One of the country's premier athletes will miss the world relays this weekend due to an ongoing hamstring injury, which apparently flared up again during practice.
According to reports reaching The Nassau Guardian's sports desk yesterday, Shaunae Miller will be out of the IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2014, set for Saturday and Sunday at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. Her absence is expected to be a huge blow to the country, seeing that the young professional, just 20-years-old, has already established herself among the world's best athletes in both the 200 and 400 meters (m). In fact, as proven at last year's Moscow World Championships, she could even be counted on for a strong leg in the 4x100m, if needed.
Miller is probably the sole athlete on Team Bahamas capable of running all three women's sprint relays, the 4x100m, 4x200m and the 4x400m events, but now it's up to her teammates to go out there and represent The Bahamas. The other members of the relay pool for the women's 4x200m are Anthonique Strachan, Sheniqua Ferguson, Nivea Smith, Tayla Carter and Rashan Brown. The members of the women's 4x100m relay pool are Strachan, Ferguson, Smith, Carter, V'Alonee Robinson and Cache Armbrister; and the members of the women's 4x400m relay pool are Brown, Lanece Clarke, Shakeitha Henfield, Christine Amertil-Ling, Miriam Byfield and Katrina Seymour.
Coach George Cleare said that Miller has been dealing with this hamstring injury for quite some time now.
"It's something that is unfortunate, but it's one of those things that happens," said Cleare.
Miller's management team in the United States, On Track Management, Inc., sent out a release late last night.
It read as follows: "Regretfully, Shaunae Miller will be unable to compete at the inaugural IAAF World Relays this coming weekend due to a nagging hamstring issue. Her doctor and coach has been working assiduously to get her to a state of race-readiness, however, despite their best efforts, she is a week shy of that goal.
"A hearty thanks to the federation especially president Mike Sands who has been both understanding and encouraging. Additionally, Shaunae, who will still attend the competition in her role as adidas/IAAF World Relays Ambassador, wishes to convey both her regret at her inability to compete in front of her adoring home crowd as well as her best wishes to Team Bahamas."
As mentioned, Miller will still come home for the event as an IAAF World Relays Ambassador. Just last Thursday, she said in a press conference that she was feeling fine and was ready to compete. The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) had finalized a 26-member team for the relays, but now that number is down to 25.
Miller was listed in the women's 4x200m relay pool, but was expected to contribute to the women's 4x100m as well, based on the collective decision of her private coaches in consultation with the team coaches. Her participation in the latter was vital, seeing that the top eight teams automatically qualify for the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China.
Be that as it may, Miller's health is certainly priority. When The Nassau Guardian made contact with Coach Cleare yesterday, she was still in the doctor's office. Bahamian coach Cleare, an assistant at the University of Georgia, is Miller's personal coach in Athens, Georgia.
As for the BAAA, president Mike Sands declined comment on the matter yesterday, stating only that a press conference on Team Bahamas is set up for this morning.
Miller has only run one 200m race this season, turning in a time of 22.87 seconds, which has her listed as the 15th fastest in the world this year. In the 100m, she posted a time of 11.40 seconds, and although she doesn't have an official time in the women's 400m, she is coming off a bronze medal performance in that event at the Sopot World Indoor Championships. She was third in 52.06 seconds behind American Francena McCorory (51.12) and Jamaican Kaliese Spencer, who turned in a personal best time of 51.54 seconds, in that event.

Team Bahamas (25)
Men's 4x100m relay pool
Adrian Griffith
Warren Fraser
Trevorvano Mackey
Blake Bartlett
Jamial Rolle
Johnathon Farquharson

Men's 4x200m relay pool
Trevorvano Mackey
Blake Bartlett
Adrian Griffith
Jamial Rolle
Andretti Bain
Johnathon Farquharson

Men's 4x400m relay pool
Chris Brown
Ramon Miller
Demetrius Pinder
Michael Mathieu
LaToy Williams
Alonzo Russell

Coaches
Rupert Gardiner
Fritz Grant
Rodger Charlton
Cherish Hollingsworth

Women's 4x100m relay pool
Sheniqua Ferguson
V'Alonee Robinson
Tayla Carter
Anthonique Strachan
Cache Armbrister
Nivea Smith

Women's 4x200m relay pool
Anthonique Strachan
Sheniqua Ferguson
Nivea Smith
Tayla Carter
Rashan Brown

Women's 4x400m relay pool
Rashan Brown
Lanece Clarke
Shakeitha Henfield
Christine Amertil-Ling
Miriam Byfield
Katrina Seymour

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