Bahamas’s Donald Thomas poses with his bronze medal on the podium during a ceremony for the men’s high jump category, at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

As of Monday, November 6, 2023

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Bahamas’ Donald Thomas clears the bar during the men’s high jump final at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#EACH year, as long as he feels healthy, Donald Thomas said he will be out to make his presence felt on the international scene. Although he admitted that he was not at full strength, Thomas said he wanted to give it his best shot at this year’s Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

#On Friday, the 39-year-old Thomas was beaten out for the silver by Luis Joel Castro of Puerto Rico on fewer knockdowns after they both posted a mark of 7-feet, 4 1/4-inches or 2.24 metres. Luis Enrique Zayas of Cuba took the gold with 7-5 ¼ (2.27m).

#After winning a silver in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gold in 2011 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and bronze in 2015 in Toronto, Canada, Thomas said he was disappointed as he sat on the sidelines and watched as a medal slipped away from him in 2019 in Lima, Peru.

#The Grand Bahamian native vowed to return this year and avenge the feat. He dedicated his performance to the late Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini Obediah Wilchcombe.

#“It was a great competition. I was glad that I was able to go out there and compete,” said Thomas, who admitted that he wasn’t at full strength and was able to get a lot of assistance from Dr Rickey Davis, the Bahamas Olympic Committee team doctor and the local doctors at the polyclinic in the Games Village, to get him ready to compete. As he showed up and performed, Thomas said he remembered how a hamstring injury in 2019 in Peru snapped his streak of winning a medal.

#But there was no greater feeling this time to get back on the podium. “I might not have been 100 percent, but I went out there and did it,” said Thomas, who too noted that his goal now is to get the elusive medal that has slipped from his grasp in his past four appearances at the Olympics.

#While he appeared in Beijing, China in 2008, London, England in 2012 and Tokyo, Japan in 2020, his best performance came in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2018 where he made his only final appearance, placing seventh.

#Looking back at his performances over the years, Thomas said he’s motivated every year to compete because of his results, and he’s eager to continue. He won his world title in 2007 in Osaka, Japan, the same year the first iPhone went on sale, and three years before Instagram was launched.

#But as he approaches his 40th birthday on July 1, a few weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics, he admits that he still feels that there’s still a lot more left in the tank. “When you line up to compete and you get on that podium, you are jumping against competitors who are out to accomplish the same thing, winning a medal,” said Thomas, who has earned just about every international medal, except the Olympics.

#“Age is just a number. The sky’s the limit. So I just keep going.”

#At his age, Thomas said it’s a year-to-year commitment for him. “I don’t want to just show up to these games. I want to be able to compete,” he stated.

#“I don’t just want to be one of the greatest. I want to take it one year at a time and see just how my body feels and I just go from there.

#“But I know I can compete with the best and before I leave the game, I want to get that medal (at the Olympics). So, we will see how it goes. I’m going to put my all into that to see the outcome.”

#In order to achieve that goal, Thomas said he just has to show up in great shape and show his support system in the stands.

#“Usually, I get to compete at the games without my coaches,” he pointed out.

#“I’ve never had a coach present at the Olympics. Hopefully, this coming Olympics, the BOC would grant me permission to have my coach at the games.”

#Despite the rise of some young competitors like Shaun Miller Jr, Thomas said he’s confident that he will be one of the two of three competitors to represent the Bahamas in Paris next year. He’s not certain who will join him.

#“This is what I prepare for,” said Thomas, who dominated the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships, winning seven titles and has produced a lifetime best of 7-9 ¼ (2.37m) in 2016, second only to Troy Kemp’s record of 7.9 ¾ (2.38) in 1995 in Nice, France, the same year he won his world title in Gothenburg, Sweden.

#Growing up playing basketball while studying at Lindenwood University in Missouri, USA, Thomas was challenged by his teammates to give the high jump a go, given how easy slam dunks came to him.

#He cleared 6-6 (1.98m) on his first attempt, 6-11 ¾ (2.13m) on his third, and, two days later, Thomas found himself competing for the track team, clearing 7-3 ½ (2.22m) in competition.

#Two months later, he went on to finish fourth in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne before clearing 7-8 1.2 (2.35m) in 2007 to claim gold at the World Championships.

#In the 16 years since, Thomas admits that there have been many ups and downs, but he credits a lot of his motivation to his son and daughter Dashawn and Kamilah, aged 17 and 10 respectively, who play basketball and do gymnastics.

