(Eleuthera, Bahamas) – Eleuthera had much to be proud of in the recently completed Jr. event termed “One Island, One Lane” relays at the very successful inaugural IAAF World Relays, Bahamas 2014, held on Saturday, May 24th and Sunday, May 25th.
On the senior level at the main event, Chris Brown shone bright on the third leg of the 4x400m men’s relay team who finished just behind the Americans. His third leg, had the home team in the lead for the final lap, before American LaShawn Merritt, emerged on the shoulders of Michael Matthieu with about 150m to go and delivered the gold for his team.
There were also good successes for Jr. Eleuthera Athletes during the High Schools’ (predominantly New Providence schools) pre-show competition held on Sunday with Kieanna Albury, Makeya White and Donneisha Anderson putting in stellar performances for their Nassau based high schools. None of these young girls, who were said to have also been on the Eleuthera “One Island, One Lane” team, turned up on the tracks the day earlier for the One Island, One Lane Jr. races.
Dylan Cash of HIAAS (ELE green) hands off to Juan Ambrister of PHAHS (ELE green) as the team powered their way to third in the 4x100m. Eleuthera’s 4x 100m team selection did not include, arguably the fastest 100m runner on the island, Rashad Cartwright, who ran the 200m medley.
Eleuthera was scheduled to run all five of the events during the “One Island, One Lane” pre-show on Saturday, but through unfortunate circumstance ended up in three. Of the three events, however, they had much of which to be proud. The male 4x100m team finished third (44.45) behind Grand Bahama (43.98) and Exuma (44.26). On that team were Denzil Pratt of Wemyss Bight who now attends high school in New Providence, Aaron Cox of North Eleuthera High School (NEHS), Dylan Cash of Harbour Island All Age (HIAAS) and Juan Cassius Armbrister of Preston H. Albury High School (PHAHS).
Look at the intensity of the effort being put forward by Nijah Bastian of CEHS as she bursts out of the starting blocks to run her leg of the 4x100m.
The 4x100m girls appeared to have a tougher time at it on the track, but official results put them also in third place (54.58) behind New Providence (47.70), and Grand Bahama & Bimini (48.80). Three islands were disqualified in this race. Running their hearts out for Eleuthera were Nijah Bastian of Central Eleuthera High School (CEHS), Omesha Lee of CEHS, Astranique Gardiner of CEHS and Shimeldine Honorat of Deep Creek Middle School (DCMS).
Chantelle Calixte of Central Eleuthera high school powering through the 200m leg of the Sprint Medley relay to try improve Eleuthera’s position. Chantelle is one of the best 100m sprinters in her age group on the island.
The Sprint Medley relay consisted of a team of two females and two males, running a 400m, 200m, 200m and 800m in that order with the females running the two first legs and the males the last two. With an injured Kristina Knowles in the first leg, it started tough for the home team, however Chantelle Calixte of CEHS, and Rashad Cartwright of NEHS ran strong legs to bring the team back in the mix. By the time Angelo Joseph running the final 800m had finished his first lap, Eleuthera had clawed its way back to fourth with Exuma and Andros/Berry islands on his shoulder. A grimacing Joseph finished 5th. Results were: Grand Bahama 3:44.73, New Providence 3:44.97, Abaco & Moores island 3:51.60, Exuma 4:05.97, Eleuthera 4:08.16.
Rashad Cartwright hands off to Angelo Joseph (Both of NEHS) as the team battled to get in the mix for the Medley
The Medley was the second race run on the afternoon for the 1 hour meet, and the reinjury of a hamstring suffered by Knowles in this event, would have dire consequences for her team mates waiting to run the 4x400m female sprint – Treshae Clarke (who traveled back early from school in the US – finishing studies started at DCMS), Trenique Hall of PHAHS and Safyha Bryan of CEHS.
An extraordinary delay of runner Juan Armbrister in getting back to the starting area, who ran the early 4x 100m relay, had equal consequences on the male 4x400m team, which also did not make the start of the race. In fact, for these two final races only two of seven island teams, were able to assemble their teams in time to complete the races. It was a debacle that beamed globally, two runners only on the track for both final races and no explanations available.
Team Eleuthera prior to a morning jog from the hotel in New Providence with Mr. Kennard Mackey their required male coach and Mrs. Shawna Clarke, filling the role of the female coach.
