Home|Sports|Bahamas Bowl set for December 16Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 21, 2022 241 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The longest running international National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I bowl game is back for an eighth edition under a new title sponsor – HomeTown Lenders. Stakeholders of the event were in town on Friday and held a press conference to officially launch this year’s edition of the game.

The game, which is set for Friday, December 16 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, features teams from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and Conference USA (C-USA) battling for the Prime Minister’s Cup here in The Bahamas.

The president of HomeTown Lenders John Taylor is a huge college football fan and saw the Bahamas Bowl as the right investment.

“We are incredibly excited and humbled for the opportunity,” Taylor said. “We have been looking forward to exactly the right scenario to invest in – not only a bowl game but also a community event, and we felt like this is one that puts us in a great option and will allow us to do a whole lot more than just sponsorship. The beauty of the island is amazing. I look forward to introducing all of our 

employees to that and getting other folks to the island.”

HomeTown Lenders will sponsor the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions of the game. Taylor is a University of Alabama Crimson Tide supporter in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and said he is happy to be a part of the Bahamas Bowl.

“It is the first bowl game right after regular season. I have always watched the Bahamas Bowl and always thought that it would be cool to be a part of it. There has been some great games over the years. We look forward to hopefully getting some very good games for the next three years,” Taylor said.

Assistant Commissioner of C-USA Tre Stallings said his conference is excited that the bowl game is back.

“The chance for one of our member schools to come down and participate in the Bahamas Bowl is such a great experience that our student-athletes cannot take it for granted. Getting a passport for the first time for a lot of our student-athletes, and it being stamped, may be the last time some of their passports are going to be stamped. It is such a unique experience that every member institution looks forward to,” said Stallings.

Stallings said he is grateful to HomeTown Lenders for being the title sponsor, ensuring that the game is held.

“It kicks off the bowl season, so we look forward to setting the tempo and tone for college football for the bowl season. It is a highlight game for us and we need to make sure that we put our best foot forward in order to make it worthwhile,” said Stallings.

C-USA leads the MAC conference with a 4-3 win/loss record at the bowl. Middle Tennessee State, of C-USA, won the 2021 edition over Toledo, 31-24.

Atlantis is the hotel that will host both teams. It has been the host hotel since the bowl game’s inception in 2014. Senior Vice President at Atlantis Vaughn Roberts said the event is significant for the resort.

“We have been involved in it from the very beginning,” Roberts said. “This is our eighth year and we really enjoy hosting the players and their fans and teams in the middle of December, which is typically a slow period for us. This kicks off our winter season. We think that while it is good competition at the stadium, the players also get to relax and have fun at Atlantis and in and around Paradise Island.”

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Aviation and Investments Reginald Saunders thanked sponsors who have joined hands with the ministry to bring the excitement of American college football back to the islands of The Bahamas.

“Sports tourism is high on the priority list for The Bahamas. By its very nature, sports tourism is a catalyst to grow our overall tourism product. College football is a favorite among Americans and Bahamians alike and we embrace the return of the game,” Saunders said.

The game is once again set to be televised live on ESPN. It gets underway at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 16.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bahamas-bowl-set-for-december-16/

Sports

A total of 22 teams from throughout New Providence to play in Urban Renewal tourney

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 21, 2022 210 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Starting this evening, community basketball returns in a big way with the staging of the Urban Renewal Sporting League Community Basketball Tournament.

In conjunction with the Providence Basketball Club, the tournament will run through July 14 inside the C.I. Gibson Gymnasium. A total of 22 teams from the various communities in New Providence will be represented, playing out of four districts – North, South, East and West.

In the north are Nassau Village, Pinewood, Centreville, Englerston, Bain & Grants Town and Marathon. Playing out of the south are Bamboo Town, South Beach, Mt. Moriah, Fort Charlotte, Golden Gates and St. Barnabas. In the east are Yamacraw, Elizabeth, Fox Hill, St. Anne’s, Freetown and Sea Breeze. Finally, coming out of the west are Garden Hills, Southern Shores, Carmichael, Tall Pines, Golden Isles and Killarney.

