As of Friday, November 17, 2023

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Dr Kent Bazard

#Building upon the foundations laid in our previous exploration of sport psychology, this feature delves deeper into the realms of mental conditioning for athletes.

#Moving beyond the basics, we unravel the intricacies of how sports psychology techniques, mindfulness practices, and advanced mental training elevate athletic performance across diverse sports disciplines.

#Crafting a Resilient Mind-Body Connection

#Understanding the symbiotic relationship between the mind and body is paramount for athletes seeking enduring success.

#Mental conditioning takes this understanding a step further, emphasizing the need to synchronise mental and physical capabilities.

#Let’s explore how this holistic approach shapes the mental fortitude of athletes.

#Advanced Mental Training Techniques

#Visualisation Mastery: Building on the concept of visualisation introduced earlier, athletes refine their mental imagery, creating detailed, vivid scenarios of success. Visualisation becomes a personalised movie, enhancing not only muscle memory but also bolstering confidence on a profound level.

#Goal Precision: While setting goals remains a fundamental aspect, advanced mental training involves refining the precision of these objectives. Athletes now navigate intricate goal-setting strategies, incorporating short-term milestones that align seamlessly with the overarching athletic journey.

#Cognitive Restructuring: This technique addresses the restructuring of thought patterns. Athletes learn to identify and challenge negative thoughts, replacing them with constructive and empowering alternatives.

#Cognitive restructuring becomes a powerful tool for cultivating a positive and resilient mindset.

#Mindfulness as a Performance Catalyst

#Revisiting mindfulness, we uncover its advanced applications in sports psychology:

#Flow States: Athletes explore the concept of ‘flow,’ a mental state where they are fully immersed in their performance.

#Mindfulness practices aid in achieving and sustaining these flow states, promoting optimal performance and a sense of transcendence.

#Mental Toughness

#Training: Mindfulness becomes a cornerstone of mental toughness training.

#Athletes learn to confront and manage adversity with composure, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.

#Individualising Mental Conditioning Strategies

#Acknowledging the universality of mental conditioning, we now turn our attention to the importance of individualisation.

#Recognising that each athlete’s mental landscape is unique, tailored mental conditioning strategies emerge as essential.

#Sports psychologists work closely with athletes, understanding their psychological profiles and crafting personalised programmes that resonate with their specific needs and goals.

#Conclusion: A Continuum of Mental Excellence

#As we deepen our exploration of sport psychology and mental conditioning, it becomes evident that this journey is a continuum. From foundational principles to advanced techniques, athletes are equipped with a spectrum of tools to navigate the intricate interplay of mind and body.

#The pursuit of mental excellence in sports is an ongoing process, an evolution that mirrors the athletes’ own growth and mastery in their chosen disciplines.

#• Dr Kent Bazard is a Bahamian sports medicine physician, sports performance coach, sports nutrition specialist and founder of Empire Sports Medicine.

#Our mission is to empower athletes to reach new heights while safeguarding their health and well-being. We understand the unique demands of sports activities, and we are dedicated to helping athletes prevent injuries, overcome challenges, optimise nutrition and performance.

• Simba French
• Nov 17, 2023
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Bahamians Eric Gordon and DeAndre Ayton were in action on Wednesday night in the National Basketball Association (NBA), continuing their seasons.

Gordon scored 15 points for the Phoenix Suns, helping them crush the Minnesota Timberwolves, 133-115, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns improved to a 5-6 win/loss record on the season, tied for ninth in the Western Conference of the NBA

Gordon started for the Suns as guard Bradley Beal is still out with a back injury. Gordon made the most of his 29 minutes on the floor, going 6-for-9 from the field, including 3-for-6 from deep. He also dished out three assists.

Gordon got on the scoreboard with 9:08 left in the first quarter on a driving layup that tied the game at 10 points. After leading 17-16 at the 5:22 mark in that period, the Suns went on a 15-2 scoring run to take a 32-18 lead at the 3:08 mark of the first quarter.

