Home|Sports|The Bahamas to face Antigua and BarbudaSports

Teams will play Saturday at Thomas A. Robinson stadium

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 12, 2023 13 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ senior men’s national soccer team has marked October 14 and October 17 on its calendar as those are the dates that they will take on Antigua and Barbuda in two key matchups in the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Nations League’s League B Group D action.

The match on October 14 will feature The Bahamas hosting Antigua and Barbuda at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, looking to feast off some home cooking. That match gets underway at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Both teams will travel to Antigua and Barbuda and The Bahamas will look to get a win on October 17 at the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association’s Technical Center in Piggotts, Antigua and Barbuda. That game gets underway at 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday October 17.

The Bahamas’ 21-member team includes Lesly St. Fleur, Christopher Rahming, Cameron Pratt, William Bayles, William Gardiner, Alexiou Cartwright, Phieron Wilson, Wood Julmis, Nahum Johnson, Ricardo McPhee, Nathan Wells, Miguel Thompson, Michael Butler, Omari Bain, Marcel Joseph, Nicolas Lopez, Jonathan Miller, Jean Tilo, Jack Massey, Brody Wheaton and Amard Adderley.

Assistant Coach for The Bahamas Kevin Davies said he is looking to see progress from the team.

“The players have been putting in the work. The team is almost ready. We’re looking for better results moving forward. Even though we lost our last two matches, there was great improvement between games one and two. I’m looking forward to more improvement in the game on Saturday,” Davies said.

He also said that the team has some players returning and that some of the players from the first window of the nations league action were unavailable.

“I don’t see any weakness from the first two teams who played to this team in the upcoming games this weekend. The players are talented, the guys coming in at the same talent level, so there should be no fall-off in the team. We won’t talk about strategy. You’ll have to come out on Saturday and see what our strategy is going to be, but I know for sure that the guys are hungry and they want to prove to themselves that they can do the job,” Davies stated.

The Bahamas has racked up three goals in two games in this edition of the nations league – a better showing offensively from last season when they scored two goals in six matches.

The top three teams will stay in League B so a lot is at stake for both sides. The Bahamas is in third place in the group despite not having won a match in the two games they played in.  Antigua and Barbuda is also looking for its first point of the tournament. The Bahamas leads them on goal difference, -6 to -9.

Puerto Rico leads the group with six points as it holds the tiebreaker over Guyana who also has six points. Puerto Rico has a goal difference of 10 goals to five for Guyana.

Davies was clear when he said the players do not have the pressure like the coaching staff has in the upcoming game on Saturday.

“These are veteran players who we have here so they understand what’s at stake. You may feel pressure, but once the game starts, everything else on the outside goes away, so you’re just focused on the task at hand. So, the pressure, is for us as the coaches. As you’re well aware, if the team wins, the players did an excellent job, if the team loses, it is the coach’s fault. It is on us, and that’s something that we need to fix,” Davies stated.

St. Fleur, who was The Bahamas’ captain in the first game, was not available for the last match which was against Guyana because of a groin injury, but he is ready.

“I’m fully back,” St. Fleur said. “My readiness for the game is 100 percent and we’ve been putting in the work. With me being around the players, everyone’s confidence is up and they’re ready to play. We just need The Bahamas’ support so come out and support the team on Saturday as we put on a great show,” St. Fleur said.

Filling in for him with the captain’s arm band was Rahming.  Rahming said the team is focused on playing their game.

“I think this game, I think we’re less focused on what the other team is doing but trying to focus on what we want to do. I think going forward, we are looking to do our best, everyone coming, they seem to be in top shape. … From game one and two, I guess we’re playing a bit more reserved. I guess we’re looking to change it a bit,” Rahming said.

Tickets for the game are $20 for adults and $7 for children.

 Home|Sports|Extensive work at Thomas A. Robinson stadium to begin in NovemberSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 12, 2023 17 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Over the next two months, The Bahamas is set to host a CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Nations League game against Antigua and Barbuda, another one against Guyana in November, a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup match, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Bahamas Bowl game December 16, all at  Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The hosting of those events may be in jeopardy as extensive work is set to start on the stadium on November 1.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg made that revelation yesterday during a Bahamas Football Association (BFA) press conference for the upcoming match for The Bahamas against Antigua and Barbuda. Bowleg also let it be known that they are in agreement with the Chinese government for extensive repairs.

