Shaunae Miller-Uibo in her 400m semifinal race. Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics

Monday, August 7, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#LONDON, England: Shaunae Miller-Uibo joined Steven Gardiner in securing her berth in the final of the women’s 400 metres at the 16th IAAF World Championships.

#On Monday night at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium, Miller-Uibo was untested as she coasted to victory in 50.36 seconds in the opening of the three heats in the semi-final.

#It turned out to be the third fastest qualifying time, trailing Salva Eid Naser of Bahrain, the winner of heat two in a national record of 50.08 ahead of American defending champion Allyson Felix, the second place finisher in 50.12.

#“I felt fine. I just wanted to make it through the rounds and I felt I did a pretty good job of it,” said Miller-Uibo moments after she completed the race. “I just want to get ready for the 200 tomorrow.”

#On Tuesday, Miller-Uibo will be back in action when she contests the first round of the women’s 200, the other half of her individual mission here.

#She will run out of lane five in the fourth of seven heats at 3:02 pm. The other two Bahamians in the field are Ty’Nia Gaither in lane seven – next to the Netherlands’ 100m bronze medallist Dafne Schippers in six – and Anthonique Strachan in lane eight in with Ivory Coast’s 100m silver medallist Marie-Josee Ta Lou in four.

#The first three in each heat and the next three fastest finishers will move on to the semi-final, scheduled for Thursday with the final on Friday.

#Tuesday at 4:50 pm EST, Steven Gardiner will go after the first medal for Team Bahamas at these championships in the men’s 400m final against world record holder Wayde van Niekiek, who is attempting the men’s 200/400m double.

#However, it was revealed that Isaac Makwala of Botswana withdrew from the men’s 200m due to a medical condition on the instruction of the IAAF Medical Delegate.

#As a result, Makwala won’t be eligible for the 400m.

#Still waiting to compete are Bianca ‘BB’ Stuart in the women’s long jump qualifier on Wednesday at 2:10 pm EST with the final on Friday at 2:10 pm EST; Devynne Charlton in the preliminaries of the women’s 100m hurdles on Friday at 6:05 am EST with the final on Saturday at 3:05 pm and Donald Thomas in the men’s high jump qualifying on Friday at 6:15 am EST and the final on Sunday at 2pm EST.

#The men and women’s 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays will be in the spotlight on Saturday and Sunday as the championships come to a close.

Friday, August 11, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#LONDON, England: The last three days of competition this weekend at the 16th IAAF World Championships will be interesting ones for Team Bahamas, just as the first seven were – with one medal and two finalists on the stage in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium.

#National record holder Shanuae Miller-Uibo and TyNia Gaither willl be the Bahamas’ first 1-2 punch in an individual final after they both booked their lanes in come-from-behind fashion, Miller-Uibo taking her heat in 22.49 after her disappointment in the 400m and Gaither in fourth in 22.85 for the last of two fastest losers spots.

#Today at 4:50 pm EST, Miller-Uibo will run out of lane five, next to defending champion Dafne Schippers from the Netherlands in six, while Gaither will be in three. They will be attempting to join men’s 400m silver medalist Steven Gardiner on the podium.

#Also today, two competitors will compete in their individual events during the qualifying round of competition in the morning session with the final of the women’s 200m taking the spotlight in the evening session.

#The last two days will be devoted to the relays, including the participation of the men’s 4 x 100m team in light of a positive drug testing of one of the former teammates.

#Devynne Charlton, making her global debut after injury prevented her from contesting the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last year, will run out of lane nine in the third of five heats in the women’s 100m hurdles at 6:01 am EST.

#American world record holder Kendra Harrison is in lane two – the top four and the next four fastest qualifiers will head to the semifinal at 2:05 pm.

#The final will be on Saturday at 3:05 pm.

#Charlton, a red-shirt junior at Purdue University, comes into the championships with a personal and season’s best of 12.74 after having a sensational collegiate season.

#Back for his fifth appearance at the championships since ascending the top of the dais as the world champion in 2009 in Daegu, South Korea.

#33-year-old Donald Thomas will be out to improve on his sixth place finishes in the last two championships in Beijing, China in 2015 and Moscow, Russia in 2013.

#With a season’s best of 2.31 metres, well below his PB of 2.37m, Thomas will be the 13th out of a field of 14 competitors to take to the run-way in the qualifying round of Group A of the men’s high jump on Friday at 6:15 am EST.

#Another field of 14 competitors will line up in Group B with everybody getting a chance to clear the automatic height of 2.31m or wait to see who will be the best 12 performers to clinch their berth in the final – staged on Sunday at 2 pm EST.

#The heats of the women’s 4 x 100m relay will be contested at Saturday at 5:35 am EST with the Bahamas using a combination of Keianna Albury, Jenae Ambrose, Carmiesha Cox, TyNia Gaither and Anthonique Strachan.

#The men’s 4 x 100m will follow at 5:55 am EST, but Shavez Hart, Joel Johnson, Teray Smith and Sean Stuart may have to wait to see if they will be allowed to compete after it was further discovered that the B sample of a member of the relay team that qualified at the IAAF World Relays came back positive.

