Bahamas mile relay, Ferguson-McKenzie finally get WC gold medals
Published on: 7th July, 2009.....23 views
Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie shows off her 200m gold medal from the 2001 World Championships she was presented after Marion Jones was stripped of it for doping. | read this item
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By Gerrino Saunders
Nassau, Bahamas - It has been eight years since The Bahamas men’s 4×400 meter relay team competed at the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Canada, and at that time they were proud but still somewhat disappointed to finish second behind the United States.
During the championships in 2001, the team of Avard Moncur, Chris Brown, Troy McIntosh, Tim Munnings and alternate Carl Oliver were presented with the silver, medals but even they felt something wasn’t right.
Following the admittance of doping by American Antonio Pettigrew, the IAAF stripped the entire USA team of their medals, which pushed The Bahamas into the gold medal position.
During a special ceremony recently, The Bahamas Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, and the then Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president, Desmond Bannister, officially presented the gold medals to the athletes.
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Along with the gold medals, the athletes also received a monetary gift from The Bahamas Government.
All four of the athletes present at the ceremony expressed their extreme pleasure and pride in finally winning the gold medals. Jamaica was bumped up to the silver medal position.
McIntosh, the now retired former Bahamas National Record holder in the men’s 400 meters, said it has been a “long time coming” but he is satisfied that they have finally received the medals.
He described it as a “dream come true,” and a “nail in the coffin” to his career because he finally won a gold medal at the World Championships after having won a medal at just about every major competition.
The USA team (Leonard Byrd, Pettigrew, Derrick Brew, Angelo Taylor) crossed the line first in 2:57.54; The Bahamas was second in 2:58.19 and Jamaica (Brandon Simpson, Chris Williams, Gregory Haughton, Danny McFarlane) third in 2:58. 39.
Brown said, “I’m glad we finally got the gold because I owe my teammates and my country a gold medal after the mistake I made at the Olympics, and although this is not an Olympic gold, World Championship gold is not bad at all.”
Also, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, finally got her hands on a World Championships gold medal, having finished second behind the disqualified Marion Jones in the 200m at the 2001 championships.
At the same ceremony Ferguson-McKenzie was awarded with the actual gold medal that Jones had in her possession. Jones was forced to return the medal after she admitted to using steroids.
Published on: 7th July, 2009.....23 views
Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie shows off her 200m gold medal from the 2001 World Championships she was presented after Marion Jones was stripped of it for doping. | read this item
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By Gerrino Saunders
Nassau, Bahamas - It has been eight years since The Bahamas men’s 4×400 meter relay team competed at the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Canada, and at that time they were proud but still somewhat disappointed to finish second behind the United States.
During the championships in 2001, the team of Avard Moncur, Chris Brown, Troy McIntosh, Tim Munnings and alternate Carl Oliver were presented with the silver, medals but even they felt something wasn’t right.
Following the admittance of doping by American Antonio Pettigrew, the IAAF stripped the entire USA team of their medals, which pushed The Bahamas into the gold medal position.
During a special ceremony recently, The Bahamas Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, and the then Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president, Desmond Bannister, officially presented the gold medals to the athletes.
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Along with the gold medals, the athletes also received a monetary gift from The Bahamas Government.
All four of the athletes present at the ceremony expressed their extreme pleasure and pride in finally winning the gold medals. Jamaica was bumped up to the silver medal position.
McIntosh, the now retired former Bahamas National Record holder in the men’s 400 meters, said it has been a “long time coming” but he is satisfied that they have finally received the medals.
He described it as a “dream come true,” and a “nail in the coffin” to his career because he finally won a gold medal at the World Championships after having won a medal at just about every major competition.
The USA team (Leonard Byrd, Pettigrew, Derrick Brew, Angelo Taylor) crossed the line first in 2:57.54; The Bahamas was second in 2:58.19 and Jamaica (Brandon Simpson, Chris Williams, Gregory Haughton, Danny McFarlane) third in 2:58. 39.
Brown said, “I’m glad we finally got the gold because I owe my teammates and my country a gold medal after the mistake I made at the Olympics, and although this is not an Olympic gold, World Championship gold is not bad at all.”
Also, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, finally got her hands on a World Championships gold medal, having finished second behind the disqualified Marion Jones in the 200m at the 2001 championships.
At the same ceremony Ferguson-McKenzie was awarded with the actual gold medal that Jones had in her possession. Jones was forced to return the medal after she admitted to using steroids.