“We have some serious work that is going to be starting on the stadium in January. I think in short order a decision is going to be made as it relates to the NCAA bowl game as whether that will be held here. I know we are in agreement with the Chinese government to commence some serious repairs, and that is supposed to start on November 1. Depending on when they come, along with the technocrats from the ministry of works, they will be able to determine that,” Bowleg said.

Bowleg alluded that to get the stadium up to par, it will cost $30 million, but to make it safe and presentable it will cost $10 million. However, with the Chinese government being involved in the repairs, Bowleg said that The Bahamas might not use the $10 million that was allocated.

“We were preparing the stadium for the world relays and CARIFTA in 2024, which will allow it to be presentable and safe enough,” Bowleg said. “That is what the $10 million was allocated for. However, the Chinese government is going to be coming, so The Bahamas might not use any of the $10 million. The Chinese government might end up funding the entire repairs, which will most likely happen. This was a gift to us. It is now up to them to do the repairs to a building that we felt was not up to proper standard from day one.”

As for the nature of the work that is set to begin on the stadium, Bowleg said they will be completely shutting down the Western Grandstand and will use the Eastern Grandstand to accommodate the CONCACAF Nations League game on Saturday.

“We know that we will not be dealing with the field, but definitely the Western Grandstand will be shut down. We will probably have to see how best we can use the Eastern Grandstand along with the field because most of the construction is going to start on the Eastern Grandstand. One of the first things they will do is take off these roofs. There is a way that we believe that we can work it out, but in some cases, other events we will have to cancel like the bowl game. It might not look too good with construction going on at the same time,” Bowleg said.

There is not a timeline for when the repairs will be completed but Bowleg knows that it needs to be ready for CARIFTA which is in Easter 2024 and the World Athletics World Relays which is May 4-5, 2024.

“I can’t say, but we can anticipate; but I know one thing, that it needs to be out the way for CARIFTA Swimming and the world relays,” Bowleg said. “The idea is that by March, they can be completed and get things out the way. There is a lot of equipment being ordered at this time for installation. It takes some time, but most things will come here already prepared and ready to be implemented. The most work that will be done is the removal of the roof, and once the roof and infrastructure comes, it is just a matter of putting it on. In my opinion, that will be the easiest part.”

The track at the stadium and the old stadium, both got restriped earlier this year.

Kai Jones in action for the Charlotte Hornets. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

As of Wednesday, October 11, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#National Basketball Association (NBA) professional player Kai Jones requested a trade from the Charlotte Hornets via the X social media platform on Monday night.

#The decision came following the Hornets’ announcement two weeks ago that the forward/center would not be joining them at this year’s training camp and will be away from the team due to personal reasons.

#However, Jones’ latest social media post might cost him up to $150,000 in fines or a possible suspension as it violates Section 18 of the National Basketball Players Association’s (NBPA) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

#The former 2021 first round pick made his displeasure with the Hornets known on Monday night.

#“I have officially requested to be traded from the Charlotte Hornets. #GOATLIFE” he posted.

#The 6-foot-11 player has recently made some questionable posts on social media, including openly criticising his teammates and exhibiting erratic behaviour on Instagram Live in the NBA’s offseason.

#However, his latest post on X might be his costliest of them all.

#Section 18 of the NBPA CBA states that any player or, for clarity, any player representative or person acting with authority on behalf of a player who publicly expresses a desire to be traded to another team shall be subject to a fine and/or a suspension.

#As previously mentioned, the fine levied if in violation of this rule is $150,000.

#In response to Jones’ offseason antics on social media and absence from training camp, the Hornets released a statement which said there is not a set timetable for the Bahamian big man’s return.

#“Kai Jones will not participate in training camp due to personal reasons. There is currently not a timetable for his return to the team.

#“Out of respect for the personal nature of the situation, the Hornets will not have any additional public comment regarding the matter at this time,” the statement read.

#The team ultimately declined not to comment on this most recent matter.

#In 67 career games, the 19th overall pick of the 2021 draft averaged 2.7 points per game along with two boards for the Hornets.

Dunkin’ Donates Bahamas has donated $10,000 towards the “Junkanoo Jingle to Bay” 5k Holiday Race Fundraiser in support of youth development in The Bahamas.

As of Wednesday, October 11, 2023

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#DUNKIN’ Donuts Bahamas donated $10,000 towards the ‘Junkanoo Jingle to Bay’ 5k Holiday Race fundraiser to support youth development in The Bahamas.