#Originally, the athlete’s A sample tested positive for a banned substance, but unconfirmed reports have surfaced that the B test returned positive, which may put the team’s participation in the championships here in jeopardy.

#If they do compete and qualify, the men’s 4 x 1 relay final will close out the night at 4:50 pm EST, just after the women’s final takes place at 4:30 pm EST.

#Also on Saturday, the heats of the women’s 4 x 400m relay will be around 6:20 am EST with Christine Amertil, Doneisha Anderson, Lanece Clarke, Shaquania Dorsett, Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Antonique Strachan listed to make up the quartet.

#The final will be on Sunday at 3:55 pm EST.

#And the men’s 4 x 4 team, which is expected to comprise of 400m silver medalist Steven Gardiner, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller, Alonzo Russell and Kendrick Thompson, will run the heats on Saturday at 6:50 am EST.

#The final will close out the championships on Sunday at 4:15 pm EST.

Friday, July 28, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#A POSITIVE drug test of the A sample from one of the Bahamas sprinters on the men’s 4x100m relay team at the IAAF World Relays in April means there will be a change to the line-up at next week’s IAAF World Championships in London.

#Two days ago, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations named a 21-member team for the championships, but excluded the men’s 400m relay team as they waited on the final conformation that they would be allowed to compete from the IAAF.

#That confirmation was given yesterday and the Bahamas will have all four relay teams participating in the event that will run from August 3-14.

#BAAA’s president Rosamunde Carey said they are thrilled that the IAAF has granted the team permission to compete in the championships, despite the allegation of a positive test.

#“I can’t confirm a positive drug testing because there is a procedure that we have to follow,” Carey said. “There is an Athletes Drug Integrity Unit. All information will flow through them because they have to notify any athlete if there is a positive testing.

#“If there is a positive testing of an A sample, nothing can be done until they give you the opportunity to have your B sample tested at the athlete’s expense. Once that process is done, if the B sample is tested positive, then based on what the substance is, they would met out whatever punishment whether or not there is a ban, a suspension or just a warning.”

#Carey said at this point, she can’t make a statement on any athlete testing positive because the athlete has to go through the process.

#“We have a letter from the Athletes Drug Integrity Unit that oversees drug testing and disciplinary actions against athletes who have tested positive,” she said.

#“We can’t say until the process is completed. Any and all athletes have a right to privacy, until such time as the IAAF makes a public statement.”

#The team of Warren Fraser, Shavez Hart, Cliff Resias and Adrian Griffith finished third in the B final behind winner Trinidad & Tobago and second place finisher Germany at the World Relays at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on April 22.

#The three teams were elevated to the sixth, seventh and eighth spots respectively, thus qualifying for London, after only five teams completed the A final.

#The United States won the gold medal with Barbados taking the second and China getting third. Australia and France were fourth and fifth respectively.

#Canada, Great Britain and the Netherlands all failed to finish the race after they experienced difficulties on their baton exchanges.

#Named to the Bahamas team for individual events in London are Shaunae Miller-Uibo (women’s 200/400m); Anthonique Strachan, Ty’Nia Gaither and Jenae Abrose (women’s 200m, although only three will be allowed to compete); Devynne Charlton (women’s 100m hurdles); Teray Smith (men’s 200m); Steven Gardiner (men’s 400m), Donald Thomas (men’s high jump), Bianca Stuart (women’s long jump), Tamara Myers (women’s triple jump) and Warren Fraser (men’s 100m).

#Added for relay duties are Camiesha Cox and Keianna Albury (women’s 4 x 100m); Shaquania Dorsett, Lanece Clarke, Christine Amertil and Doneisha Anderson (women’s 4 x400m relay); Shavez Hart, Shawn Stuart and Joel Johnson (men’s 4 x 100m relay) and Michael Mathieu, Alonzo Russell, Kendrick Thompson, Ramon Miller and Ojay Ferguson (men’s 4 x 400m relay).

#The IAAF has taken a hard stance against the use of banned substances. They will be awarding a number of athletes and relay teams with medals during the championships after they were elevated following various positive drug tests at the last championships in Beijing, China.

YOUNG athletes take part in the BAAAs test event for the 3rd IAAF World Relays Bahamas – the event is set to be held April 22-23 at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMAS Association of Athletic Associations’ president Rosamunde Carey said she feels the Local Organising Committee is ready to host the third version of the IAAF World Relays next month.

#The BAAA held a test event on Saturday and Sunday, featuring the high school teams that participated in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s National High School Track and Field Championships.

#The teams competed in the same format of events that will be contested during the World Relays set for April 22-23 at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#“We felt that the test event went very well,” said Carey following the busy weekend. “The test event was for us to test all of the logistics for the World Relays. We had very few hiccups that we will have to address.

#“But as far as the event itself, we thought it was a resounding success. The senior directors from each department have not yet formally met to discuss the event, but from all indications from them, there were very minimum things that we would have to improve for the actual event.”

