By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

TOKYO, Japan — She’s had a sizzling season becoming the seventh Bahamian female sprinter to dip under the 11-second barrier in the 100 metres.

But with that achievement added to her résumé, Camille Rutherford would have liked to go further than the first round of her signature event at the 20th World (Outdoor) Championships over the weekend.

In the fourth of seven heats on Saturday at the Tokyo National Stadium, Rutherford clocked 11.40 for fifth place behind the 10.93 posted by the eventual winner Julien Alfred, Saint Lucia’s first Olympic gold medallist in both the 100 and 200m in Paris, France, last year.

Rutherford, at the time of her interview in the mixed zone, was hoping that she would have gotten into the semifinal to redeem herself, but ended up 35th out of a field of 60 competitors and without one of the 24 qualifying spots. 

“I was just trying to execute and staying down in the blocks and trying to finish strong,” Rutherford said. “That was really it.”

Rutherford, 23, said she felt the jitterbugs when she stepped into the 68,000-seat arena for her debut at the biggest individual global meet in track and field.

“It was a great energy, a lot of people,” she reflected. “It was a lot of energy, but a lot to take in.”

With her appearance at the championships now over and done with, Rutherford said she’s looking forward to returning to the grandish stage in the future as she soaks in all of her experience here in Tokyo. 

“To stay locked in and don’t worry about who is next to you and just run and execute,” was how Rutherford summed up what she will take away from the championships. She noted, however, that this season she managed to break some barriers, including running 10.96, which placed her tied for sixth with Eldece Clarke in the echelon of female sprinting in the country. “It was a pretty good year. I definitely broke some barriers that I wasn’t expecting to break, so I’m happy, very thankful,” she said.  

All season long, she was the second fastest Bahamian behind Anthaya Charlton, who did advance out of the heats before her to get into the semifinal. But Rutherford said it was great to have each other competing in the same event at the championships. 

“We were saying good luck to each other in the call room and we were really pumping each other up,” Rutherford said. “I’m really happy that she did well.”