Williams First Bahamian Quarter-Miler Below 45 Seconds This Season, Andretti Opens In Brazil

BY Gerrino Saunders

For The BAAA

In recent years he has been dubbed the quiet assassin, but once the gun cracks Grand Bahama’s Andre Williams has been a monster over the 400m distance especially on The Bahamas men’s National 4x400m relay team, but like so many of his fellow Bahamian quarter-milers, he too is seeking individual success at the World and Olympic levels.

Having to deal with nagging injuries for much of the last two seasons Williams this year seems to be back on track and his long graceful strides have propelled him to the third fastest time in the world as of May 12th with a 44.98 clocking at the recent Texas Tech Invitational.

It is the first time that Williams has dipped below the 45 seconds barrier since 2005 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships when he ran 44.90.

The former National 400 meter Champion who defeated Chris Brown in dramatic fashion at the Grand Bahama Nationals in 2005 has been steadily dropping his time after opening the season with a 45.13 clocking at the Michael Johnson Classic, followed by a 45.04 clocking the following week before his May 7th performance at Texas Tech where he graduated.

The former Red Raider outpaced American 2005 World and 2004 Olympic 4x400 meter gold medalist Darrold Williamson who finished second in 45.68 seconds.

With his performance, Williams is now ranked as the third fastest in the world behind Americans Lashawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner respectively.  Bahamian Latoy Williams from South Plains College who ran 45.01 at the Michael Johnson Classic to lead the world has dropped to fourth.

At the same meet in the college men’s 400 meters, Bahamian Jamal Butler representing Texas Tech finished second in heat three in 49.07 seconds and was 14th overall among the college men.

Meanwhile, after taking some time to rest and recover from a grueling season last year that ended with a 4x400 relay silver at the Beijing Olympics, the 2008 NCAA 400 meter Indoor and Outdoor Champion Andretti Bain began his 2009 campaign at the Grand Prix in Fortaleza, Brazil on Saturday May 9.

Bain clocked 46.65 for fourth behind winner American Jamil Hubbard who finished in 46.12 seconds. It is his first year running as a professional and he too expects to be in the finals of the men’s 400m at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Back in the United States at the Georgia Invitational on Saturday May 9th World 4x400 meter silver medallist Nathaniel McKinney won the men’s 400 meters in 47.34 seconds.  McKinney ran a 44 second split on the Bahamas men’s 4x400 relay team that finished second to the United States ‘A’ team at the 2009 Penn Relays.  

At the Georgia event he finished second in the 200m behind Derrick Atkins in a personal best of 20.67 seconds. Atkins won in a personal best time of 20.35 seconds just off the National record of 20.21.

2004 Olympian Aaron Cleare who has been nursing several injuries was second behind McKinney in the men’s 400 meters in 47.54 seconds.

Chris Brown, The Bahamas’ defending National 400m Champion is expected to begin his open campaign in the coming days, after leading The Bahamas 4x400 relay team at the Penn Relays.