#One of the things that will have to get immediate attention is the jumbotron on the southern end of the stadium in front of the finish line. The large mintor board had a malfunction and was not used during the Test Event.

#The National Sports Authority has indicated that they experienced some mechanical problems as a result of the passing of Hurricane Matthew last year and they are just waiting on a part to be delivered to the Bahamas to fix the problem.

#While everything else for the most part seemed to be in place, the BAAA capitalized on the more than 600 athletes from 44 schools that participated in the three-day nationals that were held from Wednesday to Friday to be featured in the Test Event and based on the results turned in, Carey said she was quite impressed.

#“I thought the New Providence schools were a bit relaxed and they didn’t think that they were going to get the stiff competition that they got from the Family Island schools, in particular North Andros, who won the boys 4 x 400m relay,” Carey said.

#“So for us, we’re elated because it means that we are looking for a very solid showing at the Carifta trials that will be held next weekend.”

#The top eight schools in each of the relays contested this weekend will be invited back to compete for the Golden Baton as the champions of the junior segment of the World Relays, which is expected to surpass the record of 514 athletes from 42 countries in 2015 when the second edition was held.

#The United States, the two-time champions of the Golden Baton, will headline the list of participants in the 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m, 4 x 400m and 4 x 800m for both men and women, as well as the introduction of the mixed 4 x 400m relay for men and women that will close out the competition.

#Based on the performances turned in, Carey said they should have a very competitive Carifta trials next week Thursday to Saturday as they prepare to select the national team to compete in the Carifta Games in Curacao over the Easter holiday weekend.

# “We’re looking for a very exciting season for our junior athletes,” Carey summed up. “We have some really good meets coming up for them to compete in.”

#Immediately following the Carifta trials, the BAAA will be selecting a team to participate in the 8th IAAF World Youth for under-18 athletes in Nairobi, Kenya and the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games here from July 19-23 for more than 1,000 athletes between the ages of 14-18 years in seven different disciplines.

JOB WELL DONE: Prime Minister Perry Christie (3rd from left) and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson (3rd from right) share a special moment with the gold-medal winning mixed relay team of Steven Gardiner (far left), Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Anthonique Strachan and Michael Mathieu (far right). Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#One gold medal and two qualifications for the IAAF World Championships was what Team Bahamas mustered at the 3rd IAAF/BTC World Relays at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium over the weekend.

#For Rosamunde Carey, the president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, the performances were not what she expected, but she was still satisfied.

#“I thought that Team Bahamas had some misses, but I was really pleased with what we accomplished,” said Carey, who also serves as the chief executive officer of the Local Organising Committee for the World Relays.

#At the end of the two-day championships, the Bahamas picked up a gold medal from the mixed gender 4 x 400 metre team of Steven Gardiner, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Anthonique Strachan and Michael Mathieu.

#The women’s 4 x 100m relay teams of Devine Parker, Brianne Bethel, Tyler Carter and Tynia Gaither and the men’s team of Warren Fraser, Shavez Hart, Cliff Resias and Adrian Griffith also booked their tickets to London, England, for the IAAF World Championships in August. However, the men and women 4 x 400m teams both fell short.

#“We were pleased that the men’s 4 x 1 got in, but we knew that the women’s 4 x 1 had a very good chance of qualifying,” she said. “We were really pleased that we now have two of our relay teams qualified. So that takes the pressure off our athletes in those events. We now have to focus on the 4 x 400m teams. They will be going to the Penn Relays next week and, with the men sitting in the ninth spot and the women in 11th, we’re hoping that they can produce the times so that they can get to compete.”

#Carey said that while they had the athletes at home in the training camp to qualify in all four relays, things didn’t pan out as expected for the 4 x 4 teams.

#“We know we can field a full slate of relays in London,” she said. “So that is what we are working towards right now.”

#While both the men and women 4 x 4 teams didn’t make it to the A final, which would have given them automatic berths into the World Championships, the ladies’ team withdrew from the B final after Miller and Strachan concentrated on competing in the mixed relay.

#“We also had some problems with one of our reserves, Wendira Moss, who had to be pulled from the team at the last minute to go back to school, which was very disappointing,” Carey said.

#“And Rashan Brown said she felt a slight injury right after she ran in the heat. She did not run at her full potential because she felt that she had a slight strain and we were not able to field a 4 x 4 team.”

#With the team not able to run, Carey said the focus switched to the mixed gender relay where Team Bahamas got the first victory to ascend the medal podium and have the national anthem played in the stadium during the award ceremony.

#“She was a great team player,” Carey said. “She ran a great first leg and put the team in contention in the 4 x 4. We just fell short in the end. But we got redemption in the mixed relay.”

#With the Penn Relays, scheduled for this weekend in Philadelphia, Carey said they will be sending the two 4 x 4 teams to ensure that they put in a time that will keep them within the top 16 to be able to compete in London.

#She noted that while Ramon Miller is scheduled to compete, they will be without the services of Miller-Uibo, Gardiner and Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown, who are all sponsored by adidas and are committed to competing in the Drake Relays at the same time.