The quarter ended 35-29 with the Suns in control. That lead ballooned to a 22-point advantage at the half with a 76-54 scoreline. In the second quarter, the Suns scored 41 points compared to the Timberwolves’ 25. The Timberwolves had no answer for the Suns who were led by guard Devin Booker who returned to the line up with a game-high 31 points, and Kevin Durant who matched those 31 points.

The Wolves were led by power forward Karl Anthony-Towns with 25 points.

Everything was dropping for the Suns as they torched the Wolves by making 60 percent of their shots. The Suns made 17 three-pointers compared to the Wolves’ five.

The Bahamian guard has started in six of the 10 games he was featured in this season and is averaging 13.7 points per game on the season. He is shooting at a 46.3 percent clip from the field which is above his career average of 43 percent. He is making 2.2 three-pointers per game.

After a two-game losing streak, the Suns will look to make it two straight wins when they head to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, to take on the Utah Jazz (4-7) at 10 p.m. tonight.

Ayton had a rough time in the field where he went 3-for-10 to finish at 30 percent shooting. He had six rebounds.

The center missed his first three shots of the game but hit a turnaround hook shot at the 6:52 mark of the first quarter. The Cavaliers led 12-8 at that point. That lead quickly went up to 19-8 with the quarter ending at 30-25 in favor of the Cavaliers.

The Blazers were able to tie the game at 32 points each with 10:14 left in the second quarter. There was a tough stretch for the Blazers as the Cavaliers took a 52-41 lead with 4:11 left in the first half. The Blazers were able to cut into the lead and trailed 55-47 at the half.

The Blazers never got close to the Cavaliers again as the Cavaliers cruised to the 109-95 victory.

Ayton is having a roller coaster season but is still shooting a respectable 55.8 percent from the field. He is tied for sixth in the league in rebounds at 11.5 boards per game. He is averaging 11.9 points on 10.3 shots per game.

The Bahamian big man will next be featured in a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers (6-6) at home in Phoenix, Arizona, tonight at 10 o’ clock.

• Simba French
• Nov 17, 2023
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The Bahamas senior men’s national soccer team will get the first leg of their final window of the 2023 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League underway tomorrow, taking on Guyana at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The game gets underway at 6 p.m.

The match is a home game and is being played in the Dominican Republic because the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium is undergoing repairs.

“This is a difficult window as guys are nursing injuries and there are players who are off to school. There is no excuse as we still have to perform to the best of our ability. We picked up some momentum from the last game, so we are hoping to improve on that,” Jean said.

Midfielder Chris Rahming, who has played in all of the previous four games and found the back of the net once, is expecting him and his teammates to play with a lot of heart as they wrap up Nations League action for this year.

“The guys fought a lot more in the last game, so coming into training for this window, it seems like the guys have more heart now. We see what it takes to compete in these games. I think we are going to do better in these games this time around,” Rahming said.

Guyana leads the group with the full 12 points. They only need a draw to ensure promotion to League A. Puerto Rico has six points while Antigua and Barbuda has four points. The Bahamas has one point and will look to win their remaining games. They will play Puerto Rico on

Tuesday in Puerto Rico.

The Bahamas and Guyana faced each other in September in Leonora, Guyana, with the home team escaping with a narrow 3-2 victory. The Bahamas scored the first goal in that game but the home side got two goals to go up 2-1 before Team Bahamas tied it up. Guyana got the go ahead goal and the win.

That game is history now, and Jean is looking ahead to the game tomorrow.

“We just need to improve on momentum,” Jean said. “If we limit the mistakes, we could do well in the Caribbean, but it takes mental focus for 90 minutes. The players have something to prove because we want to go out there and improve in the group stages.”

A look at the scores from home and away games, it seems like the team plays better away.

