As of Monday, September 4, 2023

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JOHNATHON Lucius

#AFTER advancing to the first round of the playoffs, gamer Johnathon Lucius fell to Peru to end his journey in the International Esports Federation’s (IESF) World Championships this past weekend.

#The Tekken 7 player squared off against Peru’s Sergie Mazter on Friday following his wins against Norway and Iraq one weekend prior.

#Despite a tough loss, Lucius improved on last year’s performance by advancing to this level at the championships.

#Additionally, he helped The Bahamas to be ranked 33rd out of 91 countries for Tekken 7. Although his stint in the competition has now ended, the 25-year-old gamer was grateful for the experience in Iasi, Romania.

#“My overall experience for the World Esports Championships this year has been a learning and exciting experience. I got to compete and socialise with other countries and to be able to share ideas and perspectives with them was the best thing about the event because it’s like a big happy family,” Lucius said.

#The Bahamas placed fourth in their bracket after the Bahamian gamer dropped 0-2 to Peru.

#The latter was represented by Mazter, who finished second in the 2022 Tekken World Tour in the South America Regionals.

#Peru’s gamer also won the 2021 Evolution Championship Series (Online).

#Lucius credited his opponent for his prowess in the tournament and said Mazter threw a game-changing curveball at him during their match.

#“When it came time for the match, I was preparing to go against his best character until he chose an alternative pick that had me change my overall approach to the match,” the gamer said.

#He added that the game plan forced him to make a character swap in the match but ultimately it was not enough to get the job done.

#Despite not advancing further in the World Esports Championships, the Tekken 7 player remained optimistic about his gaming journey.

#“This is not the end for me or The Bahamas in terms of showcasing our skills in Esports to the world. If I can I will show the world that The Bahamas is just as great as any other country,” he said.

#With the 2023 World Esports Championship now in the books for Lucius, he will now prepare for the release of Tekken 8 next year.

#The game is expected to be released January 26 on Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

#Lucius said the release of the new Tekken game will lead to more opportunities and chances so he wants to simply prepare and see what the future holds.

BAHAMAS Basketball Federation executives returned to office, shown from left to right, are Freddie Brown, Natasha Miller, Latoya Silver, Eugene Horton, Simone Beneby and Moses Johnson.

As of Tuesday, September 5, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH a resounding vote of confidence, president Eugene Horton and his entire slate of officers were returned to office as the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s executives for the next four years to complete the job they started.

#Horton, a former president of the New Providence Basketball Association, had taken over during the mid-term of the last executive board when president Mario Bowleg was elected as the Member of Parliament for Garden Hills and subsequently named the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture.

#Now he’s been mandated to serve for a full four-year term during the federation’s annual general meeting and the election of officers on Saturday in the Ministry of Education’s Conference Room.

#Horton, challenged by Grand Bahama’s junior national boys team coach Quentin ‘Three Ounce’ Hall, won with a landslide 18-1 victory as read by Bahamas Olympic Committee’s president Rommel Knowles, who presided over the elections.

#Joining him on the board are Moses Johnson as first vice president; Freddie Brown as second vice president; Andros’ Brian Cleare as third vice president; Latoya Silver as secretary general, assisted by John Marc Nutt and Simone Beneby as the treasurer with Natsha Miller as her assistant. The other members making up the team are Joemond Jones, Caraon Mitchell, Dereck Smith and Rodney Wilson as officers and Dominique Fernander as the public relations officer.

#Immediately following the elections, Horton said he was delighted to be able to get the process out of the way and now they can get on with the unfinished business that they started.

#“As anticipated, it went smoothly, no major hiccups and we expected these results,” Horton said.

#In the interim, Horton said the focus will be placed on getting his executives together so that they can chart the way forward.

#“We want to be proactive and begin with the end in mind,” Horton said. “To get to the end, we now have to get the national teams together, contact the Family Islands and put figures to make everything happen.

#“Once we get those final figures, we can go out and source some funding.