Each district will crown a champion and the final four will battle for the overall title, named in honor of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis. It’s a 22-and-under tournament and will feature both males and females in action.

“We want the public to come out and watch some good clean basketball in a safe and clean environment and have a good time. Come out and support your constituencies,” said Providence Basketball Club Founder Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson. “Scouts will be coming in town as well. A lot of young men have not been seen because of what we went through over the past two years with COVID. Hopefully, some of these young men will have an opportunity to get seen and get scholarships . We want our young men to focus on sports and not gang-banging. We want them to be shooting hoops and not guns. We want them to interact with each other and not be fearful of going into other communities. That’s the main idea of this tournament and hopefully it continues.”

The games will be played in two 15-minute halves and the preliminary round will be in a round-robin format. The top four teams in each district will go into the playoffs and the district champions will face off each other in a battle for the overall title. The games will be played on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at the C.I. Gibson Gymnasium, and the championship game is set for 8:30 p.m. on July 14.

“Sports brings camaraderie, sportsmanship, good character, forms relationships and it builds communities and brings them together,” said Member of Parliament for Marathon and Minister of State for Social Services and Urban Development Lisa Rahming. “I’m looking forward to this tournament. Let’s talk about basketball and let’s talk about sports. It is in the plan to extend this to Grand Bahama and to a lesser extent the family of islands. We’re looking for this event to bring families together.”

Chairman of Urban Renewal Stephen Dean said some of the country’s legends in basketball will be on hand to offer words of advice and encouragement to the players.

“The whole idea is for the youngsters to be inspired by some of our legends who live here in The Bahamas today and hopefully they could go on to have successful careers in basketball,” said Dean, “That is what we are going to do throughout this tournament. This is a positive shot in the arm for Urban Renewal and for the country.”

The games will start at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and around 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

https://thenassauguardian.com/community-basketball-returns/

 Home|Sports|Otabor is a nominee for FIU female athlete of the yearSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 22, 2022 256 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The accolades continue to pile in for Bahamian throwing sensation Rhema Otabor.

The Florida International University (FIU) junior thrower is a nominee for the school’s overall female athlete of the year award as announced by the FIU Athletic Department at its annual awards gala, the Blue and Gold Awards Banquet, inside their Student Academic Success Center (SASC) Ballroom on the school’s campus, in Miami, Florida, on Monday.

Otabor is a favorite for the award, having finished as the school’s only All-American first teamer at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships this year. She won the Conference USA tittle in the women’s javelin for the second year in a row, qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second year in a row, and is the school’s record holder in the women’s javelin with a toss of 56.25 meters (m) – 184’ 6” – done at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, in April of this year.

At the NCAAs earlier this month, Otabor finished fourth with a best throw of 55.92m (183’ 5”) – the highest finish for any FIU Panthers athlete at the championships. She also became the first FIU track and field athlete since Clarissa Cutliff in 2018 and 2019 to appear in consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships.

“We’re so proud of Rhema and all that she accomplished this season,” said FIU Panthers Head Coach of Athletics Ryan Heberling following the NCAA Championships. “Rhema is just scratching the surface of how good she can be.”

Nationally, Otabor broke the junior national record three times last season and bettered that mark three times this season. She has a personal best throw of 56.25m – second only to Laverne Eve in the history of athletics for The Bahamas. She is a multiple CARIFTA Champion, has won gold at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Under-18, Under-20 and Under-23 Championships, and also is a fourth place finisher from the most recent World Athletics (WA) Under-20 Championships in Kasarani, Nairobi, Kenya.

