Home|Sports|Swimmers perform well at Mako Aquatics meetSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 30, 2023 313 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A number of local swimmers were in action at the 3rd Annual Oaktree Medical Invite hosted by Mako Aquatics Club over the weekend as they looked to make the nationals standards and improve on their times. The meet took place at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

There were over 500 swimmers in action, including Bahamian high school and collegiate swimmers based in the United States of America (USA). There were also swimmers from the Turks and Caicos Islands. Head Coach for Mako Travano McPhee said he was happy with the way the meet went.

“It was an excellent meet and it was a great turnout by the senior and junior swimmers,” McPhee said. “A lot of the younger ones were trying to qualify for nationals and this was their last chance to do that. Some overseas swimmers were competing in a long course meet at home for the first time this season.”

Some of those swimmers were the Thompson siblings trio of Luke-Kennedy, Mark-Anthony and Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson along with Marvin Johnson, Nigel Forbes, Caden Wells, Keianna Moss, Kaliyah Albury and Erald Thompson III. Top performers from the recent CARIFTA Games, Saleste Gibson and David Singh, were also in action.

“It was good to see some of the younger ones’ eyes open when they saw the likes of Johnson, Forbes and the other ones who they look up to,” said McPhee. “During the season, they do not get to see those swimmers, so it was good for the younger swimmers to see them, get up and race. The younger ones always focus on the races that the older ones are swimming. It brings a lot of spirit and energy to the meet and the younger ones feed off that. The spectators look forward to seeing these swimmers in action.”

Forbes and Johnson were dueling each other in the 15-and-over boys 200m freestyle – a race that both had already achieved the nationals standard for. In the end, it was Alpha Aquatics’ Forbes who touched the wall first with a time of 1:57.10. Johnson and his Mako Aquatics clubmate Tristen Ferguson were second and third respectively. Johnson clocked 1:58.66 and Ferguson posted a time of 2:01.89.

The Black Marlins Swim Club’s Caden Wells won the 15-and-over boys division with 58 points – one point over his schoolmate Johnson. Wells is known for breaststroke events and won all three breast events on Saturday. He had a strong swim in the 50m breaststroke, posting a time of 30.96 seconds. He held off Johnson who swam 31.34 seconds while Ferguson placed third with in 32.79 seconds.

Mako’s Dndn McKenzie came into the meet achieving nationals times in almost all of her events. On Saturday, the 12-year-old went under the nationals standard in the 11-12 girls 200m butterfly, adding that to her list of accomplishments. She won that race with a time of 3:29.35. The Mantas Swim and Water Polo Club’s Tiah Seymour was second with a time of 3:34.43. Finishing third was Madyson Julien who swam 3:38.03.

The Blue Waves’ Christon Joseph surpassed nationals qualifying times in two more events in the 11-12 boys division – the 400m individual medley (IM) and the 400m free. He won the high point award with 60 points. Joseph clocked 5:54.88 in the 400 IM to win that race. In the 400m free, Joseph swam a time of 4:55.64 to place first in the 400m free.

In the 9-10 boys division, Mako’s Adrian Dean secured the high point award in that division as he came away with four victories. He had a strong swim in the 50m free, touching the wall first in 33.48 seconds. The Mantas’ Kai Bastian was second in a time of 34.35 seconds. Mako’s Blair Thompson swam 34.76 seconds to place third.

The Bahamas Aquatics Federation will host its national swimming championships June 15-18 at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex. McPhee is looking forward to the nationals, hoping to see some fast swims and national records fall as they expect to have all of their swimmers back in the pool.

McPhee thanked title sponsor Oaktree Medical Center and the other sponsors which came on board to ensure the meet took place.

Mako Aquatics is making moves as the club recently acquired Xavier’s Lower School’s pool as an additional home pool. They train at Evolve Functional Fitness. They are hosting summer camps at both pools with the camp at the Evolve location set for June 26 to August 4 and the camp at Xavier’s set for July 3-28.

 Home|Sports|Isaacs, Stuart tie for 17th in CaymanSports

Isaacs, Stuart tie for 17th in Cayman

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 26, 2023 421 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian beach volleyball players Jon Isaacs and Eugene Stuart hit the sand last weekend and played in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, on the 2023 NORCECA (North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation) Beach Volleyball Tour.

