By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

While the focus was centred on relay teams qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games over the weekend, four Bahamians who already booked their tickets to Paris, France were in the spotlight at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

One of them was Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the reigning women’s Olympic and world 400 metre champion, who is engaged in another aspect of her life - motherhood.

Miller-Uibo, who turned 30 on April 15, is celebrating her first year as a new mother to her son, Maicel Uibo Jr, who was born with her husband Maicel Uibo Sr, on April 20.

“I love it. I love it,” said Miller-Uibo when asked by the media in the mixed zone about being a new mother.

“I always wanted to be a mom, so I’m enjoying every second of it.”

She was just as thrilled about the mixed 4 x 400m relay team of Steven Gardiner and Grand Bahamians Alonzo Russell and Shania Adderley qualifying for the Olympics on their second time around on Sunday after they missed out on Saturday.. “While she commended the 16-year-old Adderley for stepping up and taking care of her leg as a rookie, Miller-Uibo said there are still a few competitors who are in college and were not available to compete over the weekend, whom they could add to the pool in their quest to not only win the “gold medal” but “set a world record.”

As for her individual event, Miller-Uibo said she’s taking it one step at a time gearing up for the Olympics and, while she’s recovered from an injury early in the season, she hasn’t done any speed work yet.

“It started with the relays and so everything is coming together for Paris,” said Miller-Uibo, who has yet to make a season debut in an individual event.

The multiple indoor and outdoor national record holder didn’t reveal any plans leading up to Paris, only to say “we will figure it out” before the games are held from July 27 to August 11.

Her running mate Steven Gardiner, who is coming back after a season-ending injury at last year’s World Championships, said he too is looking forward to competing in the men’s 400m at the Olympics. “This is my third rodeo at the games, so I want to go and defend my title and to keep my title,” said Gardiner, who admitted that he’s feeling in great shape and eager to compete in Paris.

Another Paris qualifier Devynne Charlton, the women’s world indoor 60m record holder, said everything is going according to plans for her third appearance at the Olympics.

“I’ve had two races so far for the season and so I’m pleased with it,” said Charlton, who hosted two hurdles camps for girls in New Providence and Grand Bahama on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

Charlton, the 28-year-old Bahamian national record holder, was hoping that the women’s 4 x 100m relay team, which she got to run the first leg in both races on Saturday and Sunday, gets to qualify for Paris as well.

“We had to call on two hurdlers and a triple jumper.

“We’re not true sprinters, but I think once we add the sprinters in the mix, we will be a lot better,” said Charlton, who noted that she will be available whenever she’s called upon to assist the relay team.

Charlton, who first qualified for the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, made her debut in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan where she was sixth in the final.

She came back last year and placed fourth at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

But she has opened her 2024 campaign as the world indoor champion in Glasgow, Scotland.

And, in the two races she competed in so far on the outdoor scene, she was beaten at the line by Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, which has given her a lot of confidence going into Paris.

And Charisma Taylor, a 24-year-old hurdles/triple jump specialist, said she was also delighted to make her contribution to Team Bahamas.

She said she’s just going to continue to train as she too continues her trek towards Paris for her initial appearance at the Olympics, having also qualified for the 100m hurdles.

“I’m going to be in Jamaica next week to compete in the triple jump,” said Taylor, who hopes to secure her berth in the hop, skip and jump event just as she has already qualified for the hurdles.

Miller-Uibo, Gardiner, Charlton and Taylor will be back here to compete in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Nationals in June before they head off to Paris with the rest of Team Bahamas for the Olympics.