Home|Sports|Bahamas Games tickets and merchandise available for saleSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 27, 2023 186 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

With just two weeks from the opening of the Golden Jubilee Bahamas Games, tickets and merchandise are now officially on sale. The Bahamas Games will be held from July 7-15, with the opening ceremony on Saturday, July 8.

There will be 14 sporting disciplines contested, and tickets are available online at thebahamasgames.org and in person at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting received the baton on behalf of Eleuthera, home of the Eleuthera Adventurers, as the stick continues to make its trip from island to island leading up to the opening ceremony for the sixth edition of the games.

The Bahamas Games, established in 1989, under the then-sports minister Peter J. Bethell, was the first of five games. The following games occurred in 1991, 1995, 1998 and 2001.

For this sixth edition, everyone is encouraged to show their national pride by wearing Bahamian colors during the games or sporting their favorite island team colors.

Bowleg provided an update on the Bahamas Games last Thursday, stating that over 3,000 athletes were registered and ready to participate.

According to the minister, patrons of this year’s games will be former Prime Minister Perry Christie, a former national track and field athlete, and Beverly Wallace-Whitfield. 

Chancellors of the games will include Craig Flowers and Dr. William Thompson.

Bowleg thanked all the staff of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Bahamas Games Secretariat, the sporting federations, volunteers, and both Bahamasair and Western Air, which will be providing air transportation for all of the athletes and officials from across The Bahamas, for their continued patronage and support.

Presently, more than 600 volunteers have signed up to assist with the successful execution of the games.

According to Bowleg, the Bahamas Games Secretariat and Independence Celebration Secretariat are working together to ensure that there will be no conflict with the events and activities scheduled for the 50th Golden Jubilee celebrations.

All morning sessions beginning at 9 a.m. will be free to all attendees. Evening sessions will start at 3 p.m., and relevant packages are available for purchase at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs National Gymnasium, along with merchandise.

Bahamians are encouraged to support their team of choice and come out and support the upcoming games.

The 10 teams forming the individual islands or grouping of islands include the Abaco Survivors, the Andros Chiccharnies, the Bimini and Berry Islands Marlins, the Columbus Isles Arawaks (Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador), the Eleuthera Adventurers, the Exuma & Ragged Island Navigators, the Grand Bahama Lucayans, the Long Island Sheep Runners, the MICAL Flamingoes (Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay) and the New Providence Buccaneers.

The upcoming games reflect the national theme for the nation’s 50th anniversary of independence, one of unity and progression as one people, as stated in the Golden Jubilee Bahamas Games’ slogan, “Our Nation, Our Islands, Our Games”.

The excitement for Bahamas Games 2023 is building, and everyone can participate and learn more about the games by going to the Bahamas Games website – thebahamasgames.org – or by following, liking and subscribing on social media for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @thebahamagames, or TikTok and YouTube @thebahamasgames.

Every Tuesday at 6 p.m., the public is encouraged to tune into the “Hype Tuesday” show streamed live on the Bahamas Games’ Facebook and YouTube channels to represent their island and team and show their support for who they feel will win the upcoming games.

For more information on how to participate in the games, or general information on the games, persons can call (242) 322-1029/69 or send an e-mail to info@thebahamasgames.org or bahamasgamessecretariat@gmail.com.

 Home|Sports|Abaco well represented at baseball nationals; treated to Fusion afterwardsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 28, 2023 8 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The sport of baseball is alive and kicking on one of the most northerly islands in The Bahamas.

Abaco, the second largest island in The Bahamas, is best known as a yachtsman’s paradise, but this past weekend, youngsters from that island were swinging for the fences and making names for themselves at the Bahamas Baseball Association’s (BBA) Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championships.

The championships, which were spread out over four venues due to disruption from rain, was completed on Sunday. The Freedom Farm Baseball League won three of the six divisions – the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) captured two and the Grand Bahama Little League (GBLL) secured the other.

The Abaco Youth Baseball and Softball League played in two bronze medal games and had great representation in two others. They competed in the 10-and-under (10U), 12-and-under (12U), 14-and-under (14U) and 16-and-under (16U) divisions.