#“They are my world.” he stated. “That’s one of the reasons why I stay competing.

#“I’m doing it for them and for my country. But they know my commitment to competing and getting on the podium every time I compete.”

As of Monday, November 6, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#OVER the weekend, the swimming and athletics disciplines took home a majority of the awards at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s National Sports Awards.

#Saturday night was a special occasion for all involved in sports with 21 winners taking home their respective awards.

#The ceremony took place on the front lawn of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#The Bahamas Aquatics Federation hauled in awards for Federation of the Year, Collegiate Athlete of the Year (male), National Youth Team of the Year, National Senior Team of the Year, and National Coach of the Year.

#Lamar Taylor won the award for Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year and also took home the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) award.

#At the collegiate level, Taylor has been nothing short of successful during the 2022-23 season.

#He became the first Bahamian to collect three national championships at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Swimming and Diving Championships in March.

#The Henderson State University student also became the school’s first individual national champion since 2010.

#Additionally, he was named the Great American Conference (GAC) Male Athlete of the Year, the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference (NSISC) Male Swimmer of the Year, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Division II Male Swimmer of the Year and Henderson State Male Athlete of the Year.

#With regards to the BOC award, the 20-year-old secured a gold and bronze medal at the 24th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador, El Salvador in June.

#Most recently, he earned the first medal (bronze) in the men’s 50m freestyle for The Bahamas at the 19th Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

#The Grand Bahama native finished with a time of 22.13 seconds to smash his previous national record of 22.26 seconds attained at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

#The National Coach of the Year award went to Travano McPhee, who served as the assistant coach for the CARIFTA Aquatics team. McPhee felt that it was great to receive the award and is looking forward to the continued growth of swimming in The Bahamas.

#“It is a great honour to be a part of these nominees to be selected over some of the great legends like Tucker those and all the others…I think it has been a long time coming some long hours coaching, putting up with athletes, parents and everything that comes with being a great coach but I enjoy it, I love it,” he said.

#The CARIFTA Aquatics team earned the National Youth and Senior Team of the Year title after some stellar performances at the CARIFTA Swimming Championships in Curaçao. The team made history earning a fifth consecutive title at the regional level and recorded their best performance bringing home 85 medals including 37 gold, 27 silver and 21 bronze.

#The Bahamas Aquatics Federation also saw their swimmers flat out dominate at the Goodwill Swimming Championships in August in Kingston, Jamaica. The 40-member team not only came first, improving on their fourth place finish in 2022, but also hauled in 129 medals. The aquatics contingent set numerous meet and individual records at the competition.

#With swimming earning a number of victories at the National Sports Awards on Saturday night, the newest National Coach of the Year was happy to see the sport receive well deserved recognition.

#“Swimming is doing well. We came a long way, we will host the CARIFTA games next year and I encourage all Bahamians to come out and support our local swimmers…Swimming is doing outstanding not just locally but internationally.

#“Algernon Cargill and his executive team are doing an outstanding job and we hope to see some bigger and better things for swimming in the future,” he said.

#For athletics, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) saw athletes Jamiah Nabbie, Rhema Otabor, Tylah Pratt, Terrence Jones, and Brenden Vanderpool named award winners.

#Nabbie was selected as Female Senior High School Student Athlete of the Year. The Queen’s College student has been a formidable force on the track. She won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 50th OakTree Medical Center CARIFTA Games in the under-17 girls 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay events at home. The double CARIFTA gold medallist earned personal bests of 11.67 and 23.67 seconds in the individual events and became the first female to earn a gold medal on the track at the event.

#Overall, she was happy to have her talents observed along with having the support of her loved ones at the National Sports Awards.

#“It feels amazing to know that people chose me to be the athlete of the year and that I impacted other people this year and it definitely gave me motivation going into next year’s season,” she said.

#Vanderpool was presented the Male Senior High School Student Athlete of the Year award. One of his most remarkable feats came at the 50th CARIFTA Games, where he broke his father’s, Brent Vanderpool, 36-year-old national record along with the CARIFTA record. He soared to 5.06m in the under-20 boys pole vault event for gold and a lifelong memory. His other accomplishments include a silver medal at the NACAC under-23 Championships in July and a bronze medal at the Pan American under-20 Championships in August.

