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

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

#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

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

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

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

#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

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

#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.

WINNERS UNITE: The 2023 Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association Senior Nationals wrapped up this past weekend with the newest champions crowned.

As of Tuesday, October 10, 2023

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

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) Senior Nationals saw champions crowned after three days of competition ended yesterday.

#Over the holiday weekend, singles and doubles matchups got underway at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) for both men and women. They competed in categories including the men and women’s 35, and men’s 55 in the singles division.

#Additionally, the doubles matchups featured the men and women’s 35 in action on the tennis courts.

#Alexander Murbach had quite the weekend at the NTC after he came away as a double crown champion for the second straight year.

#The men’s 35 competitor earned his first championship hardware in singles action against Shaun Mahelis. He came away with a relatively comfortable win in two sets. The initial set was won 6-2 and the following set wrapped up 6-0.

#He sealed the deal of accomplishing title number two in doubles action. The two-time double crown champion partnered along with Caitlin Drake, who also earned the double crown honours, at this year’s senior nationals.

#The talented tandem bested the duo of Stephen Thompson and Marion Bain in two sets. They claimed set one 6-0 and followed it up with a 6-1 win to both take home their second championship of the weekend.

#Murbach was overjoyed to accomplish his latest feat but remains hungry for more tennis championships.

#“It feels good. I am getting hungrier every year now and I think it is a great opportunity to come out and play some players I have not played throughout the year,” he said.

#The 43-year-old is looking forward to the growth of the nationals and, despite the weather conditions, he is open to more of these challenges.

#Drake nabbed her first championship against the BLTA’s Esther Newton in the women’s 35 singles division.

#The newest double champion got the edge on Newton in two sets 6-0, 6-1.

#The 37-year-old said it felt amazing to double up at this past weekend’s senior nationals.

#“It was such a great tournament, hard matches, great points and I am just lucky I played well under these conditions,” she said.

#She credited Newton for pushing her on the court but ultimately attributed her win to executing strategy.

#Thompson gutted out a tough win in one of yesterday’s most challenging matchups against former professional tennis player John Antonas.

#He had to work hard for his championship win in three sets. Antonas was the first to earn a victory, claiming set one 6-3 over his opponent.

#In the following match, Thompson edged out a narrow 7-6 win to push for a tiebreaker. The final set culminated 10-8 favouring Thompson to wrap up the men’s 55 singles division. “It feels great to be a champion. I worked hard and it really paid off…I started off the first set a bit slow, in the second set I found out what his weaknesses were, and in the third set I noticed he was getting a bit tired so I decided to move him around,” he said.

#His runner-up said he had not played in a year and does not usually compete on hard courts but he wanted to get back into competition this time around which he thoroughly enjoyed.

#In doubles action, the duo of Larikah Russell and Christie Cargill defeated Bain and Kathleen Fernandez in two sets. The two wrapped up their opponents in consecutive sets 6-2, 6-3.

#The dynamic between the two was quite intriguing due to Russell being Cargill’s tennis coach outside of the competition.

#“This is my first tournament. I went in with a lot of nerves but she kept me calm, gave me some pointers, and just told me to have fun and that is how we won,” Cargill said.After switching from the coaching to teammate role at the 2023 senior nationals, Russell shared her experience from this past weekend.

#“Our opponents today were very competitive, they had great returns, great serves but we pulled it off because my partner and I stuck together. All in all, it was good,” she said.

#She added that she was very proud of her partner and helping her through the nerves to lead to the win was a great moment overall.

#In the final doubles match, Johnnie Fong and his partner Alejandro Mesples emerged as victors against Eugene Gibson and Tyrone Serrao in two sets. The competitive sets ended 6-4, 6-3.

#They both enjoyed the competition and said the match was fun, especially playing against an opponent they are familiar with.

#The BLTA was grateful to host another successful showing of the Senior Nationals and are now looking forward to the Sheri Roberts Open in Marsh Harbour, October 21-22.

THE FREEPORT 3 Lynx Boyz, above, repeated as the Heroes Tournament champions for the 9v9 men’s division, and the Eagles, top, earned the championship for the women’s 8v8 division.

As of Tuesday, October 10, 2023

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

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Grand Bahama 3Lynx Boyz and Eagles are the 2023 men and women’s champions of the Bahamas Flag Football League (BFFL) Heroes Tournament.

#The second edition of the two-day event saw the 3Lynx Boyz hoist the championship trophy for the second straight year and the newly-formed Eagles earn their first win in the tournament.

#The Abaco Sharks also claimed their second consecutive championship in the competition at the Winton Rugby Field this past weekend.

#The event showcased the flag football talents of local and international teams in the 9v9 and 5v5 men’s division as well as the 8v8 women’s division.

#Bianca Lee, tournament director, was impressed with the competition on display between the 15 teams at this year’s tournament.

#“The level of competition was exciting, teams were on the same level which allowed for an any given Sunday feel, you never know who is going to come out on top,” Lee said.