The duo finished tied with Anguilla, Dominica and the host country for 17th in the tournament with 80 points.

“The stop in Cayman, as expected, was really the best stop, from the organization of the tournament to the weather. It is a different kind of heat compared to Aguascalientes, but those were great conditions to play in,” Isaacs said. The first stop of the tour was in Aguascalientes, Mexico, in April.

In the Cayman Islands, there were 20 teams participating with Mexico winning the tournament, taking down the United States of America (USA) in straight sets. The Bahamas was in the group with the USA, El Salvador, Bermuda and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Bahamas finished group play dropping all four of their games as El Salvador and the USA advanced out of the group.

The Bahamas’ best match came against Bermuda in which they lost 2-1. Stuart and Isaacs opened the game with a 21-18 first set win but lost the second set 21-14. They fell in the third set with an identical score from the second set.

“It was a fairly experienced group of teams,” Isaacs said. “We had two teams for sure on our radar. The top two teams advanced to quarters automatically, so based on where we are in the season, we had a much better chance aiming for the 13-17 ranked finishes for the weekend, grab the points there and work ourselves up to a better seed for the future.”

It was the second tournament that the duo played together in, and Isaacs said that there was some improvement.

“Stuart’s attacking on the two-ball option or the second touch for our team started to come in for this tournament so that was a great improvement from our first stop,” Isaacs said. “Our offense got a bit more diversity with that option in the mix. Our block/defense relationship really improved as we picked up a lot more digs in transition situations. We had slower starts, particularly our first sets, which started changing by our third match of the day but the sets usually revealed what our playing potential could be like with more practice and tournament experience as a team.”

The duo has not made it to the quarterfinals in their first two stops on the tour, but they are looking at long-term development as they are learning their style of play and match routines.

“Looking forward, there’s still quite a bit of technical work for our team to get in such as improving our block/defense, strengthening our serve receive, and adding more tactics that suit our team to cover the experience gaps. We’ll watch some videos and plan from there,” Isaacs said.

Next up for them is the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games set for June 23 to July 8 in Panama City, Panama.

Home|Sports|BBF announces coaching selection committeeSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 26, 2023 301 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

To provide more transparency and accountability, the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) officially announced that a coaching selection committee will review and select the head coaches for the different national teams in the future. The announcement came at a press conference that was held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Wednesday.

President of the BBF, Eugene Horton, threw his support behind the decision.

“The BBF is confident that the committee will treat this process with professionalism and transparency. We have been working diligently behind the scenes to create the criteria and selection process. We hope that the process remains in place in the future for the federation,” Horton said.

The recommendations from the committee will be sent to the executive committee which will be tasked with putting training and programs in place for the candidates that do not meet the requirements.

The committee includes notable basketball minds in Dr. Linda Davis, Kimberley Rolle, John Todd, Anthony Swaby, Felix Musgrove, James Clarke Sr., Shantell Penn, Natasha Miller and Randy Cunningham.

Davis, who was grateful for the process, said that the federation is moving in a new direction, one with higher standards, transparency and accountability.

“Persons who wish to contribute in a very serious way to the development of basketball on a national program perspective are welcomed to join with us. They will be held accountable through the process and clear criteria and standards. It allows the federation the opportunity to put some systems in place that will build from the youngest programs to the senior programs,” Davis said.

The process to apply is open and it can be found on the federation’s website: www.bbfbasketball.com. The only team that is set to travel this summer is the senior men’s national basketball team. Davis said that there is a standard and criteria in place for coaches looking to apply for the top position of the various teams which includes being a good mentor and role model and someone who is respected and has a command.

“One of the things that we were very focused on was the international standards. The international governing body has some criteria that speak to our expectations, inclusive of the certifications. We use that as a guideline and use other models, not only in North America but further. Things such as coaching programs and being current, demonstrating the level of character that we want to see within a person who is leading a national entity, are vital. Bahamian nexus is important so someone who is familiar or tied to the country in some way, shape or form, is important. We recognize that the ability for us to pull on expertise even more widely is going to be up to the coach selected,” Davis said.

