The 400m relays
The legacy of Bahamian international track and field is built on the country's achievements in the relays. It began about 56 years ago in Kingston, Jamaica and continues today as a significant pillar that has characterized The Bahamas as part of the global elite in relay competitions.

In 1958, the first Bahamian international relay teams captured two bronze medals at the West Indian Federation Games in Kingston, Jamaica. Oscar Francis, Tom Grant, Enoch Backford, and Thomas Robinson placed third in the 4x100 relay in 44.2 seconds. Francis teamed with Hubert Dean, Ulric Whyly and George Shannon, clocking 3:35.2 in the 4x400 relay, finishing third.

Four years later, the first women's team tested their speed in a regional meet. Elaine Thompson, Christina Jones-Darville, Althea Rolle-Clarke and Gail North-Saunders finished fifth in the 4x100 meters (m) relay at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Kingston, clocking 48.7 seconds. These humble beginnings led to global supremacy on August 29, 1999 at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Seville World Championships. Savetheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup, Pauline Davis-Thompson and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie flustered the mighty United States of America (USA) in the 4x100m relay, setting the current national record of 41.92 seconds. Bahamian legend Thomas Robinson experienced the feat in Seville, and the team became known as the "Golden Girls".

Two years later, the men captured the 4x400m relays gold (after the disqualification of the U.S. team years later) at the 2001 Edmonton World Championships, setting a new national record, at the time, of 2:58.19. Avard Moncur, Chris Brown, Troy McIntosh and Timothy Munnings made up the team, and were considered the "Kings of the World".

Both teams would once again emerge as champions of the world. The 1999 world championship women's team returned on August 30, 2000 at the Sydney Olympic Games and clocked 41.95 seconds for the gold medal, defeating the USA in back-to-back major international events.

On August 10, 2012 at the London Games, the team of Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller shocked the world. Miller's impressive, strategic anchor leg defeated the Americans on the track in that event for the first time at the Olympics in 60 years, and set the national record at 2:56.72.

A historical view
There is a colorful history between the first Bahamian international relay teams and their ascendance to the top. We will take a brief look at the record-breaking performances of that journey.

Men's 400m relay
1962, Kingston
The team of Bernard Nottage, Tom Grant, Hugh Bullard and George Collie finished third in the semi-finals of the CAC Games in Kingston, Jamaica setting a new national record in the men's 4x100m relay of 41.6 seconds. The great Thomas Augustus Robinson, who had won the 100m at those games, did not participate in the relay.

1968, Mexico City
The men's 4x100m relay team of Norris Stubbs, Thomas Robinson, Bernard Nottage and Kevin Johnson lowered the national record to 39.45 seconds in the quarter-finals at the Mexico City Olympics. In the semi-final, Robinson suffered a pulled muscle, dashing the hopes of The Bahamas for an Olympic medal.

1993, Miami
It took a quarter of a century for the 400m relay record to fall. At a meet in Miami, Florida in June, a club team, the Bahamas Tigers coached by Sidney Cartwright, and comprising Andrew Tynes, Renward Wells, Bernard Young and Iram Lewis, established a new national record of 39.40 seconds.

1993 Cali
In July, that same team from Miami broke the record again clocking 39.33 seconds for the victory at the CAC Senior Championships in Cali, Colombia.

1997, Athens
Dennis Darling and Joseph Styles joined Wells and Tynes to set a new Bahamian national record of 39.09 seconds, placing fifth in the first round at the IAAF World Championships in Athens, Greece.

2000, Montauban
The Bahamas held its Olympic training camp in Montauban, France and the team of Renward Wells, Sylvanus Hepburn, Dominic Demeritte and Iram Lewis dipped under 39 seconds barrier for the first time with a 38.98 seconds clocking.

2013, Morelia
At the CAC Senior Championships in Morelia, Mexico, the team of Shavez Hart, Adrian Griffith, Jamial Rolle and Trevorvano Mackey lowered the national record twice, running 38.92 seconds in the heats and 38.77 seconds in the final.

2013, Moscow
Our sprint relay team was on the move, and at the Moscow World Championships, they smashed the record again, this time with a 38.70 seconds clocking. Adrian Griffith, Jamial Rolle, Warren Fraser and Shavez Hart teamed up to set the new mark in Moscow, Russia.

2014, Glasgow
At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, the Bahamian team of Adrian Griffith, Jamial Rolle, newcomer Teray Smith and Warren Fraser lowered the Moscow record to 38.52 seconds. This is nearly one second better than the 1968 Mexico record of 39.45 seconds.

Women's 400m relay
1978, Nassau
It was at the Nassau CARIFTA Games here in The Bahamas that the team of Oralee Fowler, MaryAnn Higgs, Monique Millar and Debbie Greene clocked 47.73 seconds, breaking the record set at the 1962 CAC Games.

1979, Kingston
At the 1979 CARIFTA Games in Kingston, Jamaica, the team of Debbie Greene, MaryAnn Higgs, Colleen Hanna and Oralee Fowler captured the gold, setting a new national record in 45.79 seconds.

1983, Havana
At the 1983 CAC Senior Championships in Havana, Cuba, the team of Debbie Greene, Oralee Fowler, Pauline Davis and Shonel Ferguson lowered the national record to 45.26 seconds to win the 400m relay gold medal.

1983, Helsinki
At the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, Shonel Ferguson, Pauline Davis, Whelma Colebrooke and Oralee Fowler shattered the 45 seconds barrier with a 44.76 seconds clocking.

1984, Los Angeles
In a warm-up meet prior to the Los Angeles Olympics, the team of Eldece Clarke, Debbie Greene, Pauline Davis and Oralee Fowler ran 44.13 seconds for a new national record in Los Angeles, California. In the semi-finals of those games, the team ran 44.15 seconds and finished sixth in the final in 44.18 seconds.

1995, Havana
It was in Havana, Cuba in 1995 that a new national record was set by Eldece Clarke and three newcomers, Debbie Ferguson, Chandra Sturrup, and a young Tamar Cherubim. They ran 44.01 seconds.

1995, Gothenburg
At the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, Clarke and Ferguson were joined by Savetheda Fynes and Pauline Davis in the 400m relay, dipping under 44 and 43 seconds for the first time. They clocked 42.74 seconds in the semi-finals for a new national record, and slipped to 43.14 seconds in the final, placing fourth.

1996, Atlanta
The team of Eldece Clarke, Savetheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup and Pauline Davis won the silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics, setting a new national record of 42.14 seconds. They were called the "Silver Ladies".
It was an impressive progression on the sprint relay journey, culminating in the consecutive gold medal performances at the 1999 Seville World Championships and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Next week we will look at the 4x400m relays.

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