#“The Bahamas has had some great relationships with Penn’s and we were invited back to compete. We know that the women’s team will struggle, but we are confident that they will give it their best shot.

#“Once that’s done, we expect that we will have our collegiate athletes who will be available to compete in meets after the NCAA Championships in June and so we still have some time to qualify.”

#The Bahamas is now preparing to host the 2019 edition of the World Relays, just after they stage the 2018 Carifta Games. So there’s still a lot of work to be done from both the administrative to the athletic side of the event.

#“The planning has just begun with Keith Parker, Lionel Haven and myself,” she pointed out. “We are going to have a meeting to sit down and determine what went wrong and what areas we need to improve on.

#“I know one of the things that we had some issues with were the accreditation. We had some people in some areas who should not have been given accreditation. So that is something the international body responsible was concerned about.”

#Originally, Carey said they had pegged about 4,000 to be accredited, but once the process began, it swelled to more than 6,900.

#“A lot of persons got in, who should not have been accredited,” she pointed out. “But overall, I would say that the reports coming back to us are that all of the teams and the athletes enjoyed themselves and they are committed to coming back.”

#Carey thanked all of those persons who served as volunteers in making sure that the event was a success, despite any hiccups that they might have experienced

Monday, April 3, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WHEN the third edition of the IAAF/BTC World Relays Bahamas 2017 comes to the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium later this month, the Bahamas will assemble a 31-member team, focusing primarily on the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metre relays.

#BAAAs president Rosamunde Carey said they originally had a list of more than 40 competitors who had expressed an interest in competing, but they had to reduce the numbers after some were committed to their colleges and universities in the United States.

#“We do believe that we will have a good team,” Carey summed up.

#The goal, according to team manager Philippa Willie, is to ensure that the Bahamas puts itself in the best position before the home crowd at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium to qualify for the IAAF World Championships in August in London, England.

#Willie, however, is not ruling out the possibility of the Bahamas fielding teams in the 4 x 200m. She also noted that the Bahamas would certainly contest the newly implemented mixed 4 x 400m relay that will close out this year’s two-day programme.

#“We have ratified a team of 31 athletes. Those team members will comprise the 4 x 1, 4 x 4 and we might have a 4 x 2. But the majority of the members will comprise the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays,” Willie said.

#Named to the women’s team are the following:

#Devine Parker, Jamicka McBride, V’Alonee Robinson, Wendira Moss, Rashan Brown, Brianna Bethel, Christine Amertil, TyNia Gaither, Shaunae Miller, Lanece Clarke, Kayla Carter, Anthonique Strachan and Tamara Myers.

#Named to the men’s team are:

#Andretti Bain, Chris Brown, Warren Fraser, Steven Gardiner, Adrian Griffith, Shavez Hart, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller, Blake Bartlett, Samson Colebrooke, Javan Martin, Ian Kerr, Robert Johnson, Demetrius Pinder, Stephen Newbold, Ashley Riley, Andre Colebrooke and Elroy McBridge.

#“I’m excited about the team,” Willie said. “For the most part, I think we will have a successful 4 x 1 and 4 x 4. The 4 x 1 and the 4 x 4 are qualifiers for the World Championships in London.”

#Fritz Grant will be the head coach of the team, assisted by Sidney Cartwright, Wendall Collie, John Ingraham, Rudolph Ferguson, Ravanno Ferguson and Cherishe Hollingsworth.

#According to Willie, the BAAA intend to hold a relay camp that will begin on April 12 here at the stadium and she confirmed that the majority of the athletes have confirmed their participation.

#BAAA’s president Rosamunde Carey said that while they have named Grand Bahamian Javon Martin, the top high school sprinter, to the team, he’s still nursing an injury sustained during the Test Run last month.

#“He has to prove fitness next Saturday,” said Carey, who noted that he was exempted from competing in the final Carifta trials this weekend, but was named to the team heading to Curacao over the Ester holiday weekend after qualifying in the under-20 boys 100 and 200m.

#“He just wanted to rest, but he will show fitness at 10 o’clock on Saturday in Freeport.”

#Based on the performances turned in at the World Relays, Carey said the BAAA would be selecting a team that will represent the Bahamas at the Penn Relays Carnival, scheduled for the end of April. The team will be competing in the USA against the World 4 x 400m relays for men and women.

#“We are hoping that we will be in the top eight here at the World Relays,” Carey said. “That same team will go to the Penn Relays with coach Grant and coach Cartwright and our understudy coach Ravanno Ferguson.”

#The IAAF/BTC World Relays Bahamas 2017 is set for April 22-23 at the TAR National Stadium. The United States of America are the two-time defending champions of the Golden Baton, the award presented to the winning country.

#In 2015 when the second addition was held, only the Bahamas men’s 4 x 400m team advanced to the final where they qualified for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. The women’s 4 x 400m had to wait for a last chance meet and the ban on Russia to get in.

#Both the men and women 4 x 100m relay teams failed to get into the final in 2015 and missed out on the opportunity to qualify in any other events to go to Rio de Janeiro to compete.

