Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 13, 2022 335 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A total of eight Bahamians were in action at the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships which wrapped up on Saturday at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA – the same venue for this year’s World Athletics (WA) World Championships.

After Texas Tech Red Raiders’ sophomore Terrence Jones and Clemson Tigers’ freshman Wanya McCoy bowed out of their individual sprint events on Wednesday, Bahamian females were in action on Thursday.

Arguably, the most dynamic performance came from Florida International University (FIU) sophomore thrower Rhema Otabor in the women’s javelin. The Bahamas’ junior national record holder and school record holder finished fourth overall in the women’s javelin with a toss of 55.92 meters (m) – 183’ 5” – just off her personal best throw of 56.25m (184’ 6”).

Otabor was in the bronze medal position for much of the competition but was passed in the fifth round by Madison Wiltrout, a junior from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Brigham Young University (BYU) senior Ashton Riner won the competition with a toss of 58.24m (191’ 1”), Nebraska sophomore Maddie Harris was second with a throw of 57.69m (189’ 3”) and Wiltrout rounded out the top three with a toss of 56.46m (185’ 3”).

With the performance, Otabor earned first-team All-American honors, helping the FIU Panthers to conclude its 2022 outdoor track and field campaign on a strong note. Otabor became the first FIU track and field athlete since Clarissa Cutliff in 2018 and 2019 to appear in consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships.

She finished 21st overall in 2021 with a best toss of 49.60m (162’ 9”).

“We’re so proud of Rhema and all that she has accomplished this season,” said FIU Head Coach Ryan Heberling. “She’s also just scratching the surface of how good she can be. Right now though, it’s a moment she worked so hard for and deserved.”

In the women’s 400m on Thursday, Megan Moss, a sophomore at Kentucky, finished fifth in her semifinal heat and was 15th overall in a personal best time of 51.73 seconds. She was the alternate on Kentucky’s winning 4x400m relay team which completed the 1,600m race in 3:22.55. In the semifinals, Moss ran the third leg for the team which finished second in their heat and qualified for the final with the second-fastest time of 3:25.67.

Also on Thursday, Doneisha Anderson ran in the 4x400m heats for the University of Florida. The Florida Gators’ junior ran the third leg for her team which finished second in their semifinal heat and qualified for the final in 3:28.40. In the final on Saturday, Anderson ran the second leg and the Gators finished ninth in 3:31.16.

The Gators won both the men and women’d team titles, finishing with 54 and 74 points, respectively. The University of Texas at Austin Longhorns were second in both the men and women with 38 and 64 points, respectively.

Finally among Bahamian women, Charisma Taylor was scheduled to compete in the triple jump event, but the Tennessee Volunteers junior did not start.

On Friday, Ohio State University freshman Shaun Miller Jr. and Kansas State University senior Kyle Alcine were in action in the final of the men’s high jump.

Miller had a best leap of 2.15m (7’ 0-1/2”) and finished ninth overall, just missing first-team All-American honors. He made the second team. Miller had one knockdown at his opening height of 2.10m (6’ 10-3/4”), cleared the bar on his first attempt at 2.15m, and then knocked the bar down all three times at 2.18m (7’ 1-3/4”).

Alcine finished in a four-way tie for 15th, clearing 2.10m before knocking the bar down all three times at 2.15m.

The four-day meet, featuring the best collegiate athletes in the United States, wrapped up on Saturday. 

Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 13, 2022 342 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas was unable to get on the scoreboard for a second straight game in senior men’s soccer, dropping their first leg matchup against Nicaragua, 2-0, on Friday evening. The match was the third in seven days for both teams as the first window in the 2022/2023 CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Nations League continues.

It was the first time in history that these two teams played each other.

Playing at home at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, The Bahamas went toe to toe with Nicaragua early on as they defended the visitors well. The match appeared like it was going to be scoreless at the half, but a defensive breakdown by the home team left Jaime Moreno with enough time for a header on the left side of the penalty area in the 40th minute. He sent the ball past the right side of the Bahamian goalkeeper Julio Jemison and into the back of the net.

Nicaragua added a second-half goal to complete the scoring.

