: Windsor Academy wins three titles

LEFT: Windsor Academy’s first place senior boys’ team share a special moment with their trophies. CENTRE: Windsor Academy junior girls display their awards. RIGHT: Windsor Academy junior boys champion Aiden Gorospe.

As of Tuesday, April 18, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Jaden Ward led a clean sweep of the top five positions in the senior boys’ division as Windsor Academy put a cap on another successful showing in the Bahamas Golf Federation’s National High School Golf Championships yesterday in the Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

#It was almost a dominating day for Windsor Academy as they just missed out on carting off all four divisional titles. While they captured the senior and junior boys and girls, the senior girls went to the Comets of Queen’s College.

#Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, the chairman of the Junior Division of the BGF, said they were hoping to have more teams entered in the high school division, but that didn’t happen. She noted, however, that both the public and private schools will begin competition today and they are expected to compete until Thursday when their champions will be crowned.

#“Everything went really well. We thought we would have had some issues with the rain, but God had favour on us and we ended up having a fabulous day,” said Gonzalez-Rolle, who was assisted by Georgette Rolle-Harris of Fourteen Cluibs Golf Academy in the operation of the tournament.

#As for Ward, the 17-year-old 12th grader at Windsor Academy said the goal was to repeat as the champions and they accomplished that feat. He led their sweep with a score of 30, one stroke better than runner-up Oliver White with 31.

#Zadok Smith got third with 33, Alex Dupuch was fourth with 34 and Patrick Farquharson was fifth with 35. “Last year, I didn’t do well last year, but I know team wise we won it again and it was just cherry on the top after I won the individual title this year,” Ward said. “The priority today was to get the win for the school. We did that.”

#In shooting a 37, Tyesha Tynes of St John’s College edged out second place finisher Lauren Deal of Queen’s College by one stroke, 38, to win the senior girls title for the third consecutive year. Gabrielle Pratt of Kingsway Academy was third with 40

Junior Boys.

#“This year was a little bit harder than last year because of my school work,” said Tynes, who has been playing golf the past 11 years. “I’ve been focusing a little more on that than my golf, but I still managed to get my drive to pull off another title.”

#Madison Carroll, a 12-year-old, said she enjoys playing golf because it’s a sport that brings out the best in her. She won the individual title with 33, the same score as second place finisher Lilly Bisterzo of Windsor Academy. There was a two-way tie for third with Chemari Pratt of Queen’s College and Haley Hall of Jordan Prince William, both with 34.

#“When I am not feeling good or I am having a bad day, I can just go out and practice and it makes me feel good about myself and allows me to just push harder,” said the sixth grader at Tambearly International School. “I feel like my performance was alright, but I could do better.

#“I was a little tired because I just had a tournament to play in on Sunday and the greens here are alright, but it’s a little harder to play here. I just had to make some pretty good putts today. My iron shots were on and my chipping was alright.”

#Bisterzo, a 13-year-old representing Windsor Academy, said they wanted to win the title. “Our team played well,” she summed up. “We came here to win first place and we accomplished that goal.”

#Maddison Carroll, also representing Tambearly School, said her goal was to improve on her second place finish last year.

Junior Girls.

#Winning the junior boys title was Aidan Gorospe of Windsor School with 29, edging out his team-mate Kerrington, who was the runner up with 30. Rashawn Hanna of HO Nash Junior High was third with 36.

#• Here’s a look at the team and individual results posted:

#Junior Boys Team

#1st place – Windsor School at Albany – Team Score of 97 – Aidan Gorospe, Kerrington Rolle, Edward Johnson, Maximilian Landry and Nicholas Turnquest.

#2nd Place – Lyford Cay International School – Team Score of 123 – Alec Hooper, Patrick Tomlinson, Mark Segger, Erik Jensen and Julian Segger.

#3rd Place – Queen’s College – Team Score of 160 – Michael Knowles, Caeden Hayling, Deon Flowers, Khai Neeley and Aiden Sheppard.

#Top 10 Individuals

#Junior Boys

#1st Place- Aidan Gorospe, Windsor School at Albany – 29; 2nd Place – Kerrington Rolle, Windsor School at Albany – 30; 3rd Place – Rashawn Hanna, H.O. Nash Junior High – 36; 4th Place – Zachary Christopher Joseph, D.W. Davis Junior High – 37; 4th Place – Jackson Carey, Lyford Cay International School – 37; 6th Place- Edward Johnson, Windsor School at Albany – 38; 7th Place – Alec Hooper, Lyford Cay International School – 39; 7th Palce – Patrick Tomlinson, Lyford Cay International – 39; 7th Place – Benjamin Kofoed, Lyford Cay International School – 39; 10th Place – Michael Knowles, Queen’s College – 40 and 10th Place – Maximilian Landry, Windsor School at Albany- 40.

#Junior Girls Team

#1st Place – Windsor School at Albany – Team Score of 122 – Lily Bisterzo, Elyse Hanna, Yulia Chipman and Olivia Ott.

#2nd Place – Queen’s College – Team Score of 138 – Chemari’ Pratt; Caitlin McWilliam, Cianna McWilliam, Alphanique Dean and Melaja Maycock.

#Top 10 Individuals

#Junior Girls

#*1st Place – Maddison Carroll, The Tambearly School – 33; 2nd Place – Lilly Bisterzo, Windsor School at Albany – 33; 3rd Place – Chemari’ Pratt, Queens College – 34; 3rd Place – Haley Hall, Jordan Prince William – 35; 5th Place – Renaisha Dill, H.O. Nash Junior High – 36; 6th Place – Anissa Robinson, D.W. Davis Junior High – 38; 7th Place – Elyse Hanna, Windsor School at Albany – 40; 8th Place – Tiar Agaro-Gibson, Aquinas – 41; 9th Place – Jacara Forbes A.F. Adderley Junior High – 43 and 10th Place – Yulia Chipman Windsor School at Albany – 49

#*Playoff Winner.