#Otabor, who recently earned a silver medal at the 19th Pan American Games, was voted Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year. The 20-year-old won the NCAA Division 1 javelin title at the Championships in June for Nebraska University. She won the event with a throw of 59.49m to become the second Nebraska javelin thrower since 1995 to accomplish this feat. Additionally, she was the second Bahamian since women’s national javelin record holder, Laverne Eve, to collect the title honours.

#Andros native Pratt has made a name for herself in the high jump and long jump events. She claimed the award for Family Island School Student Athlete of the Year. The 16-year-old has racked up first place finishes in four of the last five events she has competed in this year.

#She was grateful to receive the award for her hard work and reflected on her initial response to being selected.

#“It feels really good to win that award I am excited and proud of myself…I was in a state of shock and after that I was just proud because I have to thank God, my family, and my coaches for all the training and intense workouts in the season so I was proud of myself and them,” she said.

#Jones was chosen as the recipient of the Minister of Sports Award- For Excellence. The 20-year-old recorded a scorching 9.91 seconds in the 100m sprint at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida in April. He matched Derrick Atkins’ identical national record from the World Championships in Osaka, Japan in 2007. The Texas Tech student also sealed the deal for the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championship in the 60m event in March and became the new record holder.

#For the remaining categories, La’Breah Sands, softball MVP for the Grand Bahama Lucayans, came away as the Junior Female Athlete of the Year. Meanwhile, Craig Ferguson II, representing the Bahamas Sailing Association, won the same award in the male category.

#He was happy that his hard work and dedication has paid off and encouraged up and coming athletes to join a sport like sailing, which is not as popular as basketball and track and field, because it can be very rewarding as well.

#Miami Marlins star Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm got the Prime Minister’s Award for National Pride.

#Chavano “Buddy” Hield was voted Tourism Brand Ambassador of the Year and Ivanique Kemp was given the Sportsmanship Ambassador of the Year honours.

#The other individual awards went to tennis player Rachel Thompson for the Leevan Sands Courage Award. In addition, Special Olympics Bahamas athletes Austin Green and Caitlin Romer were recognized as Male and Female Athlete of the Year with a Disability.

#Kennard Mackey, from Eleuthera, was the victor for Family Island Coach of the Year.

#The other collective awards were reserved for St Augustine’s College (National Senior Secondary Athletic School of the Year), CH Reeves Raptors (National Junior Secondary Athletic School of the Year), Let’s Swim Bahamas (Community Sports Award), Battle 4 Atlantis (Tourism Impact Award), and Old Timers Softball League (Sports League of the Year).

#Varel Davis, head coach of the Raptors, talked about how it felt for them to win the award.

#“We feel very honoured to be nominated and be able to win the National Sports Award…this speaks to the programme that was established years ago. We at CH Reeves not only focus on sports but academics as well,

#“Behind every successful programme you have hard working coaches who day in and day out work with the athletes and get our kids to believe in the talent that God gave them and use it as a stepping stone to better their lives,” Davis said.

#More activities will continue for Sport Heritage Month.

Leevan Sands interacts with one of the athletes during the Red-Line Athletics’ seminar on Saturday.

As of Monday, November 6, 2023

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Leevan Sands is presented with his gift for participating in the Red-Line-Athletics’ seminar on Saturday.

Olympic triple jump bronze medallist Leevan “Superman” Sands questions a few of the athletes at the Red-Line Athletics seminar on Saturday.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#NATIONAL record holder Leevan “Superman” Sands said he was delighted to be back home. He was even more thrilled to offer his expertise to a large group of athletes at the Red-Line Athletics’ Jump Clinic and their fourth annual Motivational Health & Wellness Seminar.

#While the clinic took place on Friday at the original Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, the seminar was held at the National Training Agency and, according to Red-Line Athletics club’s founder and head coach Tito Moss, both events were a resounding success.

#“This was the first one that we opened up to all of the clubs,” said Moss, who noted that they wanted to provide an opportunity for as many athletes to get the knowledge that was being imparted this weekend.

#Sands, now in his second year as an assistant jumps coach at Florida State University in the aftermath of his long and illustrious track and field career, was joined by coaches Jason Edwards and Jamieson Pratt.

#What was supposed to be a two-hour session turned into four hours because of the enthusiasm of the more than 60 participants.

#At the seminar which attracted about 100 competitors and heard from an array of topics, including anti-doping and the doping control process by the Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission; NCAA, What is NIL? (Name, Image, Likeness) by Joyce Johnson; financial wellness, planning, saving by Maud Smith and mental health, mental performance training, confidence training by former American middle-distance runner Chloe Maleski.