#The BAAA is hoping that the teams selected this year will advance to the finals and book their tickets to London.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#It seems as if the International Amateur Athletic Federation will make the World Relays its home in the Bahamas for the next few years.

#The biannual event, which gave birth at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium in 2013 and continued in 2015, will return for the third edition next year and again in 2019 for the fourth time.

#Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Rosamunde Carey said after she and IAAF Councilwoman Pauline Davis, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson and Director of Sports Timothy Munnings met with IAAF president Lord Sebastian Coe at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Bahamas was granted the rights to continue to host the relays.

#“The IAAF Council met in Rio and they approved the Relays to be hosted in the Bahamas for 2019,” Carey said.

#“In November they will make a decision for 2021 and 2023, but we believe that they will grant them to us too.

#“We are really excited about that because they had some other countries like Dubai, China and countries in the region. But the IAAF said they were quite pleased with our performance and they had great confidence in us putting on the world-class event.”

#As was the case in the previous two relays, the 2017 relays will serve as the qualifier for the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, England and Carey said they are just waiting on the IAAF to confirm that the 2019 edition will serve as the qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

#What that means is that the top eight teams in both the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metre relays at the consecutive World Relays will automatically qualify for the World Championships and hopefully the Olympics.

#“We know that the United States will be coming ready to defend the Golden baton that they won last year,” Carey said. “They came here and they dominated the relays and they qualified their teams for the World Championships.

#“With the World Relays back here and being a qualifier for the World Championships, we are going to ensure that we put the best teams possible so that we can qualify for the four relays and not have to wait until the last minute as was the case with the women’s 4 x 400m relay.”

#The Bahamas was only able to get the men’s 4 x400m team qualified for the Olympics at last year’s World Relays. The other three fell short. But the women’s 4 x 400m team took advantage of the last chance meet at the Blue Marlins to secure their spot, although they had to wait on a court ruling against Russia before they were finally in.

#In Rio, while the men’s 4 x 4 team held on for the bronze medal, the women’s 4 x 4 team set a national record while finishing with a world ranking of No. 11.

#Carey said she’s confident that the women can make the final at the World Relays and book their ticket to the World Championships.

#She said she’s also looking at the resurgence of both the men and women 4 x 100m relay teams and is just as confident in both of them making the final and also qualifying for London.

#“The World Relays are in our backyard and this is going to be an opportunity for us to qualify early, so we are going to make sure that we get our best teams assembled so that we can qualify early and not have to wait on the last minute.”

Local Organising Committee (LOC) members for the IAAF World Relays Bahamas, scheduled for April 22-23 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH the United States of America already indicating that they will be bringing their A team to the third edition of the IAAF World Relays next month, the clarion call is going out to ensure that the Bahamas has its best team assembled.

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson made it emphatically clear that all efforts will be made to get all of the Bahamian athletes here for a relay camp two weeks prior to the World Relays, scheduled for April 22-23 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#“If you have some athletes second guessing and wondering if they need to come, then don’t come,” said Johnson during a press conference on Friday.

#“Just give me back my uniform. Everyone must show up to play because we don’t have time for anything else. If you don’t want to represent the Bahamas, just give the uniform back.”

#Johnson said he’s made a commitment to the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations to do whatever is necessary to get the athletes here for the training camp, even of they have to come and go during the sessions.

#But he said if the athletes are not willing to be a part of it, then they should publicly say so.

#Johnson was answering a question on what steps will be made to ensure that the Bahamas fields the best team possible for the World Relays, considering that the top eight teams in both the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metres will automatically qualify for the IAAF World Championships in London, England in August.

#The question was poised based on what happened at the second edition of the World Relays in 2015 where some of the top athletes opted to run in both relays for the 4 x 200m. The Bahamas failed to make the final and had to wait for the last minute to get into the Olympic Games last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

#Unfortunately, only the women’s 4 x 400m team was able to secure a spot after the Russian Athletic Federation was banned from competing because of wild spread doping allegations.

#The women’s 4 x 400m team of Lanece Clarke, Anthonique Strachan, Carmiesha Cox and Christine Amertil ran a national record of 3:26.26 to place sixth in their heat for 11th overall.

#They joined the men’s 4 x 400m team that qualified after their second place finish to the United States at the World Relays. At the Olympics, the men’s team of Michael Mathieu, Alono Russell, Chris Brown and Steven Gardiner had to settle for the bronze behind the USA and Jamaica.

#Johnson said he has also instructed the BAAA to bring in the best coaching staff available to conduct the relay training camp whenever it is finalized.

#“I’m asking them to go out and hire the best coach that we can and we expect to see them as soon as next week to finalize the deal,” Johnson stressed.

#“I don’t want to let too much out of the bag s yet, but we are putting a call out as of Monday (yesterday) that whoever needs to come to the camp, we will back them.”

#As the only country to host the World Relays, which got started in 2014, Johnson said they want to secure the best trainer or therapist to be a part of the team and the ministry will pay for them to be here.

