Home|Sports|Otabor finishes 33rd overall in women’s javelinSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailAugust 24, 2023 17 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

BUDAPEST, Hungary – At just 20, Rhema Otabor is the youngest member of Team Bahamas at the 19th World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Stadium in Budapest, Hungary.

Despite not being at her best on Wednesday, rest assured that barring injury, she is likely to return to the world stage on the senior side in the not too distant future.

Otabor finished 33rd overall in the women’s javelin with a throw of 53.62 meters (m) – 175’ 11”, failing to advance to the final of that event in what was her first global appearance as a senior athlete.

She has a season’s and personal best throw of 59.75m (196’), which was done at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ (BAAA) Junior and Senior National Championships in June, and also won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor title this year.

Otabor had a strong season and the future looks bright for this budding star in the women’s javelin. Still, she said she was disappointed about her performance on Wednesday.

“I felt prepared, and I was excited, but things didn’t turn out the way that I wanted it to,” she said. “I guess I have to take it as a learning experience and just build on it. It was amazing going up against the world’s best athletes at this time. I feel as if it could only motivate me to get back here and do it again. I feel as if I still have a lot to learn, but all-in-all, it was a great experience.”

In the first round, Otabor had a toss of 48.34m (158’ 7”). She improved to 53.62m in the second round and fouled her final attempt. The final qualifying throw for the final was 59.66m (195’ 9”), just below Otabor’s personal best.

Otabor went after a big throw on her final attempt, trying to be aggressive, but it wasn’t to be as she fouled the attempt.

“I didn’t have anything to lose at that point and I was just trying to be a bit more aggressive. I was trying to get in a qualifying mark, but like I said, things didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to. I’ll have to take it as a learning experience and build off it.”

At the NCAAs at the Mike A. Myers Stadium, in Austin, Texas, in June, Otabor had a winning throw of 59.49m (195’ 2”) for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. She later came back and improved her personal best to 59.75m at the national championships. It was her third meet in which she threw in excess of 59m (193’ 7”) this year.

Despite what happened in Budapest, she had a fantastic season and continues to show promise for the future.

Otabor set a personal best in the women’s javelin three times, and is the second-best women’s javelin thrower in Bahamian history, trailing just the legendary Laverne Eve – a former Commonwealth Games champion, a multiple Central American and Caribbean (CAC) champion and a five-time Olympian.

Otabor is just about four meters behind Eve’s national record of 63.73m (209’ 1”), and is aiming to become just the second Bahamian behind Eve to throw in excess of 60m (196’ 10”) and 200 feet in the women’s javelin.

Otabor is coached locally by Blue Chips Athletics Head Coach Corrington Maycock who expects great things down the line from the budding star. Maycock is a part of The Bahamas’ coaching staff at the Budapest World Championships.

“Rhema is a tremendous athlete and definitely one to look out for in the future,” said Maycock in an earlier interview. “She’s on a path that will lead to greatness. There is no doubt about that. She’s in good standings right now and she could only go up from here. Right now, it’s just a matter of fine tuning. I believe The Bahamas will be quite pleased with what she will be able to do in the near future.”

Otabor said she is encouraged by the support she has received and will continue to work on getting better and excelling on the world stage.

 Home|Sports|CARIFTA Triathlon set for this weekendSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailAugust 24, 2023 23 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas is set the host the 2023 CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon at Goodman’s Bay this Saturday and Sunday. The Bahamas has selected two strong teams to represent the country.

The other countries that will be participating are Bermuda, Barbados, Jamaica, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda. Teams have already started arriving.

Action gets underway on Saturday with the triathlon starting at 7:30 a.m. On Sunday, the aquathlon will be held, starting at 7:30 a.m.

The Bahamian triathlon squad consists of Nai’a Belton, Taylen Nicolls, Lenika Hamilton, Tessa Knowles, Sibby Potter, Lauchlan Menzies, Mathis Bournas, Kendrick Cargill, Taylor Knowles, Issa Bournas, Chelsea Smith, Emma Barigelli, Malcolm Menzies, Ayden Bain, Lenin Hamilton, Jayden Smith, Callum Pritchard, Kami Roach, Erin Pritchard, Anjaleah Knowles, Sienna Culmer-Mackey, Launy Duncombe, Enea Gervasini, Barron Musgrove, Jason Cates, Ellie Gibson and Ralph Wood Jr.