#Sands, in his address on collegiate recruitment, shared his lifetime story from competing in the 100, 200 and 400 metres before he was converted to the high, long and triple jumps.

#He talked about being told by his track coach at Temple Christian that his scholarship was taken away from him to move to Florida to attend Florida Air Academy.

#His journey took him to Barton County Junior College before he went on to Auburn University.

#As a professional athlete, he recalled how in 2006 he was suspended for using a Vick inhaler.

#With his return to competition, Sands informed the young athlete, coaches and parents in attendance, how he suffered another big blow when he fractured his knee at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, but he overcame that obstacle as well and bounced back.

#Supported by his mother, Elaine Sands, who encouraged the parents to always follow the progress of their children and to give them all the support they needed, Sands could not have accomplished what he did without her and his deceased father Leevan ‘Dargon’ Sands.

#The married father of four boys said he’s just getting started with his new role as a collegiate coach, but he advised the student-athletes on some important things they need to consider if they are interested in securing an athletic scholarship to attend a division one school or even getting started like he did in junior college.

#Sands, who was also accompanied by his sister, former Miss Earth Bahamas Vandia Sands, said he enjoyed his time spent here and he would definitely like to return to do more clinics in the future.

#“I didn’t expect all of these kids to show up. I noticed that a lot of our kids are hungry and as a Bahamian coach, I don’t see why I can’t come back and share my knowledge with these kids,” he stated.

#“I was very impressed with how receptive they were in everything I had to say. I thought they might have forgotten Superman, but they stayed to the last minute. They didn’t want me to leave.”

#As for the seminar, Sands said it was one of the most electrifying addresses he’s ever given.

#“I always get kind of nervous when people ask me about stuff like this, but I realised that I have things to share. I have a lot of experiences that I need to share. I just need to get more comfortable being in an environment like this, said Sands, who holds the national record at 57-feet, 8 1/2-inches or 17.59 metres.

#“Coaching is fine, but anytime someone asks me to speak, it’s nerve-racking. But the good thing is nobody was sleeping.”

#The good thing about the session is the fact that Sands said he remembered being in their shoes trying to figure things out and going through the process of getting into school and eventually he settled on Auburn University where he felt comfortable under the tutelage of Bahamian assistant coach Henry Rolle.

#Looking back at the decisions that he made, Sands was asked if he had to do it all again, what would he do differently?

#“I think my career was full of excitement and joy with my wife, children and family,” Sands said.

#“Everything happened the way it should have happened, even with the suspension and the injuries and now I am able to better coach athletes through all of the obstacles that they face.”

#Although he’s still jumping every now and again with his athletes to stay in shape, Sands said having retired from competition, at the age of 42, he’s just enjoying the benefits of his career.

#One that spans more than three decades and earned him a bronze medal at the Olympics, World Championship and Commonwealth Games as well as a silver at the Pan American Games, among others to make him the “greatest Bahamian triple jumper ever.”

#Also in attendance was Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Drumeco Archer, who made the point that while all athletes will not end up going to school, they should all look at a different skill course in the event that they don’t get an athletic scholarship to a tertiary institution.

#He encouraged the audience to think about pivoting, or moving, shifting, changing and adapting because “all of us will not be Olympians.

#“So, my job is not necessarily to ensure that you become Olympians, my job is to ensure that you become wholesome, productive young people.”

#Through events such as this done by Red-Line Athletics in “Building Holistic Champions,” Archer said athletes should take a page out of Sands’ book when he was a sprinter before he realised that he was one of the world’s greatest triple jumpers. “So, I want this exercise to be an exercise of reflection for you, an exercise of discovering who you are,” said Archer, a former sprinter and lawyer by profession. “So, I want you to keep that in context because, at the end of the day, this country still needs you.”

#He congratulated Red-Line for having the initiative to provide this forum to discover the fundamental things of life that the athletes have to endure in the real world outside of just competing on the track.

As of Monday, November 6, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIAN Eric Bain was the first to represent The Bahamas at the inaugural Pan American Esports Championships in Santiago, Chile, but ultimately fell in the Group A stage.

#He battled against Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia competing for a chance to contend for the eFootball title.

#The joint effort between the Global Esports Federation and Pan Am Sports was the first time this historic event happened with more non-traditional sports getting a chance to shine along with traditional sports on local and global stages.

