By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Grand Bahamian sprinter Brianne Bethel is back, just in time for a shot at her second appearance at the Olympic Games.

Over the weekend in various meets around the United States, the 2021 graduate of the University of Houston had a pretty good showing in three events at the Charles Austin Classic at the Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

Competing for Elite Performance Track Club in Houston, Bethel won the women’s 400 metres in 55.30 seconds, well ahead of second place finisher Harmoniey Rector of Incarnate Word in 56.72.

Bethel, 25, came right back and ended up fifth in the 100m in 11.95. The event was won by Sedricka Wynn in 11.65. And before she was done, Bethel settled for second place in the 200m in 24.07. Ma’khi Falkquay of Texas State was the winner in 23.96.

“Today was just a meet for me to kind of get the work in and I think it went well,” said Bethel, who is preparing for the sixth World Relays to be staged at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium May 4-5. “I ran my season’s best in every event, so I was very pleased with my performances.”

• Here’s a look at some of the performances from other Bahamians elsewhere in the USA over the weekend.

Anthaya Charlton 2nd

At the Florida State University Relays at the Mike Long Track in Tallahassee, Florida, World indoor champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton’s youngest sister Anthaya Charlton pulled off a second place finish in her specialty in the women’s long jump.

Her leap of 20-feet, 11 1/4-inches or 6.38 metres on her second attempt trailed Madisen Richards, who opened the competition in the first round with her winning leap of 21-2 3⁄4 (6.47m).

Also at the meet, versatile Charisma Taylor, coming off her sixth-place finish behind Devynne Charlton’s spectacular performance at the World Indoors in Glasgow, Scotland, showed her versatility as a sprinter, coming through the finish line in first place in her heat of the women’s 200m in 24.14 for fifth place overall.

Jacqueline Madogo, a senior of the Royal City Athletics Club, won her heat in 23-20 for the fastest time overall.

Jackson and Coakley second

At the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational at the Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida, Calea Jackson took advantage of her home field for second place in the women’s discus with a heave of 166-3 (50.69m) on her third attempt.

Milina Wepiwe, a freshman at Harward, took the victory with 172-0 (52.42m) on her first try.

Meanwhile, Xavier Coakley, competing in his specialty in the men’s 110m hurdles, got second in 14.61 with University of the Bahamas’ senior Trent Strachan fifth in 16.25. Everett Delate, a junior at Colorado School of Mines, won the race in 14.20.

Coakley also placed 18th in 23.25. The event was won by Ezra Mellinger, a senior at Duke, in 20.78.

Olympic quarter-miler Alonzo Russell from Grand Bahama, who is preparing to compete in the World Relays as well, was third in the men’s 200m in 21.03. The event was won by Duke’s senior Ezra Mellinger in 20.78.

In other events featuring students from the University of the Bahamas, sophomores Branique Strachan and Candace Murphy placed 25th and 27th in times of 12.31 and 12.94 behind American Nia Ali, who won in 11.41.

Strachan was also 25th in the 200m in 25.52 as Aaliyah Butler, a sophomore sat Georgia took the win in 23.05. Murphy, on the other hand, was 17th in the 100m hurdles in 15.48 that was won by Ali in 12.86.

In the men’s 100m won by Hakim Sani Brown of Puma in 10.02, UB freshman Rashaa’d Farquharson and sophomore George Minnis were 16th and 17th in 11.33 and 11.37 respectively.

In the men’s 400m, won by Tumbleweed Track Club’s Trevor Stewart in 46.24, UB’s Ihevinne Joseph got 10th in 48.84 and senior Dennis William- son was 12th in 49.58.

And sophomore Rashad Evans ended up ninth in the men’s javelin with a toss of 124-5 (37.92m). Georgia’s senior Marc Minichello won the event with 270-1 (82.32m).