“We wish we were playing in front of our crowd to show them that we are capable of playing based off the 2-2 result against Antigua and Barbuda. On the flip side, I think the guys are more comfortable playing away instead of playing with their families and friends around, which is the best time to play; but at the same time, the players are more comfortable playing away when there is not so much pressure on them,” Jean stated.

Rahming echoed the same sentiments as his coach about playing away from home.

“It is strange, but we play better away from home as the scoreline shows in the away games,” Rahming said. “It may be because playing at home brings more pressure on us as we play in front of family, friends and people who know us. Playing on a neutral ground maybe easier on the players.”

Rahming is looking to play at a high level to help the team get a win, also hoping to be noticed by professional scouts.

The team arrived in the Dominican Republic yesterday and will hold their final practice today before playing Guyana tomorrow.

• Sheldon Longley
• Nov 17, 2023
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While his big brother Mike continues to find his way in the National Football League (NFL), Prince Strachan is making a name for himself in collegiate football.

The 6’ 5” 203-pound freshman for the Boise State Broncos football team hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps, aspiring to play professional football in the NFL. Both play at the wide receiver position.

New Mexico dropped to 3-7, 1-5 in the Mountain West.

Strachan entered the game on the Broncos’ second possession and immediately went to work. He was targeted six times in the game and produced three catches.

On his first catch, Strachan reeled in a 30-yard reception from quarterback Maddux Madsen on third down and 13, taking the ball down to the New Mexico 10-yard line with 3:36 remaining in the first quarter. The Broncos scored on the next play as running back George Holani took it in from 10 yards out, giving the Broncos a 15-7 lead.

It didn’t take long for Strachan to make his presence felt again. On the Broncos’ first drive of the second quarter, he reeled in a 74-yard reception from Madsen and took it to the end zone. Strachan’s second touchdown of his collegiate career gave the Broncos a 22-14 lead early in the second quarter and they never looked back.

Strachan caught his third and final pass of the game in the third quarter. On first down and 10, he reeled in a 24-yard pass from Broncos’ backup quarterback Taylen Green on the Broncos’ first drive of the third quarter, taking the ball down to the New Mexico 35-yard line.

The Broncos ended the drive with another touchdown run from Holani and took a 39-14 lead with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter.

Strachan led the Broncos in receiving with his three catches for 128 yards, including 32 yards after catch (YAC).

For the season, the freshman receiver out of Freeport, Grand Bahama, has seven catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

As a high school junior at John Carroll Catholic School in Fort Pierce, Florida, he had a team-leading 33 receptions for 633 yards and eight touchdowns. As a senior the following year, he hauled in 34 catches for 773 yards and nine touchdowns, leading to him being named All-Treasure Lakes Conference Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-league in his final prep campaign.

Older brother Mike Strachan was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and currently plays for the Carolina Panthers.

Prince Strachan and the Broncos travel to Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah, to take on the Utah State Aggies in their next matchup. That game will kick off at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The following Friday, they will host Air Force at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, to end their regular season. The Broncos are 4-1 on their home field this year and 1-4 on the road.

LEFT TO RIGHT: The duo of Tatyana Madu and Makeda Bain (left) defeated Curaçao’s Keziah Fluonia and Briana Houlgrave (right) in the girls’ doubles finals yesterday at the National Tennis Centre (NTC)

As of Thursday, November 16, 2023

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LEFT TO RIGHT: The duo of Curaçao’s Brandon Bridgewater and Barbados’ Dimitri Kirton (left) took down Patrick Mactaggart and Alec Hooper in the boys’ doubles finals yesterday at the National Tennis Centre (NTC). Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Bahamians Tatyana Madu and Patrick Mactaggart secured the singles titles at the U-14 Junkanoo Bowl Finals at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) yesterday.

#The Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC) event capped off with doubles and singles action.

#The doubles champion honours went to the duo of Dimitri Kirton and Curaçao’s Brandon Bridgewater for the boys’ match.

#Meanwhile, Madu teamed up with her fellow opponent Makeda Bain to collectively win the doubles trophy.