On Monday past, Otabor received recognition for her accomplishments throughout the 2021-22 season. She ends the year as the school’s female track and field athlete of the year and as a nominee for the school’s overall female athlete of the year award. That latter will be announced at a later date, following the conclusion of the spring sports schedule.

https://thenassauguardian.com/otabor-is-a-nominee-for-fiu-female-athlete-of-the-year/

 Home|Sports|Taylor lowers own national record at worldsSports

Bastian wraps up competition; Thompson, Higgs swim today and tomorrow

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 22, 2022 263 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian teenage swimming sensation Lamar Taylor lowered his own national record in the 100 meters (m) freestyle yesterday, swimming at the 19th FINA (International Swimming Federation) World Championships at Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary.

Taylor was in action as he swam out of lane two in heat six of that event. The 19-year-old touched the wall in 50.36 seconds – a new national record, to finish third in his heat. He shaved .16 seconds off his previous personal best time of 50.52 seconds that was done at the Bahamas Aquatics Federation’s National Swimming Championship in June of 2021. Taylor finished 47th out of 88 swimmers.

“I’m ecstatic about lowering my own national record,” Taylor said. “Walking into my race I knew I had to try my hardest to break out from the pack, lead the race and try my hardest to keep my form together to finish the race. My start and break felt smooth and quick.”

Taylor clocked 23.50 seconds in his first 50m then in his final 50m, he came home in 26.86 seconds.

Winning that heat was a familiar competitor to Taylor from CARIFTA meets, Jordan Crooks from the Cayman Islands. He touched the wall in 48.79 seconds. It was a personal best for him. Bulgaria’s Deniel Nankov was second in that heat with a time of 50.30 seconds.

Next up for Taylor is the 50m freestyle tomorrow, which is his final race. He has a personal best time of 22.85 seconds and will look to lower that mark.

Taylor is one of four Bahamians competing in Budapest. Also competing are Lilly Higgs, Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson and Izaak Bastian.

The quartet swam the 4x100m mixed medley relay yesterday and finished 22nd overall with a time of 4:15.19. There were 28 countries which participated in that race. The Bahamas swam out of lane nine in heat three. Winning that heat were the Dutch who clocked 3:43.48.

Taylor swam the first leg which was the backstroke and swam splits of 27.93 and 30.65 seconds. Bastian was then in the pool for the breaststroke as he swam splits of 29.42 and 35.30 seconds. Thompson swam the butterfly leg and posted splits of 33.03 and 37.71 seconds. Anchoring Team Bahamas on the freestyle leg was Higgs who swam splits of 29.34 and 31.81 seconds.

Bastian has wrapped up competition as he swam in the 100 and 50m breast races on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

In the 100m breast on Friday, Bastian swam out of heat five and touched the wall in 1:03.79. He finished 42nd out of 60 swimmers. His splits were 29.61 and 34.18 seconds. In his heat, there were four qualifiers for the semifinals. Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi won that heat in a time of 59.06 seconds.

Bastian, 21, clocked 28.47 seconds to finish 32nd out of 57 swimmers in the 50m breast. He was in lane one in a tough heat number six. In that heat, there were five swimmers who advanced to the semifinals. Winning that heat was American Michael Andrew in a time of 28.71 seconds.

Thompson made a splash in the pool on Friday in the 200m individual medley (IM). She posted a time of 2:30.15 to finish 30th out of 38 swimmers. Thompson swam out of lane two in the first heat and posted splits of 32.04, 38.09, 44.97 and 35.05 seconds. Winning that heat was Latvia’s Leva Maluka who recorded a time of 2:16.94.

The 18-year-old returns to the pool today for the 100m freestyle – her last individual event of the competition.

Higgs was in action in the women’s 100m breast for her first individual race of the competition. She finished with a time of 1:13.13 to place 41st out of 51 competitors. Her splits were 34.30 and 38.83 seconds. The 21-year-old swam out of lane nine in heat three. Winning that heat was South Korea’s Sua Moon who swam 1:08.50.