#The event’s title sponsor is also joined by Legacy Church, who will receive a part of the event’s proceeds, along with the Bahamas Humane Society. With the holiday season right around the corner, the festive event is slated to take place at 6am on December 16 at Arawak Cay. The event is opened to adults, children, and pets wanting to experience the holiday spirit for worthy causes.

#Eldira Backford, director of marketing for Dunkin’ Donuts Bahamas, said it is a proud moment for the company to align itself with organisations that share the same goals.

#“At Dunkin’ Bahamas we are proud to stand along organisations that have a shared passion for bringing awareness and action to relevant causes where support is needed in our communities,” Backford said.

#She added that the idea behind the holiday race is not only to bring a fun and festive event to the community, but also bring local organisations, schools and communities together to support the development of the country’s youth.

#Legacy Church will also greatly benefit from this year’s festive and fitness event as the non-profit organisation regularly works with the youth inside and outside of the church walls.

#Rosemary Pena, apostle at Legacy Church, expressed gratitude to both Dunkin’ and Four Seasons Race Management for partnering with them and supporting the programme which caters to youth from 12-18 as well as young adults.

#“Your sponsorship is not going to go to waste, our youth are already planning and plotting how they are going to maximise the donation and what they are going to launch, they are planning so many things,” Pena said.

#The holiday fundraiser is set to be an exciting one, according to Marcel Major, chief executive officer and RRCA certified race director for Four Seasons Race Management.

#“The race is dear to our hearts as we are deeply rooted in Junkanoo, we are also runners, health enthusiasts and community builders.

#“JJtoBay5k blends all of our shared ideals while raising funds for youth development in The Bahamas,” Major said.

#The route for the winter event will begin at Arawak Cay through downtown Nassau, Rawson Square and participants will turn around at Rubis East Bay near Commonwealth Bank and head back to Arawak Cay.

#The cost for adults is $45, children are $35 and adults with one pet are $55.

#Civic groups, churches, companies or friends are encouraged to form teams of ten for a cost of $35 per person. Santa suits will also be provided to participants to complement the holiday theme. “This will be such an exciting, family and pet-friendly holiday event, you won’t want to miss on Saturday, December 16 at Arawak Cay,” he said.

#Registration is said to be going well as the community supports the youth and bringing awareness to non-profit organisations

#Individuals can register for December’s event at www.fourseasonsracemanagement.com. Persons that wish to become a corporate sponsor or form a team can email jjtobay242@gmail.com or call 242-804-8595.

#The event is also sponsored by Oaktree Medical Center, 100 Jamz, Walk-In Clinic, and IL Cares Foundation.

As of Wednesday, October 11, 2023

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Riccardo Davis, far right, winner of the professional division.

Nolan Johnson, centre, winner of the amateur division.

Christopher Callendar, centre, winner of the junior division.

#IT was an exciting start to the Bahamas Professional Golf Tour season when Riccardo Davis, founder of the tour, secured the victory at the BPGT Classic in September after some drama on hole 18 ensued between him and David Harris.

#Playing at the Baha Mar resort’s Royal Blue Golf Course, Davis and Harris finished their round tied at two-over par 74 and needed a playoff to break the tie.

#After they were tied at the end of the first round of playoff, Davis’ short game helped him to hold off a fierce Harris to start the season off with a bang as he made a birdie on that second playoff hole. Harris had to settle for second.

#Next on the agenda is the Hillshire Farms Classic by Asa H Pritchard set for 2pm on Saturday, October 28.

#“We are thrilled to have Hillshire Farms continue their sponsorship of the tour, their brand is one that is synonymous with golf development, and we continue to value their support,” Davis said.

#Nolan Johnson won the amateur division in the Classic last month while Christopher Callendar won the junior division. All three division champions will be back in the Hillshire Farms Classic to defend their title.

#As mentioned earlier, golfers of all skill level can participate whether they are a professional, amateur or junior as they will each have their own category.

#There are great prizes in each division and golfers are encouraged to come out and give support to the professionals and those striving to reach the professional level as they hone their skills to excel professionally.

#We have great sponsors such as Bahamas Waste, Breezes Resorts, Royal Blue Golf Club, R & E Imports & Sales, Sun Tee, Signature Events and Wild Flowers.

#Anyone wishing to support the tour can do so by contacting the tour at bahamasprofessionalolftour@gmail.com

#The tour is also in contact with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Tourism to support the tour so that we import professional golfers to our home-grown tour.