There is also the aquathlon that features athletes swimming then running only. They include Nicholls, Alissa Ferguson, Blue Gray, Tessa Knowles, Lenika Hamilton, Lauchlan Menzies, Blair Thompson, Potter, Kriston Rolle, Kyle Murray, Madison Gilbert, Alanna Murray, Taylor Knowles, Emma Barigelli, Chelsea Smith, Malcolm Menzies, Bain, Will Farrington, Lenin Hamilton, Brian Burrows, Grace Farrington, Layla Saidi, Anjaleah Knowles, Culmer-Mackey, Erin Pritchard, Duncombe, Gibson, Gervasini, Cates and Musgrove.

The head coach is Marcos Aballi, and the assistant coaches are Justin Higgs, Grand Menzies and Dorian Roach. Ilaria Gervasani is the team’s manager.

The athletes will be competing in the 11-12, 13-15, 16-19 and 20-21 age groups which are divided into boys and girls.

The 2022 CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon was held in Runaway Bay, Bermuda. Some of the athletes who were in Bermuda know what to expect from this year’s competition.

Erin Pritchard captured a silver medal in the 13-15 girls division in the triathlon in a time of 37:25. Also securing a silver medal last year in the triathlon was Malcolm Menzies in the 13-15 boys division in a time of 31:55. Wood placed third in the 20-21 male division in the aquathlon last year when he crossed the finish line in 37:27. He also won bronze in the triathlon with a time of 1:12:02.

There is no doubt that the Bahamian contingent will look to put on a show this weekend as they look to defend home turf.

 Home|Sports|National record for CharltonSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailAugust 23, 2023 104 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

BUDAPEST, Hungary – The Bahamas has its own version of ‘pocket rocket’ and she was fantastic in making another global final – her third – at the 19th World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Stadium in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday.

Devynne Charlton ran arguably the best race of her life, in the opening round heats of the women’s 100 meters (m) hurdles, and glided into the semifinals of that event at the Budapest World Championships.

She clocked a stunning national record time of 12.44 seconds, finishing second in her heat to former world record holder Kendra Harrison of the United States, and going into today’s semifinals with the second-fastest time. Harrison ran a blazing world-leading time of 12.24 seconds, matching the second-fastest time in her career.

As for the Bahamian, in the prime of her career at age 27, she said this is the kind of performance she expected all season. Prior to her race on Tuesday, her season’s best time was 12.62 seconds, done at the Ed Murphey Classic, in Memphis, Tennessee, about three weeks ago.

Charlton got out to her usual blazing start and maintained her form when Harrison caught up with her. She ran her race, was fast, efficient and technical over the 10 barriers, and powered through for the impressive national record time.

“I thought from the crack of the gun that my race was on. I have to go back and look at the film and get nit-picky because that is what it’s going to take to run faster in the next rounds but I believe I have it in me,” said Charlton afterwards. “I felt like that’s the kind of times I should have been putting down all year – I knew it was in me. I’m just glad that it appears to be coming together at the right time. The goal is to build on that because it’s going to take something better than that to go to the final and possibly win a medal. I would definitely have to shave some tenths off but I think it’s possible.”

Charlton held off former world champion Danielle Williams, of Jamaica, who settled for third in that heat in a season’s best time of 12.51 seconds. The Bahamian has consistently come through for her country at major meets – now into the third global final in her career after finishing sixth in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 and seventh at the Eugene World Championships in 2022.

Charlton will run out of lane six in the first of three semifinal heats at 8:45 p.m. this evening in Budapest, 2:45 p.m. back in The Bahamas. Just the top two finishers and the next two fastest times will advance to Thursday’s final.

This might very well be the time that Charlton ascend to the medal dais, but she knows she has to get through a very tough semifinal race first and then give it her all in the final if it comes to that.

The Bahamian star hurdler said she’s appreciative of all the support she gets and is looking forward to what she hopes will be an even better race in the semifinals.

“I got a lot of love and I appreciate everyone who tuned in. I’m just asking for you to send your prayers up and stick with me for these next two rounds,” she said.

The semifinals are set for today and the final will be on Thursday.

 More than 2,000 athletes from more than 200 countries are competing in the 35,000-seat National Athletics Centre at the Budapest World Championships. The nine-day meet will conclude on Sunday.

Sheldon LongleySend an emailAugust 23, 2023 369 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

BUDAPEST, Hungary – From he was wheeled off the track following the heats of the men’s 400 meters (m) at the 19th World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Stadium in Budapest, Hungary, one got the feeling that the hot and humid conditions were affecting Steven Gardiner.

It all came to a head in the semifinals on Tuesday as the former world champion and current Olympic champion came crashing out of that event after coming off the second curve with a lead.