#On Wednesday morning, Mactaggart, the second ranked singles competitor, upset the number one ranked Kirton in consecutive sets in the boys’ singles finals. Despite being ranked one place behind Kirton, Mactaggart represented The Bahamas well with an identical 6-3 win in the first and second set.

#The weather definitely played a factor in the matches at the NTC on Wednesday which Mactaggart noted as he talked about his finals victory.

#“The conditions were super tough because it was windy and the ball was going all over the place but overall I think I played well and I am looking forward to playing in the tournament next year,” the singles champion said.

#Although Mactaggart got the edge in the singles event, Barbados’ Kirton along with Bridgwater got the last laugh in the doubles finals.

#The tandem dropped Mactaggart and Alec Hooper in two straight sets. They cruised to a victory in the opening set 6-3.

#Set two was too close to call at some moments between the two teams.

#Despite being pushed to the limits by their opponents, Kirton and Bridgewater snubbed

#Mactaggart and Hooper 7-6(6) in the final set for the doubles title. Both had friendly rivalries with Mactaggart as he handed them both losses in the singles matchups.

#“It was good and felt great to get revenge and win the doubles. The experience was fun and I loved the energy of the competitors,” Kirton said.

#His teammate was equally as grateful to earn a win against Mactaggart.

#“I lost to Mactaggart in the singles semifinals so it felt good to take revenge and get the comeback win.

#“It was a really nice experience, very nice courts, and the people were really nice even at the hotels,” Bridgewater said.

#The number one ranked Madu knocked off Trinidad and Tobago’s Bain in straight sets to earn one of her two titles on the final day. She made it look easy in the first set and won 6-0.

#The Grand Bahama native then followed that performance with a 6-3 win in set two to wrap up the girls finals.

#The 14-year-old had to make some adjustments to her game due to strong winds but still remained focused on the prize.

#“I had to change my plan, stay consistent and keep in mind that the wind is blowing from the north side so I had to hit differently. I thought I played really well, succeeded and won,” she said.

#She now has to make room for two new trophies after the U14 Junkanoo Bowl which she is excited about.

#“It feels great. I have not done this in a long time but I am just glad I ended off my under-14 year with a double win,” she said.

#The girls’ doubles finals was must watch action when fellow competitors Bain and Madu came together to face Curaçao’s Keziah Fluonia and the host country’s Briana Houlgrave.

#The tightly-contested two sets saw Houlgrave and Fluonia take set one 7-6(5).

#Bain and Madu then rebounded and persevered in set two for a 7-6(6) win. In the 10-point tiebreaker the tandem emerged on top 10-4.

#The doubles winners were elated to collect a hard-fought victory.

#“We played against each other so we had to switch our mindsets when we teamed up. We had to work together with our strengths and weaknesses to beat the other team,” Madu said.

#“I enjoyed it because I reached the finals and overall it was a good experience,” Bain said.

#The U14 Junkanoo Bowl Tournament is the last event for the juniors this year and was sponsored by Custom Computers.

As of Thursday, November 16, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE under-12 (U12) girls of Eva Hilton Primary School and boys of Sybil Strachan Primary School can now celebrate after winning the division trophies at the newly-named Dawn N Knowles Primary Schools Soccer Tournament hosted at the Roscow AL Davies Soccer Field yesterday.

#Eva Hilton’s U12 girls closed out EP Roberts Primary School 2-1 in a penalty shootout to be crowned champions in their division.

#For the boys, Sybil Strachan made good on a 3-2 comeback win against Gerald Cash in their championship round. Garvin Tynes Primary School ended with third place for the girls and Carlton E Francis Primary School’s boys came third as well.