#Michael Armogan, president of the Bahamas Esports Federation, was very pleased with the strides the nontraditional sport has made especially after the hosting of the first Pan American Esports Championships.

#“The inclusion of Esports in the Pan American Championships marked a monumental stride toward recognising the dedication and skill inherent in electronic sports.

#“Witnessing Eric Bain, a proficient gamer and a proud Bahamian, compete at this esteemed event was a deeply heartening experience. His participation did not just symbolise personal achievement but a significant milestone for the Bahamian Esports community,” Armogan said.

#In match one, it was Bain versus Bolivia’s player representative in the best-of-three series. His competitor snuck away with a 2-0 win.

#The following match featured a similar result with the 26-year-old squared up against Brazil. He went down 0-2 ahead of the final match.

#Match three saw the Bahamian player once again fall short 0-2 but this time against the top ranked Argentina to end his stint at the first Pan Am Esports Championships.

#The Bahamas’ Esports player was unable to enter the top 8 in the eFootball tournament but his initial goal was met by raising more awareness for Esports among Bahamians.

#The president shared the exact same sentiment and believes that Bain accomplished it.

#“His valiant efforts on this international stage have undoubtedly sowed seeds of inspiration. The Bahamas Esports Federation is ardently committed to nurturing this budding interest. Moving forward, we plan to engage in community outreach, conduct educational programmes, and host local tournaments to fuel the growth of esports here,” he said.

#The competition had two categories – open and women – for competitors playing for the Dota 2 and eFootball 2024 titles.

#The three-day event concluded with Mexico’s Celic ‘TheArsenalStyle’ Hernandez Valencia winning the first ever gold medal in the eFootball open division.

#Brazil’s Henrique ‘Henrykinho’ Silva Mesquita came second and Argentina’s Lautaro Federico ‘LautaroRaris’ Raris placed third.

#Brazil won the women’s category, followed by Argentina in second and Paraguay wrapped up third for bronze.

#For Dota 2 in the women’s event, Peru took over against Argentina (3-1) to emerge as the title winner.

#The host country, Chile, ended the event with third at the inaugural event.

#Peru doubled up the gold medals after winning the men’s category of Dota 2. Argentina fell to the victors 0-3 for second. Team Ecuador capped off the event with the third podium spot.

#The Bahamas Esports Federation plans to collaborate with educational institutions, host more events in various constituencies and strengthen regional ties with regards to esports in the future.

#The 19th Pan American Games and Pan Am Esports Championships ended this past weekend.

• Sheldon Longley
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When Bahamian DeAndre Ayton went to Portland, his words were clear – “I bring dominance. My name is DominAyton.”

With that, the Portland Trail Blazers welcomed their new starting center to “Rip City” – home of one of the more passionate fan bases in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

In seven games in Portland, Ayton has had his ups and downs.

Offensively he has struggled, but he is averaging a career-high in rebounds, more than his previous best by almost two rebounds per game. The Bahamian behemoth is scoring just 10.4 points per game, but is at 13.3 rebounds per game, second in the league only to Domantas Sabonis, of Sacramento, who is averaging 14.2 rebounds per game.

He is shooting 56.5 percent from the field, his lowest since his second year in the league with Phoenix.

As a team, the Trail Blazers have rebounded from a poor start to the season and are now around .500 basketball. They dropped their first three games before winning three in a row, and after losing to the Memphis Grizzlies, 112-100, on Sunday, they have a 3-4 win/loss record and will play their next three games on the road.

Included in his rebounding efforts this year is a massive 23-rebound night last week Monday against the Toronto Raptors. It is the highest total in the league for rebounds this season, helping the Blazers take down the Raptors, 99-91, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Ayton’s previous single-game career-high was 21, done three times. He now has five 20-rebound games in his career, another one in the playoffs, and three 20-20 games.

In his last outing on Sunday, Ayton was held to six points in a woeful 3-for-9 shooting performance from the field and added 11 rebounds in their loss to the Grizzlies. It was the Grizzlies’ first win of the year.

Ayton and the Blazers will travel to Sacramento, California to play the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, before playing the Los Angeles Lakers at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday. They will end their three-game road trip against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, next week Tuesday.https://1534e6803df92f414fbb43c585396955.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield and the Indiana Pacers were in action against the San Antonio Spurs last night but the result of that game was unavailable up to press time. The Pacers are at .500 basketball with a 3-3 win/loss record.