The head coach will be allowed to pick his or her coaching staff. The coaching positions begin upon the date of appointment and will extend for a three-year period unless otherwise determined by the BBF.

Horton also announced that the annual general meeting (AGM) and election of officers of the BBF is set for September 2.

 Home|Sports|BTC to serve as title sponsor for Geriatrics Push-a-ThonSports

Home|Sports|BTC to serve as title sponsor for Geriatrics Push-a-Thon

Photo of The Nassau Guardian The Nassau Guardian Send an emailMay 26, 2023 411 2 minute read
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From left are Sandra Mortimer-Russell, Dr. Sasha Dorsett, of Sandilands Rehabilitation Center; Deputy Governor General Cynthia Pratt; Dr. Indira Minus-Grimes, of Sandilands and BTC CEO Sameer Bhatti. BTC
Understanding that healthy aging is vital to the social, mental, and physical health of a country’s geriatric population, Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has stepped up to serve as the title platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatrics Push-a-Thon on Saturday, June 3.

The push-a-thon is an exciting push, walk and run event that is hosted by the Public Hospitals Authority and Sandilands Rehabilitation Center. The event was introduced as a creative way to promote mobility while engaging caregivers and the community at large.

This year’s run, walk and push-a-thon theme is, PUSHH on Bahamaland – Positively Uplifting Seniors with Helping Hands, and the event is being held under the patronage of Deputy Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

Dr. Sasha Dorsett, chairperson of the push-a-thon, said: “We are so thankful to have BTC serve as our title sponsor for Push-a-Thon 2023. This corporate sponsorship provides the Geriatric Hospital with an opportunity to partner with the BTC community and will give the

hospital significant financial support. The funds from BTC and other corporate sponsors will be utilized to purchase accessories and assist seniors with walking aids, proper footwear, and the purchase of 50 wheelchairs to ensure safe and effective mobility.”

BTC has contributed $5,000 toward the push-a-thon’s success.

The company is encouraging its team members to lend their support by registering to participate.

BTC Chief Executive Officer Sameer Bhatti said the company is happy to serve as a platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatric Push-a-Thon, which promotes healthy aging and encourages older persons to be physically active.

“We are always willing to support any efforts that are being taken to ensure that our precious senior citizens adopt ways to stay active and feel included,” Bhatti said. “Our sponsorship and those of others will ensure that the elderly is given the tools that are needed to maintain their independence and live longer lives. We are, therefore, encouraging our staff and the general public to register and support this upcoming event, which is also open to walkers and runners.”

Since the beginning of this year, BTC has implemented several initiatives to encourage its employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Bhatti and his family hosted a recent farmers market at BTC Perpall Tract location where colleagues were able to enjoy Eleuthera grown vegetables free of charge.

In recognition of Earth Day, BTC teamed up with the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs to purchase 500 fruit and vegetable backyard farming kits, which were distributed to BTC colleagues on New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, Long Island, Exuma and Andros. Kits were also distributed to Family Island schools with the goal of having students embrace farming and feeding themselves at an early age.

The company also recently wrapped up its wellness week that included a health fair and a number of activities and learning sessions to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles.

Persons interested in participating in this year’s push-a-thon can register at the website: www.pushathon242.com or at the Sandilands Geriatric Hospital. There is a registration fee of $15 that can be paid at the Sandilands business office or via Cash and Go.

The run, walk, push-a-thon will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 3. There will be warm-up at 6:15 a.m. and there will be staggered times for walkers, runners and pushers.

The event will start at the entrance of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center, turn south onto Fox Hill Road to Yamacraw Road, turn east on Yamacraw to Commonwealth Boulevard, turn north on Commonwealth Boulevard through Elizabeth Estates to Prince Charles Drive, turn west on Prince Charles Drive to Fox Hill Road, and then turn south on Fox Hill Road ending at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMay 26, 2023 411 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Understanding that healthy aging is vital to the social, mental, and physical health of a country’s geriatric population, Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has stepped up to serve as the title platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatrics Push-a-Thon on Saturday, June 3.

The push-a-thon is an exciting push, walk and run event that is hosted by the Public Hospitals Authority and Sandilands Rehabilitation Center. The event was introduced as a creative way to promote mobility while engaging caregivers and the community at large.