#Senior Boys Team

#1st Place – Windsor School at Albany – Team Score of 94 – Jaden Ward. Oliver Whit. Zadok Smith. Alex Dupuch amd Camdyn Forbes .

#2nd Place – Queen’s College – Team Score of 117 – Luke Grimes, Andrew Benjamin, Rhan Miller, Alexander Knowles and Kasar Patton.

#Top 10 Individuals Senior Boys

#1st Place – Jaden Ward, Windsor School at Albany – 30; 2nd Place – Oliver White, Windsor School at Albany – 31; 3rd Place – Zadok Smith, Windsor School at Albany – 33; 4th Place – Alex Dupuch, Windsor School at Albany – 34; 5th Place – Patrick Farquharson, Windsor School at Albany – 35; 6th Place – Luke Grimes, Queen’s College – 37; 7th Place – Christopher Callender, Windsor School at Albany – 39; 8th Place – Rhan Miller, Queen’s College – 40; 8th Place – Jermaine Dawkins, C.R. Walker Senior High – 40 and 8th Place – Andrew Benjamin, Queen’s College – 40

#Senior Girls Team

#1st Place – Queen’s College – Team Score of 132 – Lauren Deal, Biswapriya Pati, Bailey Bostwick, Zara Robinson and Lauren Ramsey.

#2nd Place – St. John’s College – Team Score of 142 – Tyesha Tynes, Daliah Hamilton-Knowles and Jaidyn Roye.

#3rd Place – Kingsway Academy – Team Score of 144 – Gabrielle Pratt, Taylor Sands and Hailey Ellis.

#Top 10 Individuals Senior Girls

#1st Place – Tyesha Tynes, St. John’s College – 37; 2nd Place – Lauren Deal, Queen’s College – 38; 3rd Place – Gabrielle Pratt, Kingsway Academy – 40; 4th Place – Taylor Sands, Kingsway Academy – 42; 5th Place – Miljojka Gojkovick, Teleos Christian Academy – 43; 6th Place – Biswapriya Pati, Queen’s College – 44; 7th Place – Daliah Hamilton-Knowles, St. John’s College – 47; 8th Place – Bailey Bostwick, Queen’s College – 50; 9th Place – Elvanique Rolle, Charles W. Saunders – 52 and 10th Place – Jaidyn Roye, St. John’s College – 58.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/apr/18/national-high-school-golf-championships-windsor-ac/?news

BGF National High School Golf Championships

Minister of State for Education Zane Lightbourne and director of junior golf Gina Rolle-Gonzalez, above, present medals to the top qualifying upper primary boys winners. While the junior and senior high school teams wrapped up competition on Monday, the private primary schools staged their qualifying rounds to see who will advance to Thursday’s finals where they will square off against the top public primary schools teams, whose qualifying rounds will take place today.

As of Wednesday, April 19, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#ZANE Lightbourne, Minister of State for Education, was impressed with what he saw at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Junior Division 2023 National Schools Golf Championships at the BFG’s Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

#Lightbourne was on hand yesterday where he not only interacted with some of the private primary school boys and girls competitors, but he also presented awards to the boys’ top qualifying individual players and teams.

#While the junior and senior high school teams wrapped up competition on Monday, the private primary schools staged their qualifying rounds to see who will advance to Thursday’s finals where they will square off against the top public primary schools teams, whose qualifying rounds will take place today.

#“I think it’s a nice foundational programme for our youth. It’s a sport that we all love to see because of players like Tiger Woods and some of the top female players who participate internationally,” Lightbourne said.

#“Now that we have it in our school system, we get to introduce some more players to a sport they may not have taken up on their own.”

#Lightbourne commended the BGF, the Junior Division and Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy for collaborating in their efforts to produce the national championships where the public and primary schools get the opportunity to compete against each other.

#During his time at the driving range, Lightbourne interacted with some of the players before he presented medals to the top primary individual boys and teams, who qualified to compete in Thursday’s final.

#Lightbourne also got a golfing lesson in that he was told that a golf club is not called a golf stick. He was also offered an opportunity by one of the female players to provide him with some golfing lessons, which he gladly accepted.

#William West, hoping to follow in the footsteps of his Windsor Academy junior and senior boys’ division champions, said he did very well to lead the upper boys division.

#“I putted very well,” he said. “There were some things I felt I could have done better, but I’m really proud of my performance today.”

#The 11-year-old sixth grader, however, is not certain if he will be able to contend for the title on Thursday as he would like to go on a field trip to Blue Lagoon with his fellow students from Windsor Academy as they celebrate their transition into the junior high school.

#He said he will definitely be back next year to get another shot at winning the title, albeit in the junior division.

#Gina Rolle-Gonzalez, the BGF’s Junior Division director, said they are very pleased with the way things are going.

#“The scores that are coming in have been really good, so it seems like all of the kids are enjoying themselves as they fight for first, second and third places,” she stated.

#“The private primary schools have gone out and tomorrow (today), we will have the public primary schools, so Thursday will be an interesting day to see who gets to carry home the trophies and medals.”

#Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy director Georgette Rolle-Harris said the tournament had gotten off to a great start with some great weather and no injuries.

#“That is what we look forward to mostly,” she said. “The competition is stiff with some of our champions coming back and still competing at a very high level. There are some players who are also out to make sure that they do better than they did last year.

#“I think this championship has pulled in a lot of our full-time junior golfers and are getting them excited about playing golf more. They are also excited about representing their schools, so it’s not just an individual sport, but a team one. This makes it more hyped for them to play, especially those playing for the first time.”