#While the men’s national basketball team is now on the verge of becoming the first team sport to advance to the Olympic Games, Horton said their focus will be on trying to get the women as well as the junior boys and girls teams to the level that they can be a formidable force on the international scene as well.

#“That’s one of the things we want to put in place,” Horton said.

#“The coaches selection committee is going to be important to put the right people in place for our national teams. Once we have everything that’s needed, we hope to ride this wave of the men’s national team and contact sponsors and try to get everybody on board.”

#National Team Success

#Johnson, who serves as an assistant coach on the men’s national team, thanked the delegates, who expressed their faith in voting for him to return to the board. He said he’s very thrilled to be back.

#“There’s no rest for the wary. We want to meet urgently,” he said. “I think one of the biggest things for us is to build synergy among all of the associations, seek out talent. Also to get our national teams moving, dealing with the coaching selection committee, get that rolling and get the coaches for several junior teams as well as senior women.

#“We want to balance the scale now. The men have started to excel, but we don’t want to leave anybody behind, so the balancing act will commence and we hope that we are able to bring everybody up to a level of supremacy.”

#With the men having advanced as the champions of the Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament last month in Argentina, Johnson said they are now preparing the team for the Qualifying Tournament in July for the Olympic Games in August in Paris, France.

#“The team hasn’t stopped celebrating since,” Johnson pointed out. “But they know that the preparation has begun, players have started to play in their leagues (in Europe) and the NBA players are getting ready.

#“We’re thrilled to see where we’re at. We’re going to try to see how best we can add a few pieces. Information will come a little later. But I think we’re good where we’re at. We have a good nucleus. Putting one or two more pieces in there could really mean something special for the Bahamas in having a team sport in the Olympics. So we’re looking forward to making things happen.”

#Since the success of the men’s team, coached by Chris DeMarco and led by NBA players Buddy Hield, DeAndre Ayton and newly acquired Eric Gordon in Argentina, Johnson said they have been seeking the assistance of so many other players with ties to The Bahamas, but the federation knows they won’t be able to acquire all of their services, but they will go after those they can include.

#As for the other national teams, Johnson said the executives will announce shortly their plans for the other national teams in their quest to get them the best opportunity to follow the men on the global stage.

#Family Island Development

#Cleare, the lone Family Islander selected, said he’s just as elated to be back to continue to help in the development of the Family Islands.

#“One of my goals is to make sure that the Family Islands get assistance, especially technical assistance,” he said.

#“I would like to see the coaches and referees in the Family Islands become certified, so that when the national teams are chosen in the future, we can get coaches from the Family Islands to be on the teams.

#“The coaches on the Family Islands may not be able to deal with the Xs and Os, but they can get the opportunity to sit on the bench and get the exposure with teams travelling abroad and they can bring that to the Family Islands and share with their counterparts.”

#As the chairman of the Andros Sports Council for the sixth Bahamas Games in July, Cleare said he was extremely proud of how Horton managed the basketball competition and he was even more impressed with the financial report presented.

#“We need some basketball clinics on the Family Islands,” said Horton when asked how they can get more exposure for his counterparts on the islands.

#“The basketball clinics on the Family Islands need to be structured.

#“So we’re going to seek professional help in setting up those clinics, making sure that the proper fundamentals are given to the kids on the Family Islands. I always thought that the Family Islands have the best athletes.

#“We’re bigger and stronger and once we get the technical assistance that is needed, we will produce some high quality players.”

#At the end of the Annual General Meeting, Horton presented Jurell Nairn with a token of appreciation for the role she played in assisting the federation in the past.

As of Monday, September 4, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#WITH the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA) season winding down, the undefeated Bain and Grants Town Cybots dropped the Police Crimestoppers 88-81 this past weekend.

#Both teams came into Saturday’s game at AF Adderley Gymnasium unblemished in the loss column, looking to gain the advantage ahead of the looming postseason. The sixth-seeded Airport Authority Avengers also handed a loss to the 1-10 Customs Taxmen.

