Javan Martin came into the ninth International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, as the fifth-fastest youth athlete in the world, but it was a struggle for him just to make the semi-finals of the boys 100 meters (m) yesterday, as he finished in a three-way tie for 12th overall in the opening round heats. He finished fifth in his semi-final heat, and was left out of last night’s final as only the top two finishers in the semis and the next two fastest times qualified.

In his morning heat at the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero Stadium in Cali, Martin ran a modest time of 10.61 seconds. He came back in the semis and ran 10.69 seconds, finishing 16th overall. The other Bahamian in the boys 100m, Perez Knowles, failed to get out of the opening round. Knowles was sixth in his heat, and finished 36th overall, in 11.10 seconds.

Serena Brown, the under-18 girls discus bronze medalist from the CARIFTA Games this year, advanced to the youth worlds final last night, becoming the first Bahamian female to make a final in that event at the world youth championships. After scratching on her first two attempts in the qualifying rounds, she turned in a personal best throw of 44.96m (147’ 6”) on her third attempt to snatch the sixth spot her group and 11th spot overall going into last night’s final. She was the fifth thrower in the final last night, but the final result was unavailable up to press time.

At CARIFTA, Brown had a best throw of 44.20m (145’ 0-1/4”) to finish third.

Charisma Taylor made it through to the girls 100m hurdles semi-finals, while Sasha Wells did not. Taylor grabbed the final qualifying spot for the semis, as she was sixth in her heat and 24th overall, in a personal best time of 14.06 seconds. Wells was just two hundredths of a second off her personal best time, finishing 17th in her heat and 29th overall in 14.22 seconds, but it wasn’t good enough to make it through to the semis. Taylor will run in the semis at 6:15 p.m Eastern Standard Time (EST) this evening.

The Bahamas got a fantastic performance from Dreshanae Rolle, as she was almost a full second faster than her personal best time, in the girls 400m. Rolle circled the track in 55.51 seconds, finishing fifth in her heat, and qualifying for the semi-finals with the 18th fastest time. Coming into the race, her personal best time was 56.35 seconds.

The other Bahamian in the girls 400m, D’Nia Freeman, failed to get out of the opening round heats. Freeman was fifth in her heat, and 34th overall, in 57.34 seconds. She was significantly off her personal best time of 55.76 seconds. As for Rolle, she will run out of lane two in the second of three semi-final heats at 7:12 p.m. EST this evening. Just the top two finishers in each semi-final heat and the next two fastest times will advance to Friday’s final.

Branson Rolle ran in the heats of the boys 400m hurdles yesterday, but failed to advance any further, finishing sixth in his heat and 40th overall, in 55.70 seconds. Only the top three out of each heat, and the next six fastest times advanced to this evening’s semi-finals.

The Bahamas will be back in action today, as Serena Brown will throw in the qualifying rounds of the girls shot putt. Brown will be the third thrower in Group A at 10:35 a.m. this morning. The top 12 out of the field of 36 throwers will qualify for tonight’s final.

On the track, Brianne Bethel and Blayre Catalyn will run in the girls 100m, and Tavonte Mott will take part in the boys 110m hurdles.

In the heats of the girls 100m at 11:40 a.m. this morning, Catalyn will run out of lane five in heat five, and Bethel will run out of lane five in heat six. The top two in each heat and the next eight fastest times will advance to this evening semi-finals.

In the heats of the boys 110m hurdles at 1:45 p.m. this afternoon, Mott will run out of lane two in heat two. The first four in each heat, and the next four fastest times move on to tomorrow’s semis.