U-12 CHAMPIONS: Sybil Strachan Primary School boys are the Dawn N Knowles Primary Schools Soccer Tournament champions. Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

#Boys’ Division

#In the boys’ championship game, Gerald Cash Primary School was the first to move the needle out of the two teams. They went into the halftime break with a 2-1 advantage on Sybil Strachan and looked determined to lift the division titles. However, despite Gerald Cash remaining undefeated until the U12 finals, Sybil Strachan got their heads in the game and scored an equaliser to make the score 2-2. The team rallied together and put another goal to the back of the net in the second half to complete the come from behind victory, 3-2.

#Greer Thompson, head coach of Sybil Strachan, said it was a great win for the team but an emotional one for her as she dedicated yesterday’s effort to her late mother. “It feels good, we stuck with our game plan, executed and went for the goals. We knew what we practiced and that is what we came out here and did once we got settled after halftime,” Thompson said.

#She also came away with the winning coach honours.

#As for the other awards in the boys U12 division, Ramon Rahming, of Carlton E Francis, was presented the Golden Glove trophy. Rashad Francis, of Gerald Cash, scored 29 goals in the tournament to earn the Golden Boots honours. Additionally, Hernandez Toussaint, of the victors, was named the Golden Ball (MVP).

U-12 CHAMPIONS: Eva Hilton Primary School girls are the Dawn N Knowles Primary Schools Soccer Tournament champions. Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

#Girls’ Division

#Eva Hilton and EP Roberts both fought hard in the actual match but were unable to score on their opponents.

#In the penalty shootout, EP Roberts delivered a strong kick to advance 1-0. Eva Hilton evened the score 1-1 after a successful kick.

#EP Roberts came up short on their final attempt but Eva Hilton did not and collected a 2-1 win.

#Zindora Munnings, head coach of Eva Hilton, acknowledged that the match was tough but she is grateful for another championship win.

#“The win feels great. At the end of the day, the girls really played hard to keep off EP Roberts and had very strong defence. As you can tell with the draw result, both teams were good but our girls came out on top because of determination,” Munnings said.

#She joined Thompson to receive the top coach honours and credited EP Roberts for playing a good game.

#Yellow Elder’s Aviana Heastie secured the Golden Ball award.

#Eva Hilton’s Raynique Tinker took home the Golden Boots hardware and her teammate Dwanae Rahming got the Golden Glove trophy.

#Dawn N Knowles, who assisted with the awards presentation, said that the future is bright in soccer after this tournament. “I thought it was an excellent tournament. It allowed more playing time and that was the purpose.

#“I think we are on the right track when it comes to development in primary school soccer,” Knowles said.

#On Tuesday, the under- 10 boys of Eva Hilton won the championship after defeating Sybil Strachan 2-1. Meanwhile, Cleveland Eneas matched up with Sadie Curtis and bested them 1-0 for U10 girls title.

#Eva Hilton placed third in the girls division along with Garvin Tynes in the boys. The NPPPSSA sports calendar rolls on to the baseball/softball disciplines starting November 27 and ending December 1.

‘Reno’ to retire at home next month

• Simba French
• 12 hrs ago
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Longing to fight at home, Bahamian professional boxer Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson has emerged from a hiatus of over two years, looking to put on a show here in The Bahamas on Friday December 22. He is moving up three weight classes from his last fight, to cruiserweight, preparing for an exit from the sport, which he has been involved with since he was seven years old.

The venue is not known as yet, but Johnson knows that it will be a venue here at home. It will be announced later. He will be going up against Colombian Samuel Miller who has well over 50 bouts under his belt. Johnson has a 21-3-1 win/loss/draw record while Miller sports a 36-30-0 record. The fight card will feature four Dominicans, another Colombian, one American, one boxer from Cameroon and a Polish boxer.

“I started at home here in The Bahamas and it is where I would love to end, although I took my professional career abroad. Being able to fight home just once means a lot to me, knowing that this is where boxing began for me, and this is where it will end,” Johnson said. “I am definitely happy. My opponent has chosen me and I think he has made a big mistake. He sent a challenge out to me and I do feel as though I am more than ready and capable to take care of business against him. This is going to be a big highlight for me – to end my career against Miller here at home.”