Hield is averaging 12.5 points on 43.1 percent shooting from the field in just 23.8 minutes per game. He is shooting 41.3 percent from three-point land. Coming off the bench this year, Hield is averaging his fewest points and minutes per game since his rookie season in the NBA, but continues a streak of at least one three-point shot made in 39 straight games – the third-longest streak of his career.

Hield and the Pacers will play their next two games at home, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. They host the Jazz on Wednesday and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

Eric EJ’ Gordon is playing well for his new team, the Suns, averaging his most points per game in the last five seasons. The Suns are also around .500 basketball with a 3-4 record.

Gordon is averaging 15.3 points on 46.8 shooting from the field. He is shooting 36.4 percent from distance.

In their last outing, a 120-106 beating of the Detroit Pistons, Gordon matched a season-high with 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field. He was 3-for-5 from distance.

The Suns travel to Chicago, Illinois, to face the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday before returning home for three games against the Lakers, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Sunday and next week Wednesday.

There are no games in the NBA on Tuesday in an effort to encourage fans to vote on Election Day in the United States.

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The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Centre (NTC) welcomed coach extraordinaire Patrick Mouratoglou to speak to young tennis players over the weekend.

For a decade, Mouratoglou coached tennis great Serena Williams, and during that span Williams won 10 Grand Slam titles – two at the Australian Open, two French Open titles, three Wimbledon titles and three titles at the US Open.

Mouratoglou founded the number one tennis academy in Europe, the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, where tennis stars such as Grigor Dmitrov, of

Bulgaria, and Holger Rune, of Denmark, passed through. American Coco Gauff also attended the academy when she was only 11-years-old. As a leader among leaders, Mouratoglou has been quoted as saying “make your biggest weakness become your biggest strength”. His talent as a coach is undeniable and he shares his knowledge constantly on his social media platforms.

BLTA President Perry Newton extended thanks to Coach Mouratoglou for visiting with the Play Tennis program kids.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the young children, and because of this, they are encouraged to dream big,” said Newton. “Coach Mouratoglou is an inspiration to the sport and he transcends culture and nationalities. He is very affable and the kids took very easily to him. We are appreciative to Coach Mouratoglou and his entire team for making the day possible. We also thank Coach Elanqua Griffin, Coach Paula Whitfield, Coach Ted Turner and Coach Mateo Smith who worked hand in hand with Coach Mouratoglou during the session.

“The kids were enthusiastic and overjoyed at this opportunity. We hope that they are encouraged to continue in the sport, to work hard and to always pursue their dreams. Thank you for sharing your time, talent and energy Coach Mouratoglou and we pray the seeds that you planted in these young minds and hearts blossom.”

BLTA Vice President Chilean Burrows and NTC Director Darnette Weir were also on hand.

Scores of athletes were rewarded for their hard work in sports

• Sheldon Longley
• Nov 6, 2023
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1 of 4

Sailor Craig Ferguson II won the Junior High School Male Athlete of the Year Award at the National Sports Awards Ceremony on Saturday.

Indiana Pacers’ guard Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield was named the tourism brand ambassador at the National Sports Awards Ceremony on Saturday.

Miami Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., right, celebrates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Quinn Priester during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. AP

• Gene J. Puskar

Jamiah Nabbie was named the Senior High School Female Athlete of the Year at the National Sports Awards Ceremony on the lawn of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Saturday.

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There weren’t any overall junior and senior athletes of the year crowned, but at the end of the day, there were more enough awards to go around for the top athletes in the country to be recognized and celebrated.

The National Sports Awards Ceremony was held under a tent on the lawn of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Saturday, and scores of athletes were recognized for their hard work and results for the 2023 season.

Ferguson will head to Exuma next week to compete in the Sunfish Junior National Championships, looking to defend his title.

Nabbie said she is thrilled and will look to continue her progression in 2024.

“I feel ecstatic,” she said. “This will definitely be used as motivation for me going into next season. It’s all through God. Thanks to God for everything that He has done. This shows that hard work pays off. Every athlete wants recognition for the work that they would have done. I’m very grateful.”

Already, at just 15, Nabbie has been on five national teams. She said she loves representing her country and will look to do more of the same in the future.

Both Sands and Vanderpool weren’t able to make the trip to New Providence for the awards ceremony.

Winning the award for the Family Island athlete of the year was Androsian Tylah Pratt. She was fourth in the girls high jump at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-18 and Under-23 Championships in San José, Costa Rica, this year, clearing 1.60 meters (m) – 5’ 3” – and fifth in the under-17 girls division at the CARIFTA Games in that same event, clearing the same height.