#Cybots vs Crimestoppers

#On Saturday night, the Cybots and Crimestoppers had identical 10-0 win/loss records for the season. The game started out evenly matched between both squads from the opening tip, with no team giving an edge early on. At the halfway mark of the opening quarter, the score was 5-4 favouring the Cybots following a two-pointer by Cordero Pinder. The first period of play ended with the score tied 20-20 going into the second quarter.

#The Cybots’ Georgio Walkes got the second quarter started with a quick steal followed by a three-pointer to create separation between the teams. With the clock at the 5:43 mark, Keithan Gray converted on a three-pointer to lift the Cybots to a 10-point lead.

#The Bain and Grants town team was able to take advantage in the second period and went into the second half up by 12 points (46-34).

#Able Joseph, of the Cybots, was instrumental in the team’s win on Saturday. He led both teams in scoring with 25 points on the night on a scorching 65% shooting clip. Joseph also grabbed down 10 boards with six coming on the defensive end and four on the offensive end.

#Pinder and Walkes also complemented Joseph’s efforts on offence. Pinder put up 12 points to pair with five rebounds and six made free throws.

#Meanwhile, Walkes ended his night with 14 points alongside six rebounds and three steals.

#In the second half, the Cybots remained in the driver’s seat with all cylinders turning on offence and defence. The team culminated the third quarter up by 9 points (64-55).

#Michael Furley Bain Jr led the charge for the second-seeded Crimestoppers.

#Despite the team coming up short, he scored a team-high 23 points to go with five rebounds and nine free throws.

#In the final period of play, the Crimestoppers narrowed the Cybots lead down to as little as seven points. Following a timely jumpshot by Batchlette Lafleur, the score was 86-79 with 0.29 seconds remaining in the ball game.

#However, Cybots’ Brian Bain converted on back-to-back free throws to ice the game and seal the win for the BGDBA’s leading team.

#Sonny Miller, a Cybots player, talked about the big win as the regular season comes to an end.

#“For us it was a very good game and one we had circled on the schedule because we know whenever we meet them, they are well coached and prepared so we use that game as a measuring stick to see how ready we really are because our goal is to win it all,” Miller said.

#With the final BGDBA regular season games to be played tonight, Miller gave insight into the team’s mindset ahead of the playoffs.

#“We are going after what we lost last year for the first time in four years and that is the championship that the Panthers are holding onto now,” he said.

#The Cybots player added that the team is putting in the necessary work and are not taking any team for granted. The ultimate goal is to be the first team to reach nine wins.

#Taxmen vs Avengers

#The sixth-seeded Avengers claimed a win against the Taxmen 87-76. The Avengers obliterated the Taxmen in the rebounding category. The team collectively grabbed 61 rebounds compared to 39. Avengers were also active at free throws where they converted 17/24 on 71% shooting. Rus-Shon Strachan powered his way to a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds.

#The final games of the BGDBA season will feature the Police Royals against the Bahamas Department of Corrections Challengers.

#Also, Avengers will face Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Rampage. The games begin at 7pm.

 Home|Sports|Walcott promoted to High-ASports

Bahamian prospect receives promotion at just 17 years of age

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 6, 2023 202 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Less than a year after signing a professional baseball contract with a substantial signing bonus with the Texas Rangers, Bahamian Sebastian Walcott has impressed his club to the point where he has been promoted to High-A in Minor League Baseball (MiLB).

Walcott got the nod at just 17 years of age. He is coming off playing in the Arizona Complex League (ACL) at rookie-level baseball for the Rangers, and is the first minor leaguer for the Rangers to play the full season at 17, since Michael De Leon. De Leon did it in 2014 when he was promoted from Low-A to Double-A Baseball.

Walcott is now playing for the Hickory Crawdads in the South Atlantic League. They sit in third in that league and second in the south division with a 65-55 win/loss record on the season. The Bahamian made his debut on Sunday, and he was in the lineup as the designated hitter in a 9-0 trouncing by the Crawdads of the Greensboro Grasshoppers (65-58).

In that game, Walcott went 1-for-4 with a run batted in (RBI). His only hit came in the top of the first when he hit a double to left field that brought home Cody Freeman. The Crawdads went up 4-0 at the end of that inning and never looked back.

