Anthaya Charlton may be the new big talent in female sprints in The Bahamas, and may be a part of a bright future, but veteran Anthonique Strachan isn't paying it much mind. She's more focused on what she needs to do at nationals and, come July 5-7, she will take on all challengers.
Charlton and Strachan are likely to meet on the track for the first time in their careers at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Jr. and Sr. National Track and Field Championships, set for July 5-7, at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
Charlton had a breakout season for the University of Kentucky, experiencing success indoors and outdoors on the collegiate scene. She has recorded personal best times in both short sprints, is a double medalist from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Championships and is a medalist in the women's 4×100 meters (m) from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Her personal best times in the short sprints are 11.11 seconds in the 100m and 23.47 seconds in the 200m. She also has a personal best leap of 6.74m (22' 1-1/2") in the long jump. Those marks are just outside of the qualifying times and distances for the world championships - 11.08 seconds in the 100m, 22.60 seconds in the 200m and 6.85m (22' 5-3/4") in the long jump. The 19th World Athletics Championships is set for August 19-27 at the National Athletics Centre, in Budapest, Hungary.
The future is certainly bright for Charlton, but the moment may belong to Strachan who is certainly not going to relinquish her national title in the women's 100m without a fight. Strachan said she's very proud of what Charlton has been able to accomplish this season but, at the end of the day, when she lines up on the track to run against her, it's all business for her.
"It's college and it's cute. I'm not concerned about anyone in any race when I line up to run," said Strachan. "There are nine lanes on the track and they have to bring it just like I have to bring it. Last season, she (Charlton) didn't compete at all and now she is looking good. It will be a joy to run against her and anyone else who lines up to compete."
Charlton said she's just looking forward to getting on the track and running in front of the Bahamian people, staying away from any pre-race hype with Strachan. However, she did say she's looking forward to the opportunity.
"Competing against her is going to be real exciting because I remember when I was in Bermuda for CARIFTA 2012, she won the Austin Sealy [Award] and there was a picture of me and her in the newspaper. They were calling me her little sister because I ran on to the field when she got her award. That's really cool because now we are going to be competing against each other. I feel like it's going to be a good matchup."
At the time, Charlton was just eight years old. Now, at 19, going on 20, and running the best times in her life, she's a viable threat for any athlete she lines up next to in the short sprints. Strachan is 10 years her senior at 29 going on 30. The race is expected to be between those two at nationals.
"I'm really happy because, for a while, I was just out of it. I quit track for a year and people didn't think I was going to come back," said Charlton. "When I came back, people didn't think I was going to do well, so to perform the way I did was really exciting.
"I feel like I had a really good season, particularly looking back at my goals for the season. I exceeded all of my goals, and all-in-all, it was a really good season and I owe all of that to my coaches, my training style, my support system and also my mentality changed."
The former junior sensation sat out much of the 2021-2022 season, but really returned with a bang this year, coming back stronger than ever before.
Charlton is set to compete in the 100m and long jump events at the junior and senior nationals, coming off competition in the 100m at the 24th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador, El Salvador. She will have just a day's rest between the CAC Games and the nationals, including travel from El Salvador to The Bahamas.
"Nationals would be a high-ranking meet for me and it would be a good opportunity to get points ahead of the world championships, so I don't want to miss that. Also, I'm excited to be able to compete at home because I haven't done so in about three to four years," she said. "With the CAC, that is a high-ranking meet as well, so I'm looking to boost my rankings in both of those, so that I could go to worlds for both the 100m and the long jump. I'm looking forward to it."
Charlton is yet to qualify for the world championships, but is anticipating padding her points standings by competing in the CAC Games and the junior and senior nationals. She will leave right after her 100m event at the CAC Games, travel to Nassau and compete at the junior and senior nationals the next day.
As for Strachan, she, too, is having a fantastic season, running personal best times in the short sprints – 10.92 seconds in the 100m and 22.15 seconds in the 200m.
"I like where I'm at right now," said Strachan. "I just have to continue to fine-tune myself for nationals and the world championships later this summer. It continues to be a work in progress, but I'm ready to go."
Strachan said she is looking for the junior and senior nationals to be jumping with excitement, and she's hoping to put on a show for the Bahamian people.
"I'm always content with the support that we athletes get from the Bahamian people and I hope they come out and show us some support and love again," she said. "I just want to come home, run well and perform to the best of my ability. I just want to make it through. I just want to say thanks to the Bahamian people for all the love and support and all the encouragement that we athletes have gotten over the years."
Following a stunning personal best run in the 100m at the Bislett Games Diamond League Meet in Oslo, Norway, in which she defeated Jamaican 200m World Champion Shericka Jackson for the first time since their junior days, Strachan has returned to her training base in Kingston, Jamaica, and will wait it out until the start of nationals on July 5.
When asked if there's one race she would want to see at the junior and senior nationals, she said it would have to be the men's 100m featuring Bahamian collegiate athletes Terrence Jones and Wanya McCoy.
"I want to see if Wanya can meet the challenge and run under 10 seconds at home," said Strachan. "I believe the push from Terrence would be enough to get him to run under 10 seconds and qualify for the world championships."
Texas Tech junior Jones has run personal best times of 9.91 seconds in the 100m and 19.87 seconds in the 200m this year. Clemson sophomore McCoy has clocked 10.10 seconds in the 100m and 20.41 seconds in the 200m. The 100m time from Jones equals the Bahamian national record that was set by Derrick Atkins at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Bahamians could expect to see those athletes and many more come July 5-7 in Nassau, The Bahamas.
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