They played for the bronze in the 14U and 16U divisions, losing out to GBLL and JBLN, respectively.

“We’re so proud of those boys. They went out there and competed against the best competition in The Bahamas and they held their own against them,” said Troy Feaste, president of the Abaco Youth Baseball and Softball League. “For a lot of them, this was their first set of competition for the year, other than what they face in Abaco. It remains a work in progress with them.

“The important thing is that they are developing, and we could see the improvement. The level of competition they faced this past weekend is welcomed. Overall, they played very well. They gave it their all and competed fiercely against more established leagues like Freedom Farm and JBLN. We were able to evaluate them and we could see where they got better. We’re already planning for next year,” he added.

After completing four days of competition, the 50-member crew from Abaco were treated to Sunday brunch at Fusion Superplex by Buttons Formal Wear, a past sponsor of a team in local baseball league play. Buttons Formal Wear won four senior national baseball titles in the 1990s.

Tommy Stubbs, who played the catcher’s position on all of those teams and his team at Buttons Formal Wear, provided the treat for the young Abaconians on Sunday. His wife, Makeva, brother, Danny, and daughter, Ashley, greeted the youngsters at Fusion Superplex.

“Tommy Stubbs, thank you for your support and hospitality at Fusion on Sunday night,” said Feaste. “Our boys had a good time after participating in the Bahamas Baseball Association’s nationals. We, in the Abaco Youth Baseball and Softball League, salute Buttons Formal Wear and we appreciate your support.”

Feaste also offered thanks to Fusion Superplex for accommodating them.

As for the baseball nationals, he said that Abaco will be well represented again next year when the event is held in the nation’s second city – Freeport, Grand Bahama.

 Home|Sports|All-Pro Weekend camp receives huge supportSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 28, 2023 25 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The second Bahamas All-Pro Weekend Instructional Football Camp took place on Saturday, receiving an overwhelming support from the campers who showed up and enjoyed themselves at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Several current and former National Football League (NFL) players including Bahamian and Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver Michael Strachan and Arizona Cardinals’ cornerback Rashad Fenton, who has Bahamian roots, served as instructors. Also serving as an instructor was Graham Knowles, son of Bahamian tennis legend Mark Knowles’, a quarterback who recently committed to play at Georgia Tech after his final year of high school.

One of the organizers of the camp, Arthur Johnson, said that they wanted to give the participants a very good experience at the one-day camp.

“It is a tremendous effort, thanks to the help of BTC (Bahamas Telecommunications Company) and other sponsors who all came together to put this event together. This camp is a chance for the Bahamian kids to get a true NFL experience with NFL players. I hope that it helped to develop their skills for them to see if this is something they truly want to pursue. There is not that many camps for this sport in The Bahamas,” Johnson said.

The campers had a lively warmup from former Boise State lineman Alex Guerrero, which included a 40-yard dash. They were then broken up into stations that included one for quarterback drills, another for receiver techniques, one for defensive back drills and another for running back drills.

Strachan, who was in Grand Bahama hosting his own camp the day before, said that he was happy to be in New Providence to see all the kid putting in work.

“It is exciting to see the kids out here ready to work. We worked with them and showed them the techniques and fundamentals of the game. Giving back in general is important and I’m from The Bahamas so it is always in my heart to give whether on or off the field,” Strachan said.

He added that he hopes to see the sport played in high schools in The Bahamas one day.

Guerrero did the warmups with the campers and brought a lot of energy to the camp. Now in his second year with the camp, he likes the athleticism and work ethic that he saw again.

“I want them to fall in love with the sport the same way I fell in love with it,” Guerrero said. “This is a way for me to pass on my blessings. There is tremendous talent and energy. The Bahamian people have the athleticism and work ethic. I think it takes an opportunity that Strachan and Fenton had. It takes commitment, so this is one more step for these guys to achieve what their dreams.”

The younger Knowles did the passing drills at the quarterback station.

“I am very grateful to bring football to this community and showcase how much fun the sport is. I wanted to teach them the basics. I taught them some drills and how to be a god player and respond to situations,” Knowles said.

Fenton said he was happy to be back to his roots with an opportunity to share his knowledge and time with young Bahamian kids. He taught them how to play defense from a defensive back position.