The Crawdads returned to action yesterday against Winston-Salem Dash in the first round of playoffs, but no score was available up to press time.

In the 35 games he played in the ACL, Walcott sported a batting average of .273, an on-base percentage (OBP) of .325 and a slugging percentage (SLG) of .524. He hit seven home runs and had 19 RBIs. He also had nine stolen bases in the ACL. Walcott had a short stint in the Dominican Summer League, playing just nine games before moving on to the ACL.

In his season in the Dominican Summer League, Walcott had a batting average of .253, an OBP of .338 and a SLG of .827.

The 6’4’ infielder came into the league as one of the top 20 international prospects from the Major League Baseball (MLB) international signing period. He signed on the dotted line with the Rangers in January of this year. He has drawn comparison to Miami Marlins’ outfielder Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr., a Bahamian. Walcott is currently the 64th rank prospect on MLB’s top 100 list and the number three prospect on the Rangers list.

Walcott is the fifth player at age 17 or younger to play a full minor league season in 2023, joining Nelson Roda (Los Angeles Angels), Ethan Salas (San Diego Padres), Colt Emerson (Seattle Mariners) and Tai Peete (Seattle Mariners).

 Home|Sports|Johnson says men’s basketball team will keep buildingSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 6, 2023 138 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Taking down basketball powerhouse Argentina twice, on their home floor, will garner some attention for Team Bahamas. The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team finished with a perfect 4-0 win/loss record at the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, in August, winning that tournament and punching their ticket to FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in the summer of 2024.

The Bahamas won the gold medal game, 82-75, over Argentina led by Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, Eric ‘EJ’ Gordon and DeAndre Ayton – three players out of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

One of the team officials courtside in Argentina was Moses Johnson who was an assistant under Head Coach Chris DeMarco and who was recently elected as the first vice president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF). Johnson said that the team is still celebrating, but is also preparing for the 2024 tournament.

“Preparation has already begun. The players have started to play in their respective leagues and the NBA players are getting ready. We are going to see how best we can add a few pieces. Information will come a little later. We will try to do some things. I think we are good where we are at. We have a good nucleus and putting one or two pieces in there can mean something special for the first time for The Bahamas by having a team sport in the Olympics,” Johnson said.

The Bahamas’ offense was led by Gordon who averaged 20.3 points per game. Hield was close behind at 19.8 points per game and Ayton averaged a double-double with 15.5 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. Travis Munnings averaged 11.5 points per game and Franco Miller Jr. averaged 10.8 points per game to round out the scorers with double digit averages for The Bahamas.

There has been other NBA names that have been thrown out there who can play for The Bahamas, including the Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan and Isaiah Mobley, who are brothers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Naz Reid. DeMarco is an assistant coach with the Warriors and could be another voice in Thompson’s ear, along with Klay’s brother Mychel who has been a part of the national team program for quite some time now.

Without letting the cat out of the bag, Moses responded to the possibility of having any of those players available next summer.

“The realistic expectation is that we will not be able to get all of those guys,” Johnson said. “We will look at the expectation of trying to get a few of them based on circumstantial evidence of their ties here in The Bahamas such as being here in the summers and residences here. We will try to see how best we can get them. The realistic aspirations are that we will not be able to get everybody but the ones that we will get will be able to take us over the hump.”

Advancing to the Olympic qualifying tournament is the furthest the men’s basketball program has ever gone. Johnson is confident that the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, could be a reality for Team Bahamas.

 Home|Sports|Mingoes get cross country season underwaySports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailSeptember 6, 2023 76 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

BOCA RATON, Florida – The University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes’ cross country teams turned in respectable performances against a number of powerhouse schools to start their seasons.

Lhevinne Joseph turned in the best performance across the teams, finishing 84th out of 137 competitors in the men’s division, at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Invitational Cross Country over the weekend. He finished with a time of 18 minutes and 35.9 seconds in the five-kilometer (5km) event.