#“We want the best team we have on the track,” he insisted.

#IAAF Councilwoman Pauline Davis said it’s important for the Bahamas to assemble its best team because the rest of the world will be here with their best.

#“We have Elaine Thompson (Jamaica’s Olympic double sprint champion), who has been speaking to the media about how excited she is to get here, we have Andre de Grasse (Canada’s Olympic 200m silver medalist and 100m bronze medalist) coming here and we have the newest world record holder in the men’s 400m, Wayde Van Niekerk (from South Africa),” she pointed out.

#“Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake (both Olympic 4 x 100m relay medalists from Jamaica) will be here. We were also told that the Big Man would be here. Everyone knows who the big man in track and field is.”

#The “big man” is referred to Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, the reigning World and Olympic 100 and 200 as well as 4 x 100m relay champion. But while the world is left in suspense over his future, Bolt announced over the weekend that a return trip to Nassau for the World Relays may not be in the plans.

#“My coach hasn’t said anything about it (World Relays), so I doubt that I will be competing there this year. I am just trying to stay injury free,” said Bolt, who is looking forward to his final race on Jamaican soil, the Racers Track Club Grand Prix set for June 10.

#“It’s just going to be exciting and emotional, I think it might be a little bit emotional, but I am looking forward to it, it’s my coach’s meet, so I am excited to be a part of it.”

#Whether or not he compete, Davis said a host of American stars are already committed to come here to compete, so she’s urging the Bahamian athletes to come home and represent the 242 in both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays in the lead up to the road to the London World Championships in August.

#Tickets for the World Relays are now available at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium

#from Monday to Friday from 11 am to 7 pm and on Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm. Persons can also go online at www.NSA-Bahamas.com.

#The tickets went on sale as of February 1 and are priced at $70 for gold seating, $50 for silver, $40 for bronze and $15 for general admission.

#“The tickets are moving so we want the persons to know that if you’re interested in the gold, silver and bronze sessions, they are going very quickly,” said Tonique Williams, BAAA’s first vice president and Senior Director of Event Media Services for the World Relays.

#“We want to urge you to get to the national stadium as quickly as you can. We are also looking at moving t the JFK Plaza by the movies on Saturdays. So if you’re in the area, you an stop in and secure your tickets.”

Local Organising Committee (LOC) members for the IAAF World Relays Bahamas, scheduled for April 22-23 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

As of Tuesday, March 14, 2017

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH the United States of America already indicating that they will be bringing their A team to the third edition of the IAAF World Relays next month, the clarion call is going out to ensure that the Bahamas has its best team assembled.

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson made it emphatically clear that all efforts will be made to get all of the Bahamian athletes here for a relay camp two weeks prior to the World Relays, scheduled for April 22-23 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#“If you have some athletes second guessing and wondering if they need to come, then don’t come,” said Johnson during a press conference on Friday.

#“Just give me back my uniform. Everyone must show up to play because we don’t have time for anything else. If you don’t want to represent the Bahamas, just give the uniform back.”

#Johnson said he’s made a commitment to the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations to do whatever is necessary to get the athletes here for the training camp, even of they have to come and go during the sessions.

#But he said if the athletes are not willing to be a part of it, then they should publicly say so.

#Johnson was answering a question on what steps will be made to ensure that the Bahamas fields the best team possible for the World Relays, considering that the top eight teams in both the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metres will automatically qualify for the IAAF World Championships in London, England in August.

#The question was poised based on what happened at the second edition of the World Relays in 2015 where some of the top athletes opted to run in both relays for the 4 x 200m. The Bahamas failed to make the final and had to wait for the last minute to get into the Olympic Games last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

#Unfortunately, only the women’s 4 x 400m team was able to secure a spot after the Russian Athletic Federation was banned from competing because of wild spread doping allegations.

#The women’s 4 x 400m team of Lanece Clarke, Anthonique Strachan, Carmiesha Cox and Christine Amertil ran a national record of 3:26.26 to place sixth in their heat for 11th overall.

#They joined the men’s 4 x 400m team that qualified after their second place finish to the United States at the World Relays. At the Olympics, the men’s team of Michael Mathieu, Alono Russell, Chris Brown and Steven Gardiner had to settle for the bronze behind the USA and Jamaica.

#Johnson said he has also instructed the BAAA to bring in the best coaching staff available to conduct the relay training camp whenever it is finalized.

#“I’m asking them to go out and hire the best coach that we can and we expect to see them as soon as next week to finalize the deal,” Johnson stressed.

#“I don’t want to let too much out of the bag s yet, but we are putting a call out as of Monday (yesterday) that whoever needs to come to the camp, we will back them.”

#As the only country to host the World Relays, which got started in 2014, Johnson said they want to secure the best trainer or therapist to be a part of the team and the ministry will pay for them to be here.

#“We want the best team we have on the track,” he insisted.

#IAAF Councilwoman Pauline Davis said it’s important for the Bahamas to assemble its best team because the rest of the world will be here with their best.