For three quarters of the race, it looked like another walk in the park for Gardiner – in full control of his men’s 400m semifinal event. Gardiner appeared to suffer a pulled hamstring, possibly from a buildup of lactic acid, and from a mild case of dehydration, but he later went on social media and said exactly what the injury was.

Gardiner said he suffered a grade one sprain of the tendon extending into his knee from the right posterior thigh. It had a drastic effect on the Bahamian champion, and he paid a heavy price. His season is now over, and for the second world championships, he will not have an opportunity to go after the men’s 400m title.

Gardiner grimaced in pain coming around the second curve, pulled up and went crashing down to the ground. Just like that, he was out of the event, and The Bahamas’ best hopes for a gold medal at these Budapest World Championships went up in smoke.

Gardiner was accompanied to a local hospital here in Budapest by Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ (BAAA) President Drumeco Archer, the doctor for Team Bahamas Dr. Keir Miller, and the team’s physiotherapist Pharez Cooper. According to reports, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test was performed on Gardiner last night to determine the extent and severity of the injury which Gardiner later revealed on social media.

Team Leader Laketah Charlton said, at this time, the team is asking all Bahamians to offer prayers for Gardiner in hopes of a speedy recovery.

Gardiner was set to be a heavy favorite for the gold medal, particularly with the withdrawal of defending world champion Michael Norman prior to the start of the world championships, and the uninspiring effort by others including world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk, of South Africa, who was third in his semifinal heat and qualified for the final by time. Gardiner appeared to be the only athlete in the field in 43-second form.

He is the world leader at 43.73 seconds, and the next closest to him, in time, is Muzala Samukonga, of Zambia, who is not competing in the world championships due to a hamstring injury. Samukonga ran a time of 43.91 seconds in April of this year. He and Gardiner have the only two sub-44 races for the year.

The men’s 400m final is now wide open with a number of hopefuls looking to break through and win what they hope would be their first world title. Van Niekerk and Kirani James, of Grenada, are the only two former World and Olympic champions in the eight-man field, and they appear to be below peak form.

As for The Bahamas, the country’s best medal hopes now rests on the shoulders of women’s 100m hurdles national record holder Devynne Charlton, who looked fantastic in the heats of that event on Tuesday, and 200m specialist Anthonique Strachan, who will begin her quest for what she hopes will be her first global final outdoors, on the senior side, today. Charlton will run in the women’s 100m hurdles semis today.

Other Bahamians in action today will be LaQuan Nairn in the qualifying rounds of the men’s long jump, Rhema Otabor in the qualifying rounds of the women’s javelin and Charisma Taylor in the qualifying rounds of the women’s triple jump.

The final of the women’s 100m hurdles and the men’s long jump, and the semis of the women’s 200m, will be held on Thursday. The final of the women’s 200m, women’s javelin and the women’s triple jump will take place on Friday.

 Home|Sports|Sands optimistic of triple jump final for TaylorSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailAugust 23, 2023 59 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

BUDAPEST, Hungary – ‘Superman’ Leevan Sands had a stellar career. He’s one of The Bahamas’ most decorated athletes of all-time.

The Bahamian hop, skip and jump athlete was a fierce competitor who has won a medal at just about every level, and every competition, in a career that spanned about two decades. On top of that, he is arguably The Bahamas’ most resilient athlete of all-time, coming back from a devastating patella tendon injury that he suffered at the 2012 Olympics in London, England.

It’s safe to say the Bahamian legend knows a thing or two about triple jumping and he loves working with others, particularly those who share the same interests and desires as himself. Therefore, it really came as no surprise when Sands went into coaching, and now, he has one of The Bahamas’ most promising athletes under his wing.

When Charisma Taylor came on the scene about 10 years ago, excelling in various aspects of track and field, particularly the hurdles and the jumps, one could tell instantly that she was destined for greatness.

She was a young phenomena, much better than her peers, and had an intense work ethic and desire to compete and excel in athletics that continues to this day.

At 23, she is one of the youngest members of The Bahamas’ team at the 19th World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Stadium in Budapest, Hungary, this week. She is also one of the most versatile, experiencing success in the women’s 100 meters (m) hurdles and the long and triple jumps, indoors and outdoors, this year. It’s in the latter in which she qualified for the world championships, but she was close to the mark in the others as well.

Following her tenure with the Tennessee Vols this season, Taylor sought out Sands who is an assistant at Florida State University (FSU), with responsibility for the jumps. In just two years at FSU, Sands has helped transform their program, producing National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Championships medalists and All-Americans, indoors and outdoors.