SHOW OF SUPPORT: Arawak Homes Limited has made the decision to sponsor triple jumper Kaiwan Culmer, the company’s site supervisor, on his quest to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

As of Wednesday, October 11, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#ARAWAK Homes Limited announced their decision to sponsor their fellow employee and triple jumper Kaiwan Culmer on his quest to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

#The company’s site supervisor had already made the choice to turn in his resignation letter nearly four weeks ago to focus on his athletic aspirations for next year.

#However, his employer opted to keep him as an employee while also funding his journey.

#With the full financial and professional support of Arawak Homes Ltd, Culmer is ready to proudly represent The Bahamas next July.

#Franon Wilson, president of Arawak Homes Ltd, said initially the company had not known they were employing a professional athlete but after the discovery, he felt it was their corporate duty to support Culmer’s athletic journey and therefore declined his resignation.

#“We said Kaiwan instead of you resigning we would wish to sponsor you in your efforts to make the Olympics, do not resign and what we would do is put you on a leave of absence,” Wilson said.

#He added that the company granted him this opportunity so that he can solely focus on qualifying for the Olympics and would not have the distraction of worrying about the future of his professional career after next year’s sporting event.

#While employed at Arawak Homes Ltd as a site supervisor, Culmer would have the support of his co-workers who stepped up in his absences due to his participation in sporting meets or athletic training.

#The 26-year-old expressed gratitude to everyone who supported his journey in athletics. He offered a special thanks to Drumeco Archer, president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), Romell Knowles, president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) along with his parents, coaches, and co-workers.

#“I thank God for just giving me this opportunity. I do not take it for granted in any which way, I think it speaks a lot to the hard work that I have put in but it is not me, it is God who has created this opportunity for me,” he said.

#With the weight of his professional career now lifted and the comfort of Arawak Homes Ltd sponsorship behind him, the three-time national champion is ready to push for a new personal best in the triple jump event.

#After working with sprint coach Damarius Cash to improve his speed, Culmer will be under the tutelage of Olympian Leevan “Superman” Sands at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

#He currently has a personal best outdoor record of 16.52 metres (m) and is determined to undergo intense training to attain a new personal best over 17 metres.

#The 26-year-old talked about what led to the decision of choosing the Bahamian triple jump legend to take him to the next level. “I just thought why wouldn’t it be best to go under one of the national heroes of our country who has already done it, who knows what it is to get there, and who tailored his body and put his body through that amount of stress in order to get to this level,” he said.

#Although the decision to put his professional career aside to try and represent The Bahamas at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a difficult one, the triple jumper was happy it translated into a blessing. BOC president Knowles and BAAA president Archer both praised the dedication of Culmer and high corporate values of Arawak Homes Ltd.

#“Arawak Homes today [and] their social responsibility as a company speaks volumes in our corporate world. And I wish other companies will join the likes of Arawak Homes and I want to congratulate you on your corporate social values in terms of sponsoring athletes,” Knowles said.

#Archer acknowledged that the sponsorship by Arawak Homes Ltd was great as they understood Culmer’s sacrifice of his professional endeavours for a greater opportunity.

#“It is also a story about a company like Arawak Homes, for a company to recognise how profound that sacrifice is and for people to appreciate the depth of that sacrifice, to set aside one’s capacity to make money all for the glory of track and field and for the glory of the country,” the BAAA president said.

#Culmer is dedicated and passionate as he embarks on a mission to achieve greatness in Paris next year.

Bahamian jumper receives sponsorship from Arawak Homes

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 11, 2023 28 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Every young athlete has a dream of competing in the Olympic Games at least once in his or her lifetime, but as time goes on, that dream can slip away as they take on responsibilities, especially after completing tertiary level education. They can be forced to choose between that dream and professional opportunities in the workplace.

One of those athletes is Bahamian horizontal jumper Kaiwan Culmer. He was faced with that decision, and with his resignation letter in hand, he alerted his boss who in turn gave him back the resignation letter and offered to have the company, Arawak Homes, sponsor him on his 2024 Summer Olympic Games journey to Paris, France, with a leave of absence.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at Sunshine House on Shirley Street yesterday – the official office building of Arawak Homes.

Culmer, who works at Arawak Homes as a site manager, said he is thankful for the opportunity and for those who helped to get him to this point.

