XAVION Johnson (second from right) sharing a moment with the cadets medalists.

As of Tuesday, September 12, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

Xavion Johnson with his coach Russell Gallant.

XAVION Johnson with his bronze medal.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AS he continues to improve on his career as the next Bahamian judoka to watch on the global stage, Xavion Johnson completed the 2023 Pan American Oceania Championships in Calgary, Canada with a bronze medal in the 60 kilogramme cadet division on Friday.

#However, he didn’t place in the junior category on Saturday where he admitted that the competition was very stiff.

#Despite his mixed results, Johnson, now ranked at number 38th in the world as a junior, said he was pleased with his performance overall.

#“My performance was really good throughout the tournament. Winning the bronze medal was really good too,” Johnson said.

#Although he would have liked to have placed in the junior category, Johnson said he will definitely use it as a learning experience.

#“I’m really happy that I could get a medal in my last year as a cadet and my last time fighting in this weight division,” said Johnson, who is now gearing up to fight in the youth under-21 division where he will be fighting in the 66kg division.

#Johnson, who resides in Alberta, Canada, is currently being trained by Russell Gallant and Evan Beaton out of the Lethbridge Judo Club.

#“I just have to be more calm and work on my gripping a little better,” he said. “Other than that, everything is working out quite well.”

#The 17-year-old Johnson still has about seven more tournaments to compete in this year before he begins college at the University of Lethbridge in January having completed his high school tenure at Capstone Academy where he was the Salutatorian.

#“I am excited about college. They have a very good programme for international business,” said Johnson, who will also be competing on the judo team. “My first priority is school. But I’m looking forward to competing in college.

#“I will be moving up to a heavier weight class, so I just need to get bigger and stronger because I know the opponents will be harder to compete against.”

#He thanked his mother, Ordain Moss, and his family and friends, the Bahamas Judo Federation and the Bahamas Olympic Committee for their financial contributions in helping him to get to where he is right now.

: Puerto Rico win 6-1 in Nations League opener

The Bahamas in action against Puerto Rico on Saturday night. Photos: Racardo Thomas

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• Discuss1 comment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER getting off to an “electric start” from a quick shot from Christopher Rahming to ignite the home crowd inside the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, the Bahamas men’s team could not stop the relentless onslaught from Puerto Rico as they responded with a flurry of goals.

#In what many expected to be a keenly contested match-up to the end, Puerto Rico claimed a 6-1 victory on Saturday to start both teams’ appearances in the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League home and away series.

#Rahming’s goal that came right up the centre of the field into the net in the first two minutes of the game, was shortlived for the Bahamas as Puerto Rico got the equaliser from Gerald Diaz in the sixth minute. 

#Puerto Rico took the lead in the 14th minute from Ricardo Rivera and before they closed out the first half, they got a pair of insurance goals from Joel Burges and Rodolfo Sulio in the 35th and 42nd minutes for a commanding 4-1 lead at the break.

#Although the Bahamas had a couple of chances to get at least one more goal on the scoreboard, Burges came back in the second half and completed a hat-trick in the 86 and 89th minutes to put the stamp on a convincing victory.

#Despite the loss, Bahamas head coach Nesly Jean noted that his young but talented team will only get better from the experience they gained.

#“I think the guys did pretty well, especially in the second half,” he said. “Obviously in the first half, there were a few mistakes that we needed to adjust. In the second half, we did that. But it’s a learning experience for the younger guys.

#“Some of these guys were making their debut, so we’re going to make mistakes. In the meantime, we must learn from it.”

#Jean, a former national team player, said their plan was to analyse what Puerto Rico would do and if they pressed really high, they would hit them on the counter. He said they did it, but they needed to push it a little more in the first half, as they did in the second, to counter attack their opponents.

#William Bayles, a centreback, noted that they got off to an electric start, scoring the first goal, but they allowed their opponents to take control of the tempo of the game and they underestimated themselves.

#“In the second half, we showed what we could do. We were all over them for the first 30 minutes of the second half. We kept the ball, we were getting chances, we just needed to put those away,” Bayles summed up.

#And Wood Julmis, a striker, said they got a “perfect start with a beautiful team goal,” but they “fell asleep” and allowed a few mistakes that enabled Puerto Rico to rally back.