#Ahmal Henfield, one of the lead coaches for mini golf in the BGF, said he was delighted to go into some of the public primary schools to give them some instructions on the game.

#“The process was to introduce them to the sport and get them used to playing with the equipment and to give them a basic understanding of how they are to conduct themselves on the golf course,” said Henfield, who attended a number of schools, including Eva Hilton, Sadie Curtis, Garvin Tynes, EP Roberts, AF Adderley and HO Nash.

#While he conducted the introductory programme at the schools, Henfield said a lot of the schools were invited to the Driving Range in the afternoon where the students got the opportunity to put into practice some of the theory that they were taught.

#Henfield said he’s looking forward to seeing some of the students he taught come out and display their skills for their respective schools as the public primary schools tee off in the tournament in their bid to qualify for Thursday’s finals.

#“We didn’t just want to target the kids from the schools who participated last year, the goal was to get more students involved and I think we have an average of about 20 from each school who had expressed an interest in learning the game. “The end result was to select those whom we felt had the talent to play the game and to work with them within their school system.”

#Today’s results

#Lower Primary Boys Teams

#1st Place – Lyford Cay – Team

#Score of 153

#Aden Jones

#Diego Gago

#Alexander Murray

#2nd Place – Windsor School at

#Old Fort- Team Score of 163

#Jack Fox

#Luca Greaves

#Adam Turnquest

#Top 10 Individuals

#1st Place – Aden Jones, Lyford Cay International School – 49

#2nd Place – Connor Stevenson, St.Andrews – 50

#2nd Place – Reef Harvey, Homeschooling – 50

#4th Place – Luca Greaves, Windsor School at Old Fort – 51

#4th Place – Jack Fox, Windsor School at Old Fort – 51

#6th Place – Diego Gago, Lyford Cay International School – 52

#6th Place – Alexander Murray, Lyford Cay International School – 52

#8th Place – Thyler Rolle, Nassau Christian Academy – 55

#9th Place – Cameo Smith, Queen’s College – 58

#10th Place – Adam Turnquest – 61

#Lower Primary Girls

#1st Place – Poitier Golf

#Homeschool – Team Score of 147

#Zion Poitier

#Zeden Poitier

#Zaire Poitier

#Top Individuals

#1st Place – Sarah Scheidecker, Nassau Christian Academy – 44

#2nd Place – Zion Poitier, Poitier Golf Homeschool – 47

#3rd Place – Zaire Pitier, Poitier Golf Homeschool – 47

#4th Place – Skyrah Chambers, Homeschooling – 51

#5th Place – Zeden Poitier, Poitier Golf Homeschool – 53

#6th Place – Safari Hanna, The Meridian School – 58

#7th Place – Lauryn Turnquest, Windsor at Old Fort – 69

#Upper Primary Boys

#1st Place – Windsor School at

#Old Fort – Team Score of 107

#William West

#Leonardo Bisterzo

#Hugo Johnston

#Hawthorne Wood

#Thomas Fox

#2nd Place – St. Andrews

#International School-

#Team Score of 117

#William Mahelis

#Mirko Gervasini

#Caleb Davis

#3rd Place – Kings College –

#Team Score of 122

#Maximilien Demole

#Luis Ortiz von Bismark

#Francisco Ortiz von Bismark Jr,

#4th Place – Lyford Cay

#Int. School – Team Score of 124

#Sebastian Halewyck

#Philippe Ciampini

#Juan Pedro Vianna

#5th Place – Queen’s College –

#Team Score of 164

#Hiram Tinubu

#Lathan Bowleg

#Bayne Bostwick

#Taye Charlton

#Amir Hamilton

#6th Place – Kingsway Academy –

#Team Score of 183

#Amari Jones

#Dereck Rolle

#Joshua Louis

#Ethan Miller

#Liam Gray

#Top Individuals

#Upper Primary Boys

#1st Place – William West, Windsor School at Old Fort – 31

#2nd Place – William Mahelis, St. Andrews International School – 34

#3rd Place – Sebastian Halewyck, Lyford Cay International School – 36

#3rd Place – Leonardo Bisterzo, Windsor School at Old Fort – 36

#5th Place – Maximilien Demole, King’s College School, The Bahamas 38

#6th Place – Luis Ortiz von Bismark, King’s College School, The Bahamas – 39

#7th Place – Hugo Johnston, Windsor School at Old Fort – 40

#8th Place – Mirko Gervasini, St. Andrews – 41

#9th Place – Briland Cunningham, Homeschooling – 42

#9th Place – Caleb Davis, St. Andrews -42

#Upper Primary Girls

#1st Place – Windsor School at

#Old Fort Bay – Team Score of 148

#Zara Greaves

#McKayla Grace Wood

#Amelia Inguaggiato

#Alexandra Lefeber

#Taylor Davis

#2nd Place – Queen’s College – Team Score of 183

#Tatyana Clarke

#Isobel Grimes

#Haylee Rolle

#Kaleah Brown

#Individual Scores

#1st Place – Kayleigh Rolle, The Meridian School – 37

#2nd Place – Zara Greaves, Windsor School at Old Fort – 38

#3rd Place – Tracy Johnson, Kingsway Academy – 50

#4th Place – Londyn Strachan, Genesis Academy – 51

#4th Place – Alyssa Richards – St.Thomas Moore – 51

#4th Place – McKayla Grace Wood, Windsor School at Old Fort – 51

#7th Place – Tatyana Clarke, Queen’s College – 53

#8th Place – Amelia Inguaggiato, Windsor School at Old Fort – 59

#9th Place – Isobel Grimes, Queen’s College – 63

#10th Place – Alexandra Lefeber, Windsor School at Old Fort – 65

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/apr/19/minister-lightbourne-impressed-young-golfers-day-2/?news

As of Wednesday, April 19, 2023

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Organiser Shirley Mireault displays the awards up for grabs.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IN preparation for the CARIFTA triathlon to be staged in The Bahamas in August, the Sea Waves Triathlon Club will stage the Beautiful Bahamas Triathlon at Jaws Beach on Sunday.