Higgs will return to the pool on Thursday morning for the heats of the 50m breast.

https://thenassauguardian.com/taylor-lowers-own-national-record-at-worlds/

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas ends Centrobasket with a win over TurksSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 23, 2022 156 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas ended its participation at the FIBA Americas Under-15 (U15) Centrobasket Championships on a strong note on Wednesday, but the sting of its first three losses lingered as they failed to qualify for the 2023 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship.

Altogether, The Bahamas finished fourth with a 2-3 win/loss record.

On Wednesday, they got their second consecutive convincing win of the tournament, turning back the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), 79-56, at the Coliseo Fernando ‘Rube’ Hernandez in Gurabo, Puerto Rico.

TCI started aggressively, scoring the game’s first points on a successful three-point shot by Roldjudson Lacossade, and took a five-point lead in the early going, but Team Bahamas responded, orchestrating a 9-2 scoring run, never looking back.

Team Bahamas stretched its lead to 24-15 after the first quarter, and continued to keep TCI at bay in the second. They led 36-27 at the half.

The Bahamas pushed the lead to double digits early in the third period and went on to lead 61-45 at the end of three. TCI got no closer than 14 points in the final period as Team Bahamas coasted to the easy win.

After being slaughtered by 65 and 50 points, respectively, in their first two games against the host nation Puerto Rico and Mexico, The Bahamas went on to lose by 11 to the Dominican Republic, then defeated Costa Rica and TCI in their final two games. It’s safe to say they got better as the five-day tournament progressed. However, as a result of the slow start, they failed to qualify for next year’s FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship.

On Wednesday, Desmond Hall paced The Bahamas with 25 points on 9-for-19 shooting. He added four steals and had a +/- of plus-21 in the game. Joshua Williams added 16 points, 10 rebounds and four steals for The Bahamas – recording the country’s first double-double of the tournament. 

Condae Smith was the country’s only other player in double figures, scoring 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting.

Dylan Morris scored a game-high 28 points on 12-for-19 shooting for TCI, and added 10 rebounds and three assists but also had a whopping 12 turnovers. Lacossade was the only other player in double figures for TCI with 13 points.

Overall, The Bahamas forced 30 turnovers while committing just 14 and outscored TCI 27-13 off those turnovers. They dominated in the paint, winning that battle 52-38 and shut out TCI in bench points, 13-0.

The Bahamas shot 38.4 percent from the field (33-for-86), while limiting their opponents to 34.3 percent shooting (24-for-70). As shown, turnovers certainly played a factor as The Bahamas put up 16 more shots than their opponents.

Team Bahamas was coached by former national team player Quentin ‘Three Ounce’ Hall. As mentioned, the tournament served as a qualifier for the 2023 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship. FIBA Americas is one of five regional bodies under FIBA (International Basketball Federation) – the world’s governing body for basketball.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-ends-centrobasket-with-a-win-over-turks/

 Home|Sports|BCF ratifies 10-member team for Chess OlympiadSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 23, 2022 171 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF) has ratified a 10-member team that will represent The Bahamas at the 2022 FIDE (International Chess Federation) Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India. The 44th edition of the competition is set for July 28 to August 10.

Representing The Bahamas on the open team are Fide Master (FM) Cecil Moncur, Candidate Master (CM) Kendrick Knowles, Woman Fide Master (WFM) Polina Karelina, Dr. Kenville Lockhart and Noah Albury. They will be coached and captained by Grandmaster (GM) Renier Gonzales.

Moncur, Knowles and Karelina make their return to the Olympiad. Albury, who is 16-years-old, is the youngest player to qualify for the open team.

The woman’s team will be represented by WCM Antoinette Seymour, WCM Daijah Johnson, Nelissa Thomas, Jayla Cargill and Chika Pride. The coach is Gonzales and the captain for the women’s team is Dr. Joseph Ferguson.

Seymour and Johnson make their return to the Olympiad. At age 11, Pride is the youngest Bahamian to qualify for the Olympiad team.