“I taught them the regular defensive positions and how to get into a stance. I taught them how to operate moving backwards instead of forward,” he said.

For some of the campers it was their second time at the camp, and they enjoyed working with the instructors. Both male and female campers were in attendance.

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas in action at the CAC GamesSports

Swimmers, sailor Joshua Higgins, and judo athletes compete against the region’s best

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 28, 2023 61 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas continued its performances at the 24th edition of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, yesterday with swimming, sailing and judo on the calendar.

Bahamian swimmer Luke-Kennedy Thompson kicked off the action for The Bahamas at the Complejo Acuatico Merliot in the men’s 400 meters (m) freestyle. He powered through the middle-distance race to clock 4:10.33, placing sixth in heat two. He placed 12th overall in the preliminaries to qualify for the ‘B’ final last night.

Teenager Rhanishka Gibbs swam in her second race of the competition – the 100m butterfly. Gibbs finished eighth in her race touching the wall in a time of 1:08.34, and 22nd overall. Gibbs made the final in the 50m breaststroke on Monday morning and was set to swim in the ‘A’ final later that night. Due to thunderstorms in that area, her race was postponed to a later date.

Thompson was back in action along with Emmanuel Gadson in the 50m breast. Thompson swam in the third heat and placed sixth with a time of 29.52 seconds. This was Gadson’s second race of the competition. Gadson was in action in heat two and posted a time of 31.10 seconds to finish fifth in his heat. Thompson finished 15th overall to qualify for another ‘B’ final last night while Gadson finished 20th.

The Bahamas’ team of Gadson, Gibbs, Thompson and his little sister, Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson, teamed up to swim in the final event of the morning session – the mixed 4x100m free relay. The quartet swam in heat two and placed sixth after clocking a time of 3:54.80. They did not qualify for the final last night as they placed 12th overall.

Bahamian sailor Joshua Higgins was set to be on the waters in the men’s International Laser Class Association (ILCA) 7 event yesterday. Those races were postponed. On Monday, he was seventh in his first race, scoring seven points. In the second race, he placed fifth, scoring five points. He has 12 points after two races and sits in fifth out of 16 competitors.

In judo, Bahamian Alexander Strachan competed in the men’s 100 kg. (kilogram) Round of 16 on Monday at the Coliseo de la Universidad de El Salvador. He went up against Venezuelan Antonio Rodriguez. Strachan lost by way of ippon.

Strachan’s brother, Daniel Strachan, was in action on the mat on Monday in the 90kg. division. In the quarterfinal match, Daniel Strachan fell to Cuban Ivan Silva by way of ippon. The match lasted 40 seconds.

The CAC Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event for athletes in the Caribbean and Central America. It will wrap up on July 8.

There are 51 athletes representing The Bahamas in 11 sporting disciplines – athletics, swimming, water polo, men’s basketball, women’s softball, boxing, equestrian, archery, beach soccer, judo and triathlon.

There are 20 officials for Team Bahamas.

 Home|Lifestyles|Grand Bahama News|Young GB equestrians riding highGrand Bahama News

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 20, 2023 45 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

As the horse riding season at Pine Tree Stables in Freeport draws to a close for the summer, General Manager Linda Buchanan is praising the accomplishments of three young Grand Bahamians who competed at an international competition in Florida this spring on borrowed mounts and won ribbons.

The Plantation Heritage Horse Show was held in Plantation, Florida, on March 4-5.

Representing Grand Bahama were Eleni Klonaris,12, and sisters Peyton Long, 13, and Amelia Long, 10.

Buchanan explained there were obstacles the girls had to overcome.

“We really wanted to go to the event, but in order to do that, we had to use borrowed horses in Florida,” she said.

“The girls were able to try out the horses the night before and competed with them the next day. The girls did exceptionally well, especially riding horses that were not familiar to them.”

The trio competed individually in Walk-Trot, Walk-Trot-Canter, and Cross-Rail courses.

Eleni said she was excited heading into her first international competition.

She received second and third-place finishes in two of four events, including the Walk-Trot-Canter division.

“It was an amazing experience,” Eleni said.