#And even though organiser Shirley Mireault said they have not been able to secure the funding that they needed, they intend to make this third event hosted by their club a major success as they prepare the local athletes for the CARIFTA triathlon.

#The event starts at 7:30am, but interested persons have until today to register to compete in the 8-and-under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-15, 16-19 and adult categories for boys and girls and men and women.

#There will also be a category for the Paralympians and a high school relay segment. “This is a qualifier for the CARIFTA triathlon that we are hosting in August and also for the Youth Commonwealth Games in early August in Trinidad,” Mireault said. “We have a short list of three girls and three boys who can qualify for that.

#“So we are making them do the same distance that they will be going in the international competition. So they will be competing against each other.”

#Mireault said although they haven’t gotten as many entries as they anticipated, especially in the adult categories as they prepare for the Bahamas National Championships in a few weeks, they are still looking forward to some exciting competition across the board.

#While CARIFTA will comprise the triathlon, aquathlon and team triathlon, Mireault said the Sea Waves Triathlon Club will forgo the staging of the aquathlon until May 20 around the roads of the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex.

#“This is the second of three qualifiers for the CARIFTA triathlon,” she noted. “The final one will be the nationals in May. We have a lot of kids who are eager to participate in the event, so we are looking forward to their participation this weekend.”

#Without the sponsorship that they had anticipated, Mireault said they are still pushing forward to make this an exciting event for all of the participants.

#“We are still running this event because the kids need the opportunity to compete,” she said.

#“We only have four triathlons for the year. We started with the Potcake Triathlon, we have our event, then there’s the nationals in Grand Bahama and then we have the Conchman in November.”

#The Manta Water Polo team normally participates in the team competition, but Mireault said they are travelling this week to compete in an international meet, so they won’t be able to participate. So she said they are appealing to the schools to enter their teams.

#“I’m very disappointed that we are not getting the financial support, but we will still put on a very highly competitive event,” Mireault summed up. “We are encouraging the public to come out like they did for CARIFTA and support our triathletes.”

#Mireault thanked Bahama Blu for supplying water, National Fencing for materials for the bike racks, SwapaCrop for their monetary donation and t-shirts for the volunteers, Bahamas Waste for the portable toilets, BASRA for water, the Nassau Rowing Club and Lyford Cay students for providing kayak assistance and Cycles Unlimited for making themselves available to assist with bike repairs.

As of Wednesday, April 19, 2023

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HOLLAND MARTIN

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#ANDROS native Holland Martin will launch a track and field sports camp on Queen’s Park in Fresh Creek, Central Andros.

#The newest track and field camp on the nation’s largest island will start on April 22 and run until June 16. The camp will be open for boys and girls between the ages five and 17.

#The Bahamian professional track and field athlete and former national team member saw the need for a sports camp for the youth on the island and decided to be the change he wanted to see.

#Martin talked about his motivation for starting the camp in his hometown.

#“I moved back home a few months ago and since I’ve been home things have changed and are a lot different from when I was growing up,” he said.

#He added that he just wanted to implement a camp so that the kids on the island can have something to do after school because he felt like no one was taking the initiative to provide them with the opportunity, therefore, he decided to do it himself.

#The professional track and field athlete noticed that when he grew up on the island, they had more options across the various sports such as basketball, baseball and track and field but nowadays it does not seem like there are any extracurricular sports for the youth.

#Although registration numbers have started a bit slow for the young coach, he is optimistic that once more people sign up for the camp others will start to join.

#“It’s kind of challenging because people don’t really take interest in stuff until they see others start to take interest in it,” he said.

#He added that his mindset is to just start and remain consistent so that when others see that he is consistent with the camp more people will begin to register. The next purpose of the programme is to help young boys and girls in Andros to get the same opportunities he was afforded growing up.

#The 25-year-old grew up in Andros but transferred to Freeport in his senior years of high school which opened the door for many opportunities, including competing in CARIFTA for the first time.

#It is also his plan to use the connections that he has established over the years to help out the potential athletes to get scholarships and perfect their craft.

#The Andros native had this final message for his community as he urged them to register.

#“If the kids are interested just take the opportunity, they will not regret it, the youths are the future and we have to invest in them and it gives them the opportunity to be properly trained by someone who has been there and has the background to know what is going on,” Martin said.

#For persons who are interested in signing up for the camp, registration is free. Practices are scheduled from Monday to Friday from 3:30 to 5:30pm and beyond if necessary.

#For those that require private training, Martin provides that as well per special request. The contact to join is 425-5110 or hollandmartin@gmail.com. The rates are categorised as daily, weekly and monthly and are to be determined by Martin when the camp gets fully underway.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/apr/19/martin-launch-andros-track-field-camp/?news

As of Wednesday, April 19, 2023

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KEVIN ‘KJ’ MAJOR

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#For the third time this year, rising tennis star Kevin ‘KJ’ Major hoisted a championship trophy.

#His latest feat came at the Battle of Boca. Major prevailed with an identical score of 6-1, 6-1 over American Brock Anderson at the Rick Macci Tennis Center in Boca Raton, Florida, on Monday.

#He opened the tournament with an easy 6-0, 6-1 win over American Matthew Krusling before he had his toughest challenge in the quarterfinals where he prevailed with a hard fought 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-5) decision over Sam Baldwin from Great Britain.

#But in the semi-final, Major breezed through with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Juan David Velasquez from Colombia before he put the icing on the cake in the final.