BCF 2nd Vice President Curtis Pride Sr. said that choosing the team was not an easy task.

“A lot of chess players were not active during COVID. Some of our chess players took advantage of COVID and trained very hard and that is why some are sitting here today – because they took advantage of that time and practiced. We have seen tremendous growth over the two years that we have been limited due to COVID,” he said.

It is the first time that there is a face-to-face Olympiad since 2018. It was slated for Russia but India stepped up to host after war surfaced between Russia and Ukraine earlier this year.

Director of Sports in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Timothy Munnings spoke about the relationship that the ministry and the federation has.

“We are very excited at what the BCF and its athletes are doing. The ministry has been assisting the federation for some time now. Based on the results that we are seeing and the increasing number of chess masters, I can tell you that we are committed to continuing to assist the federation in its efforts,” Munnings said.

BCF Treasurer Elton Joseph, who has played in two Olympiads for The Bahamas, said that it is an experience that involves living away from home, having a roommate, hours of competition and practice and staying healthy.

“It is a great honor to represent one’s country at the Chess Olympiad. Only 10 players from a country can represent the country regardless of population size. The 10 players who will represent The Bahamas have done a great job and this is a great accomplishment. It is the pinnacle of chess competition to represent one’s country at, but it is also a unique experience,” said Joseph.

Knowles, who is also BCF President, said that it is fit and proper to ask for support from the community, country and Corporate Bahamas.

“From the administrative side of things, I know that resources are limited and we need your financial support,” Knowles said. “As a player, who competed in prior Olympiads, it was always amazing to see neighboring countries in front of the chess board. They will have a few things – their flag and some form of representation of some form of corporate sponsorship on the chest of the jacket or shirt that they wear. It was a beautiful thing to see as it shows they have the national and civic commitment from their country, but they also have the economic commitment from the corporate sponsors within the country.”

Interested persons can donate by sending an e-mail to the address bahamaschessofficial@gmail.com or contribute on the federation’s donation page – togetherbahamas.com, then search Bahamas chess to find the campaign.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bcf-ratifies-10-member-team-for-chess-olympiad/

 Home|Sports|‘Jazz’ at center stage during Bahamian Heritage CelebrationSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 23, 2022 210 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Miami Marlins are gearing up to host the second edition of the Bahamian Heritage Celebration at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, USA, this Saturday.

The celebration will center around Bahamian professional baseball player Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr. when he and the Marlins take on the New York Mets at 4:10 p.m. on Saturday. The evening will be recognized as ‘Jazz’ Chisholm’s Bobblehead Day at the park.

Chisholm, a 24-year-old infielder with the Marlins, is the seventh Bahamian to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is having a productive season with the Marlins who are 13 games behind the league-leading Mets in the National League East Division of MLB. The Mets have a 45-25 win/loss record while the Marlins are at 30-36.

The celebration is a collaborative initiative by the Marlins; Bahamas Consulate General Miami; Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation; National Sports Authority (NSA)  and the Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA), shining a spotlight on Chisholm while simultaneously introducing ticket holders to varying aspects of Bahamian culture.

Against the backdrop of Bahamian themed colors – aquamarine, gold and black – the celebration will feature a pregame Junkanoo rushout led by The Bahamas’ Junkanoo Revue of Miami and legendary Junkanooers Quentin ‘Barabbas’ Woodside and Langston Longley, as well as a postgame concert featuring popular rhythmic Bahamian music.

Bahamians throughout Florida, the wider USA and across the Bahamian archipelago are encouraged to bring their Bahamian flags, goatskin drums and other paraphernalia to the special Bahamian heritage celebratory game. It is to be noted, however, that noise makers such as cowbells and wind instruments are strictly prohibited in the stadium.

The purchase of a Bahamian Heritage Celebration ticket package includes an exclusive Bahamian Heritage Marlins jersey and access to the pregame and postgame events. This year, spectators will also have a chance to receive a collectible ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr. bobblehead souvenir, presented by loanDepot.

