Jeffery Gibson, the producer of the 10 fastest times by a Bahamian in the history of the long hurdles, is into the final of that event at the 17th Pan Am Games in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Gibson circled the track at the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium in the men’s 400m hurdles in 50.74 seconds yesterday, trailing just two-time World Champion Kerron Clement to the tape. The American won that semi-final heat in 50.63 seconds, and Gibson settled for second and one of the top two automatic qualifying spots for the final.

Two-time World and Olympic Champion Félix Sánchez, of the Dominican Republic, was left out of the final, as he finished fourth in that same semi-final heat, in 51.07 seconds. Hederson Estefani, of Brazil, out-leaned Sánchez for third in that heat, finishing in 51.06 seconds, but both failed to make the final as just the top two finishers in each semi-final heat and the next two fastest times advanced to the final, and they were in one of the slowest heats.

As for Gibson, he will run out of lane seven in the final, that is set for 5:40 p.m. today. He goes into the final with the third-fastest season’s best time and is a serious threat for a medal.

Bahamian speedster Shavez Hart was also hoping for a spot in a final, running in the semis of the men’s 100m yesterday, but he appeared to suffer a left hamstring injury at the end of the race, and hobbled through the finish. Hart was seventh in his heat in a windy 10.18 seconds, failing to make it through to last night’s final. The two-time Bahamian national champion, who had a long season as a senior for the Texas A&M Aggies, finished 11th overall. He is set to represent The Bahamas in the event at the 15th International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) World Championships, set for August 22-30, at Beijing’s National Stadium in China.

Back at the Pan Ams, it was a rough day at the office for the three Bahamian quarter-milers yesterday.

In the men’s 400m semi-finals, both LaToy Williams and Ramon Miller struggled, and in the women’s race, Lanece Clarke turned in one of her worst performances of the season. All three failed to make it through to the final of their respective events.

Williams was sixth in his semi-final heat, in 46.81 seconds, and Miller, citing muscle discomfort, crossed the finish line in eighth in his heat, in 48.54 seconds. They were 12th and 16th respectively, and did not make the final. The performances also raise concerns relating to the men’s 4x400m relay team. That team appears to be in jeopardy, as far as medal hopes are concerned.

Clarke has been consistently under 53 seconds this year, but she struggled in her specialty on Wednesday, running just 54.33 seconds for sixth in her heat and 12th overall. Clarke has a season’s best time of 52.43 seconds, and is just about half of a second away from a qualifying spot for the Beijing World Championships. The qualifying time for Beijing is 52 seconds flat.

Today will be a full day for Bahamians on the track, as Anthonique Strachan and Sheniqua Ferguson will run in the opening round this morning, and hopefully the semi-finals this evening, of the women’s 200m; Hart and Elroy McBride are scheduled to do the same thing in the men’s 200m; and Gibson will run in the final of the men’s 400m hurdles.

In the women’s 200m, Ferguson will run out of lane eight in heat two at 10:34 a.m. today, and Strachan will run out of lane one in heat three at 10:43 a.m. The first two in each heat and the next two-fastest times move on to the semis which will get underway at 6:00 p.m. today.

In the men’s 200m, McBride will run out of lane seven in heat one at 11:30 a.m., and Hart is scheduled to run out of lane six in heat two at 11:37 a.m., but the severity of his injury is unknown at this point. The top two in each heat will move on to the semis, which will get underway at 6:20 p.m. today.

As mentioned, in the men’s 400m hurdles final at 5:40 p.m today, Gibson will run out of lane seven.