By KWAME LAURENCE

Bahamas has a strong relay tradition. Among the country’s many global medals are Olympic gold in 2000 in the women’s 4x100 metres and the same colour in 2012 in the men’s 4x4. With the qualification period for this year’s Olympics ending on June 29, the race is on as Bahamas bids to qualify for the Tokyo Games in the two events.

Both national teams were on show on Saturday at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) New Life Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, USA.

In the final event of the World Athletics Continental Tour – Silver meet, the Bahamian 4x4 men outdueled Mexico in a two-team race. Veteran Michael Mathieu, a member of the Olympic champion “Golden Knights” quartet, combined with teenagers Wendell Miller and Wanya McCoy and the experienced Alonzo Russell for victory in three minutes, 03.51 seconds. Mexico clocked 3:04.17.

The 3:03.51 run earned Bahamas 21^st spot on the Olympic qualifying list. But with just 16 countries earning a Tokyo berth in the event, the work continues for the 4x4 men.

The Bahamas 4x1 women are 32^nd in the race for a top-16 spot after finishing second to Trinidad and Tobago at the NACAC New Life Invitational. Denisha Cartwright, Tynia Gaither, Pedrya Seymour and Paige Archer teamed up for a 44.41 seconds clocking. T&T got the baton around the track in 43.96.

Bahamas also had representation in the men’s 4x1, Karon Dean, Keanu Pennerman, Ian Kerr and Kendrick Thompson finishing fourth in 40.49 seconds. Jamaica (39.22), Trinidad and Tobago (39.75) and Trinidad and Tobago “B” (40.30) were first, second and third, respectively. The Bahamian men are currently 37^th on the Olympic qualifying list at 39.49.

Russell bagged men’s 400m bronze on Saturday. He clocked 46.44 seconds to finish behind Trinidad and Tobago’s Deon Lendore, the winner in 45.48, and 2008 Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt (46.22) of the United States.

Bahamian Teray Smith got home in a wind-aided 20.92 seconds for third spot in the men’s 200m. American Daveon Collins struck gold in 20.73, with silver going to Trinidad and Tobago’s Kyle Greaux (20.84).

Seymour secured bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles final in a windy 12.81 seconds. Toby Amusan was the class of the field, the Nigerian storming to victory in 12.44. Costa Rica’s Andrea Carolina Vargas picked up silver in 12.76. In the qualifying round, Seymour clocked 12.78.

Tamara Myers claimed third spot for Bahamas in the women’s triple jump with a 13.98 metres effort. Dominican Republic’s Ana Jose Tima emerged victorious with a wind-assisted 14.28m jump. American Imani Oliver (14.07m windy) was second.

Gaither finished fourth in the women’s 200m in 23.10 seconds. Jamaica’s reigning double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah won in 22.54 to complete the sprint double. Thompson-Herah won the 100m final in 10.87. Gaither had clocked a windy 11.19 in the qualifying round, but opted out of the final.

Thompson’s windy 7.14m leap earned him seventh spot in the men’s long jump. Xavier Coakley was ninth overall in the men’s 110m hurdles heats in 14.08 seconds, and did not advance to the final. And Kinard Rolle was a non-finisher in the men’s 800m.

The standout performance at the NACAC New Life Invitational came from Trayvon Bromell, the American winning the men’s 100m dash in a world-leading 9.77 seconds. With that clocking, Bromell moved into seventh spot on the global all-time list.