#The 28-year-old Major Jr said he felt like he was right at home.

#“This one was closer to home because I play a lot of tournaments in South Florida in the men’s open and so I was really geared up for it,” Major said. “I didn’t have any easy matches. The scores didn’t really reflect the outcome. I was just dialed in from start to finish.

#“I played one match that I had some trouble with in the first set, but I knew the score couldn’t sustain that level and then I won the second set with two breaks and I won the third set in the tie break.”

#After that, Major Jr said it was smooth sailing.

#“I won the semi-final and final in dominating fashion. In the semi-final, I thought it would have been tougher, but the guy didn’t put up that much resistance. I think that helped to get me ready for the final. I just went for it.”

#With his game taking off this year, Major Jr said he’s confident that any time he steps out on the court, he can take on any opponent he faces.

#“This year was a really good start for me in these tournaments,” he pointed out. It’s given me a lot of momentum. This year I am gearing up for what I want to do. These tournament victories will only help me to get to that next level.”

#Major Jr will be back in action on Monday when he plays his fourth tournament for the year in Vero Beach, Florida.

#“I want to keep playing as much as I can. I’m feeling so good,” he stated.

#Now residing in Tampa, Florida with his manager Molly O’Brien and her family, Major Jr said he just focuses on playing tennis and that has been the difference in his success so far.

#“She’s connected me with a tremendous amount of opportunities, so I’m just really grateful that it has come about because this sport is extremely expensive to play in,” he stated. “She’s been able to put a full team around me, giving me the full support I need on and off the court.

#“I’m just very fortunate in what I do. For most people, the road has been difficult because they haven’t been blessed with the talent that I have. I recognise that and I don’t waste it. I’m just happy to have someone like that in my corner.”

#Major Jr, however, said he and his team have been reaching out to the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, headed by president Perry Newton, for some assistance, but to no avail. “I can only fight to show you how good I am for so long and then after that, it’s on you,” he said. “When I play these tournaments, people know who I am before I get there. They know what to expect from me. They know the level of tennis that I am going to bring. They know it’s going to be fun to watch.

#“But at the end of the day because I’m so entertaining to watch, I’m aware of what’s happening and the people in Tampa have given me this space to where I can only focus on playing tennis. So I don’t think about anything else. If they work out, they do, if they don’t, then they don’t. I can’t let that stop me from where I want to go.”

#Based on the high level of energy that he brings to the court, Major Jr said a lot of people feel like he has the ability to play on the major pro circuit, but there are so many variables that will enable him to take that next step. “Tennis is very expensive. I have to pay for my travel, my food, and my coach’s expenses. It’s a full array of expenses,” he pointed out. “Normally the guy with the best team that has all of these things covered is normally the one who gets there and gets there faster.

#“He’s only thinking about playing tennis. Everything else is already taken care of or is being handled by someone else. My job is to literally just play tennis. But when you have to worry about all of these things, it’s a major distraction.”

#As he worked on getting certain issues sorted out with the BLTA, Major Jr assured the Bahamian public that “nothing happens before it’s time.” He said the3 best thing for him to do is to “stay patient under pressure.” He added that “pressure doesn’t last forever.”

#So one day, he will get it all sorted out and make that leap to the next level.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/apr/19/kevin-major-jr-wins-3rd-straight-tournament/?news

Miami Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., right, grounds into a force out with Jorge Soler out at second during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Miami. Chisholm Jr. advanced to first on the play. San Francisco Giants catcher Blake Sabol, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

As of Wednesday, April 19, 2023

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#MIAMI (AP) — Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr hit a go-ahead three-run homer and the Miami Marlins beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2 yesterday.

#Jorge Soler had three hits and Luis Arraez singled twice for the Marlins, who have won six of seven.

#Marlins starter Edward Cabrera limited San Francisco to two runs and six hits over six innings. Cabrera (1-1) walked two and struck out eight.

#The Giants lost their fifth straight.

#Chisholm’s shot off Giants reliever Jakob Junis (2-1) in the fourth put the Marlins ahead 4-2. Soler doubled and Bryan De La Cruz singled, then Chisholm connected on a drive that landed over the wall in right centre field.

#Miami got perfect innings from Tanner Scott and Dylan Floro before A.J. Puk closed with a scoreless ninth for his third save.

#San Francisco lost starter Alex Wood because of a left hamstring strain in the third. Wood planted both feet awkwardly after he left the mound and fielded Jean Segura’s bunt near the third base foul line. He threw Segura out by a step but limped as he returned to the mound.

#The left-hander’s outing ended after 2 1/3 innings. He gave up one run, one hit, walked one and struck out three.

#Mike Yastrzemski’s two-run shot in the first gave the Giants a quick lead. Yastrzemski drove Cabrera’s fastball over the wall in right for his third homer.

#ROSTER MOVE

#The Giants recalled INF-OF Brett Wisely from Triple-A Sacramento and optioned INF-OF Matt Beaty to the same minor league club.

#Wisely went hitless in three at bats.

#UP NEXT

#RHP Alex Cobb (0-1, 3.14) will start the series finale for the Giants this afternoon while the Marlins will go with LHP Trevor Rogers (1-2, 4.20).

Chisholm Jr’s homer leads Marlins over Giants 4-2

Miami Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., right, grounds into a force out with Jorge Soler out at second during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Miami. Chisholm Jr. advanced to first on the play. San Francisco Giants catcher Blake Sabol, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

As of Wednesday, April 19, 2023

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#MIAMI (AP) — Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr hit a go-ahead three-run homer and the Miami Marlins beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2 yesterday.

#Jorge Soler had three hits and Luis Arraez singled twice for the Marlins, who have won six of seven.