Assistant coach of the Bahamian team Kevin Davies said it was a tough loss, but he was happy with the effort the team gave on the field.

“It was a tough one,” Davies said. “We held our own for quite a bit. One mistake gave up a goal. We had one or two chances that we did not take advantage of. Overall, I am very proud of the team. I think we gave it our all.”

The second goal from Nicaragua came in injury time in the second half on a free kick in The Bahamas’ territory. The goal came on a header from Matias Moldskred to give the visitors an insurance goal.

The Bahamas’ captain, centerback Lesly St. Fleur, spoke about the two goals that Nicaragua scored.

“We had two or three chances. We did what we could have done and everybody put in the work. We lost focus in the final two or three minutes of the game. They scored the first goal of the game after we went out of sync as everyone was somewhere else. The same thing happened in the second half,” said St. Fleur.

The loss has The Bahamas sitting in third place in League B Group C competition with three points. Nicaragua secured the three points with the win and now has seven points to lead the group. Trinidad and 

Tobago’s 2-0 win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines moved them three points ahead of The Bahamas for second place with six points. The outlier is St. Vincent and the Grenadines with one point that came on a draw with Nicaragua.

Nicaragua assistant coach Andres Rozo was happy to secure the three points.

“We got the three points that we wanted,” he said. “It felt like we made it more difficult for ourselves. We had more opportunities to score and it feels like we should have scored more goals and had a better complete game. The three points were important to take with us and we did that,” Rozo said through his translator, Moldskred.

Moldskred, who plays midfield for Nicaragua, was not too happy with his overall performance, despite the late goal.

“We had chances but we did not have enough flow in our game,” Moldskred said. “We were a little bit stressed and anxious when we had the ball. We fell down a bit. The opportunities started coming and I knew we had space. I was not the best on the ball and I finally got a goal in the end.”

In the game, referee Joseph Dickerson handed out five yellow cards. The Bahamas had three of them and Nicaragua received two – both in the first half. The Bahamas will be without winger Marcel Joseph for the second match against Nicaragua in Managua, Nicaragua, tonight. Joseph is facing suspension after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament.

“It is a significant loss,” Davies said about Joseph. “He is one of the veteran players. We have some young guys who are ready to step in and do the job, so it is next man up. Someone else will have an opportunity to show what he can do.”

In the game, three starters for The Bahamas had to be substituted off. First, it was right-back Derrick Ferguson. Jemison was substituted off midway through the second half, and as the match came to a close, midfield player Omari Bain went down.

“Derrick was a tough loss because it was late in the first half. He was having a solid game at the time. Losing your starting keeper is significant. Omari, who plays midfield striker with good speed – we lose a little bit there,” said Davies.

Both teams have arrived in Managua, Nicaragua, to complete their home-and-away series tonight. The match will be played at the National Stadium in Managua and gets underway at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 13, 2022 40 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A total of eight Bahamians were in action at the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships which wrapped up on Saturday at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA – the same venue for this year’s World Athletics (WA) World Championships.

After Texas Tech Red Raiders’ sophomore Terrence Jones and Clemson Tigers’ freshman Wanya McCoy bowed out of their individual sprint events on Wednesday, Bahamian females were in action on Thursday.

Arguably, the most dynamic performance came from Florida International University (FIU) sophomore thrower Rhema Otabor in the women’s javelin. The Bahamas’ junior national record holder and school record holder finished fourth overall in the women’s javelin with a toss of 55.92 meters (m) – 183’ 5” – just off her personal best throw of 56.25m (184’ 6”).

Otabor was in the bronze medal position for much of the competition but was passed in the fifth round by Madison Wiltrout, a junior from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Brigham Young University (BYU) senior Ashton Riner won the competition with a toss of 58.24m (191’ 1”), Nebraska sophomore Maddie Harris was second with a throw of 57.69m (189’ 3”) and Wiltrout rounded out the top three with a toss of 56.46m (185’ 3”).

With the performance, Otabor earned first-team All-American honors, helping the FIU Panthers to conclude its 2022 outdoor track and field campaign on a strong note. Otabor became the first FIU track and field athlete since Clarissa Cutliff in 2018 and 2019 to appear in consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships.

