GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 31) — Steven Gardiner, the Olympic 400m champion from the Bahamas, started his 2023 season with a victory in the men’s 200m race at the Florida Relays on Friday (31). Gardiner, running his first 200m race this season, clocked a time of 20.14 seconds in heat one of the Olympic Development race at the Percy Beard Track Field.
The 2019 world 400m champion had won three 300m races to season the campaign and he show just how good of a form he’s in by dominating the field a better second half of the race, following a strong start over the opening bend.
Trevor Bassitt of USA and a bronze medalist at the 400m Hurdles World Championships, finished second in the same heat against Gardiner with a time of 20.53 seconds. Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, the two-time European Championships 400m champion, Commonwealth Games silver medalist, and World bronze medalist, secured third place overall with a time of 20.56 seconds to win heat two. – Read More: Day 1: Events schedule and how to watch the 2023 Florida Relays
In the women’s 200 meter dash Olympic Development race, Makenzie Dunmore of the USA dominated the race, finishing first with a time of 22.68 seconds in heat two. Jessika Gbai of the Ivory Coast and Empire Athletics, came in second in heat one with a time of 22.88 seconds, followed by Shannon Ray of USA (22.97s) in third place.
Blessing Odiong finished in fourth place with a time of 23.39 seconds in the same heat as Ray. Micha Powell of Athletics Canada (23.71s) and Taylor Manson (23.80s), rounded off the top five in heat two.
Other notable performances in the men’s 200m Olympic Development race included Nathon Allen of Jamaica, who finished with a time of 20.99 seconds, and USA’s sprint hurdler Daniel Roberts, who clocked a time of 21.40 seconds.
Florida Relays 2023 Women’s and Men’s Olympic Development 200m Results
Men’s 200 Meter Dash Olympic Development
- Steven Gardiner – Adidas – 20.14
- Trevor Bassitt – Unattached – 20.53
- Matthew Hudson-Smith – Puma – 20.56
- Bolade Ajomale – Athletics Canada – 20.87
- Rodrigo do Nascimento – Unattached – 20.91
- Nathon Allen – Puma – 20.99
- Leo Maguranyanga – Elite Athletes International – 21.28
- Austin Cole – Athletics Canada – 21.29
- Eliezer Adjibi – Athletics Canada – 21.32
- Daniel Roberts – Nike – 21.40
- Nathan George – Athletics Canada – 21.55
- Ronald Sayles – Empire Athletics – 21.79
Women’s 200 Meter Dash Olympic Development
- Makenzie Dunmore – Empire Athletics – 22.68
- Jessika Gbai – Empire Athletics – 22.88
- Shannon Ray – Adidas – 22.97
- Blessing Odiong – Unattached – 23.39
- Micha Powell – Athletics Canada – 23.71
- Taylor Manson – Unattached – 23.80
—Click here for full results from the Florida Relays 2023.