This year’s run, walk and push-a-thon theme is, PUSHH on Bahamaland – Positively Uplifting Seniors with Helping Hands, and the event is being held under the patronage of Deputy Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

Dr. Sasha Dorsett, chairperson of the push-a-thon, said: “We are so thankful to have BTC serve as our title sponsor for Push-a-Thon 2023. This corporate sponsorship provides the Geriatric Hospital with an opportunity to partner with the BTC community and will give the 

hospital significant financial support. The funds from BTC and other corporate sponsors will be utilized to purchase accessories and assist seniors with walking aids, proper footwear, and the purchase of 50 wheelchairs to ensure safe and effective mobility.”

BTC has contributed $5,000 toward the push-a-thon’s success.

The company is encouraging its team members to lend their support by registering to participate.

BTC Chief Executive Officer Sameer Bhatti said the company is happy to serve as a platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatric Push-a-Thon, which promotes healthy aging and encourages older persons to be physically active.

“We are always willing to support any efforts that are being taken to ensure that our precious senior citizens adopt ways to stay active and feel included,” Bhatti said. “Our sponsorship and those of others will ensure that the elderly is given the tools that are needed to maintain their independence and live longer lives. We are, therefore, encouraging our staff and the general public to register and support this upcoming event, which is also open to walkers and runners.”

Since the beginning of this year, BTC has implemented several initiatives to encourage its employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Bhatti and his family hosted a recent farmers market at BTC Perpall Tract location where colleagues were able to enjoy Eleuthera grown vegetables free of charge.

In recognition of Earth Day, BTC teamed up with the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs to purchase 500 fruit and vegetable backyard farming kits, which were distributed to BTC colleagues on New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, Long Island, Exuma and Andros. Kits were also distributed to Family Island schools with the goal of having students embrace farming and feeding themselves at an early age.

The company also recently wrapped up its wellness week that included a health fair and a number of activities and learning sessions to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles.

Persons interested in participating in this year’s push-a-thon can register at the website: www.pushathon242.com or at the Sandilands Geriatric Hospital. There is a registration fee of $15 that can be paid at the Sandilands business office or via Cash and Go.

The run, walk, push-a-thon will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 3. There will be warm-up at 6:15 a.m. and there will be staggered times for walkers, runners and pushers.

The event will start at the entrance of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center, turn south onto Fox Hill Road to Yamacraw Road, turn east on Yamacraw Road to Commonwealth Boulevard, turn north on Commonwealth Boulevard through Elizabeth Estates to Prince Charles Drive, turn west on Prince Charles Drive to Fox Hill Road, and then turn south on Fox Hill Road ending at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

 Home|Sports|Champions crowned in GSSSA soccerSports

Magic take down Knights 2-1 to win senior boys division

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 25, 2023 323 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Soccer Championships got rained out this past Friday, four champions were crowned yesterday at the Roscow A.L. Davies Soccer Field.

The Government High Magic won the senior boys division, while the C.R. Walker Knights won the senior girls division. In the junior division, Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves won the boys division, while the H.O. Nash Lions lifted the title in the girls division.

The Magic pulled off the 2-1 comeback victory over the Knights in the senior boys division by scoring both goals in the second half. The Knights looked like they were about to pull off the upset and hand the Magic their first loss of the season, however, they were unable to sweep the senior division.

After the game was knotted at 1-1 in the second half, both sides were fighting for the go-ahead goal, but it came down to which team wanted it more and which was fitter. Just like in the playoffs, Most Valuable Player (MVP) Wilder Petit-Homme stepped up and found the back of the net to help his Magic to defend their title from 2019.

Head coach of the Magic, Melvin Miller, needed to catch his breath after running across the field to his fans as he basked in the moment.

“This feels awesome,” Miller said. “We came out here and had a little difficulty at first. We regrouped at the half and ironed out our kinks, went back out there and gave them the ‘magic’. At Government High, we don’t do average, we do awesome.”

The Knights went into halftime up 1-0 on a goal from Kevin Thomas. Miller fixed his midfield, tightened it, and pressed the Knights’ defense. It worked for the Magic and Brian Miller broke past the defense and scored the equalizer.

After the 2-1 lead, both teams lost a player each to a red card. The Magic tried to find a third goal, but could not find the back of the net.

