By KELSIE JOHNSON, NG Sports Reporter

The long tedious track and field season climaxed yesterday in Stuttgart, Germany, with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletics Final.

Even though neither of the four Bahamian athletes competing secured gold medal finishes, they were able to turn in strong performances, finishing high in the standings.

The best showing on the weekend came from Chris 'The Fireman' Brown, who competed in the men's 400 meters (m). Brown was third in the 400m in a time of 45.36 seconds. Winning the event was Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt in 44.50 seconds and he was followed by the Beijing Games silver medalist, Jeremy Wariner, in 44.51 seconds. In the World Athletics Tour standings, Brown accumulated 74 points in the five meets he competed in for a fourth place finish. He is also ranked in the top five in the world in the IAAF top performers chart.

Bahamian Leevan 'Superman' Sands had a tough day on the board in the triple jump, closing his season with a best leap of 16.78m for sixth place. Sands is ranked third in the world in the event and third on the World Athletics Tour standings.

The Bahamian sprinting queens Chandra Sturrup and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie brought up the rear in the 100m, finishing seventh and eighth respectively. The long season for the two veteran sprinters saw Sturrup close in a time of 11.23 seconds and Ferguson-McKenzie in 11.25 seconds. The winning time was ran by Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser of Jamaica in 10.94 seconds. Countrywoman Kerron Stewart was second in 11.06 seconds and Marshevet Hooker from the United States finished third in 11.06 seconds. Sturrup also finished in seventh on the Tour with 52 points while Ferguson-McKenzie was 10th overall with 47 points.

The Jamaicans dominated the 100m for men at the year's closing event. The trio was led by Asafa Powell who finished in a time of 9.87 seconds. Nesta Carter's 10.07 seconds was good enough for him to capture the second spot and he was followed by Michael Frater in 10.10 seconds. Bahamian national record holder Derrick Atkins did not compete in the event. Also opting out of the meet was high jumper Donald Thomas, who is still nursing an ankle injury.

Over in the 200m, Ferguson-McKenzie crossed the line in 22.89 seconds in the half lap event. The American sweep was led by Sanya Richards in 22.50 seconds. She was followed closely by Marshevet Hooker in 22.69 seconds and Jamaica's Kerron Stewart, who ended in 22.72 seconds. Even though Ferguson-McKenzie finished fourth she led the Tour in the event with 58 points.