“I am grateful for this opportunity from Franon Wilson at Arawak Homes, the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) and the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA),” said Culmer. “I thank God for giving me this opportunity. I do not take it for granted in any way. It speaks to the hard work that I have put in, but it is not me, it is God who has created this opportunity. I thank my parents for being there for me since I started doing track and field at the age of five, running track and competing in the field events.”

President of Arawak Homes Wilson said after Culmer came to resign he met with the team at Arawak Homes to see how best they could help Culmer on his Olympic journey and they decided to sponsor him. Wilson said he told Culmer that he did not have to resign but instead, they would put him on a leave of absence and he can come back after he trains and competes.

“This was a complete team effort to get to this point and I want to thank everyone in the construction department, and who will be there in Culmer’s absence, as he does his best to represent our country do even more. That is a commitment that our company and the people in his department have made to support him in his initiative and effort. We believe in national development,” Wilson said.

Culmer will be heading to Tallahassee, Florida, where he will be coached by national record holder in the men’s triple jump ‘Superman’ Leevan Sands who is currently coaching jumps at Florida State University (FSU), and has a stable of professional athletes under his wing as well. Sands will assist Culmer in attaining that 17.22 meters (m) effort, 56’ 6”, that is needed to automatically qualify for the Olympics in the men’s triple jump. Culmer has a personal best jump of 16.52m (54’ 2-1/2”) that he did back in June 2018. With him focusing on preparing for the Olympics, he knows that first, he must become the seventh Bahamian to leap over 17 meters (55’ 9-1/4”) in the men’s triple jump. The field includes Sands, Frank Rutherford, Wendell Lawrence, Latario Collie-Minns, Steve Hanna and Norbert Elliott.

“This past year, I was faced with having to balance work with my personal projects, working with Arawak Homes and being a full-time track and field athlete. I consider myself a very hard training man. Mentally, I am always at it and have to be on the go but what I was faced with was, my mind was so strong, but my body would be tired. My mind would tell my body that it is not tired but regardless, when I train, I told myself that I was not 100 percent fresh. The same challenge that I was faced with in my freshman year in college to my sophomore year when I went from 14 meters to 16 meters in one year was that I needed a change. I am thinking of putting myself in a better position so that I can go from 16 meters to 17 meters to make the Olympic team. To do that, I had to drop some of the load that I am carrying so I took a step of faith,” Culmer said.

His decision to be in Sands’ camp was a no-brainer, he said. Presently, he is coached by renowned triple jumps coach Peter Pratt, who also coached Sands.

“Sands was a mentor to me since I was around 16 years old whether it was through situations of me going to meets or whether I needed words of encouragement or not,” said Culmer. “When I looked at places to go and train, I saw many individuals of different nationalities who had camps set up. I just thought why wouldn’t it be best to go under a national hero of our country who has already done it? He has put his body under a lot of stress to get to an extraordinary level and he is someone who I have looked up to all my life. It’s great to have someone who we can trust and go to if I need a Thanksgiving meal or when I decide to stay back for Christmas and have a house and have a family around. It was a clear as day decision. My triple jumps coach Peter Pratt coached Sands and I asked him for advice,” he added.

Recently re-elected president of the BOC Romell ‘Fish’ Knowles said that it is a great opportunity for Culmer and hopes that other companies step up.

“What a dedication by Kaiwan who was ready to quit his job in order to participate to represent The Bahamas at the Olympic Games. These are the types of sacrifices that athletes are called on to do when it comes to representing their country. Arawak Homes’ social responsibility speaks volumes in a corporate world. I wish other companies will join the likes of Arawak Homes and make similar contributions,” Knowles said.

President of the BAAA Drumeco Archer spoke about Culmer’s dedication.

“It was probably one of the most heart-wrenching experiences for me when this year, all year round, he and I talked about making the world championships team, but sadly, he did not make the team. It is a testament to the perseverance and tenacity of someone who says, ‘I will soldier on’,” Archer said.

The former All-American athlete at the University of Nebraska has worked on being faster on the runway this past season, working with a sprints coach to help him attain a qualifying standard for a major meet.

“It is right there. I have some things that I must work on. This year, I took significant strides to where I took on a full-time sprints coach in Demarius Cash who worked with me in getting faster. If you want to jump far you must run so fast and Cash was amazing in getting my speed up to the level to where I need to be at on the triple jumps runway. I was faced with approach problems because when I got my personal best it was at a certain speed, but I got so much faster and this year when I came down the runway, it was a timing issue that I was faced with. The targeted distance does not phase me, so I must have the same dedication and get that distance in practice,” Culmer said.