#Marlins starter Edward Cabrera limited San Francisco to two runs and six hits over six innings. Cabrera (1-1) walked two and struck out eight.

#The Giants lost their fifth straight.

#Chisholm’s shot off Giants reliever Jakob Junis (2-1) in the fourth put the Marlins ahead 4-2. Soler doubled and Bryan De La Cruz singled, then Chisholm connected on a drive that landed over the wall in right centre field.

#Miami got perfect innings from Tanner Scott and Dylan Floro before A.J. Puk closed with a scoreless ninth for his third save.

#San Francisco lost starter Alex Wood because of a left hamstring strain in the third. Wood planted both feet awkwardly after he left the mound and fielded Jean Segura’s bunt near the third base foul line. He threw Segura out by a step but limped as he returned to the mound.

#The left-hander’s outing ended after 2 1/3 innings. He gave up one run, one hit, walked one and struck out three.

#Mike Yastrzemski’s two-run shot in the first gave the Giants a quick lead. Yastrzemski drove Cabrera’s fastball over the wall in right for his third homer.

#ROSTER MOVE

#The Giants recalled INF-OF Brett Wisely from Triple-A Sacramento and optioned INF-OF Matt Beaty to the same minor league club.

#Wisely went hitless in three at bats.

#UP NEXT

#RHP Alex Cobb (0-1, 3.14) will start the series finale for the Giants this afternoon while the Marlins will go with LHP Trevor Rogers (1-2, 4.20).

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/apr/19/chisholm-jrs-homer-leads-marlins-over-giants-4-2/?news

 Home|Sports|Thompson, Mullings both go over national record in men’s decathlonSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailApril 17, 2023 462 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Kendrick Thompson and Ken Mullings continue to push other in the multi events, getting closer and closer to world level qualification in the men’s decathlon.

Just before the weekend, the duo pushed each other again, and in so doing, both surpassed the national record of 7,866 points that Mullings set at the 18th World Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, last summer. 

Thompson became the first Bahamian to go over 8,000 points in the men’s decathlon, finishing with 8,015 points at the 63rd Annual Mt. SAC Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, California, last week. Mullings was right on Thompson’s heels finishing just shy of the 8,000-point plateau with 7,933 total points.

The two friends battled each other, and a tough fiend, finishing fourth and fifth in the two-day men’s decathlon that wrapped up with the men’s 1,500 meters (m) on Thursday. They are also now fifth and sixth on the world’s top performance list for 2023, and not far from the qualifying standard of 8,460 points for the world championships this summer.

The 19th World Outdoor Championships is set for August 19-27, in Budapest, Hungary.

As for the men’s decathlon on Wednesday and Thursday, American Harrison Williams, representing the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, won with 8,492 points and is now the world leader. Fellow Americans Heath Baldwin, of Michigan State University (MSU), and Austin West, of the University of Iowa, were second and third with totals of 8,084 and 8,038 points, respectively.

Thompson and Mullings have taken turns in breaking the national record in the men’s decathlon over the past four years – three times by Mullings and four times by Thompson – with the new mark standing in excess of 8,000 points. They have both gotten faster and stronger. 

In soaring over the 8,000 barrier, Thompson set personal best times and marks in the 100m (10.52 seconds), 110m hurdles (14.46 seconds), pole vault (4.50m – 14’ 9-1/4”), shot put (14.84m – 48’ 8-1/4”) and javelin (64.93m – 213’).

Mullings recorded best times and marks in the 100m (10.59 seconds), 110m hurdles (13.95 seconds), long jump (7.29m – 23’ 11”), shot put (15.09m – 49’ 6”) and javelin (58.50m – 191’ 11”).

Mullings first took down Antonio Greene’s 30-year national mark in the men’s decathlon, scoring 7,427 points at the University of Miami (UM) Hurricane Alumni Invitational in Coral Gables, Florida, in April of 2019. Since then, the national record has been broken six times – twice by Mullings and four times by Thompson, with the new record now standing at 8,015 points.

The qualifying standard for the world championships stand at 8,460 points, but there is also wildcard entries for a reigning world champion, a Diamond League champion and as the current area champion from the athlete’s respective area championships. Athletes can also qualify via their World Athletics (WA) rankings.

Mullings is the current North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Combined Events Champion, thereby being eligible to receive an automatic bye for the Budapest World Championships.

https://thenassauguardian.com/thompson-mullings-both-go-over-national-record-in-mens-decathlon/

 Home|Sports|Giants take both BBF national titlesSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailApril 17, 2023 407 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Just like they did in the New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) two weeks ago, the Commonwealth Bank Giants and the Your Essential Store (YES) Giants emerged as champions, this time on the national stage in the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s National Championships.

The championships were held on Saturday at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

The Commonwealth Bank Giants secured the title in division one by taking down Abaco’s Showtime Ballers, 107-89. In division two action, the YES Giants easily disposed of Grand Bahama’s Just Run, 110-76.

The Commonwealth Bank Giants got out the gate very strong as they went up 16-6 in the first four minutes of their game against the Showtime Ballers. Led by Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jackson Jacob, who was aggressive early on in the game, they took command early. Jacob finished with a team-high 26 points in that game. Four other Giants players scored in double digits.

The Giants took a 40-28 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Ballers had some fire in them as they were able to storm back and take a lead at the 3:15 mark of the second quarter on a Brandon Meadows three-point shot. They went up 47-46 at that point. It was their first lead of the game. Meadows ended the game with 24 points and seven rebounds and was named the best defensive player of the mini tournament.

Commonwealth Bank Giants head coach Perry Thompson Jr. said he had rotation problems in that second quarter.

“Time got us as we played eight minutes a quarter and then we played 10 minutes in the championship game,” Thompson said. “It messed up with my rotation as I left my starters on too long. The starters got a break in that quarter and started the third quarter and that was the big difference of the game.”