“I wanted to get out there in the first half and cruise and come home strong which I did,” Joseph said. “What I learned last season in cross country was the more relaxed and controlled I keep my pace, the faster I am able to finish. That was exactly what I did. I planned to go out and steadily pass runners one by one and that’s exactly what I did.”

Jackson Ozias finished 90th in 18:43.2. Dennis Williamson, who lead the team for the first half of the 5km run, took the 95th spot in 18:56.9. Kenold Jean finished 98th in 19.06.2 and Donya Roberts, known more for the 400 meters (m) event, finished 129th in 22:16.4.

The team amassed 419 points to finish 15th out of 18 teams. The top seven runners from each team received a score, but only the top five placements counted toward the team’s performance. In cross country, the lower the score the better the performance. Both of the UB teams competed in the 5k event.

“I think we did well overall competing against some strong division one schools,” said UB Head Coach Ednal Rolle. “Both teams held their own. Cross country is all about team, and you have to have a strong team because you are only as strong as your weakest link. Finding five solid long distance runners in The Bahamas is very difficult.”

On the women’s side, Lakeicia Lewis had the top performance for UB as she finished 152nd out of 178 competitors with a time of 25:54.8. Fridline Augustine took the 169th spot in 28:46.9, Kaiya Cambridge finished 170th in 30.35.2, Kendera Munroe was 172nd in 31:12.4 and Sienna Mackey took the 173rd spot in 32:16.4.

The women’s team amassed 538 points to finish 18th.

Both teams compete on Friday September 15 at 6 pm at the Keiser University Flagship Invitational.

 Home|Sports|At last, it’s time for competitionSports

Team Bahamas returns from hiatus to play Grenada on Sept. 20

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 5, 2023 138 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas senior women’s national soccer team has been ramping up its training session in preparation for the inaugural Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Women’s Gold Cup.

The team, making a comeback on the international scene, will host Grenada on Wednesday, September 20 in New Providence, and they have been looking forward to that match. They have been practicing for most of the summer under head coach Ricquea Bain. Some of the players are off to school, but Bain said those players will be home by September 13, and they will stage a friendly against Turks and Caicos, September 14 and 15.

“Preparation has been okay at home. We have been working hard with the girls. A portion of the core group of players are away so it has been a little difficult but we have been making it. We are looking at our college players to come home and add to the squad,” Bain said.

Bain embraced the opportunity for the ladies as they return to action for the first time since playing against Turks and Caicos in August 2021.

“It is good to have the opportunity for the senior women to play,” Bain said. “We finally have a competition for the seniors. The women now have something to look forward to. We are looking to give a good showing in our first game in Grenada.”

The team has a mixture of veterans and first-timers, according to Bain, one of the players play on the under-15 national team.

“The majority of the players have come up through the development program. Some of them have been training from as young as 13 on the national team so we are looking for a good showing out of those ones,” Bain said.

One of the veterans on the team is Karen Wert. She said the full team is not here as yet but they have been doing what they can. The center midfielder who can also play right back is happy for the opportunity to play on the women’s team.

“We have been training hard. Practices have been good, training almost every night of the week. A lot of players are away, which makes it difficult because we do not get to train fully as a team. I am looking at doing whatever I can. I’ll play wherever they need me to play and I am looking to do my best and give it my all,” Wert said.

Valtinique Simmons, who helped the C.R. Walker Knights win a national high school soccer title and a GSSSA (Government Secondary Schools Sports Association) title this past season, is the youngest member of the team at age 14. The striker is looking to put the ball at the back of the net for Team Bahamas.

“I was nervous at first but as I keep coming out to practice my confidence went up. I’m focused and worked and made the team. Training with the older girls was a little intimidating, but I’m ready,” Simmons said.

After the match against Grenada on September 20, The Bahamas will head to Grenada to play an away match on Sunday September 24. In October, the team will play against the US Virgin Islands (USVI) on the road. That match will be played on Sunday October 29. The final match of this round is scheduled to be played in The Bahamas on Wednesday November 29.

The tournament presents teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean with an opportunity to qualify for, and compete, for the prestigious CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup.