The aspiring Olympian leaves The Bahamas tomorrow for Tallahassee, Florida to continue his journey to have his Olympic dream become a reality.

 Home|Sports|Miller to serve on technical committee of Pan Am GamesSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailOctober 11, 2023 25 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The sports year for Team Bahamas is not done as yet as there is a major multi-sport event on the calendar.

The 2023 Pan American Games, officially the 19th Pan Am Games and commonly known as Santiago 2023, is set for October 20 to November 5, in Santiago, Chile.

Nearly 7,000 athletes from 41 countries from around the region are set to take part in the multi-sport event – the biggest on the calendar for 2023 for countries in this region. There will be a total of 425 events in 39 sporting disciplines and the opening and closing ceremonies will take place at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago.

Team Bahamas is set to be finalized later this week, but according to reports, the country will take part in a number of disciplines, highlighted by athletics and swimming.

Among the officials, The Bahamas will once again be well represented as former Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) President Wellington Miller will serve on the technical committee of the games. He leaves for Santiago today and is looking forward to the challenge at hand.

Miller is serving as an official for the quadrennial games for the third consecutive time – in 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the coordination committee, and for the last two games on the technical committee. The 2019 event was held in Lima, Peru.

“It’s a great feeling. Just to serve in this capacity is an accomplishment for myself, and for The Bahamas,” said Miller. “I must have impressed them in order to keep getting invited to serve. This gives my country an opportunity to have athletes in the field of play and also someone around the table as a technical official. It’s an opportunity that I certainly don’t take lightly, and I will represent The Bahamas to the best of my ability.”

Having been invited to serve on the committee, Miller is on his second trip to the Chilean capital this year. He begins his 10 and a half hour journey today and will be in Santiago for nearly four weeks.

“I was down there earlier this year, just basically going through the theory of what is required,” said Miller. “Now, they wanted us to come down a week in advance of the games to go through everything as it relates to medical, logistics, facility readiness and just general maintenance and organization of the games. Everyone on the technical committee will have six sporting disciplines in his or her portfolio, so it will be quite tedious for us getting around to the all of the respective sports. I’m just honored to be sitting around the table and making a contribution. Each day of the games, we have to give verbal and written reports, and be in meetings, so there is a lot that is required. At the end of the games, we have to give a final report. It is required that we are specific and precise so as you could imagine, this is a huge task.”

The technical committee of Santiago 2023 is responsible for the overall running and management of the games.

“It gives me great pride to represent my country at this high level,” said Miller. “Earlier this year, I served on the CAC (Central American and Caribbean) Games Technical Committee, and now, to do it at the Pan Am Games level again is a great experience and I’m looking forward to it. I just want to encourage as much Bahamians as possible to get involved with sports and sports management because it opens many doors socially and professionally. It’s a great way to travel and see the world and make a contribution to the development of young Bahamians and sports in The Bahamas in general.”

Miller is the first Bahamian to serve on the technical committees for both the CAC and Pan Am Games.

 Home|Sports|Bahamian equestrian riders compete in dressage challengeSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailOctober 11, 2023 16 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ leg of the 2023 Caribbean Equestrian Association (CEA) Mini Dressage Challenge, held September 30 to October 1 at Mariposa Stables in western New Providence, marked the return of dressage competition to The Bahamas for the first time in over a decade.

The Dressage Challenge is one of several competitions contested by the eight member nations of the CEA – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Bermuda, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The competition format enables Caribbean riders to compete against each other without the logistical challenge of traveling overseas. Each year, an appointed judge travels to every participating country to judge the competitions.

The Bahamas’ equestrians were keen to showcase their skills before internationally acclaimed FEI (International Federation for Equestrian Sports) 4* Dressage Judge Cesar Torrente of Colombia. Adults and juniors rode tests of various levels under Judge Torrente’s watchful eyes. Some riders used the opportunity to hone their skills by performing more than one test. At the end of the competition, the first scores posted by all riders were assessed, and the scores from the top three from each age group were used to determine The Bahamas’ adult and children’s team scores. The overall ranking of the teams will not be known until all the participating countries have held their 2023 Dressage Challenge competitions, after which time overall results from the region are tallied and awards announced.