The Giants took a 57-52 lead at the intermission. The game stayed close in the third quarter as the Ballers kept within reach. The quarter ended 80-73 in favor of the Giants.

The fourth quarter started off slow for the out-of-town guests. The Giants came out strong and took a 96-81 lead at the halfway mark of the fourth period. The Ballers finally ran out of steam and the Giants pulled away and won the game.

The Ballers were led by national team player Godfrey Rolle Jr. who had a game-high 28 points.

The Giants won the battle on the boards, 69 to 46.

Bimini’s CJ Sears was named as the offensive player of the tournament.

Division II

The YES Giants had four players in double digits, led by MVP Matthew Saunders who scored 18 points. He added five rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes on the floor.

Brandon Strachan had 16 points, Touretue Cartwright had 15 points and defensive player of the tournament Anderias Black had a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds to go with three blocks and a steal.

Head coach for the YES Giants Perry Thompson Sr. said that his squad was up to the challenge.

“Conditioning has always been one of the things that we strive on. We were able to scout the guys,” Thompson said. “We wanted to apply pressure and control the flow of the game from the jump ball. We stuck with the game plan that gave us a big lead.”

Leading the way for the Grand Bahama side was offensive player of the tournament Antwan Bevans with a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds.

The Giants held a comfortable lead of 53-30 at the end of the first half. They outscored their opponent, 29-15, in the second quarter.

At the end of the third quarter, the Giants held a comfortable 80-55 advantage.

The Giants kept playing competitive basketball and outscored their counterparts in the fourth, 30-21.

An elated Thompson said he was happy that they were able to get their sponsor a title.

https://thenassauguardian.com/giants-take-both-bbf-national-titles/

 Home|Sports|It was a family affair in CuraçaoSports

Saleste received tremendous support from her parents and siblings

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailApril 14, 2023 808 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The 36th CARIFTA Swimming Championships is in the books and The Bahamas cruised to a fifth consecutive title. Saleste Gibson contributed 75 points to The Bahamas’ record total of 1,113 points. She was under the watchful eyes of her family in the spectator bleachers, cheering her on as she won seven gold medals at the Sentro Deportivo Kòrsou – Pisina Enith Brigitha in Willemstad, Curaçao, from April 6-9.

Individually, the 11-12 swimmer was dominant in her swims, coming away with seven individual gold medals in nine races, then winning four gold medals in the relays. She swam the 50 meters (m) backstroke, 100m butterfly, 50, 100 and 200m freestyle, 50m fly, 200m individual medley (IM), 200m fly and 400m free events. She finished fourth in the 50m back and swam away with the silver in the 200m fly. In the other individual events, she won gold. She won the high-point award for her age category and also won the FINA (International Swimming Federation) high-point award – given out to the age group swimmer who comes closest to global standards.

Saleste had her father Dion Gibson, mother Aynda Gibson, brother Samuel Gibson and sister Salene Gibson in the stands supporting her. The Gibsons got their CARIFTA journey underway in 2013 when Saleste’s brother Samuel was the first in the family to be named to the CARIFTA team. That year, CARIFTA swimming was held in Kingston, Jamaica. Mother Aynda said she was impressed with Saleste’s performance.

“It was truly awesome seeing Saleste swim the way she did,” she said. “She had nine individual events – prelims and finals, as well as four relays. Almost all of her events were back to back, and the physical and emotional stamina she displayed was mind-blowing. I could not stop giving God thanks.”

For Saleste, it was the second time being named to the CARIFTA team. Her mother and father were in Barbados for the 2022 edition of the meet but not her brother and sister.

“The support that I got from my family was amazing,” Saleste said. “It made me work a lot harder, and my brother and sister were watching me swim at CARIFTA, so it was a new experience for them. They traveled to other countries for CARIFTA but never went to Curaçao.”

Father Dion was in the stands with his phone recording her races and watched keenly at her 

swimming individual prelims and finals. According to him, it was the same lineup that her older brother had in 2014.

“I was so proud of Saleste’s performance this CARIFTA,” he said. “I have seen the exact event lineup she had before. Her brother Sam swam the same lineup in Aruba CARIFTA 2014 – the year we won. He had excellent swims also, but I personally witnessed how taxing it was on him. Saleste handled herself exceptionally well, and displayed serious mental and physical fortitude.”

Dion said he was happy to see the older siblings fly into Curaçao to watch their younger sibling swim.

Samuel Gibson last competed in CARIFTA in 2019, then he aged out. He graduates from Pace University in New York next month with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting with honors. He said that it has been great to see his sister perform at this level. 

“As her older brother, it was great to see her develop over the years and see her grow into the swimmer who she is now,” Samuel said. “I am happy to see her being successful and I know about the hard work she put in which makes it more rewarding for my family to see.”

Salene Gibson was also on the same team as her brother that won in 2019 in Barbados. She enjoyed watching her younger sister perform at a high level.

“As her sister, I am so proud of her, and seeing her progression makes it even more special,” Salene said. “We hope to see her do well in more CARIFTA meets to come.”

For the youngest of the Gibsons, she feels no pressure to follow up on the performances of her brother and sister.

“It’s a little bit hard to follow in their footsteps, since they were such great swimmers,” Saleste said. “I think that with the support that I get from my family members, it takes away from the pressure that I feel.”

The pool is like a second home for Saleste, having been around it since she was born and watching her older siblings swim.

Mother Aynda stated, “She watched her siblings compete in seven consecutive CARIFTA Games – the influence Sam and Salene have on her is immeasurable. They are both very involved in offering support and advice to their younger sister.”

Father Dion Gibson said that overall it was a great experience for the family and that while Saleste is often the smallest one on the starting blocks, she does not let that stop her from touching the wall first.

