16 THE FREEPORT NEWS Friday, April 13, 2018 SPORTS Jamal Wilson comes of age, reminiscent of Steve Wray ongratulations Jamal Wilson! Welcome to the elite circle of Ba- hamianC high jumpers! When Wilson came so close to the gold medal, before settling for silver at the Gold Coast (Aus- tralia) on Wednesday, it was special and catapulted him fi nally into the upper echelon group of Ba- hamian high jumpers who have won medals on the senior inter- national stage. Interestingly enough, I had a brief fl ashback to Steven Wray. Perhaps, it’s good that I did, because he is often forgotten. Wray was a tremendously gifted high jumper with potential never fully maximized, but he owns a page in Bahamian sports history. It was he who broke ground for in the event at the Commonwealth Games. In also, Wray achieved his greatest claim to fame. At the 1982 Common- wealth Games in Brisbane, Wray won the silver medal at the height of, a then games and STEVE WRAY JAMAL WILSON national record, 2.31 meters. A little over a quarter of a century ures to be closing. Unlike Wray bear watching for sure, over the reer best of 2.37 meters makes later, he went missing. who was 20 when he medaled next several years, leading into him the second highest jumper Wilson of course, with his sil- in Brisbane, Wilson is at a ripe the Olympics of 2020. in Bahamian history. ver medal, mirrors Wray more age for athletes and it must be Wilson has a ways to go to Record holder Kemp was a than any of the other leading era particularly gratifying to him, to come close to matching his world champion in 1995. high bar jumpers, in my view. hit the milestone just before he highly decorated teammate, The aforementioned should There have been some region- reaches 30. the veteran Donald Thomas, prove to be great motivation PORTS al successes, certainly, but the I say this much. After looking (fourth on Wednesday) who will for Wilson. In winning the fi rst S Commonwealth Games hard- carefully at video clips of Wil- be 34 in July; and the nation- medal for The Bahamas at the ware he captured, to date, is his son’s series of jumps, I formed al record (2.38 meters) holder , highest honor as a competitor. the view that a jump in the Troy Kemp. Thomas has World Wilson shined brightly. It has come in good time. Wil- mid 2.30 meters is realistic. He Champ Championships, Com- Continued best wishes! son will be 30 in September. should be extremely confi dent monwealth Games, Pan Amer- •To respond to this column, COPE Although he seems to be some- now that he has prevailed among ican Games, Central American kindly contact Fred Sturrup at S what of a late bloomer, the win- some of the best jumpers in the and Caribbean Games gold [email protected] or on BY FRED STURRUP dow of prime performances, fi g- world. Barring injuries he will medals in his pocket and his ca- WhatsApp at 727-6363.

MEN’S 400M HURDLES GOLD MEDALIST – Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands WOMEN’S 200M GOLD MEDALIST – Former Olympic and world champion Usain Bolt pre- stands with silver medalist Bahamas’ Jeffery Gibson, on the podium at Carrara Stadium pares to present women’s 200m gold medalist Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo centre, with her during the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia, Thursday, April 12, 2018. medal at Carrara Stadium during the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia, (AP PHOTO/MARK SCHIEFELBEIN) Thursday, April 12, 2018. (AP PHOTO/MARK SCHIEFELBEIN) Gibson, Miller haul away medals AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES SHAYNE STUBBS spot on the medal podium, run- elated and grateful that I can Commonwealth Games record Bianca Stuart also competed 1:15 a.m local time. FN Sports Reporter ning out of a diffi cult lane eight. come back and medal,” he ex- of 22.09 seconds. in the women’s long jump fi nal, The Bahamas will be repre- [email protected] Kyron McMaster was the even- pressed. The previous record was set fi nishing eighth overall with a sented in the men’s 4x400m tual gold medal winner with a In the Bishop Michael Eldon by Golden Girl, Debbie Fergu- distance of 6.30m. Canadian heat on Friday, April 13 at 10:05 time of 48.25 seconds. Jamai- School product’s last appear- son back in 2002 in Manchester, Christabel Nettey won the event p.m local time. The team will Jeffery Gibson is back to form! ca’s Jaheel Hyde hauled away ance at the Games four years England with a time of 22.20 with a jump of 6.84m, Austra- take the track in lane eight and The 400 meter hurdles special- the bronze behind Gibson in a ago, Gibson landed the bronze seconds. lia’s Brooke Strattion, won the compete in the second and fi nal ist proved that with his recent time of 49.16 seconds. medal in the men’s 400m hur- ’s Shericka Jackson silver with a leap of 6.78m, and heat. There is no men’s 4x100m stint at the 2018 Commonwealth Gibson was quoted after dles. secured the silver medal in a England’s Shara Proctor took team nor a women’s 4x400m Games this past Thursday. the race by, The Tribune, “I Later, 400m Olympic gold personal best time of 22.18 sec- bronze with a distance of 6.75m. team. The Grand Bahama native couldn’t be happier with myself. medalist Shanuae Miller-Uibo onds. A late dip by England’s Latario Collie also competed The women’s 4x100m fi nal added the country’s second sil- I think that sometimes we look added the country’s third medal Dina Asher-Smith helped her earlier in the men’s triple jump will go to a straight fi nal and ver medal in athletics during the at the statistics and not every- for the Games in the women’s quest to medal in the event. She qualifi er. Collie punched his will take place Saturday, April men’s 400m hurdles in the Gold one comes back and medals in 200m fi nale. rounded out the top three with ticket to the fi nal, to be compet- 14 at 12:57 a.m local time. Coast (Australia). an event like this, with it being Despite a stacked fi eld of com- a time of 22.29 seconds ahead ed April 14. Collie fi nished the Should the men’s 4x400m team It took a season’s best effort of so early in the season to expect petitors, Miller-Uibo struck of Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson, qualifying round with a distance qualify for the fi nal, they will 49.10 seconds and a dip at the championship times and cham- gold. Poetically, the recently who fi nished with a time of of 15.98m. He will jump third compete on Saturday as well, at fi nish line for Gibson to earn his pionship performances. So I’m minted gold medalist set a new 22.30 seconds. when the fi nale takes place at 3:07 a.m local time.