Silver double for Uibo family at Doha Worlds

Following the athletics proceedings from the massage table is certainly not the easiest things to do especially if your wife is one of the competitors and you are getting ready for a 1500m race, the final event of the decathlon.

But that is precisely what Maicel Uibo of Estonian did on Thursday during the IAAF World Championships. He was closely following his Bahamian wife Shaunae Miller-Uibo 400m race.

Both ended up getting silver in their respective events sending Estonian and Bahamas fans into a celebration mood while bringing cheers to the Uibo family.

“Yes, I was able to refresh the results page when she was running, while I was on the massage table getting ready for my 1500m,” Maicel, who won silver in the Decathlon event on Thursday night, said.

“I think she did very well – 48.3 is not an easy time to hit and I’m very proud of her,” he added.

Shaunae was delighted to win a medal on the same night with her husband in the women’s 400m.

“It was a blessing; especially since we both won medals. We both worked hard this year, I am really happy about him especially,” she said.

She was hopeful that the silver will turn to gold in the next event.

“We are a family, we always share our dreams, we push one another to do our best. I am very proud of him of how he competed and I am sure he is proud of me. We didn’t get the gold, may be next time,” Shaunae said.

The Uibo couple only got to know that their events - 400m and the final decathlon event - will happen at the same time a few weeks before the championship.

“We didn’t realise only until a few weeks before we headed down here. We knew it was going to be a little difficult because it will be hard to watch each other competing, but we made our way. Even earlier when I watched him compete, my coach said ‘OK Shaunae put away the phone’. Hopefully next year we won’t collide but it was a great experience this time, with both of us celebrating together.”

Both Maicel and Shaunae have been training together and have been leaving no stone unturned.

“Of course, as athletes we are very competitive. We train together in Cerlmont, Florida. We go to practice every day at the same time and sometimes we do running work-outs together. So it’s always a little competitive on the track and off the track,” Shaunae said.

“Off the track we argue about anything – who our dogs love the most, really random things,” she added.

Shaunae is planning to do the heptathlon next.

“I am definitely looking at doing it in one of these years.

“Maical was a big influence. It will be a little fun to try it and see how it goes.”