“At the beginning, I was a little bit nervous because I was only able to ride Chief once before the competition began, but as time went on, I got more comfortable with him and was able to do well in my course.”

Peyton, who placed second in three of her events, shared similar sentiments.

“Riding Dolce during the competition started out a bit rough because I had only ridden him once which was the night before the competition,” she said.

“Then, it started to get better once I stopped being nervous and remembered everything that I learned.”

Despite being the youngest rider from Grand Bahama, Amelia said she felt confident with her skills. It was this confidence that secured her second place in one of her events.

“I have been riding for a while and I practice a lot, so I just tried to remember what I learned and I feel like I did a good job,” she said.

Buchanan explained that the girls are dedicated to the sport and have adopted a rigorous practice schedule with Eleni and Peyton riding every day while Amelia rides every other day.

“These girls have been training with me for years and I know what they are capable of,” she said.

“However, I was amazed at what they were able to do at the show. They were able to adapt to the new horses fairly quickly. They were prepared, confident, and looked really good while competing against some more experienced riders at an international event.”

Kristi Long, Peyton’s and Amelia’s mother, said, “The girls work extremely hard and are very dedicated. I am very proud of what they were able to accomplish in Plantation and I know that they will continue to do well.”

Eleni’s mother, Kim Klonaris, added, “I’m impressed with the group’s performance. This was the first time they had to compete riding unfamiliar horses. They pulled together and did exceptionally well against persons who compete on a weekly basis.”

The girls hope to engage in more international competitions.

“It was such a great experience to compete against persons from abroad,” Peyton said. “I hope that we get to do it again real soon.”

Eleni added, “Every rider has a different style, so it was good to see these people from different places ride. It was a learning experience. I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish at the show and I know that when we compete again that we will all do even better at future events.”  

Amelia also looks forward to more training and competitions, while encouraging other young people.

“Be brave,” she said. “Try something that you have never done before, and never give up on your dreams.”

 Home|Lifestyles|Grand Bahama News|Girls-only soccer camp returns for second yearGrand Bahama News

Barbara WalkinSend an emailJune 20, 2023 21 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Veteran soccer coaches Mary and Donnie Knowles of Freeport are the organizers of the Grand Bahama Girls’ Soccer Camp, which began on Monday at the YMCA Field and runs until June 23.

“This year, we have two college coaches joining us for the camp sessions. Coach Eric Dobrzanski from Florida International University (FIU) (Division 1) and Scott Carswell from Eastern Florida State College (Junior College),” Mrs. Knowles said.

According to FIU’s website, Dobrzanski is a proven developer of high-level student athletes. He joined FIU after spending two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Lynn University after spending 10 seasons as the head women’s soccer coach at Johnson & Wales University, Miami.

Carswell is in his fourth year as head coach of the Eastern Florida State College women’s soccer team and, in 2021, led the program to its first NJCAA Division I National Championship title.

“I know the information and skills these coaches share with the girls will be beneficial,” Mrs. Knowles said.

Mary and Donnie Knowles believe it is also important for the young players to see Bahamian college student athletes who will be assisting with camp sessions.

“We have a number of local college athletes, who are home on summer break, and two youth coaches, who will be leaving next month on soccer scholarships, that have volunteered to coach the girls with us,” Mrs. Knowles said.

The two young coaches are Freeport resident Giselle Laing, who will be heading to Louisiana Christian University, and Jamario Charles from Eight Mile Rock, who will be going to Jacksonville College in Texas.

Louisiana Christian University is a private Baptist university in Pineville, Louisiana. It enrolls 1,100 to 1,200 students. It is affiliated with the Louisiana Baptist Convention.

Jacksonville College in Texas is also a private Christian Junior College that provides Christ-centered teaching and training that prepares students to lead meaningful lives that transform the world.

Mary said that seeing and hearing from college students from their own communities can be the extra motivation the young players need.

The first all-girls camp last year attracted 64 young players.

This year’s camp has a Women’s World Cup theme as the events of Women’s World Cup start today and continue until August 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

The veteran soccer coach alongside her husband has been organizing and coaching girls’ soccer programs for more than 20 years.

