The tall and talented Steven Gardiner, the Moore's Island product who came out of nowhere, ended his season as the 12th best junior half-lapper in the world.
Running at the 15th International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) World Junior Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Gardiner finished third in his semi-final heat of the boys 200 meters (m), in 20.89 seconds, failing to qualify for the final. Only the top two times and the next two fastest times moved on to the final, and Gardiner was 15 hundreds of a second short. The final qualifying time was turned in by Trinidad & Tobago's Johnathan Farinha (20.74). Gardiner won his opening round heat in 21.10 seconds, and finished tied for the ninth fastest heading into the semi-finals, but got a bad start in the semis, and never recovered.
The other Bahamian in the boys 200m, Ian Kerr, didn't make it out of the first round. Kerr was fifth in his opening round heat and 31st overall, in 21.45 seconds.
In the girls 200m, both Carmiesha Cox and Kieanna Albury made it through to the semi-finals, but both failed to make the final.
Cox got one of the automatic qualifying spots for the semis, finishing third in her opening round heat in a season's best time of 24.18 seconds. In the semis, she finished fifth in her heat in another season's best time, 23.92 seconds, but failed to make it through to the final. Albury was fourth in her opening round heat in 23.96 seconds, and grabbed one of the fastest non-automatic qualifying spots for the semi-finals. She ran out of lane one in the first of three semi-final heats, and finished eighth in her semi-final heat in 24.17 seconds.
Cox was 14th overall, and Albury finished tied for 18th overall.
In the girls 400m hurdles, both Mesha Newbold and Talia Thompson failed to make it out of the opening round.
Newbold was right on her personal best time, but about a half of a second off a qualifying spot for the semi-finals, as she finished fifth in her heat and 28th overall, in 1:01.24. Thompson was significantly off her personal best time as she faded to seventh in her opening round heat, finishing in 1:02.33. She was 32nd overall.
Action continues today for The Bahamas in Eugene.
In the girls 100m hurdles, Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Champion Devynne Charlton will run out of lane eight in heat five. The first four in each heat and the next four fastest times move on to the semi-finals. That event will take place at 11:28 a.m. in Eugene, 2:28 p.m. here in The Bahamas.
In the evening session, The Bahamas' girls 4x100m relay team will take to the track in their opening round heat. The Bahamas will run out of lane two in heat one, at 6:05 p.m. in Eugene, 9:05 p.m. here in The Bahamas. Just the first two in each heat and the next two fastest times will move on to the final.
The Bahamas' boys 4x100m relay team will also be in action. They will run out of lane seven in heat three, at 6:54 p.m. in Eugene, 9:54 p.m. here in The Bahamas. Like the girls, the first two in each heat and the next two fastest times will move on to the final.
The men's 200m final will also be contested tonight.
On Saturday, the heats of the boys 4x400m will be held, and the final of the boys and girls 4x100m will be contested; and on Sunday will be the final of the boys 4x400m.
The world juniors features the best the best junior track and field athletes in the world, and The Bahamas is represented by a 24-member team. This year represents the first time that the world juniors are being held in the United States of America (USA).

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