#“We found our identify,” Julmis said. “Normally, we would sit back and allow teams to come to us and hit them on the press, but today we saw and we executed. We realised that we could play with the big teams and we moved the ball and got better chances.”

#If there’s one lesson they can take away from the game, Julmis said it’s the fact that they can trust themselves to take a lot of risks as they get on the scoreboard early and try to win more games.

#He said that the fans in the stadium really inspired them to perform.

#“I played a few home games, but I think this was the most fans I’ve seen as a player,” he said. “Since Covid-19, we really appreciate it as a team. Even when we were down three to four goals, they were still cheering and rooting for us. It’s 11 players on the field, but the fans are our 12 players and we really felt that home support.”

#After the game, the team left town and headed for Guyana where they will play their next game on Tuesday. Jean said they will face a different team and a different style of play, so they will have to make the necessary adjustment and be ready for the challenge ahead of them.

#“We have nothing to lose. We need to take risks,” said Jean, who noted that there were no injuries to report after their game against Puerto Rico. “By doing that, we will get our chances.”

#Puerto Rico’s head coach said they showed a lot of resilience, bouncing back from the 1-0 deficit.

#“We started playing Puerto Rico football,” he said. “The scoreline is a little bit funny for me because we were so close to having a lot more goals than what we did there with six. We just implemented a new system, so I’m proud of the boys, how they were willing to play it.

#“It was very risky, but this is our identify and it was really fun watching them be brave and taking those risks at times when we played some beautiful football, which was appealing to the eye. But the scoreline says it and it was a great moment for our team.”

#He said he wasn’t surprised by the performances of his young team and hopefully if they can get through their recovery process really quickly, they will be able top put up the numbers he expects when they play their home game right here on Tuesday in hosting Antigua & Barbuda at 7pm.

#Team captain Nicholas Cardona said they played aggressively and they are trying to learn as quickly to score as many goals as they can and go on to win a lot of matches.

#“They scored in the first few minutes of the game, but we knew that we had a lot of time, a lot of minutes to impose our game on them,” said Cardona, about the win over the Bahamas. “In the second half, we started a little slower, but we are aware of it and we will train harder to play better in our next game.”

#The teams are playing out of League B and Group D in the CONCACAF’s 2023 Nations League that will be played over the next three months for a chance to advance to League A at the end of the season.

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#The Police Crimestoppers and Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture (MOYSC) Panthers both earned blowout wins this past Saturday at the AF Adderley Gymnasium. The second-seeded Crimestoppers blasted the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Rampage 78-58 to earn a 20-point blowout win. The Panthers, the league’s defending champions, delivered a 40-point drubbing to the Real Deal Rangers in their 85-45 win. Both teams now sit 1-0 in their respective best-of-three series.

#Police Crimestoppers vs RBDF Rampage

#The Rampage were already struggling coming into the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA) playoffs. The RBDF basketball team had dropped four straight games prior to the opening game of the postseason and the trend continued on Saturday night. The Crimestoppers took advantage from the opening tip and had already climbed out to a 12-point lead (20-8) by the end of the first quarter.

#In the second period, the league’s second best team kept their feet on the gas pedal to overwhelm the Rampage. Kirklyn Farrington played a key role in the team’s blowout victory. He drained two free throws at the 2:24 mark in the second quarter to stretch the team’s lead to 19 (36-17).

#Farrington ended the game with a team-high 17 points along with three timely three-pointers from behind the arc, and four free throws at the charity stripe. Michael Furley Bain Jr was Farrington’s running mate on the court. He dropped 14 points to pair with seven boards, three assists and two steals on the night.

#The Rampage were able to close the gap to 39-26 to head to the locker room for halftime. The team tried to keep the bout close behind the efforts of De’Joan Sturrup who led both teams with 23 points. Sturrup also pulled down six rebounds, and forced three steals in the game. Ultimately, the Crimestoppers’ gameplan in the third period derailed the Rampage’s second quarter momentum. The team ended the third period in the driver’s seat, leading 60-40 over their opponent. After that juncture in the game, the Crimestoppers never looked back en route to their first win of the series.

#Anthony “Cops” Rolle, head coach of the Crimestoppers, said the win felt great but the team still has some adjustments to make on the offensive and defensive end.

#“It feels pretty good just to get a win against any team in such a competitive league. Even though we had a comfortable win, there are still some things that we have to do better as a team,” he said.