She finished 21st overall in 2021 with a best toss of 49.60m (162’ 9”).

“We’re so proud of Rhema and all that she has accomplished this season,” said FIU Head Coach Ryan Heberling. “She’s also just scratching the surface of how good she can be. Right now though, it’s a moment she worked so hard for and deserved.”

In the women’s 400m on Thursday, Megan Moss, a sophomore at Kentucky, finished fifth in her semifinal heat and was 15th overall in a personal best time of 51.73 seconds. She was the alternate on Kentucky’s winning 4x400m relay team which completed the 1,600m race in 3:22.55. In the semifinals, Moss ran the third leg for the team which finished second in their heat and qualified for the final with the second-fastest time of 3:25.67.

Also on Thursday, Doneisha Anderson ran in the 4x400m heats for the University of Florida. The Florida Gators’ junior ran the third leg for her team which finished second in their semifinal heat and qualified for the final in 3:28.40. In the final on Saturday, Anderson ran the second leg and the Gators finished ninth in 3:31.16.

The Gators won both the men and women’d team titles, finishing with 54 and 74 points, respectively. The University of Texas at Austin Longhorns were second in both the men and women with 38 and 64 points, respectively.

Finally among Bahamian women, Charisma Taylor was scheduled to compete in the triple jump event, but the Tennessee Volunteers junior did not start.

On Friday, Ohio State University freshman Shaun Miller Jr. and Kansas State University senior Kyle Alcine were in action in the final of the men’s high jump.

Miller had a best leap of 2.15m (7’ 0-1/2”) and finished ninth overall, just missing first-team All-American honors. He made the second team. Miller had one knockdown at his opening height of 2.10m (6’ 10-3/4”), cleared the bar on his first attempt at 2.15m, and then knocked the bar down all three times at 2.18m (7’ 1-3/4”).

Alcine finished in a four-way tie for 15th, clearing 2.10m before knocking the bar down all three times at 2.15m.

The four-day meet, featuring the best collegiate athletes in the United States, wrapped up on Saturday. 

Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 13, 2022 39 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas was unable to get on the scoreboard for a second straight game in senior men’s soccer, dropping their first leg matchup against Nicaragua, 2-0, on Friday evening. The match was the third in seven days for both teams as the first window in the 2022/2023 CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Nations League continues.

It was the first time in history that these two teams played each other.

Playing at home at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, The Bahamas went toe to toe with Nicaragua early on as they defended the visitors well. The match appeared like it was going to be scoreless at the half, but a defensive breakdown by the home team left Jaime Moreno with enough time for a header on the left side of the penalty area in the 40th minute. He sent the ball past the right side of the Bahamian goalkeeper Julio Jemison and into the back of the net.

Nicaragua added a second-half goal to complete the scoring.

Assistant coach of the Bahamian team Kevin Davies said it was a tough loss, but he was happy with the effort the team gave on the field.

“It was a tough one,” Davies said. “We held our own for quite a bit. One mistake gave up a goal. We had one or two chances that we did not take advantage of. Overall, I am very proud of the team. I think we gave it our all.”

The second goal from Nicaragua came in injury time in the second half on a free kick in The Bahamas’ territory. The goal came on a header from Matias Moldskred to give the visitors an insurance goal.

The Bahamas’ captain, centerback Lesly St. Fleur, spoke about the two goals that Nicaragua scored.

“We had two or three chances. We did what we could have done and everybody put in the work. We lost focus in the final two or three minutes of the game. They scored the first goal of the game after we went out of sync as everyone was somewhere else. The same thing happened in the second half,” said St. Fleur.

The loss has The Bahamas sitting in third place in League B Group C competition with three points. Nicaragua secured the three points with the win and now has seven points to lead the group. Trinidad and 

Tobago’s 2-0 win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines moved them three points ahead of The Bahamas for second place with six points. The outlier is St. Vincent and the Grenadines with one point that came on a draw with Nicaragua.

Nicaragua assistant coach Andres Rozo was happy to secure the three points.

“We got the three points that we wanted,” he said. “It felt like we made it more difficult for ourselves. We had more opportunities to score and it feels like we should have scored more goals and had a better complete game. The three points were important to take with us and we did that,” Rozo said through his translator, Moldskred.