The duo co-founded the Grand Bahama Girls’ Soccer Development Program, and continue to support the YMCA Soccer Program, and assist and volunteer with coaching players wherever needed.

Mrs. Knowles believes the camp sessions will prepare the young female players for the GB Girls’ Soccer Development League which is on tap to begin the end of September.

Interested players may register at Town and Country Maintenance or contact Mary Knowles at 352-3641.

 Home|Sports|Strachan ready for the challenge from CharltonSports

They are set to run against each other for the first time in their careers at nationals

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 22, 2023 104 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Anthaya Charlton may be the new big talent in female sprints in The Bahamas, and may be a part of a bright future, but veteran Anthonique Strachan isn’t paying it much mind. She’s more focused on what she needs to do at nationals and, come July 5-7, she will take on all challengers.

Charlton and Strachan are likely to meet on the track for the first time in their careers at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Jr. and Sr. National Track and Field Championships, set for July 5-7, at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Charlton had a breakout season for the University of Kentucky, experiencing success indoors and outdoors on the collegiate scene. She has recorded personal best times in both short sprints, is a double medalist from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Championships and is a medalist in the women’s 4×100 meters (m) from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Her personal best times in the short sprints are 11.11 seconds in the 100m and 23.47 seconds in the 200m. She also has a personal best leap of 6.74m (22’ 1-1/2”) in the long jump. Those marks are just outside of the qualifying times and distances for the world championships – 11.08 seconds in the 100m, 22.60 seconds in the 200m and 6.85m (22’ 5-3/4”) in the long jump. The 19th World Athletics Championships is set for August 19-27 at the National Athletics Centre, in Budapest, Hungary.

The future is certainly bright for Charlton, but the moment may belong to Strachan who is certainly not going to relinquish her national title in the women’s 100m without a fight. Strachan said she’s very proud of what Charlton has been able to accomplish this season but, at the end of the day, when she lines up on the track to run against her, it’s all business for her.

“It’s college and it’s cute. I’m not concerned about anyone in any race when I line up to run,” said Strachan. “There are nine lanes on the track and they have to bring it just like I have to bring it. Last season, she (Charlton) didn’t compete at all and now she is looking good. It will be a joy to run against her and anyone else who lines up to compete.”

Charlton said she’s just looking forward to getting on the track and running in front of the Bahamian people, staying away from any pre-race hype with Strachan. However, she did say she’s looking forward to the opportunity.

“Competing against her is going to be real exciting because I remember when I was in Bermuda for CARIFTA 2012, she won the Austin Sealy [Award] and there was a picture of me and her in the newspaper. They were calling me her little sister because I ran on to the field when she got her award. That’s really cool because now we are going to be competing against each other. I feel like it’s going to be a good matchup.”

At the time, Charlton was just eight years old. Now, at 19, going on 20, and running the best times in her life, she’s a viable threat for any athlete she lines up next to in the short sprints. Strachan is 10 years her senior at 29 going on 30. The race is expected to be between those two at nationals.

“I’m really happy because, for a while, I was just out of it. I quit track for a year and people didn’t think I was going to come back,” said Charlton. “When I came back, people didn’t think I was going to do well, so to perform the way I did was really exciting.

“I feel like I had a really good season, particularly looking back at my goals for the season. I exceeded all of my goals, and all-in-all, it was a really good season and I owe all of that to my coaches, my training style, my support system and also my mentality changed.”

The former junior sensation sat out much of the 2021-2022 season, but really returned with a bang this year, coming back stronger than ever before.

Charlton is set to compete in the 100m and long jump events at the junior and senior nationals, coming off competition in the 100m at the 24th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador, El Salvador. She will have just a day’s rest between the CAC Games and the nationals, including travel from El Salvador to The Bahamas.

“Nationals would be a high-ranking meet for me and it would be a good opportunity to get points ahead of the world championships, so I don’t want to miss that. Also, I’m excited to be able to compete at home because I haven’t done so in about three to four years,” she said. “With the CAC, that is a high-ranking meet as well, so I’m looking to boost my rankings in both of those, so that I could go to worlds for both the 100m and the long jump. I’m looking forward to it.”