#According to Rolle, the guards have to improve their perimeter defence and, on offence, they need more overall movement for better offensive flow.

#In terms of the team’s postseason expectations the Crimestoppers are going after the championship hardware.

#MOYSC Panthers vs The Real Deal Rangers

#The BGDBA Panthers had a strong opening to the playoffs after delivering a 40-point beatdown to the Real Deal Rangers. The latter struggled against the BGDBA defending champions from the first period of play. The Panthers asserted their dominance early in the game after jumping out to a 16-point lead to wrap up the first quarter.

#In the following period, the game plan remained unchanged for the Panthers as they pushed the lead to 41-21 at the 2:41 mark of the game. The team ended the quarter leading their opponents by 18 points to transition into the halftime break.

#The Real Deal Rangers struggled offensively in the game. The team collectively shot a dismal 28.4 per cent from the field and 12.5 per cent from behind the arc. Additionally, they did not capitalise at the charity stripe as they shot 4/23 on 17.4 per cent shooting.

#The Real Deal Rangers only had one player score in double digits, Dwight Moss Jr. Meanwhile, the Panthers shared the load on offence, having four players notch double digits in points.

#Kemsey Sylvestre, of the MOYSC Panthers, led both teams in scoring with 19 points on the night. He shot the ball flawlessly going 9/10 in the game on a crisp 90 per cent shooting clip. The team’s leading scorer also stole the ball four times, and dished out four dimes.

#The game was a foregone conclusion long before the final buzzer as the Panthers amassed a 37-point lead to culminate the third period and, ultimately, the game for their first playoff win.

#Perry Darling, head coach of the Panthers, said it was a great feeling to win and he felt the team played like the defending champions.

#“In the regular season it was hard to find our chemistry because we had players traveling on summer vacation and work obligations but we had our full team tonight and stuck with our gameplan,” he said.

#He acknowledged that being the league’s defending champions is one of the hardest things because every night teams are coming for you. However, he believes that the team is capable of repeating once they stick to the game plan.

#Game two of these respective series will continue on Wednesday starting at 7:30pm at the AF Adderley gymnasium.

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#The Bain and Grants Town Cybots and Airport Authority Avengers nabbed the first wins in their round one playoff matchups.

#The Cybots, the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association’s (BGDBA) leading team, defeated the eighth-seeded Police Royals 72-66 on Friday night. Meanwhile, the Avengers snuck away with a 87-86 nail-biter win on Saturday night against the Bamboo Shack Patrollers at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

#Cybots vs Royals

#Despite matching up against the lower seeded Royals, the Cybots had their hands full until the final buzzer of their first playoff game. Both teams were evenly matched in the opening quarter of the playoffs. The game got off to a 8-4 start favouring the Cybots but the period culminated with the ball game tied 17-17. In the second period the Royals gained the advantage after outscoring the Cybots 18-16.

#The game remained competitive until the final quarter of play with 18 lead changes and the score was tied 15 times.

#In the final period of the game the Cybots were leading 63-58. However, at the 2:23 mark of the quarter, the Royals tied the game 64-64. They were unable to capitalise after tying the game which led to the Cybots outscoring them 20-16 in the fourth quarter for the win.

#Tyrone Sands, assistant coach of the Cybots, said although they got a sloppy win, he felt the team did not play their brand of basketball.

#“We have not had the opportunity to get together as a team and practice. I keep telling them hard work beats talent if talent refuses to work hard – our guys refuse to show up to practice in a timely manner and it showed tonight,” Sands said.

#He added that he thinks the team is talented enough to beat any team in the league but their commitment will be the key to it happening.

#The Cybots outscored their opponents 17 to 11 in second chance points. Additionally, their bench scored 30 points compared to 15 from the Royals.

#Avengers vs Patrollers

#After trailing for most of the game, the Avengers stole a one-point win against the Patrollers. The latter remained in control starting from the first quarter where they got out to an early 12-5 lead and closed out the quarter leading by eight (24-16).

#In the following quarter, the Patrollers outscored the Avengers 18-13 which gave them a 13-point lead – just three points shy of their biggest lead, which was 16.

#The Avengers mounted a comeback in the third quarter in a collective team effort with five members scoring in double digits. Cameron Chery played a pivotal role for the team scoring 19 points along with six rebounds, and three assists in the narrow win.