One day after both teams played in the girls division of the Sam P. Haven Jr. National High School Soccer Championships, the Knights took care of the R.M. Bailey Pacers 3-0 to win the senior girls title.

Like Tuesday night, the MVP, Valtinique Simmons, was the hat-trick hero as she led her team to victory once again. Over the two games, the 10th-grade student-athlete notched six goals. Simmons’ final two goals came from outside of the Pacers’ 18-yard box, as she prevented the Pacers from any thoughts of a comeback. Both goals were in the second half.

“I came with the mindset today (Wednesday) that I was going to score another hat trick and I did just that,” Simmons said. “I owe the goals to my teammates and coaches. I am happy and excited to win the championship and we came out with the mindset to win.” 

Her first goal came in the first half from a deflection that she tapped past the Pacers’ goalkeeper, to put her team up 1-0 in the first half.

The Knights were dominant in the victory, winning the loose balls and attacking the Pacers’ half.

In the junior boys division showdown between the Timberwolves and the S.C. McPherson Sharks, a penalty shootout was needed to determine a winner. In the end, the Timberwolves won 3-2 on penalty kicks. The game ended 1-1 after regulation. Scoring first was the Timberwolves’ Arayshio Green, who won the MVP award for his goal in the first half. Steven Desir equalized the game for the Sharks a few moments later.

The junior girls division saw two unanswered second half goals by the Lions to take down the C.H. Reeves Raptors 2-0. Scoring for the Lions first was Zante Ferguson, while Evanice Sands scored the second goal to put away the game. Sands won the MVP award.

It is the end of the sports year for the GSSSA, as they were able to get in all their core sports since 2019.

The Magic senior boys and the Knights senior girls teams advanced to the semifinals of the Sam P. Haven Jr. National High School Soccer Championships earlier in the week. The Magic play the feature game against Lucaya International School Buccaneers at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Knights play Queen’s College Comets at 6.30 p.m. on Friday.

 Home|Sports|Adderley receives SWAC honorsSports

Sports
Adderley receives SWAC honors
Photo of Simba French Simba French Send an emailMay 25, 2023 359 2 minute read
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Bahamian collegiate baseball player Daalen Adderley shows off his honors from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Bahamian collegiate player Daalen Adderley had a superb season for his Texas Southern University Tigers, helping them to a 31-20 win/loss season. For his play, he was Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Player and Hitter of the Year and was named to the All-SWAC baseball first team.

Adderley, who plays in the left field for the Texas Southern University Tigers, had a batting average of .423 in regular season play that put him as one of the top batters in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. His batting average has him ranked at number six in the national rankings. In addition, his on-base percentage of .544 has him ranked number four in the nation.

“It feels good to receive these awards because of the work ethic that I put in. It shows what I have accomplished for the team and helped us to win throughout the season. It has helped to push the team towards the playoffs,” Adderley said.

In total, he finished with 74 hits in 175 at-bats in the 50 games that he played in. Adderley also has 42 runs batted in. The junior has six home runs, 14 doubles, and one triple to go with 17 stolen bases.

“It took consistent work every day and not getting satisfied or comfortable. It was about wanting it more and more. I did not notice I was doing that well until my friends were showing me on social media accounts and posting it. I am not a stats guy, but when I found out I had to keep it going and believing in God has kept me going,” Adderley said.

His play this season has earned him a spot on the Minority Baseball Prospects Historically Black Colleges and Universities All-Star Game roster, that is slated for June 3 at 7:15 p.m. He was selected as a captain of the all-star team.

“I was very surprised because of how quickly they chose me. I was doing well so I can understand why, but I was excited and still excited to be a part of that. It is a privilege,” Adderley said.

His Tigers were in action yesterday in the SWAC tournament. They lost 9-1 against the Florida A&M Rattlers. It was a close 1-0 lead for the Rattlers at the end of the sixth inning. They scored eight runs in the final three innings. Adderley batted second and finished 1-for-3.

They will face either Prairie View A&M or Alabama State University this morning at 9 a.m. at the Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Adderley played in the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) and attended Queen’s College. He left after Grade 8 and went to McCallie Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He later went to Tusculum University and Wabash Valley College, before going to play for the Tigers.