Currently, he’s training about a dozen collegiate athletes and nearly half of a dozen professional athletes with his Sands Pro Athletics brand.

Sands said he was drawn to Taylor because of her unbelievable talent, her determination to succeed and her intense work ethic – really reminding him of a young Leevan Sands.

“She has been training remotely with me before nationals, and after the NCAAs, she really made the move. We’re still learning each other but I could say she is one of those jumpers I was always interested in. Her name says it all,” said Sands. “She has that fire and she has that charisma. She actually reminds me of myself. She’s enjoying this experience and she has a lot of confidence. This is her first major meet but she’s not caught up in the hype at all. From being around her, you would think that she has been here all along. She’s very composed and focused on what she needs to do, but at the same time, enjoying the experience.”

Sands and Taylor staged their final workout session yesterday. She will compete in the qualifying rounds of the women’s triple jump at 7:10 p.m. this evening in Budapest, 1:10 p.m. back in The Bahamas. Taylor will be the sixth jumper in Group B. Just the top 12, or an automatic qualifying distance of 14.30m (46’ 11”), will qualify for Friday’s final.

Taylor has a personal best national record of 14.88m (48’ 10”) indoors and a personal best distance of 13.99m (45’ 10-3/4”) outdoors.

“Today (yesterday), I just wanted to get her on the runway one last time. Our goal is for her to get into the final and then we’ll take it from there,” said Sands. “She’s confident and ready, and I’m feeding off her confidence. I believe in her. She is very determined and very committed. She told me she had a dream about her jump and that she made it to the final and I said that’s a good thing. It’s good to visualize what you want to achieve. I believe she will do well.”

Sands is the jumps coach for Team Bahamas at the world championships, and has taken particular interest in his athlete Taylor. As mentioned, during the season, she competes in the long jump and women’s 100m hurdles as well, and wants to continue in those events so as to spread her wings and maximize her success.

Taylor isn’t the only athlete in action for The Bahamas today. At 11:55 a.m., 5:55 a.m. back in The Bahamas, Rhema Otabor will compete in the qualifying rounds of the women’s javelin. She will be the eighth thrower in Group B. Just the top 12, or an automatic qualifying distance of 61.50m (201’ 9”), will qualify for Friday’s final. Otabor has a personal best heave of 59.75m (196’), done at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Junior and Senior National Championships in July.

Also competing today for The Bahamas will be LaQuan Nairn in the qualifying rounds of the men’s long jump. That will take place at 11:15 a.m., 5:15 a.m. back in The Bahamas. He will be the third jumper in Group B. Just the top 12, or an automatic qualifying distance of 8.15m (26’ 9”), will qualify for Thursday’s final. Nairn has a personal best leap of 8.22m (26’ 11-3/4”). 

Anthonique Strachan will compete in the heats of the women’s 200m at 11:20 a.m. today, 5:20 a.m. back in The Bahamas. Strachan will run out of lane nine in the first of six heats. The first three finishers in each heat and the next six fastest times will qualify for the semifinals on Thursday.

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Finally for The Bahamas today, Devynne Charlton will run in the semifinals of the women’s 100m hurdles. After setting a national record of 12.44 seconds in the heats, beating her previous national mark of 12.46 seconds, everyone is waiting with great anticipation to see what Charlton will do in the semis and going forward, possibly in the final. Charlton will run out of lane six in the first of three semifinal heats today. That will take place at 8:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m. back in The Bahamas. Just the top two finishers and the next two fastest times will qualify for the final.

More than 2,000 athletes from more than 200 countries are competing in the world championships in Budapest.

 Home|Sports|Lucius to compete in World Esports ChampionshipSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailAugust 23, 2023 51 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

For a second consecutive year, Jonathon Lucius will be competing at the International Esports Federation’s (IESF) World Esports Championship, that gets underway in Iasi, Romania on August 24 and ends on September 4.

Lucius is already in Romania along with Tyler Gordon, vice-president of tournaments and events for the Bahamas Esports Federation (BESF). He will be competing in the Tekken 7 portion of the championship.

He is once again happy to be able to represent The Bahamas on the world stage. He has learned a lot since competing last year.

“I think for this year, it’s better to focus on what’s in front of me currently, which are the group stages because its 105 countries this year. Once I pass the group stage, I will continue to plan for the next match. I feel that last year, my emotions got the better of me during my last run. What I have been doing was if I ever to get frustrated, I would take a moment to gather my thoughts, and try to access what I’m dealing with,” Lucius said.