#The fourth-seeded team trimmed the Patrollers lead down to four (61-65) to close out the third period. The Patrollers were leading 73-72 at the 5:49 mark of the game. However, with under 2:00 minutes remaining in the game, the Avengers’ Trevez Hamilton canned a big three to even the score at 82 apiece.

#Following a technical foul, Hamilton drained three consecutive free throws at the charity stripe to put the Avengers up by three. In the final seconds of the game, the Patrollers were hoping for a win, leading 86-85 after a successful layup by Ivan Rolle. However, Chery thwarted their valiant efforts after he nabbed an offensive rebound following a miss by Tyler Moncur and tipped it in to seal the win for the Avengers.

#Chery, small forward on the Avengers, talked about the pivotal game winning play.

#“I just trusted my teammates. He went for the layup and I knew I had to be there to clean up in case it did not go in . . . we are looking to come out with more tenacity and to be more aggressive next game,” he said.

#Both series will get underway tonight starting at 7:30pm.

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

Anthonique Strachan finished second in Belgium. (File photo)

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#SPRINTER Anthonique Strachan is content going into the season-ending Prefontaine Classic Diamond League Final of the Wanda Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon on the weekend of September 16-17.

#This weekend, in the last of the 13 races during the course of the season in the lead up to the grand finale, Strachan placed second in the women’s 200 metres at the Memorial van Damme in Brussels, Belgium.

#In what could be considered her best showing in the series of meets that started in Doha, Qatar in May, Strachan clocked 22.31 seconds as she trailed her Jamaican training partner, Shericka Jackson, who won in 21.48 – erasing the meet record previously held by her compatriot Merlene Ottey with 21.64 in 1991.

#Strachan and Jackson, who continue to get closer to cracking the late American Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 from the 1988 Olympic Games, were followed by Jenna Prandini of the United States in 22.47.

#“It was good. I can’t really complain about it,” said Strachan, a very close friend of Jackson, whom she got to interview in a special segment in Zurich where they competed in their first meet since Budapest.  

#“The race went well. I didn’t go into the race with any expectations like that, so I’m content with the results.” 

#Running out of lane six ahead of Strachan in five, Jackson said she was elated with her performance.

#“For me personally, it is just to show up and especially in front of such an amazing crowd,” she said. “You just have to put in your best and that’s what I did today. It felt really good tonight, I definitely feel like I’m getting there, closer to that record. 

#“But it’s also important to have some fun and I really had fun tonight. It’s amazing to run against such a strong field and everyone did good tonight but for me personally it’s important to have fun.”

#Jackson noted that the crowd really urged her on as she continued her quest for the world record.  

#“It helps with the sprinting and I’m really enjoying the sprinting. Life recently is very good for me and I had the same feeling this evening,” she added. “I am loving it here, I run here since 2016 I think and I enjoy it every time.

#“Even if I didn’t win, it has been a good season and I hope to get one more win and to get closer to that record.”

#As a result of their performances, Jackson, who has made a remarkable showing since dropping down from the 400 to the sprints in 2021, leads the pack with 32 going into the finale. 

#Strachan will head into the final with the third highest qualifying spot with a total of 22 points. Great Britain’s Neita Daryll, who was fourth in Friday’s race in 22.59, is sitting in second with 24.

#“This race was just to sharpen up what I’ve already done to get into the final,” Strachan said.

#It’s also a good indication of the tremendous season that Strachan has enjoyed since she captured the world junior titles in both the 200 and 200m in 2012, making her first global final as a senior at the World Championships as a senior in Budapest, Hungary last month.

#“I feel alright with my progression since Worlds,” said Strachan, who got sixth in 22.29 in Budapest. “So I can’t complain. I wanted to run faster, but that’s not in my cards right now because my body can’t manage it.

#“I’m just trying to get my body to stay in that healthy position so that I can end the season injury free and so I can get ready for next year at the Olympic Games (in Paris, France) where I hope I can run even faster.”

#The Bahamian top female sprinter this year admitted that she’s content with her accomplishments and it’s all based on the sacrifices that she made to get to the point where she is right now.

#“I trained and I worked hard for this,” she declared. “What I put in is what I’m going to get out. I know where I’m at, so I don’t have anything to prove to anybody.”