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 25, 2023 359 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian collegiate player Daalen Adderley had a superb season for his Texas Southern University Tigers, helping them to a 31-20 win/loss season. For his play, he was Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Player and Hitter of the Year and was named to the All-SWAC baseball first team.

Adderley, who plays in the left field for the Texas Southern University Tigers, had a batting average of .423 in regular season play that put him as one of the top batters in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. His batting average has him ranked at number six in the national rankings. In addition, his on-base percentage of .544 has him ranked number four in the nation.

“It feels good to receive these awards because of the work ethic that I put in. It shows what I have accomplished for the team and helped us to win throughout the season. It has helped to push the team towards the playoffs,” Adderley said.

In total, he finished with 74 hits in 175 at-bats in the 50 games that he played in. Adderley also has 42 runs batted in. The junior has six home runs, 14 doubles, and one triple to go with 17 stolen bases.

“It took consistent work every day and not getting satisfied or comfortable. It was about wanting it more and more. I did not notice I was doing that well until my friends were showing me on social media accounts and posting it. I am not a stats guy, but when I found out I had to keep it going and believing in God has kept me going,” Adderley said.

His play this season has earned him a spot on the Minority Baseball Prospects Historically Black Colleges and Universities All-Star Game roster, that is slated for June 3 at 7:15 p.m. He was selected as a captain of the all-star team.

“I was very surprised because of how quickly they chose me. I was doing well so I can understand why, but I was excited and still excited to be a part of that. It is a privilege,” Adderley said.

His Tigers were in action yesterday in the SWAC tournament. They lost 9-1 against the Florida A&M Rattlers. It was a close 1-0 lead for the Rattlers at the end of the sixth inning. They scored eight runs in the final three innings. Adderley batted second and finished 1-for-3.

They will face either Prairie View A&M or Alabama State University this morning at 9 a.m. at the Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Adderley played in the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) and attended Queen’s College. He left after Grade 8 and went to McCallie Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He  later went to Tusculum University and Wabash Valley College, before going to play for the Tigers.

 Home|Sports|BLTA set to host ITF TournamentSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMay 25, 2023 211 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) is pleased to announce its return to hosting international tournaments. The J30 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junkanoo Bowl will see players from all over the world converging at the National Tennis Centre on June 24-July 1.

The qualifying rounds will occur on June 24-25 and the main draw starts on Monday, June 26. The BLTA anticipates that some local players will have the opportunity to play in their first ITF tournament on home soil.

Players are eligible to compete on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors in the year they turn 13, if they have reached their 13th birthday on or before the start of the singles main draw of the tournament they are competing in, until the end of the year in which the player turns 18 years of age.

BLTA President Perry Newton expressed his pleasure on the BLTA being able to put on this international tournament once again post-COVID, and to offer this opportunity to locals as well as international juniors.

“Tournament travel is expensive and if we can host this tournament in our country, it provides an avenue for our talented juniors to get exposure and match play,” Newton said.

The tournament normally features juniors from the United States, Canada, Europe, Italy, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The association expects athletes from over 20 countries, and the tournament will be great for the country and for tennis in The Bahamas.

The tournament is being sponsored by RMS Insurance Agents and Brokers

 Home|Sports|Semifinals set in soccer nationalsSports

Girls and boys are set to play on Friday; finals on Saturday

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 24, 2023 332 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

It was a busy afternoon at the Roscow A.L. Davies Soccer Field as six senior girls teams battled for three spots in the upcoming semifinals of the Samuel P. Haven Jr. National High School Soccer Championships. In the end, it was the Lyford Cay International School Dragons, the C.R. Walker Knights and the Queen’s College Comets who secured spots yesterday afternoon, winning their quarterfinal matches.

Those three schools will join the Bishop Michael Eldon School Warriors in the semifinals set for this coming Friday.

In the featured game of the day, the Comets took care of the R.M. Bailey Pacers, 1-0. The game was decided by a penalty kick by Alexis Williamson in the first half. The penalty was awarded after the Pacers were whistled for a handball in their own box.

The game was an aggressive one but the Comets had more shots and more shots on goal than the Pacers. Comets’ Head Coach Deborah Humes said that it was a good game between two good teams playing each other.