Part proceeds from the special ticket package will go to the BBA to increase investment in local baseball. General game tickets do not grant attendees access to the exclusive Bahamian Heritage Celebration T-shirt or events. Tickets for the game and celebration can be found at https://www.mlb.com/marlins/tickets. Direct bookings are also available for groups of 10 or more through Brad Johnson at brjohnson@marlins.com or by calling the telephone number (305) 480-1548.

https://thenassauguardian.com/jazz-at-center-stage-during-bahamian-heritage-celebration/

Team loses two matches to one to open Davis Cup play

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 23, 2022 184 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ men’s doubles team of Baker Newman and Marvin Rolle played a tough match to stop Paraguay from a sweep in Davis Cup competition on Wednesday. They won that match, but lost the tie 2-1 at the Costa Rica Country Club in Escazo, Costa Rica.

The match lasted a little over two hours. Rolle and Newman battled back after dropping the first set 6-2, and pulled off a tough three-setter 2-6, 7-5 and 7-6. The Bahamas won the first game of the second set but Paraguay won the second. It was a back and forth as the score was tied at 5-5. Rolle and Newman won the next two games to win the set 7-5.

The third set was tougher as it went to 6-6 before Rolle and Newman took the final game in a tiebreak to win the set 7-6 and take the match.

Earlier in the day, Spencer Newman was up first against Juan Borba. He had a good start as the set was tied at three. Newman lost the next three games as Borba won the first set 6-3.

The second set was more competitive, going 5-3 in favor of Borba. Newman won one more game to make it 5-4 but Borba won the next two games to win 6-4 and take the match. Paraguay went up 1-0 with that result.

In the number one singles spot was Kevin Major Jr. He went up against Adolfo Vallejo. It was a tightly contested match as each set was tied in the later stages. It was tied 5-5 in the first set before Vallego won the next two games. Vallego won that set 7-5.

The second set did not occur as Major was forced to retire with a foot injury. It is unclear if he will be able to play today.

The Bahamas is set to play Jamaica today. Jamaica won its first tie against Costa Rica yesterday. The Bahamas will be looking to win its first tie.

The Bahamas is in Group B with Paraguay and Jamaica. In Pool A are Venezuela, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and Panama. Venezuela, Jamaica and Paraguay were all relegated from Group II to Group III this year. Three teams from this tournament are expected to advance to the Americas Zone Group II Playoffs and two teams will be relegated to the Americas Group IV. The top country in the pool obtains an automatic promotion. The second-place finisher will have to play the second-place finisher in Pool A and the winner of that match will advance.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-falls-to-paraguay/

BECOMES THE FIRST BAHAMIAN JUNIOR RIDER TO QUALIFY FOR FEI NORTH AMERICAN YOUTH JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIPS

KACY Lyn Smith and Chicago M in action at the Upperville Horse Show in Middleburg, Virginia. Photo courtesy of Maddie Valenzuela

As of Tuesday, June 21, 2022

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KACY Lyn Smith and Chicago M in action at the Upperville Horse Show in Middleburg, Virginia. Photo courtesy of Maddie Valenzuela

#KACY Lyn Smith and her horse Chicago M rode a double clear round at Loudoun County, Virginia, this weekend and, in doing so, made history as the first Bahamian junior rider to qualify for the FEI North American Youth Jumping Championships.

#The event is set to be held at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival in Traverse City, Michigan, in August.

#The prestigious FEI Youth Jumping Championships provides an exciting opportunity for young equestrians to compete against their peers, mirroring the format of senior championships such as the Olympic Games.

#Team and individual competitions in each age category are held over multiple days.

#Sixteen-year-old Smith, who lives in Virginia and trains with Kama Godek of Capital Area Premium Sporthorses, will compete for The Bahamas as an individual in the Pre-Junior Championship category.

#This category is for riders 14-16 years old and features courses at fence heights of 1.30 metres.