#Strachan, who celebrated her 30th birthday in Budapest, got a prank played on her by one of the mascots at the championships as she waited in the call room during the semifinal to see if she would earn one of the spots in the final.

#As she sat on the couch, the mascot rubbed her out stretched arm. As she jumped to her feet, anticipating that it was a spider or some type of creature, Strachan was shocked when the mascot revealed himself.

#“He got me good,” Strachan quipped. “He got me good.”

#With the Prefontaine Classic as she final event for the year, Strachan said she’s hoping there wont be any more surprises. She’s just hoping that she can close out the season with a bang and earn some of the hefty cash prize that is being offered.

#The winner will earn $30,000, while the remaining positions will pocket $12,000 for second, $7,000 for third, $4,000 for fourth, $2,500 for fifth, $2,000 for sixth, $1,500 for seventh and $1,000 for eighth.

#“I also want to change my history of competing in Eugene,” said Strachan, referring to her injury that prevented her from coming out of the first round of the World Championships last year. “People find it hard that I don’t have much expectations, but I really don’t have any.”

 Home|Sports|Archer running for vice president at BOC electionsSports

He feels that track and field needs a presence around the decision-making table of Olympic sports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailSeptember 14, 2023 26 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The track and field community in The Bahamas is throwing its support behind Drumeco Archer in hopes of having some representation on the new executive board of the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC). The election of officers is set for this Saturday at 7 p.m. inside the Paul Farquharson Building at the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Headquarters.

For the first time in the Olympic movement in the country, athletics didn’t have a representative on the board of the last administration – primarily because four from athletics vied for the same position at the last elections, and after a post-mortem, it was determined that they split the vote. This time, Archer will be the only candidate, in any of the positions, from athletics.

Archer, the president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), is vying for one of six vice president spots on the BOC. There are 17 candidates who have offered themselves, including all six incumbents. Archer said this is an opportunity for track and field to sit at the decision-making table for Olympic sports in the country, and it is an opportunity that he is not taking lightly.

“I think that track and field should be given the opportunity to participate in the development of the universality of sport. While there has been a measure of success from this federation, the focus of being a part of the Bahamas Olympic Committee extends far beyond the limits of track and field,” said Archer. “The impact of making strong representation on the BOC through the lens of track and field opens up deeper discussions and opportunities that may be available to young kids at every age group. If I should be successful, I look forward to seeing young Bahamian athletes from every sporting discipline having the best opportunity for advancement in their personal lives and to further the development of themselves as individuals to experience the world in a way that they might have had an opportunity to do so before, and to be able to take advantage of educational opportunities.”

The BAAA has endorsed Archer as its candidate of choice for one of the vice president spots, as the executive team threw its full support behind Archer at that body’s conclave over the weekend. The other candidates for vice president are Gina Rolle from golf, Robert Butler from taekwondo, Brian Cleare and Moses Johnson from basketball, Joseph Smith from volleyball, Algernon Cargill from swimming, Theodore Sweeting and Shane Albury from baseball, Cora Hepburn from gymnastics, Catherine Ramsingh-Pierre from equestrian, Sean Bastian from handball, Clarence Rolle from wrestling, Lori Roach from triathlon, Roy Colebrook from cycling, Vincent Strachan from boxing and D’Arcy Rahming Sr. from judo.

Each of the member federations of the BOC carry a vote. Archer feels that his body of work in athletics speaks volumes for the contribution he is able to make to the executive team of the BOC.

“The BOC is comprised of 23 member federations, and in this instance, there are 17 positions for vice president. While it is my hope that people will identify the best candidates, I appreciate the tribalistic approach to elections of this kind where everyone will seek to protect his or her own interest. However, at the same time, we must be conscientious of one fact, and that is when we reflect, we should consider persons who will provide the continued growth and development of the Olympic movement,” he said. “It is my hope that our counterparts and other member federations accept the contributions of track and field as being a major contributor to the Olympic movement. Having just one person from track and field this time around, it is our hope that support can be channeled in one direction.”

Archer is in his second term as BAAA president and has never served on the executive board of the BOC. He was unsuccessful in his bid four years ago and is comfortable and confident in his candidacy this time around.