“There was a lot of pushing and shoving for the ball which is how we play sometimes. We play a little bit more skillfully and getting pushed off the ball is not something we are used to. We could have done a little better there but we had 10 shots on target and we dominated the game. We played in our half for most of it,” Humes said.

The Comets were missing a few of their senior girls who were preparing for exams today. Humes expects them back in the semifinal game and the final once they make it through.

In the second game of the afternoon, Valtonique Simmons picked up a hat-trick to help the Knights take care of the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine, 3-0. It was a very aggressive game but Simmons was strong early and often. She was able to find the back of the net in the first half to send her team into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

“We knew that we could win the game,” Simmons said. “I am happy to help my team … we did an excellent job today.”

Simmons scored midway through the second half to put the Knights up 2-0. Simmons did not rest after her second goal as she looked for a hat-trick. She finally got it late in the second half as she pressed SAC’s box and blasted a shot into the right side of the net to complete the hat-trick.

Knights’ Head Coach Dan Weightman said it was a very hot game and his girls had to push. He said he had to use his bench a lot and it paid off for him.

“They were able to pick each other up and the subs did their job. The girls wanted to go deep in the tournament. They are undefeated with a very successful season. They did not want to go out in the first round. We had to win this game,” Weightman said.

The first game was dominated wire-to-wire by the Dragons as they dropped five unanswered goals on the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves to win, 5-0.

Dragons’ Head Coach Sarah Ilgenfritz was happy with the way the team came out.

“The girls came out with a lot of grit. The last time we played was not a good result. We came out hungry and I was not surprised that we did. They worked hard and did exactly what we talked about in practice,” Ilgenfritz said.

After a quiet start to the game, CARIFTA swimmer Delaney Mizell got the Dragons on the scoreboard. On the Timberwolves’ kick-off after the goal, Yasmin Kennedy stole the ball and dribbled into the Timberwolves’ box and scored to put the Dragons up 2-0.

Melissa Beukes scored a goal for the Dragons to put them up 3-0 in the second half. The Dragons shared the ball, and as a result, had three different goal scorers.

Issa Bournas became the fourth goal scorer for the Dragons as the game got more out of reach for the Timberwolves. Bournas was not finished as she scored again before the end of the game to put in the fifth goal in the back of the net.

Co-captain and goalkeeper for the Dragons Lillian Haynes did not have much to do but she was happy with the team’s victory.

On Monday, the boys were in action and the Government High School (GHS) Magic, the Timberwolves, and the Dragons secured spots in the semifinals on Friday. After a scoreless game in regulation, the Magic won 4-3 on penalty kicks over the St. Anne’s Blue Waves. The Timberwolves won 2-1 over the St. Andrew’s Hurricanes and the Dragons won 3-2 over the Knights.

The fourth team in the semifinals for the girls and the boys are the Warriors out of Grand Bahama on the girls side and the Lucaya International School Buccaneers, also out of Grand Bahama, on the boys side.

The semifinals are set for Friday and the third place games and finals are set for Saturday. There will be a Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy awarded in both divisions.

Home|Sports|Newton excited about senior teams
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Photo of Simba French Simba French Send an 24, 2023 296 2 minute read
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Perry Newton.
It has been a busy year for the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) internationally but that has been with the juniors. Their senior teams will be in action in June and July in the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup tournaments respectively and the president of BLTA, Perry Newton, is looking forward to seeing those teams in action.

The Davis Cup will get underway on June 19 at the Club Internacional de Tenis in Asuncion, Paraguay. The Billie Jean King Cup is set for July 26-29 at the Centro Nacional De Tenis Parque Del Este in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Newton saw Marvin Rolle and Donte Armbrister book the remaining two spots on the Davis Cup team and teenager Sapphire Ferguson and Simone Pratt securing their spots on the Billie Jean King Cup team this past weekend at the national team trials.

“We had Rolle and Armbrister face off as well as Ferguson and Pratt. We are excited about the teams as usual. Whenever we have an opportunity to compete it is exciting because that is what we train and prepare for – the opportunity to compete and to compete at a high level,” Newton said.