Now that CARIFTA is over, Saleste has her eyes set on competing at the Bahamas Aquatics Federation’s National Championships set for June 22-25.

https://thenassauguardian.com/it-was-a-family-affair-in-curacao/

 Home|Sports|New Life Invitational headed to Grand BahamaSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailApril 14, 2023 748 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

One of the biggest track and field meets on the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) calendar, the New Life Invitational, a World Athletics Continental Tour (WACT) Silver Level meet, is headed to the nation’s second city.

The 2nd NACAC New Life Invitational is set for May 13 from 4-8 p.m. at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Over 100 of the region’s elite 

athletes and stars at expected to compete, vying for their share of the $75,000 prize money.

The inaugural event was initially planned to be held in The Bahamas before it was diverted to Miramar, Florida, in the summer of 2021. Now established as a premier event in this region, organizers have their eyes fixated on a premier destination. NACAC President, Bahamian Mike Sands, said he is excited about the prospect of the meet and what it means for the island and economy of Grand Bahama. He said that the level of talent on display will rival that of any of the top meets in the United States and on this side of the world.

“This event is going to be fast and furious. We intend to make this an annual event and it is our hope that it will grow from strength to strength every year,” said Sands. “The meet is attracting the top athletes in our area and even some from outside our area. We also making provisions for local athletes, so that they will have an opportunity to compete against the region’s best and go after qualifying times for the world championships. The athletes are all very excited to come to The Bahamas and I’m certainly excited about it. We are looking forward to a very successful NACAC New Life Invitational in Freeport on May 13.”

The 2023 World Athletics (WA) World Outdoor Championships is set for August 19-27 at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary. Athletes will be looking to post qualifying times and distances for that mega global event, or garner enough ranking points to be invited to compete.

Sands said the NACAC New Life Invitational provides an avenue for athletes from this side of the world to qualify for the world championships.

“One of the positive aspects of the New Life Invitational is that athletes from this region won’t have to go to Europe to qualify for the world championships. They could do so right here on this side of the world, and because quite a few of them train and reside right there in South Florida, it will be a short journey for them,” said Sands. “The whole idea, from NACAC’s perspective, is to create and support events in this region, and I can tell you that the interest level among the athletes is very high. They are all looking forward to coming to The Bahamas.”

The last top-level one-day meet to be held in country was the Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational (CBBI) at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau in 2016. Now, seven years later, track and field enthusiasts in the country are starving for high-level action in athletics. Sands said the elite professional athletes tend to flock to the Diamond League circuit, and other major meets in Europe, but the level of talent on display at the New Life Invitational would be able to rival a number of the major meets anywhere in the world. The Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions comprising 14 of the best invitational athletics meetings in the world.

“There is no reason why we can’t create our own Diamond League on this side of the world and it would be ideal for the NACAC New Life Invitational to be the impetus of something like that,” said Sands. “We are looking for the support from the people of Grand Bahama and from all over The Bahamas in general. This is going to be fast and furious.”

The one-day event has received the support of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the 

Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation.

Trevor Moss from the meet’s tech team said they are looking to erect scoreboards to keep the spectators engaged and keep their enthusiasm level up during the event.

“We will support NACAC in whatever we can,” he said. “We’re looking forward to a great meet, which will lift The Bahamas to another level through athletics.”

The meet is sanctioned by the local governing body of the sport of athletics in the country, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA).

“It is indeed a pleasure on behalf of the governing body of athletics in the country to support this meet,” said BAAA President Drumeco Archer. “One of our mandates is to stimulate the sport of track and field throughout the country and to do that, we had to take an approach that is beyond the bounds of just local track and field competition. This is another opportunity for us to celebrate track and field in a way that the world has not seen in recent times in this area. I commend President Sands and NACAC for ensuring that track and field remains in the spotlight on the heels of what was simply a spectacular CARIFTA Games. We in the BAAA provide the fullest support to this undertaking.”

Sands said the NACAC New Life Invitational is an expensive venue, costing them about $250,000, including the $75,000 prize money.

“Events like this are very expensive. At the end of the day, we have to pay the athletes. This is a business for them and we are mandated by World Athletics to pay the athletes a certain amount,” said Sands. “This is taking a big chunk out of our competition budget, so we are always looking for sponsorship. When you look at what we are providing, accommodations and transportation, it is a costly venture, but it is necessary to provide adequate support to the athletes. They all want to come here because of what we are providing. In addition to competition, this is a vacation destination as well, so at the end of the day, we expect for all of them to have a great time here in The Bahamas,” he added.

The Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort, otherwise known as Club Fortuna, is the host hotel of the meet. Events will consist of the men’s and women’s 100 meters (m), the men’s and women’s 200m, the 400m in both genders, the men’s and women’s 800m, the hurdles events in both genders, the men’s long jump and the women’s triple jump. A number of the events will be contested as straight finals. NACAC is utilizing a ranking system and the top 24 athletes in each discipline will be invited to compete.

He said, already, they have four sub-10-second male 100m runners and two sub-11 female 100m runners registered to compete. At the 2021 New Life Invitational, American Trayvon Bromell ran a world-leading time of 9.77 seconds. Later that year, he went on to run 9.76 seconds.

The New Life Invitational will be the third NACAC event to be held in The Bahamas within the last year. The NACAC Senior Athletics Championships was held from August 19-21, 2022, at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport and the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games was held this past weekend at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. At the 2022 NACAC Senior Athletics Championships, a total of 25 championship records were set, indicating that the track at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex is a very fast one.

The NACAC New Life Invitational will be arguably the most anticipated track and field meet on Grand Bahama this year.

https://thenassauguardian.com/new-life-invitational-headed-to-grand-bahama/