BUDAPEST, Hungary - Monday was an off day for The Bahamas at the 19th World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Stadium in Budapest, Hungary, and despite not getting some of the performances that they would have hoped for so far, the spirits of the team remain high.

Athletes are working out with their personal coaches, and team coaches, and getting ready for competition.

Devynne Charlton will be up first for The Bahamas today, competing in the opening round heats of the women's 100 meters (m) hurdles. That event will take place at 6:40 p.m. here in Budapest, 12:40 p.m. back in The Bahamas.

Following Charlton, former world champion and current Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner will compete in the semifinals of the men's 400m. Gardiner will run out of lane six in the third of three semifinal heats at 9:16 p.m., 3:16 p.m. back in The Bahamas. Just the top two finishers and the next two fastest times will move on to Thursday's final.

Anthonique Strachan, LaQuan Nairn, Charisma Taylor and Rhema Otabor will be in action on Wednesday.

So far, Gardiner is the only Bahamian who has advanced past the opening rounds. He won his opening round heat in 44.65 seconds, qualifying for the semifinals with the third-fastest time. The other Bahamian in the men's 400m, Alonzo Russell, was sixth in his heat and finished 41st overall, in 46.95 seconds.

"The spirits of the team are very high. They are excited and ready to go," said Tito Moss, assistant team leader of Team Bahamas. "The athletes are going through their various training techniques and programs with their personal coaches and they are all very excited and eager to go. The morale of the team is still good. The performances so far have not been what some would have expected but they are all in high spirits and are looking forward to the rest of the competition and what's to come going into an Olympic year."

Back on the track in her specialty for the first time since childbirth four months ago, Shaunae Miller-Uibo said she had no expectations and just wanted to see where she was at. She ran 52.65 seconds in the women's 400m, finishing seventh in her heat and 37th overall.

In the men's 400m hurdles, Shakeem Hall-Smith was seventh in his heat and finished 29th overall in 49.61 seconds.

In the men's high jump, former world champion Donald Thomas finished tied for 16th with a clearance of 2.25m (7' 4-3/4").

In the men's 100m, Terrence Jones was sixth in his heat and 42nd overall in 10.32 seconds.

As mentioned, just Charlton and Gardiner will be in action today.

"There is still quite a bit of competition left. They're all still doing their work and prepping for competition," said Moss. "Stevie was a lil winded after his race but he's fine and ready to go. We expect him to move through to the final. Shaunae intends to participate for the remainder of the season, looking to build off what she was able to do here in Budapest. We're still in awe with what she was able to do after having a baby just four months ago. Terrence is very young and has a long way to go in the sport. Donald and Shakeem were just short of advancing and Alonzo gave a great effort. As mentioned, the other athletes are in high spirits and are ready to compete."

Originally, Strachan was scheduled to run in the women's 100m as well and Jones in the men's 200m as well, but Moss said they made a decision in consultation with their personal coaches to focus on just their stronger events.

More than 2,000 athletes from more than 200 countries are competing in the 35,000-seat National Athletics Centre in Budapest. The world championships will run through August 27.

The post Moss excited for what's to come for Team Bahamas appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

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