Action gets underway on Friday for him, with a match against Norway at 7 a.m. He will then play against Iraq at 7.40 a.m. that day. One hour later, he will play Vietnam, then end the first day of play against Greece at 10 a.m.

“If there is any country that has my interest in playing right now it would be Vietnam. I heard he has a very aggressive play style most of the time, so it will be a test on what I have been practicing for the better part of a year,” Lucius said.

He was in Group E last year and finished fourth out of five players.

“I was predicted to not place well last year due to the group I was placed in,” Lucius said. “I had no international experience, but I made a very strong impact to everyone last year, so this time for sure it will be more different how everyone sees me, but I’m more than ready to take what they’re going to throw at me.”

Panel discussions on the future of esports and the gaming industry will also take place, featuring global industry leaders. The IESF General Meeting, which includes voting for new members and statute changes, will be conducted among participating countries.

 Home|Sports|Bahamas shines at Goodwill GamesSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailAugust 23, 2023 118 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ swimming team at the just concluded Goodwill Games put on a show at the National Aquatic Center in Kingston, Jamaica. The Bahamas finished with the most points (1,418.5), the most gold, silver and bronze medals; and the most total medals. The Bahamas never trailed at the meet.

The meet began on Friday, August 18 and ended on Sunday, August 20. The team returned home on Monday to a welcome reception at the airport, that included being greeted by Prime Minister Philip Davis, acting Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Zane Lightbourne; and the live sounds of Junkanoo.

The Bahamas’ 40-member team swam away with a whopping 129 total medals that included 55 gold medals, 45 silver medals, and 29 bronze. Barbados was second with 23 gold, 16 silver and 16 bronze medals, for a total of 57 medals. Trinidad and Tobago was third in the medal standings with 57 total medals – 21 golds, 18 silvers and 19 bronze.

In the points standings, Jamaica finished second with 1,143.50 points and Trinidad and Tobago was third with 970.5 points.

The Bahamian contingent was able to set several individual and relay meet records. Nitayo Knowles left Jamaica with seven individual golds and one silver in the 9-10 boys division. The relays saw him capturing one gold and two silver medals.

Knowles was able to win the 100 meters (m) freestyle with a time of 1:06.85. He then won the 100m backstroke after touching the wall in a personal best time of 1:21.40. The 200m individual medley (IM) saw him swimming a time of 2:54.24. He set a new meet record and personal best time in the 50m free sprint, when he finished one length of the pool in 29.15 seconds. He completed the sweep in the free when he won the 200m free in a time of 2:29.38. The 50m butterfly saw him posting 32.08 seconds to get the gold medal. His final gold medal of the meet came in the 100m fly finals, when he touched the wall first in a time of 1:14.23.

Knowles teamed up with Adrian Dean, Logan Comarcho and Blair Thompson in the 9-10 boys 400m medley relay. They won the gold medal with a time of 5:38.79.

Siann Isaacs had a strong meet, as the 11-12 girls swimmer came away with four gold, two silver and one bronze medals in her individual races. She set two individual records. In the relays, all three of the races she was a part of secured the gold medal and the meet record time.

She opened the meet with a victory in the 100m freestyle with a new personal best of 1:05.43 which was below the meet record of 1:06.16. Her second gold of the meet came in the 100m backstroke where she powered her way to touch the wall in a new personal best time of 1:16.42. The 200m IM saw her swimming a personal best time of 2:46.69 to win the gold medal. She shaved almost three seconds off the meet record which was 2:49.17. Her final individual medal came in the 100m butterfly, with a time of 1:15.87.

The girls 11-12 400m medley relay saw her and teammates Christin-Alyssa Clarke, Samirah Donaldson and Tiah Seymour setting a new meet record with a time of 5:11.87. The same quartet won the 400m free relay with a new meet record of 4:34.00. They also swam the 200m free relay and posted 2:02.07 to secure the new meet record.

Clarke also won four gold medals and added a bronze medal. She won gold in the 50m free, with a meet record time of 29.53 seconds. The 50m fly saw her powering through to a new meet record of 31.64 seconds to win the gold. It was a new meet record for Clarke in the 200m free final, as she was the first to touch the wall with a time of 2:29.22. Her final gold medal came in the 50m backstroke, where she posted a time of 34.55 seconds.