“Our engagement in sport makes it possible for persons, rich and poor, to all compete on a leveled playing field. This invariably gives us an opportunity to change the lives and circumstances of a very large demographic of Bahamians, whether they be people who live in grassroot communities or persons who might not have an opportunity to pay for college education,” said Archer. “Personally, I would like to see more funding be made available to all member federations, not necessarily from the BOC, but a collective effort where we could impress upon international organizations or local corporate communities and the local citizenry to deposit more into the development of sport. This could only happen through an aggressive approach by the leaders of this movement.”

Mike Sands, president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), one of six area associations under World Athletics, has also thrown his support behind Archer, so much so that he said he would have withdrawn his name if it was offered for nomination. Sands is a former vice president of the BOC. He is in his second term as NACAC president, and is the only Bahamian to lead an area association of a global body in sports.

Archer said he wishes all of the candidates the best, and win, lose or draw, collectively they must find a way to continue the work of a strong Olympic movement.

“I’ve seen a lot of stability and growth from the current Olympic committee – one that shows an increase in financial bottom line, and within the season we have seen large returns as it relates to results at the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games and other events,” said Archer. “There is much to brag about, but as we continue to grow, the expectations will expand greatly. I am hopeful that I could be a part of the ambitions of this new administration, uniting all member federations. It only bodes for a stronger Olympic movement.”

A total of 17 are vying for six vice president spots, but the positions of president, secretary general and treasure will be unchallenged as Romell Knowles, Derron Donaldson and Dorian Roach, run unopposed for those positions respectively. Jennifer Isaacs Dotson, Ramsingh-Pierre and Oria Wood-Knowles are running for the assistant secretary general’s position, and Isaacs Dotson, Adam Waterhouse and Vincent Strachan will contest the assistant treasurer’s position.

Archer has received an overwhelming amount of support from the track and field community, and is now looking for support from the membership of the BOC as well.

For years, athletics has been the most represented sport for The Bahamas at the highest level of sport in the world – the Olympics. The last Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, was no different as 13 of the 15 members of Team Bahamas were from athletics. The other two were swimmers.

Given that backdrop, and with the continued success of Bahamian athletics regionally, internationally and worldwide, Archer said it’s imperative that the sport gets some representation on the board of the governing body of Olympic sports in the country.

The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the 33rd Olympiad, is set for July 26 to August 11, 2024, in Paris, France.

Home|Sports|Team Bahamas optimistic after first windowSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 14, 2023 27 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Bahamas’ senior men’s national soccer team just completed its first window of the 2023-2024 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League.

The Bahamas lost both matches in that opening window, with a 6-1 result against Puerto Rico at home and a 3-2 loss to Guyana on the road in League B Group D action.

The aim for The Bahamas’ Head Coach Nesly Jean is for them to win their four remaining matches.

“The performance is promising, from the second half of the first game to the second game. We are looking to keep on improving and we are only looking forward from here, and try and win some games,” Jean said.

The Bahamas has shown improvement in its offense, coming away with three goals from the country’s first two matches. They scored two goals in six games at the last Nations League campaign. Jean and his staff will look at the players available for the next window, which will be against Antigua and Barbuda, October 14 and October 17.

“There has to be improvement,” Jean said. “A lot of guys are in college and could not get released because they just entered college, but they will be back for selection for these other games. We will take a look at it and see how we could improve the team.”

Team captain for the game against Guyana Christopher Rahming has been a mainstay on the field, playing the center midfield position.

“I hope that we can build off the momentum from the first two games. We will be looking to score more goals and get a win,” Rahming said.

Wood Julmis scored both goals for The Bahamas against Guyana and he is optimistic that the team will get better.

“From my first cap against St. Kitts and Nevis in 2021 to now, I see the team progressing. This is not our best team, we have important key players who were not able to make it due to school or club commitments. Heading into those remaining games, we are confident knowing what we can do with this team. It will be something special with our strongest team,” Julmis said.

Puerto Rico leads the group on goal difference with six points and a 2-0 win/loss record. Guyana is in second place with six points with a 2-0 record. The Bahamas is in third with zero points, ahead of fourth place Antigua and Barbuda on goal difference.

The match against Antigua and Barbuda at home is set for October 14. The Bahamas will play in Antigua and Barbuda on October 17. Both are key matches for The Bahamas before the third and final window in November.

 Home|Sports|Wells, Sawyer step up in new role with Team BahamasSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 14, 2023 23 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The term “next man up” is popular in sports, and after making their international debut for the senior men’s national soccer team on Saturday, Nathan Wells and Walter Sawyer were thrust into the starting lineup against Guyana in the 2023-2024 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League match on Tuesday.