 Home|Sports|Thompson expresses interest in playing for The BahamasSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailSeptember 5, 2023 432 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas has advanced as far as it ever has in men’s basketball, but in order to get further, they would have to keep building team structure and cohesiveness going into an Olympic year in 2024.

The program received a major boost over the weekend as National Basketball Association (NBA) star guard with the Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson cited interest in playing for the national team. The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team is one step away from advancing to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, and in so doing, becoming the first representatives of the country in a team sport at the Olympic level.

It’s a realistic possibility, and with, potentially, its biggest pull to date, optimism is at its highest point going into next summer’s qualifying tournaments.

In August, The Bahamas stunned Argentina, winning the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament, going undefeated in four games against some of the best teams in the FIBA Americas region. They defeated Argentina twice on their home floor, at the Estadio Ciudad de Santiago del Estero, in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, cementing themselves as top notch contender in men’s basketball in this region.

With the win, The Bahamas has advanced to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, which are set for July 2-7, 2024. Just the winners of those qualifying tournaments will move on to the Paris Olympic Games in men’s basketball, and The Bahamas is right in the mix.

“… [W]hen it comes to Bahamian basketball, I couldn’t be more proud of what they have accomplished the past few weeks, especially Chris DeMarco, Buddy Hield, DeAndre Ayton, Eric Gordon and the rest of the Bahamians. Those guys, they had the biggest win in our country’s history, as far as beating Argentina twice on their home soil, not an easy task. Argentina is ons of the best teams in the world and it’s just going to do wonders for the country,” said Klay Thompson.

Thompson, the middle son of Bahamian legendary basketball player Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson, is intrigued by the idea of playing for The Bahamas next summer. The older Thompson is a former No.1 overall draft pick in the NBA and has always professed his love and affinity for The Bahamas.

“When that time comes, I will give it serious consideration just because of what The Bahamas meant to the Thompson family, especially my father,” Thompson explained during his trip to Manila, Philippines, to launch his shoe brand ‘ANTA KT9’.

“My father never had a chance to play for The Bahamas because they just didn’t have the chance to do so back in the 70’s and the 80’s,” said Klay. “Now my brother Mychel is coaching with them which is also a really nice thing. Now, I’m focused only on the upcoming NBA season but when that time comes next summer, I’ll consider the possibility.”

Thompson, 33, was born in Los Angeles, California, USA, and is an American citizen, but by means of his father being born and raised in The Bahamas, he has an option to switch allegiance for basketball and play for the nation of his father’s birth. For that to happen, USA Basketball would have to release him, and FIBA would then approve the switch. Thompson played at the international level for Team USA, winning a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and another at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

To be eligible to play for Team Bahamas, Thompson would have to follow a similar path as Gordon who played for the United States of America (USA) at the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. Gordon’s release was approved just hours before the pre-qualifiers in Argentina, and he went on to help The Bahamas win the gold medal in those pre-qualifiers. Thompson has already an interest in playing for The Bahamas, and now, it’s just up to USA Basketball to release him and for FIBA to approve the release.

Last month, The Bahamas recorded its biggest accomplishment ever in basketball, winning the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament behind the leadership of three NBA players – Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield of the Indiana Pacers and Ayton and Gordon of the Phoenix Suns. Kai Jones, of the Charlotte Hornets, is also committed to the program.

Now, they might secure their biggest pull to date – four-time NBA Champion and five-time NBA All-Star Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.

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Shaunae Miller-Uibo, of The Bahamas, centre, crosses the finish line to win the women’s 400 metres final race during the World Athletics Diamond League meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)

As of Friday, September 1, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#It didn’t take Shaunae Miller-Uibo that long to get her legs back under her. In fact, in just her second international meet since having her baby boy on April 20, she said it’s all about getting ready to defend her women’s 400 metre title at the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

#Falling short of advancing out of the first round with seventh in her heat at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary where she made her global return, Miller-Uibo took the spotlight in the pre-race programme at the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League in Switzerland.