Moldskred, who plays midfield for Nicaragua, was not too happy with his overall performance, despite the late goal.

“We had chances but we did not have enough flow in our game,” Moldskred said. “We were a little bit stressed and anxious when we had the ball. We fell down a bit. The opportunities started coming and I knew we had space. I was not the best on the ball and I finally got a goal in the end.”

In the game, referee Joseph Dickerson handed out five yellow cards. The Bahamas had three of them and Nicaragua received two – both in the first half. The Bahamas will be without winger Marcel Joseph for the second match against Nicaragua in Managua, Nicaragua, tonight. Joseph is facing suspension after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament.

“It is a significant loss,” Davies said about Joseph. “He is one of the veteran players. We have some young guys who are ready to step in and do the job, so it is next man up. Someone else will have an opportunity to show what he can do.”

In the game, three starters for The Bahamas had to be substituted off. First, it was right-back Derrick Ferguson. Jemison was substituted off midway through the second half, and as the match came to a close, midfield player Omari Bain went down.

“Derrick was a tough loss because it was late in the first half. He was having a solid game at the time. Losing your starting keeper is significant. Omari, who plays midfield striker with good speed – we lose a little bit there,” said Davies.

Both teams have arrived in Managua, Nicaragua, to complete their home-and-away series tonight. The match will be played at the National Stadium in Managua and gets underway at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

As of Friday, June 10, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE newest group of Bahamian baseball prospects made their professional debuts in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) while others progressed to the Arizona (ACL) and Florida (FCL) Complex Leagues for their respective franchises.

#Kashon Conliffe had a dynamic opening week for the DSL Padres with a multi home-run game and five RBI in a 10-1 win over the DSL Diamondbacks Red on June 8.

#The 16-year-old centrefielder hit leadoff in the lineup and hit a two run shot in the third inning to score the first runs of the game. He returned in the sixth inning with a three run home run for the game’s final scores.

#Conliffe is hitting .273 with six RBI, three stolen bases and four runs scored through three games.

#He signed with the Padres out of the Maximum Development Academy in January.

#Padres International Crosschecker, Bill McLaughlin, was optimistic on Conliffe’s dynamic athleticism.

#“He’s a great athlete, we believe in athletes and we believe athletes make adjustments. We’re going to push him hard and I think he is going to do really well,” McLaughlin said.

#“It is going to be a lot of hard work. We have a vision of great things for him and hopefully he has the same vision. Hopefully they can come true.”

#Miami Marlins prospects Cherif Neymour and Toby Simmons each achieved milestones this week with the first hits of their pro career.

#Both players got their hits in the DSL Marlins’ 5-4 win over the DSL Athletics on opening day, June 6.

#Neymour, a 17-year-old shortstop, hit leadoff and also added a stolen base while Simmons, also 17, played right field and hit fourth. In yesterday’s 8-4 win over the DSL Mariners Neymour continued his streak of milestones with his first multi hit game. He went 3-4, drove in his first RBI and scored two runs with his second stolen base of the season.

#Both players also signed in January out of the International Elite Sports Academy.

#Adrian Puig, Miami Marlins international crosschecker, said his organisation will continue to explore The Bahamas for its rich talent pool.

#“We’re excited to have these two athletic, dynamic players with the Marlins officially.

#“It’s no secret, we’re going to continue to come back here and are going to try and be here every single year,” he said.

#San Francisco Giants prospect Ryan Reckley scored his first run in the DSL Giants’ 15-10 win over the DSL Tigers 1.

#A Maximum Development Academy prospect, the 17-year-old shortstop was the top signing of the Giants’ 2022 recruiting class.

#Giants director of international scouting, Joe Salermo, said Reckley’s foundation in addition to his play on the field made him one of the Giant’s top targets for the last few years.

#“It’s been a pleasure watching Reckley play the last two and-a-half years,” he said. “The one common theme from all of our scouts that came out of watching Reckley play was that he was a professional on and off the field and that is a tribute to his family.”

#Texas Rangers prospect Zion Bannister got his Arizona Complex League season off to an impressive start in his season debut.