The other members on the Davis Cup team are Denali Nottage and professional tennis player Kevin Major Jr. Elana Mackey and Sydney Clarke are the other two members of the Billie Jean King Cup team. Rolle will be making his 19th appearance at Davis Cup while Major is making a seventh appearance. Armbrister will make his second appearance and Nottage, who is the national champion, will be making his debut.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) made a change to zone play where zone two is now a world group and zone three has a lot of high quality teams. The Bahamas is competing in zone three.

“I am excited about the men’s team,” Newton said. “It is just an amazing process and it is amazing to see the level of competition throughout the region based on some changes the ITF has done. It is a joy to be in that zone and be able to compete at that level. That level of exposure is what we seek to get because we have to prove that we can compete at a high level.”

Pratt is making her seventh appearance on the Billie Jean King Cup team while Clarke is making her fifth appearance. Mackey, the nation champion, will be making her fourth appearance while Ferguson is making her debut. Newton said he is looking forward to their play, especially for 15-year-old Ferguson.

“I am excited for Ferguson as it is her first time on the team and just to be able to go and experience this level of play, is an accomplishment. It is a career defining moment and hopefully, she will be able to take away a lot of lessons and gain a lot of experience to help her in her personal development,” Newton said.

The other teams participating in the Davis Cup tournament are Bermuda, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Venezuela. There will be two round robin groups with one having four teams and the other one having five teams. Three nations will be promoted and two will be relegated.

The other teams that will be competing at the Billie Jean King Cup tournament are Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Two teams will be promoted and two will be relegated.

 Home|Sports|Cartwright wins 100m hurdles titleSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 31, 2023 1,727 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

This past weekend was a busy one for Bahamian athletes competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships on the campus of Colorado State University in Pueblo, Colorado.

Denisha Cartwright’s Minnesota State University (MSU) at Mankato Mavericks placed second overall, and Cartwright earned All-American honors.

The Mavericks scored 57 points for the second-place finish, coming behind the Azusa Pacific University Cougars who won with 66 points.

Cartwright, a junior, won the 100 meters (m) hurdles title, clocking a wind-aided 12.94 seconds. The race was ran with a tailwind of 4.9 meters per seconds (mps), and in the end, Cartwright came out on top, earning the title of national champion in that event for a second consecutive year. The time is not legal, but Cartwright went into the meet with a NCAA Division II best 13 seconds flat and had a time of 13.15 seconds in the preliminaries. The junior earned All-America honors for her performance.

Cartwright finished ahead of Missouri Southern University’s Kiara Smith who crossed the finish line a distant second in a time of 13.13 seconds. Finishing third was the Cougars’ Esther Conde-Turpin with a time of 13.14 seconds.

Cartwright was also in action in the 200m and her time of 23.10 seconds was good enough to give her a silver medal. Winning that race was Divonne Franklin from California University of Pennsylvania who stopped the clock at 22.77 seconds. Simon Fraser University’s Marie-Eloise Leclair was third in a time of 23.14 seconds.

The Bahamian was not finished competing as she went on to the track to run the 100m dash. Cartwright missed out on a podium finish, ending up fourth in a wind-aided time of 11.13 seconds. Winning that race to secure the double was Franklin in a time of 11.09 seconds.

Along with those three individual events, Cartwright was also on the track for the 4x100m relay with teammates Ja’Cey Simmons, Rose Cramer and Makayla Jackson. The race in the final was a strong one as it was a battle between the Mavericks and Lincoln University of Missouri for the top spot. In the end, it was one one hundredth of a second that separated the two with Lincoln finishing with a time of 44.20 and the Mavericks clocked 44.21 seconds. West Texas A&M won the bronze medal in 44.23 seconds. The Mavericks’ quartet had the third fastest time in the preliminaries – 44.47 seconds.

Cartwright has earned a total of 19 All-American awards in her collegiate career.

Another Bahamian competing at the meet was Robyn Rolle-Curry. She competed for the Minnesota State University (MSU) at Moorhead Dragons in the 400m. Rolle-Curry, who was the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference champion in the 400m, placed seventh over the weekend with a time of 53.67 seconds. With that finish she got an All-America honor. Winning that race was Winona State’s Shereen Vallabouy with a time of 52.74 seconds. Rolle-Curry went into the final with the fourth-fastest time in the preliminaries – 53.22 seconds which is a school record