JUMPING FOR GOLD: Ras Jesse Delancy on top of the medal dais for his high jump gold on Saturday at the SIAC Track & Field Championships at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

As of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Although his ultimate goal is becoming one of the premier volleyball players in the world, Ras Jesse Delancy said he didn’t mind mixing up a little bit of fun by competing in the high jump.

#Fresh off his Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Men’s Volleyball Player of the year honours for the second straight year last week, Delancy took one day again to prepare for the SIAC Track and Field Championships where he won the high jump.

#This time, on Saturday at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, Delancy improved from a third place finish to the top of the medal dais with the gold after he cleared a personal best of 6-feet, 10 3/4-inches or 2.10 metres.

#And the 23-year-old 6-foot, 6.5-inch sophomore at Benedict College said his performance in no way convinced him to change his mind from playing volleyball.

#“Just like last year, I only had one day of practice,” Delancy said.

#But it was an exciting feeling going through the process.

#“I just wanted to know how high I could jump,” Delancy pointed out. “But before we started to jump, someone asked me what my best performance was and I told him I didn’t know.

#“As the bar was raised, I kept going higher and higher.”

#After clearing 6-10 3/4 (2.10m) on his third attempt, Delancy said the bar moved to 6-11 1/2 (2.12m), but he couldn’t get over that height.

#“I think if I did it, I might have tried to go higher,” he said. “I really just wanted to see how high I could go. I didn’t know that I would clear 6-10 3/4 (2.10m). But I’m glad that I did and I won.”

#Dismissing any notion of him competing as a track athlete, Delancy said he will leave it up to the seasoned competitors like his rival, who won the title last year. “He asked me if I was training for the event,” Delancy said. “When I told him I only had one day of practice like I did last year, he couldn’t believe it.

#“He said he’s been training just abort every day because he’s a track and field athlete. He was really surprised that I didn’t have any formal training and I still won it.”

#Delancy, who has entered the transfer portal to switch schools for his junior year in August, said he’s now preparing to return home after he finishes sitting his final exams to begin training with the men’s national volleyball team for the Caribbean Volleyball Championships (CVC) in July.

#“I’m a volleyball player. That is all I want to do,” said Delancy, who has no intentions of competing in the high jump at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Nationals or the Bahamas Games this summer.

#“I just wanted to go out there and prove to myself that I could do the high jump. I wanted to prove that if I had to take this route, competing in the high jump, I know I could do it. So it was all about having fun.”

#While he’s done with the high jump, and although he has qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships, Delancy said he’s back in the gym working out in preparation for volleyball.

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http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/02/delancy-soars-win-gold-high-jump/?news

As of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

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RISING tennis star Kevin Major Jr.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#KEVIN Major Jr, playing in his last tourney of the month in a series of “Battle of Boca” tournaments held every weekend, fell short in the final yesterday in Boca Raton, Florida.

#Playing as the number four seed in the tournament that was extended from over the weekend because of the rain delay, Major Jr lost out to Blu Baker from Great Britain in set scores of 6-3, 6-1.

#Although he played very well in the previous days of the tournament, Major Jr admitted that he didn’t have it when it counted the most in the final.

#“This was the last tournament on the schedule I made for this month, so I really wanted to do well, but I was kind of playing on flames because I had a long week with all of the rain delays,” he said.

#“This weekend, we also had a lot of rain delays so today, a match which would normally be about three hours, turned into about eight hours because of the delay.

#“The guy I played against played at a really high level and I didn’t have enough energy.”

#Despite losing in the final, Major Jr said he’s still pleased with his performance throughout the tournament.

#He noted that he beat everybody, including the number two seed, to get to the final.

#Major Jr said he will take the next three weeks off to go into the training lab and should be back in action in three weeks.

#He noted that he’s not sure where he will commence play coming out of the training lab.

#“I feel pretty close to where I need to be. This is the closest that I’ve come to the top so I’m just going to continue to listen to my team,” he pointed out. “Everything is there. I just need to play more.”

