Having added the World Championship title to two Olympic gold medals, at the Oregon World Champions last week, the 28-year-old sprinter has expressed a desire to break new ground. As such, Miller-Uibo has targeted trying her luck full-time over half the distance.
These days, however, the half-lap event is not for the faint of heart. Three of the fastest times in the event’s history have been recorded in the last year. Two Jamaicans, Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, and world champion Shericka Jackson have the world record in their sights. It's a competitive field.
Despite the fierce competition, however, the Bahamian is confident about making her mark.
“The plans for me are the 200 which has always been my first love and get back into that,” Miller-Uibo said.
“I have run 21.7 without proper training. Once we go at it, I think we can do better,” she added.
“They’re setting the stage pretty high. I’m so proud of the girls and I think that they’re really showing out right now and showing the world exactly what we can do. I can’t wait.”
The athlete will have her first test next Saturday when she faces Jackson in Poland.
The Bahamian sprinter has claimed the title at the last two Olympics and could have been the first woman to win the event at three consecutive events.
Miller-Uibo, who has the 7th fastest time over the event all-time, and 3rd fastest in the last 25 years, has now revealed that she does not expect to face the starter in Paris.
“To be honest, I don’t think I’ll be doing the 400m that year [2024],” Miller-Uibo said on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s Diamond League meet in Rome.
“I’m planning on wrapping it up. I’ve accomplished so much in the event, for me, it’s just about getting the world title now.”
Despite dominating at the Olympics, the athlete has never won the World Championship title with her best results coming in 2015 and 2019 when she was second behind Allyson Felix and Salwa Eid Naser respectively. In the future, the sprinter plans to focus her effort on the 200m.
On Thursday, Miller-Uibo will face a quality 200m field, which includes reigning 200m Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, reigning World champion Dina Asher-Smith and Felix.
Miller-Uibo, who is likely to run the 200m at the Olympics in Tokyo this summer, won in a world-leading and personal best 22.40 blowing away 400m hurdler Shamier Little who clocked a solid 23.40 for second place.
Miller-Uibo’s time, a Bahamian national record, tied the facility record set by Bianca Knight in 2008 and was just 0.07s off the American record set by Gwen Torrence in 1996.
The Bahamian said afterwards she was pleased with the run having wanted to get a chance to see what kind of shape she was in and was thankful to have finished the race healthy.
In the men’s equivalent, Richards, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 200m champion clocked 20.74 to win the 200m in a Trinidad and Tobago 1-2 finish. Deon Lendore clocked 20.89 relegating American Rodney Rowe (20.95) to third.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s 600m T&T’s Sparkle McKnight clocked 1:29.32 for third behind the USA’s Sammy Watson who won in 1:28.29 just ahead of Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott (1:28.30).
Mario Burke ran 6.68 for third in the Men’s 60m that was won by the USA’s Maurice Eaddy in 6.63. Marvin Bracy was second in 6.66.
In the field, Jamaica’s Chanice Porter jumped a season-best 6.52m to finish second in the long jump event won by the USA’s Kendell Williams with her best jump of 6.60m. Yanis David of France was some distance back in third with 6.32m.
Of the three Caribbean men in the 200m, only Jamaica’s national champion, Brian Levell, advanced to the semi-final after placing second in heat two in 20.47s, which was good enough for a non-automatic qualifying spot.
Another Jamaican, Andrew Hudson (20.55s), and Bahamian, Ian Kerr (20.60s), placed second and third, respectively, in heat four, but were not quick enough to progress as only the winner from that heat advanced.
In the women’s 400m, Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott won heat two with a National Record of 50.52s to advance to the semi-finals, while Shaunae Miller-Uibo (53.50s) of the Bahamas was eighth in the same heat.
Earlier, Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams (51.84s) was fifth in heat one and failed to progress.
Meanwhile, Dominican Republic’s Yeral Nunez (53.68s), the lone Caribbean representative in the 400m hurdles, was fifth in his heat and missed out on a spot in the semi-finals.
