By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT was another good season opener for Bahamian quarter-miler Steven Gardiner.

The Abaco native, who only competed in one meet during the indoor season with a victory at the South Carolina Invitational at the University of South Carolina in 31.78 seconds to win the men’s 300 metres, highlighted the Hurricane Invitational at the Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida, with a smooth victory in the men’s outdoor 300 metres.

In the first of three heats, Gardiner clocked 31.99 seconds to easily run away from the field, although it was shy of his best performance ever of 31.52 that he posted in Ponce, Puerto Rico on May 12, 2022.

Gardiner, the 28-year-old Bahamian national 200, 300 and 400m record holder, is making his return to the global stage after he suffered an injury in the semifinals of the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, He is heading into the Olympic Games as the reigning 400m champion from Tokyo, Japan in 2021.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Asa Guevera trailed Gardiner in second in 32.78 with Barbados’ Jonathan Jones taking third in 33.02. Also in the heat was fellow Bahamian Ian Kerr who was sixth in 34.50 for 14th out of a field of 16 competitors.

Also at the meet was Xavier Coakley, who competed unattached. He was fifth in the men’s 110m hurdles in 14.22 after he fourth in the first of two heats that was won by Matthew Sophia, sophomore from Louisiana State University in 13.77. Jahiem Stern, another sophomore sat LSU, won heat two in 13.49 for the fastest time overall.

Hall-Smith second

At the Arizona Spring Break Feste at the Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Shakeem Hall-Smith, competing for Hanany Oly Project, got second in the men’s 400m hurdles in a time of 51.17. Winning the event was Yan Vazquez of Arizona in 51.09.

Miller second

At the Velocity Fest 14 at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday, Bahamian quarter-miler Wendell Miller, competing for MVP Track Club, picked up a second-place finish in the men’s B final of the 200m in a lifetime best of 20.61.

Jamaican Ackeem Blake of Dynamic Speed Track Club produced a personal best of 20.45 for the victory in the race. Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes had the fastest time overall in winning the A final in 20.40 over Jamaica’s Rusheed McDonald, also of MVP, in 20.59, both season’s bests.