“I feel really good. I am proud of myself,” said Pratt. “I worked hard this track and field season and it feels good to get this award. I was in a state of shock and after that I was proud. I just have to thank God, my family and my coaches. This shows that the training and intense workouts paid off.”

The Family Island Coach of the Year is Kennard Mackey from Eleuthera, the Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year is Rhema Otabor and the Collegiate Male Athlete of the Year Lamar Taylor who also took home the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) Award.

CARIFTA Aquatics took home the national youth team of the year award, the national team of the year award, CARIFTA coach Travano McPhee was named as the national coach of the year and the Bahamas Aquatics Federation was named as the national federation of the year. Additionally, for swimming, Let’s Swim Bahamas won the community sports award.

The New Providence Old Timers Softball Association (NPOTSA) was named as the sports league of the year. C.H. Reeves won the junior athletic school of the year award and St. Augustine’s College (SAC) won that award in the senior category.

The Erin Brown national sports award for disabilities went to Special Olympians Austin Reeves and Caitlin Romer.

The Leevan Sands Courage Award went to tennis player Rachel Thompson and the tourism brand ambassador award went to Indiana Pacers’ guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield. The tourism sports impact award went to Battle 4 Atlantis.

The sportsmanship ambassador award went to Ivanique Kemp.

Finally, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Award for Excellence went to Terrance Jones and the Prime Minister’s Award for National Pride went to Miami Marlins’ outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr.

Apart from the National Sports Awards, athletes are expected to be recognized by their respective sporting federations this year.

• Sheldon Longley
• Nov 6, 2023
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Rhema Otabor won the silver medal for The Bahamas in the women’s javelin at the 19th Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, over the weekend. She turned in a personal best throw of 60.54m (198’ 7”). ANTONIO SAUNDERS

Bahamian Donald Thomas won a bronze medal in the men’s high jump at the 19th Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

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The Bahamas picked up a silver and bronze at the 19th Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, over the weekend, ending the multi-sport event with three total medals – one silver and two bronze – and in a three-way tie with Guyana and Haiti for 25th in the medal standings.

Both of The Bahamas’ medals over the weekend came in athletics. Turning in medal performances at the Coliseo del Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez in Santiago were Rhema Otabor in the women’s javelin and Donald Thomas in the men’s high jump.

Otabor is progressively getting better. She had her personal best throw on her first attempt and had five throws over 57m (187’) in the competition. She is now just about three meters away from Laverne Eve’s national record of 63.73m (209’ 1”) and about three and a half meters away from the automatic qualifying mark for next year’s Olympic Games – 64m (209’ 11”). The silver medal winning throw was Otabor’s first over 60m (196’ 10”) in her career and she has now set new personal best marks four times this season.

Thomas also competed on Friday and leapt 2.24m (7’ 4”) to finish third in the men’s high jump. The former world champion now has completed the medal set at the Pan Am Games, winning gold in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2011, silver in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007, and bronze in Santiago this year. Luis Enrique Zayas, of Cuba, won the gold medal with a clearance of 2.27m (7’ 5-1/4”), Luis Joel Castro, of Puerto Rico, cleared the same height as Thomas, but edged the Bahamian for the silver medal based on number of knockdowns.

Zayas was clean in the competition up until the 2.27m height while Thomas had two knockdowns each at 2.15m (7’ 0-1/2”), 2.21m (7’ 3”) and 2.24m before going over the bar on his third attempt at all three heights.

Despite getting a late start to his career, Thomas, now 39, has won at least one medal at a number of events. The Olympic medal is the only medal of significance that eludes.

In sailing, Joshua Higgins finished 17th overall out of 22 sailors, competing in the Dinghy – ILCA 7 event on the waters of the Cofradía Náutica del Pacífico in Algarrobo, Chile. He ended the 10-race series with 177 total points, 154 net, and was the only Bahamian competing in sailing, representing the country in the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) Dinghy class.

Higgins, a native of Harbour Island, finished 17th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 19th, 20th, 19th, 15th, 17th and 15th in the 10 races of the series. The worst finish was thrown out, leading to the 154 net points.