#Bannister went 3-4 with a double in his ACL Rangers’ 4-2 win over the ACL Dodgers.

#The highly touted outfield prospect was called up to the club’s main roster for Spring Training for Cactus League play in Surprise, Arizona.

#Bannister was signed by the Rangers in July 2019 and was made his debut on the Dominican Summer League roster the following month.

#As a member of the DSL Rangers 2 and he hit .273 with six hits, one RBI, and a .333 OPS.

#He progressed to the AZL Rangers of the Arizona Rookie League on August 15 as a late season call up and appeared in 37 games where he hit .227 with six doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI.

#Los Angeles Angels prospect Kristin Munroe is also assigned to the ACL.

#Adari Grant (St Louis Cardinals) headlines the list of Bahamian players assigned to the Florida Complex League.

#Grant spent his rookie season with the DSL Cardinals Blue.

#He finished with a batting average of .220 with a .691 OPS on the season with 22 hits, one home run, six RBI, and seven stolen bases.

#Dax Stubbs (Baltimore Orioles), Everette Cooper (Houston Astros) Andre Arthur (Miami Marlins) and Steven Adderley (Miami Marlins) will also participate in the FCL.

As of Friday, June 10, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMAS Aquatics’ four-member team named to the FINA World Aquatics Championships are all set for their trip to Budapest, Hungary, June 18 to July 3.

#Representing the Bahamas will be Zaylie- Elizabeth Thompson, Lilly Higgs, Lamar Taylor and Izaak Bastian.

#• Here’s a look at the four competitors:

#Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson

#Thompson is an 18-year-old daughter of Dr Woodley C and Verneque Thompson. She has two older brothers, Mark- Anthony Thompson, 19, and Luke-Kennedy Thompson, 20, who also competes in swimming with the Alpha Aquatics Swim Club.

#A 2021 graduate of St Andrews International School, Thompson is currently in her freshman year at Howard University where she is majoring in health science and is being coached by David Deal and Cueto Jimenez.

#Thompson has represented the Bahamas at the CARIFTA Swimming, CCCAN and Caribbean Island Swimming Championships, but she will be making her debut at the World Championships.

#As for her expectations, she noted that she just wants to “be exposed to a new level of the sport and be able to see what it’s like to compete at the top levels.”

#When asked about her personal expectations, Thompson said she aims “to do my best in representing my country and looking for some outstanding individual swims.”

#In preparation for the championships when she contests the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley (IM), Thompson said her training has been going well. “I’m confident that I will perform well and at the highest level,” she stated.

#“I’m excited to see how my freshman year of training combined with the training with my local coach at home has set me up for some amazing swims.”

#Lilly Higgs

#Higgs, 21, is the daughter of Chris and Pleasant Higgs. She also has two sisters, Albury and Stella Higgs. Having graduated from WA Hough High School in 2018, Higgs currently attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is majoring in exercise and sports science.

#Coached by Mark Gangloff, Higgs has a wealth of international experience, having represented the Bahamas at the CARIFTA Games, the Jr World Championships in 2015 and 2017; the Jr Pan Pacs in 2016; the Commonwealth Games in 2018; the Pan Am Games in 2019 and the World Short Course Championships in 2021. When asked about her expectations for this year’s championships, Higgs said it’s to “gain experience competing against the best swimmers and athletes in the world.”

#She added that her training for the championships has gone extremely well and she’s eager to see how well she will perform in the 50 and 100m breaststrokes.

#“The transition from short course yards training to long course metres in the spring can be difficult but I’ve been able to get a lot of long course training in since then so I’m excited to compete,” she said.

#Lamar Taylor

#Taylor, 18, is the son of Gena Culmer-Taylor and Lester Taylor. He has five siblings – Kadesha Culmer, Tami Ross, Lester Taylor Jr, Lesly Taylor and Kelly Taylor.

#The Grand Bahamian, who attended Bishop Michael Eldon School before he came to New Providence to complete high school at St John’s College in 2020, is expected to graduate from college in 2024. He is studying health and human performance.

#A member of the Mako Aquatics Swim Club, coached by Travano McPhee, Taylor has represented the Bahamas at both the World Short Course and Long Course Championships.