Several other swimmers won multiple individual gold medals. Kristen Rolle, who swims in the 8-and-under girls division, won individual gold medals in the 100m free (1:19.76), 200m IM (3:19.76) and the 50m fly (40.36 seconds). Ayrton Moncur won gold medals in the 15-17 boys division in the 50m breast (30.36 seconds) and the 100m breast (1:11.74). Both gold medals were meet records for Moncur.

Caleb Ferguson had a good swim in the 15-17 boys division, swimming away with three individual gold medals. He won gold medals in the 100m free (54.83 seconds), 50m fly (26.01 seconds) and the 100m fly (1:00.92). The 100m free and 50m fly were meet records. On the 15-17 girls side, Grace Farrington won a gold medal in the 100m backstroke (1.14.91) and 200m free (2:20.52). Both races were swam in new meet record time. Farrington teamed up with Tia-Isabelle Adderley, Lauren Bridgewater and Bianca Johnson to win gold in the 400m free relay, 400m medley relay and 200m free relay races in the 15-17 girls division. Donaldson won gold in the 50m breast (38.12 seconds) and in the 100m breast (1:27.27) with both being meet records.

 Home|Sports|Youngest member of Team Bahamas ready to make her markSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailAugust 22, 2023 66 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Out of the 11 athletes on Team Bahamas for the 19th World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Stadium in Budapest, Hungary, three are newcomers at this level.

One of them, Shakeem Hall-Smith has already completed competition, finishing 29th overall in the men’s 400 meters (m) hurdles. The other two are both female field athletes – Charisma Taylor in the women’s triple jump and Rhema Otabor in the women’s javelin. Guardian Sports was able to catch up with the local coach of the latter, Corrington Maycock, and whilst not making a prediction, he likes the form his athlete is in.

“This is the world championships with the best athletes in the world so it wouldn’t be wise to make a prediction for her, but I could tell you that she is in fine firm and she will perform well,” said Maycock who is a part of The Bahamas’ team coaching Otabor here in Budapest. “Rhema is a tremendous athlete and definitely one to look out for in the future. This is her first meet at this level so there are no expectations but she likes a challenge and I believe she will perform well.”

Otabor will compete in the qualifying rounds of the women’s javelin at 10:20 a.m. Wednesday morning, 4:20 a.m. back in The Bahamas. The final is set for Friday evening in Budapest. She qualified for the world championships through her World Athletics Rankings points.

Otabor has had a fantastic season, winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor title and setting a personal best in the women’s javelin three times. At just 20, she’s the youngest member of Team Bahamas at these world championships and already the second-best women’s javelin thrower in Bahamian history, trailing just the legendary Laverne Eve – a former Commonwealth Games champion, a multiple Central American and Caribbean (CAC) champion and a five-time Olympian in the women’s javelin.

Otabor appears to be following right in her footsteps. She has a personal best throw of 59.75m (196’), about four meters behind Eve’s national record of 63.73m (209’ 1”). Otabor is aiming to become just the second Bahamian behind Eve to throw in excess of 60m (196’ 10”) and 200 feet in the women’s javelin. She’s thrown over 59m (193’ 7”) in three competitions this year.

“She’s on a path that will lead to greatness. There is no doubt about that,” said Maycock. “She’s in good standings right now and she could only go up from here. Right now, it’s just a matter of fine tuning. I believe The Bahamas will be quite pleased with what she will be able to do in the near future.”

At the NCAAs at the Mike A. Myers Stadium, in Austin, Texas, in June, Otabor had a winning throw of 59.49 (195’ 2”) for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Texas A&M Aggies sophomore teammates Lianna Davidson and Katelyn Fairchild were second and third with throws of 58.78m (192’ 10”) and 57.97m (190’ 2”) respectively.

Otabor is at number 46 on World Athletics’ Top Performance List for 2023, but is one of the youngest athletes on the list in the top 50 and it is believed that competition at this level will only serve to push her to turn in one of her better performances.

She is one who never backs down from a challenge, and according to Maycock, will be ready to throw.

The sky is the limit for the young female javelin thrower from The Bahamas.

medals – 55 gold – from Goodwill Games

Prime Minister Philip Davis and Zane Lightbourne, MP for Yamacraw, with Team Bahamas swimmers on their return home from the Goodwill Games over the weekend in Kingston, Jamaica. Photo: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff

As of Tuesday, August 22, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Prime Minister Philip Davis said Bahamas Aquatics can be assured of the Bahamas Government’s support as they continue to excel in the Goodwill Games as they have done in CARIFTA Swimming.