Wells is a student-athlete at the University of The Bahamas (UB) and is gearing up for their upcoming season. He described being called up to the starting lineup as a major breakthrough.

“I have been working hard. It was a dream of mine to start. It was a great opportunity to play against professional players. It gave me the opportunity to see what I need to do,” said Wells.

Wells added that when Team Bahamas Head Coach Nesly Jean told him that he was starting at the center mid position, it gave him more motivation to go on the field and give it his all.

Sawyer, who plays for the Dynamos Football Club, said that it was good to go out there and represent his country.

“It was a great experience but I got injured and was substituted out. I wanted to keep going but I did not want to cause further damage. I was surprised when the coach told me that I was starting. I knew I had to focus,” Sawyer said.

The St. Leo University student’s start was dampened by a rib injury that he suffered. He was forced to exit the game in the 32nd minute.

“I was a little nervous at first, but as the game went on, we saw that we could hold them and come out with a win. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that win,” Sawyer said.

The left winger is looking forward to competing for a spot on the team for the next window.

Wells played for 65 minutes before he was substituted out. He is hoping to translate his national team play to his play at the University of The Bahamas.

“It is not the same level of play, but I should be able to translate what I learn from playing with the national team to playing at the University of The Bahamas. I just want to go and do my job and ensure that my teammates and I fight for each other,” Wells said.

Wells will be looking to secure a spot on the team for the next window in October. He said he is looking forward to the challenge.

 Home|Sports|Guyana drops The Bahamas, 3-2Sports

Wood Julmis scores both of the goals for The Bahamas

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 13, 2023 69 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Bahamas played a strong first half against soccer powerhouse Guyana but after giving up two second half goals, in the first 15 minutes of the second half, and pulling one back, Guyana defended home field and won 3-2 at the National Track and Field Center in Leonora, Guyana, last night.

Playing under the lights, The Bahamas’ senior men’s national soccer team put up quite a fight in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League match. Playing out of League B Group D, The Bahamas was a force to reckon with throughout the match. Wood Julmis scored a double to keep the game close.

Team captain Lesly St. Fleur was scratched the day before due to a groin injury and some key pieces from Saturday’s game against Puerto Rico were missing as well. Still, the Bahamian side rose to the occasion, matching the Guyanese side’s intensity.

Head Coach Nesly Jean said he was happy with the way the team played.

“I think defensively, there were one and two mistakes there. These are the type of things that we are trying to eliminate. Once we can eliminate that, we will do good going forward,” Jean said. “If another person cannot make it then it is next man up. Players have to show why they deserve to play and why they deserve to be on the team. I think the guys who played today (last night) showed that they can compete if someone gets injured.”

Julmis, who is usually Jean’s striker, was thrown in at the right wing position and made several runs at the Guyanese back line. His best run came in the 38th minute of the game that ended with him being fouled in the Guyanese penalty box to be awarded a penalty shot. He stepped up and took the penalty kick and sent the Guyanese goalkeeper Quillan Roberts to the wrong side. It put The Bahamas up 1-0 in the 39th minute. It was his first goal for the senior men’s national team.

Guyana responded with a goal of their own in the 44th minute of the game from none other than their top scorer this season, Omari Glasglow. The game was tied at a goal each heading into half-time.

It was a very defensive first half for the Bahamian side. They broke up several key passes that kept the game in check. Wearing the captain’s armband for the first time on the senior men’s team was Christopher Rahming. He made his debut as captain.

“I thought we had a very good showing today. We scored two goals and I think this is the most we scored on the road. The guys fought and tried their best,” Rahming said.

The first 15 minutes of the second half was not favorable to The Bahamas as Guyana turned up their offensive intensity and produced two goals. The first one was in the 54th minute when Stephen Duke-McKenna put one at the back of the net to put Guyana up 2-1. Kelsey Benjamin score the insurance goal in the 58th minute to put the Guyanese side up 3-1.

After that, both teams were attacking but no goals were being scored. The 85th minute came and the score was still 3-1 with the Guyanese fans looking on and cheering for their team. That quickly turned to nervousness as The Bahamas was awarded a penalty in the 86th minute. With no St. Fleur, Julmis stepped up and took the penalty. Like he did in the first half, Roberts dove the wrong way and Julmis got his second goal of his career and the game.