#Yesterday as she opened the meet at the Letzigrund Stadium, Miller-Uibo clocked 51.83 seconds to lower her season’s best of 52.65 she ran as a wild card entry in defending her title at the World Championships, holding off a field that had a pair of competitors from Switzerland trailing as Anna Fahr got second in 51.97 and Julia Niederberger got third in 52.11.

#“It has been a long season, and obviously it would have come in handy for this to be the start of it,” said Miller-Uibo, referring to her journey as a new mother, calling the birth of her son the greatest of blessings.

#“I just have to build for next season, and to get the body used to the shock again and be ready for next season.”

#While she continues to shock everybody with her quick return to competition, coming out of Budapest, the focus of attention for the Bahamas was on sprinter Anthonique Strachan and hurdler Devynne Charlton, who were the only two members of the 11-member team to get into the final.

#Strachan, who is having a breakout season at the senior level, duplicated her sixth-place finish at the World Championships in Zurich where she ran 22.65 in another hotly contested race that was won by her Jamaican training partner and world champion Shericka Jackson in 21.82.

#Great Britain’s Daryll Neita got second in 22.25 and American Kayla White was third in 22.33.

#Despite her position, Strachan stays in contention for a spot at the Diamond League Final as she’s in fifth place with 15 points with Jackson leading the pack with 24 in the 13-race series that got started in Doha, Qatar on May 5.

#Strachan, who celebrated her 30th birthday in Budapest, also contested the 100m in Zurich where she placed ninth in 11.39.

#American Sha’Carri Richardson, the world champion, pulled off another victory in 10.88 with Jamaicans Natasha Morrison and Elaine Thompson-Herrah following in identical times of 11.00.

#Like the 200m, her specialty, Strachan is tied with two others for ninth place with 11 points in the qualifying standings for the Diamond League Final.

#Marie-Josée Ta Lou leads the field with 32 points with Jackson and Richardson in second and third with 26 and 24 points respectively. There are only two more events left and that is the Xiamen in China, which has replaced the Shenzhen, on September 2 and Brussels on September 8 before the finals is staged in Eugene, Oregon, September 16-17.

#Charlton, on the other hand, was eighth over her 10 flights of hurdles in 12.75. She was coming off her fourth place finish in 12.52, just outside of getting on the podium in Budapest and many wondered how well she would fear in such a short space of time.

#Jamaican world champion Danielle Williams weathered the storm, taking the tape in 12.54. American Alaysha Johnson got second in 12.58 as she held off her compatriot Kendra Harrison, the World Championship bronze medalist, who did 12.59.

#With her performance, Charlton is now in 12rth place in the standings with six points and is mathematically out of contention for a shot at the Diamond League final. American Nia Ali, who , leads with 25 points, just ahead of Johnson and world record holder Tobi Amusan, tied for second with 23. Harrison follows with 20, American Tia Jones is next with 19 and Puerto Rico’s World Championship silver medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Poland’s Pia Skrzskoska are next with 16.

#While she won’t be eligible for the Diamond League Final for the first time after her pregnancy denied her the opportunity to compete in any races, Miller-Uibo said she’s blessed to be back on the international scene and she’s just taking it easy as she prepare for next year.

#“I was looking forward to it,” said Miller-0Uibo about running in the pre-programme race. “We don’t want any big races right now. Just trying to get the feeling of running again.”

#With one more race left before she shut down her season, Miller-Uibo said she’s been happy with her performance and she’s trying to get back in shape and racing again. Hopefully it will all come together when she defend her title in Paris.

As of Friday, September 1, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#FOLLOWING their appeal in early August for financial sponsors, the Bahamas Bodybuilding Wellness and Fitness Federation (BBWFF) still lacks adequate funding for travel expenses.

#The 14-member team is slated to compete at the 50th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding Championships in Palm Beach, Aruba, in less than three weeks but have hit some obstacles in their preparations for the commute.

#Joel Stubbs, president of the BBWFF, talked about the issues they are faced with. “Honestly, we have not gotten the total amount that is needed because our total would have amounted to $25,000 when you consider uniforms, transportation, tickets for the entire team, and hotel rooms with two persons per room for the nights needed in Aruba, we fell short,” Stubbs said.