#“My expectations for worlds is that everyone would drop phenomenal times and finish and high and respectful ranking in their individual events,” he said.

#Although he had taken some time off to recover, Taylor said he’s been pleased with his preparation for the championships. He’s expected to compete in both the 50 and 200m freestyle races.

#“Getting back into shape was stressful but as the weeks went along my times dropped drastically each week at practice,” he stated. “I am really confident in the times that I have swam in practice and feel strong and confident travelling to Budapest to compete.”

#Izaak Bastian

#Bastian, 21, is the son of Rochelle and Darren Bastian and brother to Drew Bastian. He graduated from Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, Florida in 2018 and is expected to graduate from Florida State University in 2022 with his degree in athletic training.

#He is being coached by Camron Bruney.

#The Barracuda Swim Club member has represented the Bahamas at the 2017 and 2019 Junior World Championships; 2016 Jr Pan Pacs; 2018 Commonwealth Games; 2021 Short Course World’s; 2018 CAC Championships; 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games; 2018 Youth Olympics; 2019 World Championships and 2020 Olympics.

#In heading to his second World Championships, Bastian said he just wants to “go and represent as best as I can and give some guidance to the younger members of the team.”

#Like Taylor, Higgs took some time off after the completion of his collegiate season, but he’s looking forward to getting back into top form for the championships when he competes in both the 50 and 100m breaststrokes.

#“I had taken some time off after my collegiate season which was a good reset for me but once I got back into the pool the training has been going well,” he said.

#The team, announced this week by Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill, will be managed by Rochelle Bastian. The team coach will be Sara Knowles and the team’s physiotherapist will be Cordero Bonamy.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo. (File photo)

As of Friday, June 10, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Shaunae Miller-Uibo, preparing for another medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July, had to settle for a fourth-place finish in her season debut in the women’s 200 metres yesterday at the Wanda Diamond League in Rome.

#The reigning two-time Olympic 400m champion ran out of lane seven where she got caught and passed on the curve. She tried to make up the deficit coming down on the home stretch, but she didn’t reel in the top three finishers as she clocked 22.48 seconds in the half-lap race.

#Jamaican Shericka Jackson, running out of lane four, powered off the curve ahead of the pack and went on to win the race in 21.91 as she posted a season’s best and erased the meet record of 22.06 that Great Britain’s Dana Asher- Smith established last year.

#Asher-Smith, in lane five, got third in her season’s best of 22.27 after she trailed Jamaican and double 100/200 Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who did her season’s best of 22.25 for second out of lane six.

#American phenom Allyson Felix, who was also in the race, finished seventh in 22.97 in lane eight. Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji, the World Indoor 60m champion, was sixth out of lane three in her season’s best of 22.80.

#After two races in the series of races on the Wanda Diamond League, Miller-Uibo is now sitting tied in fifth place with five points with American Tamara Clark. Jackson has surged out front with 15 points with Asher-Smith in second with 12, American Gabrielle Thomas third with eight and Thompson- Herah in fourth with seven.

#Fellow Bahamian Anthonique Strachan, a training partner of Jackson in Jamaica with the MVP Track Club, is tied for seventh with Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast with four points. While Strachan didn’t compete in the meet on Thursday, Ta Lou was fifth behind Miller-Uibo in 22.77.

#The 28-year-old Miller- Uibo was the only Bahamian competing in the meet, but there were a number of others representing their respective schools at the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

#Men at NCAA Outdoors

#As the men’s division kicked off the first of the four days of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Grand Bahamian Terrence Jones finished 12th overall in his freshman year for Texas Tech in the 100m in 10.23. He placed fifth in his heat.

#The men’s 200m saw Wanya McCoy, a freshman at Clemson University, post a time of 20.54 for 15th place after he came in fourth in his heat.

#In relay competition, Ohio State, competing in the last of the three heats of the 4 x 100m race, did not advance to the final. The team, which featured Bahamian sophomore Adrian Curry, was ninth in their heat in 39.12 for 14th place overall.