In golf, Bahamian Richard Gibson finished with a five-over par 77 for 28th out of 30 golfers in the first round of the men’s individual competition at the Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago. In the second round, he shot an even-par 72 to finish in a three-way tie for 21st in that round; in the third round, he had a one-over par 73 to finish in a four-way tie for 24th in that round; and in the fourth and final round, he turned in a three-over par 75 to finish in a tie for 27th in that round.

Overall, Gibson shot a nine-over par 297 in the four rounds, finishing tied for 27th overall.

As mentioned, The Bahamas finished in a three-way tie with Guyana and Haiti for 25th in the medal standings with three medals – one silver and two bronze.https://0993f80b48fdffe523d174af434fa270.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Otabor won the silver medal in the women’s javelin and Thomas won a bronze in the men’s high jump in athletics and the other bronze medal came from Lamar Taylor in the men’s 50m free in swimming. Taylor finished third in that event in a national record time of 22.13 seconds.

The Bahamas had 20 athletes competing in six disciplines at the games – tennis, sailing, swimming, athletics, golf and wrestling.

• Nov 6, 2023
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Kix Academy under-9 (U9) and under-11 (U11) teams had strong performances against Renegades FC on the fields adjacent to the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium on Saturday morning, with Kix Academy coming out on top in both divisions.

Both divisions were closely contested. In the U11 division, Kix won 8-4. Isaac Richardson led the way with four goals, Christian King had two goals, and Tyrell Ferguson Jr. and Christian Major chipped in with a goal each.

Richardson has led the way for Kix Academy for the past several games. He had four goals against the Renegades two weeks ago, and he also had a hat trick against the Baha Jrs under-13 (U13) team last month, playing a division up from his age group.

YOUNG, aspiring tennis players are shown with coaches Patrick Mouratoglou and Richele LeSaldo.

As of Friday, November 3, 2023

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Coach Patrick Mouratoglou with Richele LeSaldo, director of the Albany Tennis Academy.

#Patrick Mouratoglou, the world renowned French tennis coach, was impressed with his return trip to the Bahamas this week.

#Mouratoglou, a former decade long coach of legendary American tennis star Serena Williams, was invited to the Bahamas by Richele LeSaldo, the director of the Albany Tennis Academy.

#Here on a stop after his visit to Miami, Florida, before he heads to Los Angeles, California, Mouratoglou got a chance to work with a number of local rising young tennis players.

#Mouratoglou said he remembered coming here during the years that he coached Williams from 2012-2022 for a brief trip, but he was delighted to be back to actually put in some work with the young players. “I think the players were really receptive to what was being taught, especially the young player from Grand Bahama,” Mouratoglou said. “I think they all did a very good job.”

#From what he has seen, Mouratoglou said the future looks bright for the Bahamas, considering that the players are following in the footsteps of one of the game’s greatest doubles specialists Mark Knowles.

#“I’m happy that Richele invited me to come here. I’ve known her for a long time, and I think she’s doing a very good job with these facilities here. I hope that I can come back and continue to work with the programme in the future.”

#LeSaldo, a close associate of Mouratoglou from France as well, said it’s great to have one of the world’s greatest coaches to be in town to share his expertise with the youngsters.

#“I’m happy to have him here,” LeSaldo said. “I think the young players whom he got a chance to work with have learnt quite a bit from him. He’s been an inspiration to those in attendance.”

#Former player Oneil Mortimer, who assisted Mouratoglou in serving balls to the players, said it was a very insightful experience for him as one of the young coaches in the Bahamas.

#“Learning from him and being on the court with him was a big pleasure of mine,” Mortimer stated.

#“I learned how important it is to be on point and deliver the ball to the players so that they can get it right.”

#Alessio Battello, who came in from Grand Bahama with his mother Dianna Battello, had a special private training session with Mouratoglou.

#Battello, a 13-year-old ninth grader at Lucaya International School, said he was thrilled to have met Mouratoglou.

#“It was a dream come true. I learned a lot from him,” Battello said. “I learned how important it is to use your wrist in just about every shot in this game. I think it was a good experience coming here for the lesson.”

#Houlgrave, one of the top junior female players in the country, said she was very happy to get the opportunity, not just to meet Mouratoglou, but to also get some pointers from him as she went through some drills.

#“I never thought I would have been able to hit with him, considering that he’s coached some of the best female tennis players in the world,” said Houlgrave, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Windsor High School.

#“I learnt a lot of stuff from the short time I worked and watched him because there’s a lot of stuff that I can work on to improve my game. There’s no specific thing, but I can work on every aspect of my game.”