Jackson, who was formerly a 400m specialist, stepped down to the shorter distances this year and has had impressive results. The sprinter clocked new personal bests of 10.77 and 21.82 last month at her country’s national championships.
In Hungary, on Tuesday, the runner continued in that vein, dismissing the field to finish first in 21.96. Jackson seized control of the race early and comfortably held off a typically fast-finishing Miller-Uibo, who took second in 22.15. Dafne Schippers, the 2017 World Champion, was third in 22.70.
In other action, both Caribbean athletes in the men’s 110m hurdles failed to secure a podium spot. Jamaica’s Ronald Levy finished fourth with a time of 13.25 and Shane Brathwaite was 7th in 14.10. The race was won by the United States’ Grant Halloway who took the top spot with a time of 13.08.
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s Janieve Russell took third in a season’s best 53.68. The race was won by Netherland’s Femke Bol in a meet record 52.81.
Young, competing for Texas A&M, finished comfortably ahead of teammate Tierra Robinson-Jones (50.89) and Florida’s Talitha Diggs (51.93).
Bahamian two-time Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo opened her 2022 outdoor season with a win in the Olympic development 400m.
Miller-Uibo, who added to her trophy case with gold in the 400m at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March, decimated the field to win in 49.91 ahead of Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams (51.17) and the USA’s Lina Nielsen (51.54).
Puerto Rico’s Olympic 100m hurdles champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn was also in scintillating form, running a world leading 12.39 to win the 100m hurdles ahead of the USA’s Nia Ali (12.59) and Kaylor Harris (13.16).
Bahamian Alonzo Russell ran 45.65 for second in the Men’s 400m behind Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith (44.82). Wales’s Joe Brier was third in 45.74.
McPherson ran a season-best 50.15 to win the second heat as the cast of Caribbean women stamped their class on the opening round. Also through was Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo who won her heat in 51.10, after literally jogging the last 80m.
Also enjoying safe passage through to the next round were Olympic silver medallist Marileidy Paulino, who was also impressive while winning her heat in 50.76. Her compatriot, Fiordaliza Cofil, who was also impressive while winning her heat in 51.19.
Sada Williams of Barbados cruised to victory in her heat in 51.05. Aliyah Abrams of Guyana was also an automatic qualifier after finishing second in her heat in 51.98. Jamaican champion Candice McLeod eased up and finished second in her heat clocking 50.76 to automatically qualify for the next round.
A tired-looking Charokee Young, who finished fourth in her heat, qualified as one of the fastest losers while Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott and Cuba’s Roxana Gomez are also through to the next round.
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.
Adding to a bronze medal in the 400m from the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Miller-Uibo got a good lead on the field at the start and used her strength to carry her home in a time of 50.31. Dutch 400m Hurdles Olympic bronze medallist Femke Bol was second in 50.57, while Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann-McPherson was third in a national indoor record 50.79.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards ensured the Caribbean swept the 400m events with a brilliant championship record 45.00 to win gold ahead of the USA’s Trevor Bassitt (45.05) and Sweden’s Carl Bengstrom (45.33).
The 2017 World Championships 200m bronze medallist now has two World Indoor Championships medals after his bronze from the 4x400m in the 2012 edition in Istanbul.
The reigning Olympic champion had failed to capture the world title on two prior occasions, at the 2015 and 2019 editions, where she was made to settle for silver. In Eugene, Oregon, the athlete, who claimed she would retire from the event after this season, seized the moment.
Miller-Uibo took charge of the race early on, before pulling well clear of the field down the stretch to stop the clock at a world-leading 49.11. The event ended with a Caribbean sweep of the medal places as the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino ran 49.60 for second and Barbados’ Sada Williams took a surprise third place in a new national record of 49.75. Jamaicans Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Candice Mcleod missed out on the podium spots after finishing 5th and 7th.