Charlton is yet to qualify for the world championships, but is anticipating padding her points standings by competing in the CAC Games and the junior and senior nationals. She will leave right after her 100m event at the CAC Games, travel to Nassau and compete at the junior and senior nationals the next day.

As for Strachan, she, too, is having a fantastic season, running personal best times in the short sprints – 10.92 seconds in the 100m and 22.15 seconds in the 200m.

“I like where I’m at right now,” said Strachan. “I just have to continue to fine-tune myself for nationals and the world championships later this summer. It continues to be a work in progress, but I’m ready to go.”

Strachan said she is looking for the junior and senior nationals to be jumping with excitement, and she’s hoping to put on a show for the Bahamian people.

“I’m always content with the support that we athletes get from the Bahamian people and I hope they come out and show us some support and love again,” she said. “I just want to come home, run well and perform to the best of my ability. I just want to make it through. I just want to say thanks to the Bahamian people for all the love and support and all the encouragement that we athletes have gotten over the years.”

Following a stunning personal best run in the 100m at the Bislett Games Diamond League Meet in Oslo, Norway, in which she defeated Jamaican 200m World Champion Shericka Jackson for the first time since their junior days, Strachan has returned to her training base in Kingston, Jamaica, and will wait it out until the start of nationals on July 5.

When asked if there’s one race she would want to see at the junior and senior nationals, she said it would have to be the men’s 100m featuring Bahamian collegiate athletes Terrence Jones and Wanya McCoy.

“I want to see if Wanya can meet the challenge and run under 10 seconds at home,” said Strachan. “I believe the push from Terrence would be enough to get him to run under 10 seconds and qualify for the world championships.”

Texas Tech junior Jones has run personal best times of 9.91 seconds in the 100m and 19.87 seconds in the 200m this year. Clemson sophomore McCoy has clocked 10.10 seconds in the 100m and 20.41 seconds in the 200m. The 100m time from Jones equals the Bahamian national record that was set by Derrick Atkins at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

Bahamians could expect to see those athletes and many more come July 5-7 in Nassau, The Bahamas.

 Home|Sports|Junior golf team prepares for regional tourneySports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 22, 2023 223 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ Junior National Golf Team is preparing to head to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, for the 35th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships, set for July 3-8. That event will be played at the North Sound Gold Club in Grand Cayman.

Playing for The Bahamas in the tournament are Zion Taylor, Christopher Callender, Alex Dupuch, Jackson Mactaggart, Kerrington Rolle, Camdyn Forbes, Patrick Mactaggart, De’Nahj Mortimer, Miljojka Gojkovic, Tyesha Tynes, Taylor Sands, Seannae Norville-Smith, Hayley Hall and Madison Carroll.

The coach is former junior national team member Fredrick Taylor.

According to Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, Bahamas Golf Federation (BGF) junior chairperson and team manager, all but two members of the team are on New Providence. She said the two are on Grand Bahama, and that preparation is coming along well.

“Our players are training four days a week together,” Gonzalez-Rolle said. “We have two golfers from Grand Bahama this year who are practicing together four days per week as well. They will be in New Providence from this Sunday training with the kids here as we don’t have any coach in Grand Bahama to train them.”

The other countries participating in the tournament are Barbados, host country Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the US Virgin Islands. There are three boys age divisions and three girls age divisions. The teams will be competing for the Hank James trophy, the overall team trophy of the tournament.

The first round gets underway on Wednesday, July 5, the second round will be on that Thursday, and the third and final round will be played on Friday, July 7.

In last year’s tournament, The Bahamas placed fourth overall with 107 points. Last year’s host country, Puerto Rico, won with 168 points. The Bahamas’ team has some new players this year, and Gonzalez-Rolle hopes to improve on the team’s finish.

“We have a few new players on the team, so we hope to do just as well, but we would love to win overall,” said Gonzalez-Rolle. “We have six rookies. Our entire team is qualified Bahamian juniors who have worked and practiced tirelessly to do well.”

The BGF Junior National Championship is usually hosted at the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island and, according to Gonzalez-Rolle, there will be a lot of wind at the course in Grand Cayman, similar to how it is at Ocean Club.

The team leaves on July 2.