#The tournament director considered the event a success and credited last year’s inaugural event for setting the foundation which showed them the things needed to make this year’s event even better.

#The 3Lynx Boyz earned flag football bragging rights after wrapping up the two-day tournament with a win over the BFFL championship runner ups Oasis Team Red Dot. The Freeport team came away with a 12-6 win on Sunday to repeat as champions in the 9v9 men’s division.

#Janeil Cash was crowned the team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the tournament win.

#Craig Smith, head coach of the 3Lynx Boyz, was overwhelmed with emotion as he talked about this year’s win.

#“It feels good to repeat, we feel like the kings of the hills, the key was we had to come back and defend ourselves,” Smith said.

#The coach added that the competition was very competitive and he felt the tournament went smoothly and is also looking forward to coming back with the team next year.

#For the women, the Eagles defeated the visiting Cayman Islands Lynx.

#The sport’s newest team made a statement against the Lynx with a 13-6 win in the 8v8 division.

#Ricarno Nixon, head coach of the Eagles, said the win was hard fought.

#“It was a hard fought victory, my girls went out there and gave it their all and we came out victorious.

#“But there are some things we have to clean up to get better as a team,” Nixon said.

#He continued to say it was a good win for the team’s first time in the tournament, but there are still some offseason improvements to be made as they hope to vie for next year’s BFFL championship.

#Shaniqua Thompson, who plays safety for the Eagles, was awarded the team’s MVP trophy.

#“It feels good with the Eagles sitting out one season. We came back and we are winning,” Thompson said.

#She said her job was to be the intelligent one on the field, playing honest and being vigilant against her opponent which translated into her receiving the award.

#The Sharks joined the 3Lynx Boyz as two-time champions this past weekend. The Abaco team won the 5v5 men’s division over the Cayman Islands Cobras in a 19-13 victory.

#At last year’s inaugural launch of the tournament, the 3Lynx Boyz earned a 12-7 victory over the Skye’s Limit Rock Boyz.

#Meanwhile, the Paradise Games Wildcats earned a dominant 20-0 win over Grand Bahama’s Zero Tolerance in last year’s championships.

#Teams have already expressed interest in returning to next year’s competition, according to Lee.

#The 2024 Heroes Tournament is slated for October 12-13.

 Home|Sports|Jones, Liberty fall in Game OneSports

Jones records seventh straight postseason double-double; sets record

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 10, 2023 18 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian women’s professional basketball player Jonquel ‘JJ’ Jones notched her seventh straight double-double of the postseason, but the New York Liberty were turned back by the Las Vegas Aces, 99-82, losing Game One of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Finals on Sunday.

Jones finished with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds on the road, at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The defending champions Aces took a key 1-0 lead in the series and will look to become the first repeat champion since the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2001-2002 season. The Liberty is looking to win the franchise’s first title and it is the first time they are in the finals since 2002.

Despite the loss, Liberty’s starting center Jones made WNBA history in Game One. She has now recorded the most double-doubles in a single postseason in the WNBA, as she did it in all seven of the Liberty’s postseason games. By the end of the first half, she had 12 points and nine rebounds.

The Grand Bahama native played just over 34 minutes in the game, shooting 7-for-12 from the field at a 58.3 percent clip. She gathered in seven defensive boards and three on the offensive side. Defensively, she had a steal and a block each.

The league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Breanna Stewart led Liberty with 21 points. The Aces were led by Jackie Young with 26 points.

The Liberty held a three-point lead heading to the second half, up 49-46. The home team came out of the locker room as a different team. They stayed close to Jones and the Liberty and then took charge. The 6:27 mark of the third quarter was the turning point in the game. Chelsea Gray put the Aces up 57-55 with a shot from deep. Jones was able to pull Liberty within a point after getting her third offensive board of the game and getting a putback layup. The Aces led 60-59 with 4:33 left in that quarter. The Aces kept going at the Liberty who could not get going offensively. The Aces took a 71-65 lead with just over a minute left in the quarter. At the end of the third quarter, the Aces led 72-65.

The fourth quarter opened with the Aces going on a 6-0 scoring run to take their first double-digit lead of the game. They led 78-65 with 7:56 left in the fourth quarter. The Aces kept their offense going, extending the lead. They held their biggest lead of the game of 22 points with a 94-72 cushion with 3:32 left in the game. Liberty’s Head Coach Sandy Brondello pulled her starters with 1:34 left in the game.

In the second half, the Aces outscored the Liberty, 51-31. The Liberty shot just 41.2 percent in the second half compared to 61.3 percent for the Aces.

Game Two of the best-of-five series is set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the same arena. The game will be aired on ESPN. It will be a key game for Jones and the Liberty as they look to tie the series at a game apiece. Game Three will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and if necessary, Game Four will be played at that same venue. If necessary, Game Five will be played in Las Vegas.