“We were very pleased with our riders’ scores,” said Equestrian Bahamas President Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre. “The level of riding demonstrated our continued technical progress and was reflected in the competitive scores our riders posted. This is our first venture into regional dressage competition, and the other Caribbean countries have been competing in dressage for a lot longer than we have, but nonetheless, this year we hope to have a good overall team placing.”

Dressage is one of three Olympic equestrian disciplines. It is described by the international governing body for equestrian sport, the FEI, as “the ultimate expression of horse training and elegance.” In dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of “tests”, prescribed series of movements ridden within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement and assign a score from zero to 10 – zero being “not executed” and 10 being “excellent”.

Notably, three riders – Lorrinda Maura (Adult Training Level 1), Gabriella Moran (Adult Introductory Level B) and Katerina Coello (Children’s Introductory Level C) – posted scores of 70 percent or more. In dressage, 70 percent is a benchmark score, akin to “very good”, and indicative that the rider is ready to advance to a higher test level.

Team Bahamas’ children were comprised of Katerina Coello, Sennen Fitzmaurice and Ella Saidi. Team Bahamas’ adults were represented by Erika Adderley, Danielle Lowe and Lorrinda Maura.

Liberty forward Jonquel Jones shoots over Aces centre Kiah Stokes during the first half in Game 1 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series on Sunday in Las Vegas. (AP Photos/John Locher)

As of Tuesday, October 10, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Grand Bahama native Jonquel Jones and the New York Liberty were handed a 17-point blowout loss in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Finals opener.

#The highly anticipated women’s matchup was finally underway as the league’s two superteams clashed but the defending champions Las Vegas Aces launched the first strike and took down their opponents 99-82.

#The Aces had a dominant performance in the second half, showing why they are last year’s champions, to sap the excitement out of the Liberty’s first finals return since 2002 and remain undefeated in the playoffs.

#With multiple narratives surrounding this year’s exciting matchup, it was a tale of two halves for the Liberty in game one. The latter jumped out to a 25-22 lead in the first quarter as they looked to claim game one of the finals over the reigning champions. The team ended the first half of play leading by 3 and with the score 49-46.

#Liberty guard Marine Johannes dropped 14 points off the bench in the loss. She scored all of her points in the first two quarters of the game, including four makes from behind the arc.

#However, in the second half, her momentum stalled as the Aces defence left her scoreless.

#Despite the loss, Jones earned her seventh consecutive double-double which is the most all-time recorded in a single postseason.

#The former WNBA MVP amassed 16 points, 10 rebounds and one block while shooting 7-for-12 from the field. She suffered a slight scare in the first quarter after an apparent ankle injury but was able to return for the Liberty in the following period.

#The Liberty forward told reporters at the postgame press conference that she got the ankle taped up in the locker room and felt fine.

#Although she turned in a double-double, Jones only scored four of her 16 points in the second half.

#“I just felt like they crowded the paint really well, they sat off, kind of made us make that extra pass out and were willing to kind of just give that up and see how we played it,” she said.

#After holding a three-point advantage going into halftime, then came the league’s number one team.

#The Aces poked holes in the Liberty’s defence in the second half of play. Aces guards Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum gave New York problems on the defensive end, as they each notched playoff career highs with 26 points apiece.

#The offensive onslaught by the two guards helped the Aces to run out to a 67-63 lead in the third quarter. The final period saw the defending champions gain a 22-point advantage, their largest lead of the game, at the 3:32 mark as they outscored the Liberty 53-33 in the second half.

#Breanna Stewart, the league’s MVP, had a quiet 21 points to pair with nine rebounds.

#However, the defensive efforts of A’ja Wilson, who scored 19 points in the win, held the MVP to 8-for-19 shooting from the field and 1-for-4 from three. The performance of Chelsea Gray, who dropped 20 points in the win, along with Young and Plum derailed any chances of a Liberty win on Sunday night as they scored 72 points altogether.

#The Aces held Jones’ team to 46.4 per cent shooting while converting 54.7 per cent of their field goals. The Las Vegas team outscored the Liberty 42 to 32 in the paint.

#Additionally, they got to the line 23 times and made 20 of their attempts on 87 per cent shooting.

#The theme of their last five games against each other continued this past weekend in which each victory margin was by an average 19.2 points.

#The Liberty will look to make the necessary adjustments in game two of the best-of-five series at the Michelob ULTRA Arena Wednesday at 9pm.