 Home|Sports|Junior tennis nationals wraps upSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 22, 2023 64 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The remaining champions were crowned yesterday in the 2023 AID Junior National Tennis Championships, bringing an exciting conclusion to that event at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center.

Jerold Carroll was the first champion of the day to be crowned, taking care of Khai Rees in the 16-and-under boys division. Carroll was leading 5-2 in the first set when Rees was forced to retired due to an injury. The win was bittersweet for the 14-year-old as Rees is his longtime tennis counterpart.

“I am happy that I got the win, but I wish I could have shown more of what I could do,” Carroll said. “I came into the match excited because we have been playing since we were younger and I was ready to keep up the rivalry. It was sad seeing him having to retire because of the injury. I hope he feels better.”

The Winter Park School student said at that point, he was playing according to his game plan.

“I was playing my game,” Carroll said. “I came out and I was doing what I came out to do. I followed the plan and I was up.”

The match finishing early worked out for Carroll as he needed the rest. He had two more trophies to compete for, and picked up his second championship after defeating Dentry Mortimer in three sets in the 18-and-under boys division. He won 6-4, 6-1 and 6-0.

“It was great to win this division,” Carroll said. “Mortimer had a different game style from everyone else. It took me a while to get used to it, but I got back to playing my game. I knew that I could win. I had more energy and stamina than him.”

Carroll was not finished as yet as he completed the triple crown, winning the 18-and-under doubles with partner Jackson Mactaggart. They took care of Patrick Mackey Jr. and Miguel Smith in two sets, 4-0 and 4-0.

It was the second consecutive year that Carroll won the triple crown.

The 16-and-under girls match turned out to be a competitive one as Takaii Adderley defeated Breann Ferguson, 6-1 and 7-6 (7). It was the first time Adderley played in the tournament. She resides in the United States.

“I am happy to get the win. I had to represent my dad’s side of the family,” Adderley said. “It was a good match. I thank God for the victory. It got tough in the second set, but I was able to pull through. She is a very tough opponent.”

After Adderley won the first set, 6-1, Ferguson said she started to play her game and was able to make the second set a very competitive one. Ferguson went up 6-5 in the second set, but Adderley was able to tie the set at six games apiece. It was Adderley who was able to get the win in the tiebreaker.

“I wanted to stay in control in the second set, going back to my game plan,” Adderley said. “In the tiebreaker, I wanted to just take it one point at a time. I feel confident going into tiebreakers. My mindset was that it was not over until it is over.”

Ferguson said that she made crucial mistakes at the wrong time. Looking ahead, she said she will look to be more aggressive.

In the 18-and-under girls division, Adderley defeated Sapphire Ferguson, 6-0 and 6-1, to secure the championship in that division. Adderley said she had to put her best foot forward.

“I stuck with my game plan and went after every single ball. It feels great to win both divisions,” she said. “I came to have a good tournament and to get both trophies is amazing.”

Sarai Clarke had a tough three-set match against Tatyana Madu in the 14-and-under girls division. Clarke won 6-1, 1-6 and 6-3 to lift the trophy.

“I started off strong and stuck with my strategy and game plan, which was consistency and patience,” said Clarke. “The second set saw Madu catching on and playing smarter. I lost it and got distracted. The third set saw me playing more patiently.”

Clarke, who attends the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, said she was happy to see her hard training pay off with a championship. The 14-year-old teamed up with Briana Houlgrave to lift the doubles trophy in the 14-and-under girls division. They took care of Caitlyn Pratt and Danielle Saunders in two sets, 4-1 and 4-0.

Alec Hooper and Cohen Knowles took care of Kingston Rees and Synaj Watkins to secure the 14-and-under boys doubles title. Hooper and Knowles won, 4-1 and 4-0.

The other age divisions champions were crowned earlier in the tournament. The 14-and-under boys division was won by Patrick Mactaggart. The 12-and-under boys and girls divisions were won by Chase Newbold and Vonteneke Rolle, respectively. Cory Conyers won the 10-and-under boys division and Londyn Mortimer won the 10-and-under girls division. Eden Storr secured the 8-and-under girls division. There was no 8-and-under boys division.