#According to him, the government has provided the federation with $17,000 to date but they are still short on the total amount needed to travel to the CAC Bodybuilding Championships.

#The president maintained that he does not want to downsize the team that is capable of bringing back hardware for The Bahamas.

#“We are still trying to solicit as best we can among the corporate world in The Bahamas to see if the possibilities are there for a few more dollars. Every little penny would count, we do not want to modify the team because every athlete would have sacrificially prepared themselves and have put in the necessary time and efforts,” he said.

#The federation has taken other measures to raise funding, including a fun run, walk but it did not prove to be as successful as hoped. However, the president said they would examine other measures in the future, including car washes, and possibly a boat cruise. “The financial dilemma we deal with each year is a sad place and position until the Ministry of Sports sees our sport as a core sport. I think until that time we will always be placed out of that scope,” the president said.

#With the funding that they have received so far the federation is trying to make the best of what they have allocated.

#“The monies that were given we are trying to see how best we can purchase tickets that are within a comfortable price. We are looking online and speaking to the travel agencies. We are trying to find a way and means of how we can best travel with the money that we have to get our team down to Aruba,” he said.

#The president is confident in the national team’s ability to represent The Bahamas well at the CAC Bodybuilding Championships and made his final appeal to corporate Bahamas ahead of September 21-25.

#“I would love to continue to make a financial appeal for persons interested that want to assist the federation in its team travel to Aruba this year and at least give these athletes the opportunity to represent The Bahamas,” he said.

#Individuals interested in sponsoring the 14-member team’s trip can contact 376-2121 or email bbff.242@gmail.com

Bodybuilding ‘challenges’ ahead of big CAC

As of Friday, September 1, 2023

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

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#FOLLOWING their appeal in early August for financial sponsors, the Bahamas Bodybuilding Wellness and Fitness Federation (BBWFF) still lacks adequate funding for travel expenses.

#The 14-member team is slated to compete at the 50th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding Championships in Palm Beach, Aruba, in less than three weeks but have hit some obstacles in their preparations for the commute.

#Joel Stubbs, president of the BBWFF, talked about the issues they are faced with. “Honestly, we have not gotten the total amount that is needed because our total would have amounted to $25,000 when you consider uniforms, transportation, tickets for the entire team, and hotel rooms with two persons per room for the nights needed in Aruba, we fell short,” Stubbs said.

#According to him, the government has provided the federation with $17,000 to date but they are still short on the total amount needed to travel to the CAC Bodybuilding Championships.

#The president maintained that he does not want to downsize the team that is capable of bringing back hardware for The Bahamas.

#“We are still trying to solicit as best we can among the corporate world in The Bahamas to see if the possibilities are there for a few more dollars. Every little penny would count, we do not want to modify the team because every athlete would have sacrificially prepared themselves and have put in the necessary time and efforts,” he said.

#The federation has taken other measures to raise funding, including a fun run, walk but it did not prove to be as successful as hoped. However, the president said they would examine other measures in the future, including car washes, and possibly a boat cruise. “The financial dilemma we deal with each year is a sad place and position until the Ministry of Sports sees our sport as a core sport. I think until that time we will always be placed out of that scope,” the president said.

#With the funding that they have received so far the federation is trying to make the best of what they have allocated.

#“The monies that were given we are trying to see how best we can purchase tickets that are within a comfortable price. We are looking online and speaking to the travel agencies. We are trying to find a way and means of how we can best travel with the money that we have to get our team down to Aruba,” he said.

#The president is confident in the national team’s ability to represent The Bahamas well at the CAC Bodybuilding Championships and made his final appeal to corporate Bahamas ahead of September 21-25.

#“I would love to continue to make a financial appeal for persons interested that want to assist the federation in its team travel to Aruba this year and at least give these athletes the opportunity to represent The Bahamas,” he said.

#Individuals interested in sponsoring the 14-member team’s trip can contact 376-2121 or email bbff.242@gmail.com