#Davis’ comments came yesterday as he and other government officials welcomed home the 40-member team that won the Goodwill Games for the first time over the weekend in Kingston, Jamaica, following on the heels of the oisland nation’s fifth straight title at CARIFTA in April in Curacao. Team Bahamas, which made the trip on a chartered Bahamasair flight, collected a total of 129 medals, including 55 gold, 45 silver and 29 bronze, well ahead of Barbados, who was second with 23 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze for 57 medals.

#Trinidad & Tobago followed with 21 gold, 18 silver and 19 bronze for 58 medals.

#The Bahamas, which produced over 20 records, also accumulated the total amount of points with 1,418.50. Jamaica was second with 1,143.50 and Trinidad & Tobago came in third with 970.50.

#The welcome home ceremony was held in the VIP Lounge of the Lynden Pindling International Airport and was hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. There was also a junkanoo rush-out for the swimmers as they greeted their family members, who were not on the flight that carried almost 200 persons to Jamaica.

#“I’m so proud and I could not let this moment pass without coming to greet you on your arrival for your accomplishment each of you received,” said Davis, who remembered being a parent and now a grandparent of the sport and a former vice president of the federation.

#He noted that in the former years, the federation never really embraced the Goodwill Games, but it was a few parents who took the interest in getting some exposure for their children.

#“So, I’m so happy and elated to see that the federation is now fully behind these games and fully behind the participation of our swimmers, particularly recognizing that CARIFTA is 12 and above and these games go from seven and above. It gives those younger athletes what it is to compete in international competition.”

#While the federation is going after its sixth straight title next year here in the Bahamas at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, Davis said he’s looking for the Bahamas to continue to excel as champions at the Goodwill Games.

#Zane Lightbourne, the Acting Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture in the absence of Mario Bowleg, said the trip to Jamaica was a microcosm of what our country is all about.

#“The community coming together to build something nice and to achieve greatness,” he said. “I think that because of our parents, the government support and these students with their coaches, who are supported to do and to push them to where they can reach their full potential, that’s the formula for success for our country.”

#Lightbourne, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, said as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary, the team brought home the gold and he noted that the Olympic gold medal is on the way.

#Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill thanked team manager Rochelle Butler and her assistants Yvette Ferguson and Patrick Ferguson, head coach Dellan Brown and his assistants Kadesha Culmer, Dwayne Davis and Davis Del Cueto and the medical team of Dr William Hamilton, Jenna Gibson and Jade McCartney.

#Cargill also expressed his gratitude to Philice Davis-Albury, who headed the fund-raising team, which secured the sponsorship from KRC, RBC, Atlantis, Baha Mar Resorts Foundation, Titan Hospitality, Auto Mall, Lyford Cay Club and the Public Hospitals Authority.

#“We’ve earned our first Goodwill title and now that number one is in the bag, there is no longer coming second, third or fourth,” said Cargill, as he also lauded the parents, who were apart of the contingent that traveled to Jamaica.

#“Your parents and your federation will extend this level of support with our Bahamas Government partners and Corporate Bahamas. This is step one sand we will carry you to the end of your journey.”

#Cargill said the swimmers demonstrated that the Bahamas clearly have the next Arianna Vanderpool Wallace, Joanna Evans, Allan Murray, Jeremy Knowles, examples of Bahamian swimmers who have excelled at the global level.

#“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been asked what we are doing different in The Bahamas than the other Caribbean countries to dominate Goodwill and CARIFTA,” he said. “I’ve even been asked by a parent to have her child come to the Bahamas to train instead of training in their country.”

#The team was led by divisional high point winners in Cailyn Sean in the girls 8-and-under; Nitayo Knowles in the boys 9-10; Siann Isaacs in the girls 11-12 and Tristen Ferguson in the boys15-17. All of the competitors talked about their experiences at the games.

#Additionally, the four team captains Errington Moncur, Grace Farrington, Tristan Ferguson and Bianca Johnson also expressed their delight in leading the team in and out of the water.

#Rochell Butler, the team manager, said the swimmers worked very hard during the three days of competition and many of them surpassed their own expectations. She said he was delighted to have been afforded the opportunity to manage the entire team of athletes and coaches at the games.

#And Dellan Brown, the head coach said he was thrilled to have returned to his native homeland to produce the historic feat with records upon records.

#Brown, the head coach of the Blue Waves Aquatic Swim Club, thanked coach Shirley Mireault for carrying the Bahamas banner with the teams to the games in the past. He noted that this year’s team just expanded on what she started, and they came home as champions for the first time.