#“We have Elaine Thompson (Jamaica’s Olympic double sprint champion), who has been speaking to the media about how excited she is to get here, we have Andre de Grasse (Canada’s Olympic 200m silver medalist and 100m bronze medalist) coming here and we have the newest world record holder in the men’s 400m, Wayde Van Niekerk (from South Africa),” she pointed out.

#“Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake (both Olympic 4 x 100m relay medalists from Jamaica) will be here. We were also told that the Big Man would be here. Everyone knows who the big man in track and field is.”

#The “big man” is referred to Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, the reigning World and Olympic 100 and 200 as well as 4 x 100m relay champion. But while the world is left in suspense over his future, Bolt announced over the weekend that a return trip to Nassau for the World Relays may not be in the plans.

#“My coach hasn’t said anything about it (World Relays), so I doubt that I will be competing there this year. I am just trying to stay injury free,” said Bolt, who is looking forward to his final race on Jamaican soil, the Racers Track Club Grand Prix set for June 10.

#“It’s just going to be exciting and emotional, I think it might be a little bit emotional, but I am looking forward to it, it’s my coach’s meet, so I am excited to be a part of it.”

#Whether or not he compete, Davis said a host of American stars are already committed to come here to compete, so she’s urging the Bahamian athletes to come home and represent the 242 in both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays in the lead up to the road to the London World Championships in August.

#Tickets for the World Relays are now available at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium

#from Monday to Friday from 11 am to 7 pm and on Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm. Persons can also go online at www.NSA-Bahamas.com.

#The tickets went on sale as of February 1 and are priced at $70 for gold seating, $50 for silver, $40 for bronze and $15 for general admission.

#“The tickets are moving so we want the persons to know that if you’re interested in the gold, silver and bronze sessions, they are going very quickly,” said Tonique Williams, BAAA’s first vice president and Senior Director of Event Media Services for the World Relays.

#“We want to urge you to get to the national stadium as quickly as you can. We are also looking at moving t the JFK Plaza by the movies on Saturdays. So if you’re in the area, you an stop in and secure your tickets.”

Friday, March 17, 2017

Brent Stubbs

#By BRENT STUBBS

#IT IS not how you start, nor how you get there. Most importantly, it’s how you finish.

#• The Finish Line, a weekly column, seeks to comment on the state of affairs in local sports, highlighting the highs and the lows, the thrills and the spills and the successes and failures.

#THE WEEK THAT WAS

#THE third version of the IAAF World Relays is fast approaching and already a stern warning has gone out to the top athletes to either come home and prepare for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ training camp or turn in their Bahamas team uniform.

#“If you have some athletes second guessing and wondering if they need to come, then don’t come,” said Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson during a press conference on Friday.

#“Just give me back my uniform. Everyone must show up to play because we don’t have time for anything else. If you don’t want to represent the Bahamas, just give the uniform back.”

#Johnson was making reference to a question poised during the press conference about what measures are being taken to ensure that the Bahamas has its best team assembled for the relays.

#The relays are not just being staged in the Bahamas for the third time since its inception, but it provides an opportunity for the top eight teams in both the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x400 metre relay teams to automatically qualify for the IAAF World Championships in London, England in August.

#Johnson’s statement should be one that all athletes, with the exception of those that are in college and universities, should consider highly because there’s no better feeling than having the opportunity to compete at home against some high-level competition.

#It’s not every day that the Bahamian public will get to see these athletes in person compete in what is more a fun event as there’s not as much pressure as competing in an individual event.

#The world is coming and the majority of the countries have already indicated that they are coming with their best. The United States of America has won the Golden Baton – the award presented to the winning team – for the first two editions in 2014 and again in 2015.

#The World Relays were not held in 2016 because of the Olympic year.

#But if the Bahamas wants to seriously contest to make the World Relays a permanent home in the Bahamas, one of the things that will work in our favour is for the best that we have to compete.

#At the same token, Johnson has indicated that they are looking forward to having the best coaching staff assembled to coach Team Bahamas, even if it means bringing in one of the Bahamian coaches, who are currently a part of the collegiate coaching chores in the United States.

#Let’s just hope that it won’t be a difficult process in determining who will take up the mantle and make their contribution to the success of the team as we prepare for the trek towards London.

#WHEN WILL WALK

#OF FAME BE

#REPAIRED?

#Have you noticed that since the passing of Hurricane Matthew, the Walk of Fame at the entrance of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium has not been repaired?

#It’s so disheartening to pass and see so many of the photos of our sporting celebrities still not replaced since they were damaged in October when one considers the elaborate fanfare that the Bahamas government went through to mount the portraits.

#As one passes, you can see some of the portraits still intact while there are just the frames standing for the others that are missing.

#This certainly doesn’t look good for the country as we welcome hundreds of visitors via the taxi drivers and tour bus operators, who make the sporting facilities one of their stops.

#Next month we will be bringing the world for the IAAF World Relays. Let’s not wait until the 11th hour before we address this issue.

#Either we correct it now or take it down because we are doing an injustice to those athletes and the families of those who are deceased, considering that so much resources, time and energy was spent putting it together.

