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Drake Blue Oval Showcase

Megan Tapper closes year with season-best run at Drake Blue Oval Showcase

Tapper, running in the second of two heats, clocked 12.96 while finishing behind Tiffany Porter, who also had a season-best 12.90 to win the heat. Meanwhile, heat-one winner Payton Chadwick was third overall with her time of 12.97s.

The 26-year-old Jamaican was elated at the time.

“Finally! A race to call home about,” she posted on Instagram. “The last one was definitely the best one.”

Heading into the meet, many would have been looking forward to Miller-Uibo’s run in the 200m. Unbeaten over the 200m for the past two seasons, the towering Bahamian sprinter boasts season-best times of 10.98 and 21.98 over the 100m and 200m, respectively, set in Clermont in July.

However, any chance of her going faster was dashed when she failed to complete the second of two 200m heats. Winner of the heat, the USA’s Lynna Irby, crossed the line first and was the overall winner in 22.52.

Her compatriot Kyra Jefferson, finished second in 22.69, a time good enough for second overall. Miller-Uibo’s compatriot, Tynia Gaither, finished third in the heat in 23.08, however, her time saw her finish fourth overall behind the USA’s Shakima Wimbley, who won the opening heat in 23.07.

In the men’s 200m Panama’s Alonso Edward clocked 20.69 but was beaten into second place by the USA’s Justin Robinson who clocked 20.67. However, the outright winner was Josephus Lyles who stopped the clock in 20.32 to win the first of the two heats.

His time meant Edwards finished third overall.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo among the headliners for Drake Blue Oval Showcase on Saturday

An estimated 80 world-class track and field athletes including Tianna Bartoletta are set to compete in 11 events before empty seats inside the stadium.

Miller, who ran a personal best 10.98 in the 100m this season will compete in the 200m at the meet that will also have World Championships silver medallist Brittany Brown on show along with the likes of 400m hurdler Shamier Little as well as Shakima Wimbley.

Also among the stars down to compete are Jarrion Lawson, Devon Allen, Aleec Harris and veteran Wallace Spearmon. Allen and Harris will face off in the 110m hurdles.

Tightness' behind Miller-Uibo's incomplete 200m at Drake Blue Oval Showcase

Miller, who has season-best times of 10.98 and 21.98 over the 100 and 200m, respectively, was a heavy favourite to win the half-lap sprint. However, she pulled up during the second of two heats won by the USA’s Lynna Irby in 22.52.

Coach Brauman, however, said the athlete felt some tightness, “nothing major,” he said.

Miller-Uibo, the 2016 Olympic 400m champion, had been unbeaten over the 200m for the past two seasons during which she ran a personal best 21.74 run in Zurich on August 29, 2019. Her only loss over the 400m came in October last year at the 2019 World Championships in Doha where she ran a personal best 48.37 only to lose to Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Nasser who ran 48.14, the third-fastest time in history.