The cruiserweight division is a strange weight class for Johnson, but he said that he feels

comfortable at that weight class. The cruiserweight boundaries are from 175 pounds to 200 pounds. The middleweight division is from 154-160 pounds.

“I found that throughout the year, the weight management hasn’t been the best for me. This is my last fight and I want to look better than I ever looked before. I feel stronger and faster. I feel much better as a cruiserweight than I did as a middleweight, where I was cutting a drastic amount of weight up to 40 pounds just to make 160 pounds. Now I am only cutting about 20 pounds which is around the category that I should be fighting in,” Johnson said.

At home, Johnson trains with his sister Kayla Johnson and Raynaldo Minus as he prepares for the bout next month. He said it is difficult for him training at home, citing no proper facilities and sparring partners.

“It has been a rocky road with difficulties training at home where the facilities are not acceptable for the likes of myself, a professional fighter. As to going abroad, the funding for that has been very limited for myself. It’s been hard, but I just came from Cuba using up the last that I had to go. I had an exciting and great successful training camp there. That is where I started the training camp. I was hoping to head over to New York to complete my training camp, but unfortunately, funding is not allowing that. I’m going to take advantage of this moment to train at home. … There are no sparring partners, at least for me to spar at home, but I’ll be ready.”

The last time Johnson was in the ring was back in October 2020 when he went up against Mexican Jaime Munguia in the middleweight division. The Bahamian lost the fight on a stoppage, receiving an uppercut to the face in the fifth round. Since the Munguia fight, Johnson has been home.

“The loss of my last fight put me in a bit of a turmoil as I was very depressed. I took some time off just to relax. I quickly got back on board with my youth program, which is a ‘Big Brother’ ministry that has been taking a lot of my time. I’ve been taking young men and young women through the eyes of boxing,” Johnson stated.

Through it all, Johnson said he is grateful for his sponsors, namely K.S.Moses, Aquapure, Food Kingdom, Original Patties and Transformations Landscape Development.

• Simba French
• 12 hrs ago
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Longing to fight at home, Bahamian professional boxer Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson has emerged from a hiatus of over two years, looking to put on a show here in The Bahamas on Friday December 22. He is moving up three weight classes from his last fight, to cruiserweight, preparing for an exit from the sport, which he has been involved with since he was seven years old.

The venue is not known as yet, but Johnson knows that it will be a venue here at home. It will be announced later. He will be going up against Colombian Samuel Miller who has well over 50 bouts under his belt. Johnson has a 21-3-1 win/loss/draw record while Miller sports a 36-30-0 record. The fight card will feature four Dominicans, another Colombian, one American, one boxer from Cameroon and a Polish boxer.

This is special for the Bahamian Olympian who began his professional career in March 2010 with a win over American Cleoney Fuqua. He is ending his career at home with this bout.Commissioner Manfred on A’s moveCommissioner Manfred on A’s movecloseNextStay

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“I started at home here in The Bahamas and it is where I would love to end, although I took my professional career abroad. Being able to fight home just once means a lot to me, knowing that this is where boxing began for me, and this is where it will end,” Johnson said. “I am definitely happy. My opponent has chosen me and I think he has made a big mistake. He sent a challenge out to me and I do feel as though I am more than ready and capable to take care of business against him. This is going to be a big highlight for me – to end my career against Miller here at home.”

The cruiserweight division is a strange weight class for Johnson, but he said that he feels

comfortable at that weight class. The cruiserweight boundaries are from 175 pounds to 200 pounds. The middleweight division is from 154-160 pounds.

“I found that throughout the year, the weight management hasn’t been the best for me. This is my last fight and I want to look better than I ever looked before. I feel stronger and faster. I feel much better as a cruiserweight than I did as a middleweight, where I was cutting a drastic amount of weight up to 40 pounds just to make 160 pounds. Now I am only cutting about 20 pounds which is around the category that I should be fighting in,” Johnson said.