#Qualifying for the championships wasn’t even on Smith’s radar a month ago. When discussing qualification scenarios with federation officials back in mid-May, Smith was honest – it might not be an option.

#Qualification deadlines were fast approaching, but she had just started riding a new horse (Chicago M, a 17.1 hh, 12-year-old Holsteiner recently imported from Germany). As a team, they were just getting to know one another.

#“I’d only jumped him for the first time three days before,” said Smith. “I [was] still figuring him out.”

#Yet Smith and her trainer Kama Godek believed it could be done. They began campaigning to immediate success. After clear rounds at 1.15m, 1.20m and 1.25m at Swan Lake, the pair travelled to the prestigious Upperville Horse Show in Middleburg, VA. The weekend started inauspiciously when Smith suffered a fall: “He jumps extremely athletically and tends to jump me out of the tack,” she noted.

#Luckily neither horse nor rider were hurt, and the pair finished the weekend strong, going double clear and placing 9th in a competitive field in the $2,500 1.25m Classic. At that moment Smith and her trainer made the decision to move up to the 1.30m class at Loudoun. It was the right decision. Smith and Chicago jumped double clear, finishing 5th overall, winning a share of the prize money…and securing the coveted certificate of capability for qualification to the FEI North American Youth Jumping Championships.

#As the lone rider representing The Bahamas, Smith will ride in the Pre- Children’s Championship as an individual competitor. The prospect leaves her unfazed, declaring, “I will be proud to be the singular rider representing The Bahamas.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jun/21/equestrian-kacy-lyn-smith-makes-history/?news

Kai Jones (AP Photo)

As of Tuesday, June 21, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#KAI Jones returned home for the first time since he completed his rookie season in the NBA and already has his sights set on the offseason and improvement headed into year two.

#“It was a season of growth, I learned so much about myself and about the game of basketball. So much about my soul,” Jones said. “I grew so much as a person and a player and I made some great relationships.”

#At the NBA level with the Hornets, Jones appeared in 21 NBA games this past season but played sparingly in few moments off the bench. He excelled at the G-League level on assignment with the Greensboro Swarm, averaging 16.5 points on 61.4 percent shooting from the field – 32 percent from three-point range – 9.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.1 blocks in 32 total G League games. He also posted 15 total double-doubles.

#“I bought in out of the gate. I love basketball, so once I was told about the opportunity to play 30 minutes (in Greensboro) because I wasn’t playing up here (in the NBA), I was jumping. I was so excited and ready to go. It gives me extreme confidence. Coming in, I believed I could have an impact on this team on both ends.

#“Now, it’s just that I think I can have a greater impact. I know there’s no ceiling for me. Just continue to work,” Jones said in his postseason exit interview.

#“Coming into the season, I didn’t think I was going to be down there, but God had a plan and I’m glad that I did go. I learned so much about myself and grew so much.

#“It’s a blessing. The biggest thing for me was walking in gratitude. I think that’s huge. Learning how to be so grateful for playing the game every day and with the opportunity you have in front of you, making the most out of it.”

#The no.19 pick in last year’s draft, Jones and the other members of the Hornets’ rookie class have played sparingly as the Hornets have chased a spot in the NBA playoffs.

#Jones highlighted the season with a career high 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 139-119 win over the Long Island Nets on March 27 at the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina.

#“I got so much better just with my efficiency there, especially from 3-point range because I was taking the right shots and finding the balance. “Defensively, playing in the post, my positioning, being able to absorb contact and understanding it’s a battle, really. I just got so much stronger throughout the season, so I became more comfortable with boxing guys out, hitting guys and imposing my will on people. I got a lot stronger really, mentally and physically,” he said.

#“I think I’ve improved in every aspect of the game. From my overall feel for the game, my knowledge, my patience, my pace, my physicality and on the defensive end, learning how to play in coverages and in the post. I’ve just improved so much, just continuing to take steps in the right direction and build championship habits.”

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