
"But just making it to the Olympics, honestly, is a great experience. I'm just proud of myself for making it this far."
Sprinters eliminated
At the Stade de France in the heats of the men's 100m, Jones got sixth in heat four in 10.31 as Oblique Seville of Jamaica took the tape in 9.99.
McCoy followed Jones in heat six, running a little faster in 10.24 for fifth place. Akani Simbine of the Republic of South Africa won the heat in 10.09.
While McCoy ended up 37 out of a field of 62 competitors, Jones was 43rd, but neither got close to the last qualifying spot in 10.10 that was run by Joshua Hartmann of Germany. American Kenneth Bednarek had the fastest qualifying time of 9.97.
Mullings still holding on
As the gruelling decathlon, comprising ten events over two days, rolled on into the final day of competition, Mullings continued to make his presence felt.
Coming out of day one in 13th place with 4,256 points, Mullings clocked 13.70 for second in his heat of the men's 110m hurdles that saw Canadian Damin Warner beat him at the line in 13.62.
Mullings came back in the discus and had a personal best of 48.07m for fourth place with 789 points. Karel Tilga of Estonia took the A flight with a season's best of 50.13m.
The final event for the morning session was not completed and points awarded, heading into the evening session that will come down to the javelin and the gruelling 1,500m to determine the final positions.
The first five events contested on day one on Friday were the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400m.
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