At home, Johnson trains with his sister Kayla Johnson and Raynaldo Minus as he prepares for the bout next month. He said it is difficult for him training at home, citing no proper facilities and sparring partners.

“It has been a rocky road with difficulties training at home where the facilities are not acceptable for the likes of myself, a professional fighter. As to going abroad, the funding for that has been very limited for myself. It’s been hard, but I just came from Cuba using up the last that I had to go. I had an exciting and great successful training camp there. That is where I started the training camp. I was hoping to head over to New York to complete my training camp, but unfortunately, funding is not allowing that. I’m going to take advantage of this moment to train at home. … There are no sparring partners, at least for me to spar at home, but I’ll be ready.”

The last time Johnson was in the ring was back in October 2020 when he went up against Mexican Jaime Munguia in the middleweight division. The Bahamian lost the fight on a stoppage, receiving an uppercut to the face in the fifth round. Since the Munguia fight, Johnson has been home.

“The loss of my last fight put me in a bit of a turmoil as I was very depressed. I took some time off just to relax. I quickly got back on board with my youth program, which is a ‘Big Brother’ ministry that has been taking a lot of my time. I’ve been taking young men and young women through the eyes of boxing,” Johnson stated.

Through it all, Johnson said he is grateful for his sponsors, namely K.S.Moses, Aquapure, Food Kingdom, Original Patties and Transformations Landscape Development.

Mactaggart, Madu come out on top in boys and girls finals

• Simba French
• 12 hrs ago
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Bahamian Patrick Mactaggart, center, won the boys singles title at the Junkanoo Bowl, which wrapped up on Wednesday at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center.

Bahamian Tatyana Madu, center, won the girls singles title at the Junkanoo Bowl, which wrapped up on Wednesday at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center. SIMBA FRENCH

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Bahamians Patrick Mactaggart and Tatyana Madu came out as the boys and girls singles champions respectively at the Junkanoo Bowl that wrapped up yesterday at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center.

The under-14 tournament, which was sponsored by Custom Computers, is a Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC) event. It began on Saturday.

“It was very windy and the ball was going all over the place and it was super tough. The wind was very tricky,” Mactaggart said.

In the second set, Mactaggart went up 4-1 before Kirton won the next game to bring the score to 4-2 in favor of the Bahamian. Mactaggart had three chances to close out the match at 5-2, but Kirton battled back to pull to within 5-3.

“I was starting to get a little nervous because this means a lot to me, but I was able to come away with the win,” Mactaggart said.

Mactaggart said he will continue training and preparing for upcoming tournaments.

In boys doubles, Kirton and his partner, Curacao’s Brandon Bridgewater, took down Mactaggart and Great Britain’s Alec Hooper in straight sets, 6-3 and 7-6(6).

In girls singles, Madu played on court number four and was locked in as she took down Trinidad and Tobago’s Makeda Bain in straight sets, 6-0 and 6-3. It was an earlier than expected match as it got underway at 8 a.m., but Madu was able to adjust.

“It was super windy with some gusts coming through. I had to stay consistent and keep the ball in. I could not go for too many hard serves, and I had to put a lot of spin on everything but once I kept it in, it went well,” said Madu.

Madu, who said she loves to collect trophies, fought back to win the first set 7-6(3) in her semifinal match against Curacao’s Keziah Fluonia. She went up 4-1 in the second set, but Bain won the next two games. Madu then ended it at 6-3 to complete the straight sets win.

“What changed besides the wind was that I tried to stay calmer and stick to being consistent and not try to go for too much,” Madu said.

She is looking to stay consistent as she goes on to play more tournaments.

After beating Bain, the two teamed up for the doubles final and went against Bahamian Briana Houlgrave and Fluonia. Madu and Bain got a 6-7(5), 7-6(6) and 10-4 comeback win.

The tournament follows a week of intensive training at the first regional training camp for English-speaking countries, during which top players took part.