In the men’s equivalent, Grenadian Kirani James was forced to settle for second spot behind American Michael Norman who took the event in 44.29. James was second in 44.48 with Matthew Hudson-Smith third in 44.66.
Two other Caribbean athletes in the event Christopher Taylor of Jamaica and Barbados’ Jonathan Jones were 7th and 8th respectively.
The 26-year-old Bahamian has been the best 200/400m sprinter in the world over the past two seasons, has requested an adjustment to the schedule that would allow her to attempt the double, something they have done to accommodate Americans Michael Johnson and Allyson Felix as well as French track icon Marie Jose Perec.
However, to date, the Bahamian and her Olympic committee have heard nothing to suggest that the IOC will honour her request.
“We have made an appeal to have the schedule changed. We’ve not received a positive response as yet, but we remain hopeful that they would take another look at it because it means so much to us and it means so much to Shaunae Miller-Uibo,” said Bahamas Olympic Committee President Romell Knowles while speaking with the Bahamas Guardian.
“To come from such a small island and to get an opportunity to be among the best in the world in both the 200 and 400 meters is just phenomenal. The precedence has already been set and we would just like to be given that opportunity. It means so much to a little country like ours that has produced such great athletes.”
Meanwhile, Miller-Uibo, for now, seems resigned to the possibility that she will have to drop one of her events.
“As it is now, the schedule isn’t set up for me to do two events, so I would have to choose one event and we’re leaning more toward the 200 meters seeing that we already have the 400 meters title,” Miller-Uibo told the Bahamas Guardian.
“We wanted to do both – I wanted to go after the 200 metres title and also wanted to defend my 400 meters title, but the way the schedule is set up, it would be difficult to do both. It’s been that way for a few years now. When they didn’t change the schedule, we had to make some decisions and right now, we’re leaning toward the 200. Nothing is finalized as yet, but that’s the way it is right now.”
Only three athletes have ever won the 200/400m double at the Olympic Games – Johnson and Perec and Valerie Brisco-Hooks.
The 27-year-old Miller-Uibo has, over the past two years lamented the reluctance of the International Olympic Committee to adjust the schedule that would allow her to compete in both events. This is something they have done for Americans Michael Johnson and Allison Felix as well Marie-Jose Perec at previous Olympiads.
However, the current Olympic schedule shows that the preliminary round and semi-finals of the 200m will be run on Monday, August 2, with the first round of the 400m set to begin on Tuesday, August 3, the same day as the 200m finals.
Nonetheless, according to the Bahamas Olympic Committee, Miller-Uibo is down to do both events.
Her compatriot, Steven Gardiner, the 2019 400m World Champion, is also listed for the 200m and 400m.
The remainder of the team comprises Samuel Colebrooke, who will run the 100m while Jamal Wilson had been registered for the high jump. Veteran jumper Donald Thomas is a provisional entry for the event.
Meanwhile, Tynia Gaither has been entered for the 100m and 200m. Brianne Bethel and Anthonique Strachan have also been entered for the 200m.
Pedrya Seymour makes the team for the 100m hurdles.
Doneisha Anderson, Megan Moss and Lacathera Cooper will Miller-Uibo, Strachan and Bethel for the 4 x 400m relay.
Swimmer Joanna Evans has been 200m and 400m freestyle with Laura Morley being a provisional entry and Izaak Bastian has been entered for the 100m and 200m breaststroke.
While expressing excitement about competing on home soil, the United States-based Miller-Uibo, who won back-to-back Olympic 400m titles at the 2016 and 2020 Games in Rio and Tokyo, pointed out that her main goal is to represent the country well.
She is hoping to assist the Bahamian mixed relay team to Paris Olympic qualification, at the May 4-5 World Relays to be held at the renovated Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau.
“I think we have an amazing team for the mixed relay and I’m hoping we can qualify The Bahamas for the Olympic Games,” Miller-Uibo said.
