By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

IT was a good weekend for Bahamian indoor 60 metres hurdles world record holder Devynne Charlton as she led a contingent of Bahamians in action at the Racers Grand Prix 2025 at the National Stadium in Kingson, Jamaica.

Coming off her repeat gold medal performance in the women’s 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, in March, Charlton ran the qualifying time for 100m hurdles for the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, in September.

The 29-year-old Bahamian national record holder did it with her second place finish in 12.65 running behind American Alia Armstrong in a meet record of 12.54, both surpassing the WC qualifying time of 12.73. 

American Alexandra Webster took third in a personal best of 12.95 and Jamaican Kerrica Hill was fourth in her season’s best of 13.06 with fellow Bahamian Charisma Taylor coming in fifth in 13.09.

Like she did at the WC Indoors for the first time, Charlton and her younger sister Anthaya Charlton have now qualified to compete in the WC outdoors as well.

Anthaya Charlton, 21, has hit the WC qualifying standards in a pair of events.

In her specialty in the long jump, she soared 22-feet, 10 1/4-inches or 6.98 metres on January 31 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to surpass the WC standard of 22-6 1/4 (6.86m). It’s still the fifth best mark for the year. And in the 100m, she ran the fastest time by a Bahamian in 11.01  in the women’s 100m in Jacksonville, Florida on May 31 to surpass the WC standard of 11.07.

Anthonique Strachan, one of two Bahamians training in Jamaica, came through in fourth place in the women’s 200m. The 31-year-old ran 23.11 in the race won by her Jamaican MVP team-mate Shericka Jackson in a World Championship qualifying time of 22.53. 

The standard for the event is 22.57 with only Canadian Audrey Leduc got second in 22.80 and American Caisja Chandler was third in 22.92.

Strachan, however, still holds the fastest time so far this year by a Bahamian in 22.86 that she ran on May 17 in a previous meet in Kingston.

Wendell Miller, at 22 and the other Bahamian training in Jamaica with MVP Club, was the runner up in the men’s 400m in 46.55. Jamaica’s Jeremy Bemridge of the Racers Club won in a season’s best of 46.08.

Grand Bahamian Terrence Jones, 22, rounded out the field of Bahamians on the track. The Bahamian co-national record holder in the 100m took eighth in the men’s 100m in 10.44.

Jamaica took the top two spots with Kishane Thompson of MVP winning in 9.88 and Obliqe Seville of Racers second in 9.97 as they both surpassed the World Championships’ qualifying time of 10.00. 

Gift Leotlela of the Republic of South Africa was third in 10.04.

Carlos Brown Jr, who trains at home with coach Andrew Tynes, ran 10.04 at a home meet on April 4 at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium for the fastest time by a Bahamian. so far this year. 

On the field, one Bahamian competed with LaQuan Nairn, representing TrackWired, coming through in eighth place in the men’s long jump with his best leap of 23-4 (7.11m). 

Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock led the international field of competitors with 26-1 3/4 (7.97m) for the win. Guyana’s Emanuel Archbald was second with 25-8 1/4 (7.83m) and American Jeremiah Davis was third in 25-7 1/4 (7.80m).

The WC standard is 27-1 3/4 (8.27m), but 28-year-old Nairn has a season’s best of 25-10 3/4 (7.89m) that he did on February 14 in Fayetteville, Aarkansas.