“It felt amazing to score two goals. After the first goal, I didn’t get to celebrate with my proverbial guitar. I needed my first goal. My teammate, Marcel Joseph, who did not make the trip, told me that I needed to get my first goal and that is what I did,” Julmis said. “I just took a deep breath and relaxed. I live for those moments where you make it and you celebrate or you miss it and cry. I am always confident knowing what is meant to happen always happen.”

The Bahamian side applied more pressure as the home fans became antsy but the score remained the same as the referee Shekiel Jokil blew the final whistle to end the game and the Guyana team breathed a sigh of relief.

The Bahamas plays Antigua and Barbuda on October 14. The time and location will be decided at a later date.

 Home|Sports|BOC elections set for this SaturdaySports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailSeptember 13, 2023 67 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The positions of president and secretary general for this Saturday’s Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) election of officers will be unopposed, and the incumbents will be returned to office, but there are 17 running for six vice president spots that could change the look of the executive body.

The BOC elections is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. inside the Paul Farquharson Building at the Royal Bahamas Police Headquarters.

Romell Knowles is once again running for president and his running mate Derron Donaldson will once again contest the secretary general position. Both are running unopposed. Dorian Roach is also running unopposed, contesting the treasurer’s position. Jennifer Isaacs Dotson, Catherine Ramsingh-Pierre and Oria Wood-Knowles are running for the assistant secretary general’s position. Isaacs Dotson, Adam Waterhouse and Vincent Strachan will contest the assistant treasurer’s position.

The positions for vice president are always the most hotly contested at the BOC elections and this year is no different. Running for six positions are Gina Rolle from golf, Robert Butler from taekwondo, Drumeco Archer from athletics, Brian Cleare and Moses Johnson from basketball, Joseph Smith from volleyball, Algernon Cargill from swimming, Theodore Sweeting and Shane Albury from baseball, Cora Hepburn from gymnastics, Ramsingh-Pierre from equestrian, Sean Bastian from 

handball, Clarence Rolle from wrestling, Lori Roach from triathlon, Roy Colebrook from cycling, Vincent Strachan from boxing and D’Arcy Rahming Sr. from judo.

As it relates to athletics, Archer has received an overwhelming amount of support from the track and field community and was given the blessing of the executive board of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) over the weekend. He is currently in his second term as BAAA president.

With four from athletics running for vice president spots at the last BOC elections, the vote was split and none of the four were able to get elected. This time, Archer is the only member of the track and field community running for a position on the BOC executive board.

 For years, athletics has been the most represented sport for The Bahamas at the highest level of sport in the world – the Olympics. The last Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, was no different as 13 of the 15 members of Team Bahamas were from athletics. The other two were swimmers. 

Given that backdrop, and with the continued success of Bahamian athletics regionally, internationally and worldwide, Archer said it’s imperative that the sport gets some representation on the board of the governing body of Olympic sports in the country.

Be that as it may, Donaldson said he feels confident that the current executive team has done enough to be re-elected.

“We know what we have to offer. There is a lot of work to be done – everyone has a job to do, but it is up to the members to repose confidence in the current executive team,” said Donaldson. “Everyone feels that they have done a good job but that is up to the members to decide.”

Donaldson said he is pleased that there was no infighting in the last administration, and that they all got along, for the most part.

“We feel like we have done a lot over the years to be re-elected, but it’s not about us. It’s about doing the work of the BOC and having the members judge you on your performance,” said Donaldson. “This is a very busy time for the executive team. Olympic sports are still reeling from COVID. The last Olympics was pushed back and that caused a lot of the major games to be crammed up. Right now, we are in the midst of planning for the Pan Am Games and that is a lot of work. Also, it is a very expensive undertaking.

“We just have to continue being out there and continue branding as we get closer to the Olympics. We have to bring the brand to the public and be more engaging. Also, we have to try and work on the federations more, with the understanding that they have to sit with us and bring their strategic plans to the table, in order for us help. We have to get the federations to be more active and be more self dependent.”

Donaldson said that with them going into an Olympic year in 2024, the planning process must start now, and it will be up to the new executive team to put everything in place pertaining to Team Bahamas for the Olympics.

The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the 33rd Olympiad, is set for July 26 to August 11, in Paris, France.