“It’s wonderful competing here because there’s no other feeling like hearing your home crowd cheer you on. It makes you want to bring your best," she added.
In fact, Miller-Uibo went further to describe The Bahamas as "Paradise", almost as if extending an invitation for sports enthusiasts to come down and enjoy a piece of the island outside of the World Relays action.
"Our people are good-natured, always ready to share a good laugh, and that we are, in my eyes, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It’s literally paradise," she declared.
Ever the trailblazer, the 29-year-old star is ultra-competitive, determined, and hard to slow down, and these traits are exactly why Bahamians are so proud to have her.
In short, Miller-Uibo is a fierce athlete who won’t be overlooked. Even welcoming her son Maicel last April didn’t halt her charge, as she competed at the Bahamas nationals just 10 weeks after giving birth.
Along with her two Olympic titles, Miller-Uibo also won gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and is the Bahamian national record-holder in the 200m and 400m. She also holds the world 300m best.
But her path to gold was not without setbacks.
“Those watching us never get the full scope of what athletes go through,” Miller-Uibo opined.
“Injuries are one of those things. I’m not only referring to the physical pain but also the mental toughness you need to recover," she noted.
On that note, the vivacious athlete offered a word of advice to up-and-coming Bahamian athletes chasing their own path.
“Always keep God first, choose a sport and event that you love, and always have fun doing it," Miller-Uibo shared.
In a year heavily impacted by the pandemic, Miller-Uibo did not race much in either of her two strongest events but whenever she did she left a mark of some quality. In the half-lap sprint, she was best in the world with a time of 21.98s at Clermont, Florida, on July 25. It was the same meet where she also ran a personal best 10.98 in the 100m.
The 26-year-old Olympic champion also ran a fast 22.61 at the Montverde Academy on July 4.
Lynna Irby of the USA was awarded the silver, based on her consistent performances in the event.
Running in the same race where Miller-Uibo ran 21.98, she had a season-best time of 22.47 in a third-place finish.
She also ran times of 22.52 and 23.06s during the season.
Irby got the nod over compatriot Sha’Carri Richardson by virtue of their head-to-head meeting in Montverde where Irby beat Richardson in their only meeting of the season on July 4. In that race, Richardson clocked 23.14.
The youngster would go on to run a personal best 22.00 at Montverde on August 10.
Irby turned tables on Miller-Uibo in the 400m where she ran the fastest time in the world for 2020, a 50.50 at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on August 14.
That time was just 0.02s faster than Miller-Uibo’s season’s best 50.52 set in Montverde on July 4.
Wadeline Jonathas picked up T&FNews bronze. She was second to Irby in Monaco in 51.40. However, she was a model of consistency throughout the year with times of 51.23 in Chorzow on August 25 and 51.94 at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm two days earlier.
The 26-year-old looked in imperious form as she hurried from the blocks and hardly seemed to let up, in the end, claiming the event by a comfortable margin. Miller-Uibo stopped the clock at 50.21, well clear of second-place Waldine Jonathas of the United States, who was second in 51.95, and Jessica Beard who finished third in 52.60.
In the less frequently contested men’s 300m, Jamaica’s Christopher Taylor also set a national record but was second behind Jereem Richard who clocked a speedy 32.17. The USA’s Kahmari Montgomery finished third in 32.96.
Jamaica’s Briana Williams clocked 7.22 to qualify for the women’s 60m final but did not face the starter for the final. The event was won by Kayla White in a personal best of 7.15, with Hannah Cunliffe second in 7.17 and Candace Hill third in 7.19.
In the women’s 60m hurdles, Jamaica’s Britany Anderson finished outside of the top three spots, with a time of 7.99. The event was taken by Keri Harrison in a world-leading 7.82, with Tiffany Porter second in 7.89 and Gabrielle Cunningham third in an identical time.
Miller-Uibo, who has tried in vain to have the 400 and 200 metres spread out at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, will likely be running just the half-lap event and not defending her title.
