TOKYO, Japan – It’s been a long five years for Bahamian hurdler Devynne Charlton, qualifying for the 2016 Olympics but not being able to compete because of injury, and then getting back to the Olympic stage this year, and it all coming to fruition as she finished sixth in the final of the women’s 100 meters (m) hurdles on Monday.
Charlton crossed the finish line in 12.74 seconds inside the Japan National Stadium at the Tokyo Olympic Games here in Tokyo, Japan.
The Bahamian national record holder and multi national champion appeared a bit disappointed that she missed out on a medal, but after coming into these Olympics tied at number 11 on the world’s top performance list for 2021 and going into the final with the seventh-fastest qualifying time out of the semis, Charlton proved that she is among the top hurdlers in the world, powering to the final and securing a sixth place finish on Monday.
She ran 12.66 seconds in the semifinals, and qualified out of the first round in 12.84.
“I felt pretty good going into it, but I didn’t feel like the execution was there like how it was in the semis,” said Charlton. “I gave it what I had today, and I’m proud of that much. Dealing with the heat out there, it was really draining, and it showed in the times, but that is something that comes with the territory and it’s just something that you have to deal with.”
With the race held at an usual time for a final, 11:50 midday, Charlton said the heat presented a challenge, but she was just focused on her race and what she needed to do.
For The Bahamas, it’s the second straight Olympics in which a Bahamian advanced to the final of the women’s 100m hurdles. Coincidentally, Pedrya Seymour was sixth at the Olympics as well, finishing in 12.76 seconds in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.
Seymour didn’t fare as well at these Olympics, bowing out in the semifinals. She finished eighth in her semifinal heat and was 22nd overall in 13.09 seconds after running 13.04 seconds in her opening round heat.
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