The Bahamas men’s national basketball team pulled off a hard fought 82-75 win over Argentina to win the FIBA Americas Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament title, earning their berth in the 2024 Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament.

As of Tuesday, August 22, 2023

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Team Bahamas celebrate their win over Argentina. Photos: FIBA Americas

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said he was pleased with what he saw from the men’s national basketball team in La Banda, Argentina.

#Bowleg, the former president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation and men’s national coach, was in the stands as the men’s team knocked off Argentina 82-75 on Sunday to win the FIBA Americas Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament title.

#In what turned out to be an historic feat, the Bahamas earned the rights to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament for the rights to advance to the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

#“To God be the glory for great things he has done,” Bowleg said. “This is just amazing how we could reach this milestone as we celebrate 50 years of Independence as a nation.

#“In the year of our Independence, we were able to reach the position of knocking on the door of qualifying for the Olympics for the first time in any team sport.”

#Looking back at where the Bahamas Basketball Federation came from under the leadership of the past presidents, Bowleg tipped his hat to all who would have paved the way to get the Bahamas to where the country has arrived today.

#“I was just so happy to be there as the former president and the former coach who would have toiled with some of the former players and even some of the existing players to see this come to fruition where we are knocking on the door of qualifying for the Olympics,” Bowleg said. “I was elated and overjoyed and just like the players and coaches, there were tears of joy to see this come to a reality. Going into the game, we knew that we would beat Argentina again and so said, so done.”

#Bowleg said he was extremely pleased with the efforts turned in by the National Basketball Association players in Eric Gordon and Deandre Ayton, who will be playing together for the first time this season with the Pheonix Suns and Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield with the Indiana Pacers.

#He said head coach Chris DeMarco, who serves as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors, did a tremendous job with his coaching staff, including Moses Johnson and Mikhail McLean, in blending the rest of the players on the team to produce the victory.

#Gordon, in making his debut for the Bahamas, led the way with a game high 27 points, including hitting three three-pointers down the stretch, while Hield had 17 points, five rebounds and three assists and Ayton added 10 points and 21 rebounds.

#Travis Munnings contributed 16 points, while Franco Miller Jr had nine and Kentwan Smith helped out with five. The other members of Team Bahamas’ roster were Domnick Bridgewater, Rashad Davis, Lourawls Nairn, Jaraun Burrows, Garvin Clarke Jr and David Nesbitt. The team manager was LJ Rose.

#With the ministry throwing their support behind the federation, Bowleg said it’s going to be important to ensure that the team do all the right things to get ready for the qualifying tournament in July. “One thing we must do is we must continue to seek those players who are Bahamian descent and try to ensure that we have these guys ready to compete,” Bowleg said. “We have some players who are born inside the country and some who were born outside of the country.

#“So, there are a lot of players out there, some who will have to be naturalised and so, at the end of the day, we will take the necessary steps to ensure that those who want to compete will get the opportunity to do so. We just want to lay out the red carpet for those who want to play to be able to play for the Bahamas.”

#Under FIBA, Bowleg said there’s a limit on how many naturalised players can play for a country, but in discovering the players who have an interest, Bowleg said they will be looking at how they can allow them to participate for the Bahamas in the future.

#Bowleg, who is on his way home, said he’s been pleased with the performance of the Bahamian athletes in swimming, winning the Goodwill Games for the first time and those athletes who are now participating in the World Championships.

#“We’re looking forward to some better results in track and field. We expected some better results, but we know that Steven Gardiner is hanging in there and hopefully, at the end of the day, all hope is not lost,” he said.

#He said the Bahamas Government is supporting the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations in hosting the return of the World Relays in the Bahamas next year before the focus of attention is switched to Paris for the Olympics.

#“We know that the potential is there, so we hope to continue to push them in their success,” Bowleg said. “We are very pleased with the way things have been going for sports in the country right now.”

#As for the men’s basketball team, Bowleg said there’s not expected to be a celebration for the players anytime soon as the majority of the players are moving onto their professional basketball teams or heading to college.

#He noted that only Burrows and Bridgewater are expected to be home on Wednesday, but they will be leaving on Thursday for France and Hield, on the other hand, is expected to be coming to the Bahamas for a camp, but it’s not known exactly when.

#“We had a celebration for the team at the hotel where they got a chance to eat, drink and be merry,” Bowleg said. “But we know that there will be an opportunity when we get them all together for a celebration at home. We just don’t know when. “Right now, the federation is looking at ways of strengthening the team as we look forward to walking into the doors of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year when the celebrations will continue as we qualify for the Olympic Games.”