She went a long way on Friday to show she was getting faster, clocking 10.98 to smash her personal best twice after first easing to 11.03 in the heats.
The time puts Miller-Uibo in rarified air, the tall Bahamian now just one of four women to ever run sub-11 over 100 metres, sub-22 over 200, and sub-49 over 400.
Miller-Uibo got the better of 17-year-old United States athlete Tamari Davis, who clocked 11.15 seconds, and Jamaica’s Natalliah White, 11.19.
The time that was her fastest-ever wind-legal outdoor opener, eclipsed the previous best in the world this year of 22.17 set in Texas by Gabrielle Thomas on March 27 and would have sent shivers down the spines of potential 200m finalists at this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The extraordinary Bahamian was also more than a half-second faster than second-placed Quanera Haynes, who clocked 22.68. Lynna Irby was third in 22.75.
The next fastest Caribbean athlete was Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte who finished fourth in 23.28, a time slower than the 22.88 she ran in Miami on March 20.
In the men’s event, Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards, the 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist, lost out on a second-place finish by 0.001s to the USA’s Josephus Lyles. Both were given 20.37. However, Lyles was time given a time of 20.361 to Richards’ 20.362.
None of that mattered to Erriyon Knighton, who won the race in 20.31.
Trinidadian quarter-miler Machel Cedenio finished fifth in 20.84 while Antigua and Barbuda’s Cejhae Green was sixth in 20.86.
Meanwhile, Jamaica's Akeem Bloomfield, who opened with a 20.75s run in the 200m last month, ran 45.78 to finish second in the 400m won by Matthew Hudson-Smith in 45.51. Musa Isah was a distant third in 46.68.
In the 110-metre hurdles won by Nicholas Anderson in 13.49, Jamaica’s oft-injured Andrew Riley was second in 13.60 while Wellington ZaZa was third in 13.74.
The Bahamas' Devynne Charlton won the women's sprint hurdles in a wind-aided 13.08.
The Bahamian will head into the event as favourite, on the back of a strong indoor season where she added the Indoor title to her medal collection, in Belgrade. The Doha meeting will feature the first match-up between the trio since the Olympics, where Miller-Uibo took gold and Mcpherson and McLeod finished just outside the medals.
In the half-lap event, Olympic 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson will battle reigning 200m champion Diner Asher-Smith of Great Britain, who will be opening her season in the event. The field is also set to feature a rejuvenated Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas and Olympic finalist Gabby Thomas of the US.
There will also be a strong Caribbean presence in the women’s 100m hurdles with the Jamaican duo of Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper facing off with compatriot Britany Anderson. The Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton will also be part of that field.
She just managed to edge Annina Fahr of Switzerland who ran 51.97 for second place. Fahr’s compatriot Julia Niederberger finished third in 51.11.
Reflecting on the season so far, the Bahamian star stated, “It has been a long season, and obviously it would have come in handy for this to be the start of it - I just have to build for next season, and to get the body used to the shock again - and be ready for next season.
“Having become a mother has no comparison [to her greatest athletics achievement]. This is my greatest blessing, and I love that boy so much. I am going to go back into things, and I just want to make him proud. I want to get back up and, hopefully, whatever happens next year, I am doing it for him.”
The meet will be the seventh in the series, which runs off with the Doha Diamond League meet on May 13. An appearance at the Paris meeting, scheduled for June 18, could mark a long-awaited return to the city for the reigning 400m Olympic Champions.
Miller-Uibo, who has won the 200m event at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions and the 400m, at the 2017 event, has not appeared at the Paris meet since 2011. Gardiner has yet to win the title and last made an appearance in Monaco in 2019.
The duo has been in splendid form early this season with Miller-Uibo claiming the 400m title at the World Indoor Championship and Gardiner registering a number of impressive times indoors before opening the outdoor season with world-leading 44.22 seconds at the LSU Alumni Gold meet.