• 13 hrs ago
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Erquantae Edgecombe led the University of The Bahamas’ (UB) Mingoes men’s basketball team with 25 points, seven rebounds and eight steals, helping them record a 93-73 blowout win over the Zulu Great Whites in New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) action at the Kendal G.L. Issacs National Gymnasium on Saturday night.

Kamari Minnis had 22 points, including four three-pointers, and Theodore Grant added 17 points, also with four three-pointers, to help the Mingoes pull off the win. Grant added six steals and five rebounds in the win.

Coming out of the half, the Mingoes played well defensively and that translated into offense. They were able to go on a 10-2 scoring run. The team’s defense allowed them to pull away for the win, raising their unblemished record to a perfect 2-0 in the NPBA standings.

“In the second quarter, our defense slowed down and that’s what allowed them to get back into the game,” said Grant. “If our defense had stayed the same and we held on to the same intensity, there was no way this game was going to be this close.”

The Mingoes are now getting ready for an upcoming two-game tour in South Florida against United International College (UIC) this weekend. Edgecombe, who had three assists as well, said they are looking forward to the tour.

“Coach really wanted us to get ready for our international trip this weekend and we implemented some new defensive strategies today in the game,” Edgecombe said. “Our zone defense was really working for us today. We felt that defensively we were more active athletically so we were trying that out with some new players to get that solid for this weekend.”

Gabriel Styles and Glenderson Black each had six points in the win for UB.

Bertram Minns led the Great Whites with a game-high 26 points.

The Mingoes play UIC Friday and Saturday in South Florida.

Bahamians Tatyana Madu in girls final and Patrick Mactaggart in boys final

• Simba French
• Nov 15, 2023
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After a busy day at the National Tennis Centre, the players for the boys and girls singles final in the Junkanoo Bowl are known, as those finals get underway today once weather permits. Action is set for 8 a.m.

The under-14 tournament, which is sponsored by Custom Computers, is a Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC) event.

“It was tough in the first set, I had to overcome a lot. It was a tense match and nothing was working at the time, but once I overcame, it went well,” Madu said. “Some of my slices and strokes were not working for me in the first set. Once I took that first set, my opponent basically cracked. I kept my game going and she cracked and made unforced errors.”

Fluonia was up 5-3 in the first set, but Madu showed resilience and forced the tie-breaker that saw her winning 7-3 after the tie-break was tied at 3-3.

“When I was down 5-3, I went back to the basics. … I tried to avoid unforced errors and just let her make all the errors. When she gave me a short ball I took it. I just kept at it until I won the set,” Madu said.

Three sets were needed in the other girls semifinal matchup to determine who will play against Madu on the other side of the court. Bahamian Sarai Clarke and Trinidad and Tobago’s Makeda Bain were battling for that spot. In the end, it was 11-year-old Bain who got the spot, with a 6-4, 6-7 (2) and 6-1 victory. 

“Set one saw me being consistent and I was able to go up and win it. I was up 5-1 and started to lose consistency and lost the second set. I picked it up in the third set and won,” Bain said.

She is looking to stay consistent in the final against Madu.

The boys semi-final saw Bahamian Patrick Mactaggart getting the victory over Curacao’s Brandon Bridgewater. Mactaggart punched his ticket to the final with a score of 4-6, 6-2 and 6-0.

Barbados’ Dimitri Kirton went up against St. Lucia’s Ahil Cyril. That match started after the Bain and Clarke match, but was finished before it, as Kirton easily took care of Cyril 6-2 and 6-2.

“I played well and I think I was hitting the right shots. I played well and he started to get mad and that boosted me,” said Mactaggart.

He is happy with the win, but he has his eyes set on winning it all.

The boys doubles final match will see Alec Hooper and Mactaggart play against Bridgewater and Kirton. The girls doubles final will see Madu and Bain teaming up to play against Fluonia and Bahamian Briana Houlgrave.