#The only two men left to compete are Ohio State’s sophomore Shaun Miller Jr and Kansas State’s senior Kyle Alcine, who were listed as the first and fifth competitors in a field of 24 to compete today in the final of the men’s high jump.

#Women at NCAA Outdoors

#The women, featuring quarter-miler Megan Moss and triple jumper Charisma Taylor, were scheduled to compete yesterday and Saturday respectively.

Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 10, 2022 127 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian Jonquel ‘JJ’ Jones scored in double figures for a fourth straight game, helping to propel the Connecticut Sun to a fourth straight victory in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). They blasted the Indiana Fever, 88-69, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Wednesday night.

Playing in front of their fans, the Sun improved their win/loss record to 10-3 – second-best in the league. The Las Vegas Aces lead the standings with a 10-2 record. The Fever sport a 3-11 record.

The Sun came off their third game in four days, having played those games in three different cities on the west coast.

The reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) had a strong outing on Wednesday, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes of play. She was disruptive on the defensive side of the ball, coming away with two steals and two blocks in the victory.

The Grand Bahama native has been on a tear recently, scoring 25, 24 and 20 points in her previous three contests to help the Sun extend a winning streak. For her recent efforts, Jones was named as the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for May 30-June 5, averaging 19.3 points and 8.8 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game. The Sun went 3-1 during that time.

The game with the Fever was close early, tied at 11 with 4:17 left in the first quarter. Jones made her first field goal of the game at the 4:33 mark of that quarter, converting a layup. The Sun began to turn up the intensity, taking a 20-15 lead with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Sun turned it up offensively. They built a 13-point lead with 6:49 left in the second quarter, 34-21. At the half, the Sun led 48-37.

After a 17-16 third quarter advantage, the Sun went into the final period with a convincing lead and easily finished off the Fever, outscoring them 23-16 in the fourth quarter.

The Sun shot 47 percent from the field while the Fever shot 37.5 percent. The Sun were more efficient from deep as well as they shot 29.4 percent from three-point range compared to 14.3 percent for the Fever. The Sun outrebounded their opponents, 41-29.

Jones has scored in double figures in all but two games this season. She is averaging 15.6 points and 8.3 boards per game while playing 26.7 minutes in 13 games this season. She is shooting 55.1 percent from the field. Defensively, Jones is averaging 1.4 blocks per game.

Jones and the Sun return to action, looking for a fifth straight win when they welcome the Chicago Sky to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville tonight. The Sky fell 84-82 to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday, ending a three-game winning streak for them. The defending champions Sky are third in the standings percentage-wise, standing at 7-4.

The Sky knocked Jones and the Sun out of the playoffs last year, beating them three games to one in the league semifinals. Tip-off for the Sun and the Sky is set for 7 p.m. tonight.

Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 10, 2022 153 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Just days after falling 1-0 to Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas senior men’s national soccer team is back home and ready to take on Nicaragua today as they continue their 2022/2023 CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Nations League campaign. It will be the first time these two nations face each other.

The game will be played at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium with kick-off set for 5 p.m. This is a crucial game for both teams, especially The Bahamas who sit in third place in its group with three points – one point behind Nicaragua. Trinidad and Tobago is in second place with three points while St. Vincent and the Grenadines has the fourth position in Group C.

The teams got in some practice sessions on Wednesday, and the Nassau Guardian caught up with both teams.

Head Coach for The Bahamas Nesly Jean knows that his team has to get a win which will be a huge help for them in the group standings.

“The game plan is always to go out there and try to win. It will give us a big boost and get us on top. The guys have been doing well so far. The result we were looking for, we did not get it in the last game. We want to turn it around and do well this time,” Jean said.

Speaking through a translator, Nicaragua Head Coach Marcos Figueroa said that it is a tough group and schedule.

“The group that we are in is difficult. It is a rough travel schedule and difficult ground,” Figueroa said. “The expectations are the same. We came to win and we are going to play to win.”

Christopher Rahming, who has played both games in this window for The Bahamas, is hoping to improve his game more in the midfield.

“During the Trinidad game, there was a big confidence boost for me and my teammates because we started the game slow and then as we kept playing, we realized that we can play with Trinidad. Going into this game, I want to carry on what I started in the Trinidad game by being more confident on the ball and try to make plays as a midfielder.”