AID JUNIOR NATIONAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

TOP LEFT: Jerald Carroll, triple crown winner at the 2023 junior national tennis championships. TOP RIGHT: Sarai Clarke, the double crown winner of the under 14 girls singles and doubles matches. ABOVE LEFT: Alec Hooper and Cohen Knowles are the under 14 boys double champions. ABOVE RIGHT: Takaii Adderley, winner of the under 16 and 18 girls singles. Photos by Tenajh Sweeting

As of Thursday, June 22, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#After multiple days of competition between 100 tennis players in 175 combined singles and doubles matches, the remaining champions hoisted their hardware yesterday at the National Tennis Centre (NTC).

#The Automotive Industrial Distributors Ltd (AID)-sponsored junior national tennis championships saw Jerald Carroll become a triple crown winner and both Sarai Clarke and Takaii Adderley take home the double crown honours.

#Among the other winners crowned for the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) doubles matches were Alec Hooper/Cohen Knowles, Sarai Clarke/Briana Houlgrave, and Jerald Carroll/Jackson Mactaggart.

#Triple Crown

#Carroll came into the final day of the junior national tennis championships looking to repeat last year’s feat of becoming triple crown champion once again. Last year, he won the championships for the under 14 and 16 boys singles and under 16 doubles competition.

#This time around he took home the championships in the boys singles under 16 and 18 categories.

#Additionally, the dynamic duo of Mactaggart and Carroll closed out their competitors in the under-18 boys doubles.

#In match one of three, Carroll took down Khai Rees for the under-16 title.

#In match number two, he defeated Dentry Mortimer Jr in three sets.

#In the opening set, Mortimer capitalised 6-4. However, in set two, Carroll rebounded nicely winning 6-1. He finally closed out Mortimer 6-0 to win his second match of the day.

#In his final match, Mactaggart and Carroll claimed a comfortable victory over Patrick Mackey Jr and Miguel Smith in two sets 4-0, 4-0.

#The triple crown winner talked about how it felt to win. “It’s great, it is the first time I am winning it and the finals were tough but I got a big breakthrough in the semis beating a player I have beaten for the first time,” he said.

#He added that after learning the game style of his opponent, he used his energy and stamina to defeat him.

#Double Crown

#After finishing as the runner up in the under 14 and 16 categories last year, Clarke changed her fate at this year’s junior national tennis championships.

#The double crown winner earned her first victory in the under 14 girls singles match against last year’s champion Tatyana Madu.

#Clarke opened up her first set with a convincing 6-1 win.

#Meanwhile, in set two Madu forced a third set after also winning 6-1.

#In the final set, Clarke brought it home after wrapping up 6-3.

#The newest under 14 girls champion shared her in-match strategy throughout the three sets.

#“I started off strong. I sticked with my strategy my gameplan was just consistency and patience in the first set but by the second set my opponent caught on and started playing smarter.

#“But I kind of lost it and got distracted, but by the third set I realised just do the same thing you did in the first,” she said.

#The 14-year-old added that overall she is very happy to win the championship after training hard.

#Her second victory to become double crown winner came against doubles duo Caitlyn Pratt and Danielle Saunders. Clarke and Houlgrave closed out the under 14 girls 4-0, 4-1.

#The doubles victory made it two straight for Clarke at the national tennis championships (2022 and 2023).

#Takaii Adderley, a first timer at the competition from Gainesville, Florida, was picked as the Gainesville Sun Girls tennis player of the year in June of last year.

#However, this year at the junior national tennis championships, Adderley took the competition by surprise, winning the under 16 and 18 singles titles.

#In a highly competitive first match, Adderley defeated Breann Ferguson in two sets.

#In set one, she finished 6-1 and in set two she narrowly edged out her opponent 7-6.

#Adderley said overall the match was good and she thanked God for the victory because the second set was tough.

#But she was able to pull through despite having a tough opponent.

#In set two, she managed to stay in control and added that she just wanted to take it one point at a time as she is usually confident going into tiebreakers.

#In doubles action, Hooper and Knowles were crowned champions for the under 14 boys doubles after winning over Kingston Rees and Synaj Watkins 4-1, 4-0.

#Next up for the BLTA will be the International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament from June 24 to July 1 at the NTC.