#MARCH MADNESS

#This is the time that all eyes are glued to the tubes to watch who will emerge as the champions of America’s collegiate basketball championships in both the men and women divisions.

#But right here at home, we have our own version of the March Madness as the New Providence Basketball Association hosts their playoffs to determine who will represent the island in the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s National Championships.

#If you haven’t been to the AF Adderley Gymnasium, you are missing some exciting competition between some very good teams vying for the top spot.

#Games are being played Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and have been keenly contested so far. If what was witnessed so far in the first round is any indication, the semi-finals between the top teams to come out of the John Archer and Vince Ferguson Divisions should be a humdinger.

#So far the John Archer is set after the pennant winning Commonwealth Bank Giants and the Mr Ship It Freight Regulators lived up to their advanced billing and will be contending for the top spot.

#The Vince Ferguson is still open with the Mail Boat Cybots and the Shockers taking 1-0 leads into game two of their respective series against the University of the Bahamas Mingoes and Rockets.

#Come out and support your favourite teams. I promise you, it will be worth your while because you will get to see some of the top players in the country in action.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Brent Stubbs

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#It’s not how you start, nor how you get there. Most importantly, it’s how you finish.

#• The Finish Line, a weekly column, seeks to comment on the state of affairs in the local sports scene, highlighting the highs and the lows, the thrills and the spills and the successes and failures.

#It’s time to pull the curtain down on 2015 and usher in 2016.

#My how time flies.

#As we flip back the pages of the past 12 months, we remember some of the more notable achievements like the repeat championship performance of our CARIFTA swim team, the improvement of the CARIFTA track team, the return of the IAAF World Relays for the second consecutive year, the cancellation of the Chris Brown Invitational, the Pan American Games with the dominating performance of Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace and the return of Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands as well as the IAAF World Championships and the stellar feat by Shaunae Miller and Jeffery Gibson, just to name a few and the triumph of our bodybuilders at the CAC Championships.

#Over the past year, we’ve seen a shift in the administration of some of our sporting bodies like Joel Stubbs replacing Danny Sumner as president of the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation. And Teddy Sweeting moving up from secretary general to take over from Craig ‘Salty’ Kemp as president of the Bahamas Baseball Federation and most notably, former treasurer Rosamunde Carey – the first female elected as president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations – removing Mike Sands from office.

#And we will not close out 2015 without saying farewell to some of our sports men and women who left us like Reno Brown, Collins ‘Troppy’ Knowles, Sean Neville, De’Yanza Burrows, Tamaz Thompson, Anthony Fisher, Keith Reid, Roscoe Hall, Gonzalo Caine, Bernard Livingstone Bostwick, Rev Enoch Backford II, Arlington Stuart and most recently DeVince Smith.

#There have been quite a number of significant accomplishments, both locally and internationally, on and off the field of play.

#Of course, stacked in our faces as we leave the past accomplishments, failures, triumphs and disappointments behind us, is the allegation of the Bahamas being cited as a venue for the supply of illegal drugs to sporting personalities, as told by former American world 100 metre record holder Tim Montgomery in an Al Jazeera’s Investigation Unit broadcast on Sunday in a report entitled “The Dark Side – Secrets Of The Sports Dopers.”

#Whether or not all or none of the allegations are true, the truth of the matter is it’s going to call for some turbulence as we get set to venture into the unexpected in 2016.

#This is one of those occurrences where we just have to wait and see what comes out of the final investigation before we can cast any judgement. I’m not defending the doctors nor the athletes, but they have a right to tell their sides of the story and I’m sure in due time, the muddy picture will be cleared up for all to see.

#I predict that the Bahamas will regain its integrity as it heads into the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

#Before we get to the world’s biggest sporting spectacular in August, I predict that Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson will get himself a world title shot in professional boxing. And Antoan Richardson will recover properly from his surgery and return to Major League Baseball.

#In addition, Grand Bahamians Buddy Hield and Jonquel Jones will come though with some pretty decent accolades at the end of their collegiate careers and will be highly drafted into the National Basketball Association and the Women’s National Basketball Association respectively.

#Once again, the Bahamas will be graced with a number of international stars competing here, starting with the Pure Silk Ladies Professional Golf Tournament at the end of January at the Ocean Golf Club on Paradise and including the Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational that is scheduled to take place in May at the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#I predict that the Bahamas Olympic Committee, headed by Wellington Miller, will be kept busy as they prepare to secure berths for a number of athletes representing swimming, boxing and athletics in Rio. It’s a pity that we still won’t have a team sport included, but look for both the men and women’s national basketball teams as well as the volleyball teams to make some inroads.

#It’s still early, but I predict that the Bahamas national anthem will be played at the Olympic Games and the Bahamas will once again win the battle of “per capita,” based on the amount of medals that will be collected. I won’t, however, make any predictions just yet on who exactly will be on the dais to receive their medals and in which sporting discipline.

#Before we blink, we will be in 2016, so let’s get ready for another banner year for the Bahamas. Happy New Year.