Nicaragua’s Captain Juan Barrera said they are hoping to get three points with a win. They are coming off a 2-2 tie against St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday.

“We are always ready for every match and we hope to get three points tomorrow (today),” Barrera said.

Jean has a bigger bench and pool of players to choose from compared to the match in Trinidad and Tobago.

“The team has been looking well,” Jean said. “We have one or two injuries but that still does not determine how the team is going to look. We had to come in and put in some replacements and the team is looking well.”

One of those players who is available this time around is William Bayles who played in the midfield in the 1-0 victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines last Friday but missed the Trinidad and Tobago’s game. He joked that he hopes Jean puts him back in the lineup.

“I am optimistic about the team and I am positive that we can get a good result from this game whether it is a draw or win. I am confident that with the players we have we can do good,” said Bayles.

Now that the team is back home, Jean is looking for the home crowd to come out and help them secure a win.

“It is a huge difference when you have the crowd. The guys have their parents and friends. Also, they have a whole country behind them. We need the support,” Jean said.

The cost to attend the game is $20 for adults and $10 for youth. The two teams will play each other again on Monday June 13 in Nicaragua.

Miller, Alcine to compete today in the men’s high jump; Taylor jumps tomorrow in the women’s triple jump

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 10, 2022 108 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A couple of Bahamians were in action as the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships got underway on Wednesday, but none were able to advance out of the national semifinals.

The four-day meet, featuring the best collegiate athletes in the United States, wraps up on Saturday at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Up first for The Bahamas was Terrence Jones competing in the men’s 100 meters (m). Jones, a sophomore for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, finished fifth in his semifinal heat and was tied for 12th overall in 10.23 seconds. Just the top two finishers in each heat and the next two fastest times advanced to Friday’s final, and Jones found himself stuck in what turned out to be the fastest heat.

Despite not advancing to the final, Jones concluded a fantastic second season in college athletics in which he tied the NCAA record in the men’s 60m indoors, ran personal best times in the men’s 100m twice outdoors, qualified for the World Athletics (WA) World Championships and solidified himself as the third-fastest Bahamian of all-time.

Jones, who has a personal best run of 10.03 seconds, will return to Eugene for the world championships later this summer, representing The Bahamas in the men’s 100m.

In the men’s 200m, Wanya McCoy, a freshman at Clemson University, was fourth in his semifinal heat and finished 15th overall in 20.54 seconds – just six one hundredths of a second off his personal best time of 20.48 seconds which was done in the NCAA East Preliminaries at Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex in Bloomington, Indiana, at the end of May.

McCoy finished just two tenths of a second short of qualifying for the final.

McCoy came back late Wednesday and ran the opening leg of the men’s 4x400m for the Clemson Tigers. The Tigers finished fourth in their semifinal heat in 3:03.97 and failed to qualify for Friday’s final.

 Megan Moss, a sophomore at Kentucky, was set to compete in the semifinals of the women’s 400m last night, but the result was unavailable up to press time. Moss ran out of lane four in the first of three semi final heats. Just the top two finishers and the next two fastest times qualified for Saturday’s final. Moss went into last night’s race with the seventh-fastest seed time – a personal best run of 52.07 seconds.

Moss was also set to run in the women’s 4x400m relay for Kentucky last night. The result of that race was unavailable up to press time. The Kentucky Wildcats went into that race as the favorite, having a set a NCAA record of 3:21.93 this year.

Another Bahamian set to compete last night was Rhema Otabor in the final of the women’s javelin. Otabor, a sophomore at Florida International University (FIU), was the second thrower in flight two. She went into the competition with season and personal best throw of 56.25m (184’ 6”). The result of that competition was unavailable up to press time.

In action today for The Bahamas will be Shaun Miller Jr. and Kyle Alcine in the final of the men’s high jump, and in action tomorrow for The Bahamas will be Charisma Taylor in the final of the women’s triple jump, and Moss should she advance to the final of the women’s 400m.

Miller is a freshman at Ohio State University, Alcine is a senior at Kansas State University and Taylor is a junior for the Tennessee Volunteers.