#With this being one of his best seasons on the circuit, the 28-year-old Major Jr said he is learning pretty quickly about all that he needs to know to play at a higher level. “l believe that because I’m learning that the level I’m at, I got here with far less matches,” he said. “These guys have played much more than I have. “I’m starting to see things a little different now.”

#Hopefully, by the time he gets ready to play in Davis Cup for the Bahamas, Major Jr said the Bahamian people will really get to see how much he has improved.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/02/tennis-ace-kevin-major-jr-falls-battle-boca-final/?news

SUNLAND Stingers senior boys basketball team flank Donell Basden and Jordan Saunders as they sign their letters of intent to attend Butte College.

As of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

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PARENT/GUARDIAN BONNIE BASDEN, of House of Hoop and Dreams, looks on as Donell Basden and Jordan Saunders speak.

#By DENISE MAYCOCK

#Tribune Freeport Reporter

#Dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

#DONELL Basden and Jordan Saunders, of Sunland Baptist Academy, yesterday signed a letter of intent to attend Butte College in California on a full-ride basketball scholarship.

#Basden, a small forward and team captain, has won several MVP awards. He is ranked number one in basketball in The Bahamas. While Saunders, a point guard, is ranked number two.

#The signing was held at the school, with the school principal, coaches and teammates looking on.

#The Sunland Stingers have won two consecutive Hugh Campbell Basketball championships, as well as three consecutive Tip Off Classic GB Secondary Schools Association Basketball Championships.

#After a very successful season, Basden and Saunders said all the hard work has paid off. “I want to start by giving God thanks because without Him I would not be here. I also want to thank Ms (Bonnie) Basden,” said Basden.

#Saunders said it feels good to be a part of a winning team and a basketball programme.

#“Three years at Sunland and multiple championships, it feels good just coming from the small island of Abaco,” he said. “Just playing basketball for the fun, I never really thought much of going to the next level. I feel blessed to get this opportunity to go to college on a full ride.”

#Saunders was also grateful to Ms Basden, who took them into her home in Freeport so they could attend Sunland Baptist.

#“She has been there for me, and I thank her…for being a second mother to me. So, I am truly thankful and love her for that,” he said. This Fall, they will join two of their former Stingers teammates, Alontae Knowles, a 2020 graduate, and Oswald Meadows, who now attend Butte College.

#ZNS Broadcaster Jay Philippe, who is also one of their coaches, said Basden and Saunders are two of the top players in the country.

#“We had a very successful year as far as basketball is concerned, he said.

#“Donell would have had multiple offers as far as scholarship opportunities, but they selected Butte because of the friendship and relationship we had with the coaches over the past years,” he said.

#Coach Marco Cooper, a senior master at Sunland, said both young men have made an awesome contribution to the basketball programne at Sunland.

#He is proud of them and wishes them all the best.

#“They came from the islands and are now living their dream and are about to attend college. This is a big deal for their families, for the school, and for them to be role models for other student-athletes coming up.”

#Principal Devona Knowles said: “As a school, we are so happy to witness this moment. They have done extremely well, and we wish them all the best as they matriculate to California to continue their studies.”

#Parent/Guardian Bonnie Basden, of House of Hoop and Dreams, congratulated Basden and Saunders, who lived with her for the past three to four years.

#“It is truly a pleasure and blessing to watch these boys accomplish their dreams of going to play basketball at another level. I thank all the parents that have chosen SBA for their kids’ education. We are grateful to Butte for offering a full ride to these young men,” she said.

#Mr Philippe, a former Stingers player himself from 2004 to 2006 who also obtained a college scholarship, said it is a good feeling to return home and give back.

#“Helping other guys achieve their dreams is just a calling from God for me, he said. So many people would have sacrificed time for me, and I think it is my time to go and do the same thing. It is just a good feeling knowing I can give back to the community, my former school, and to the guys that have trusted me with their lives and helped them develop their skills as basketball players,” he said.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/02/basden-saunders-sign-full-ride-basketball-scholars/?news

As of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Youth Flag Football League (BYFFL) hosted the spring football clinic on April 22 and 29. The clinic was opened to kids ages 6-17.

#This year’s hosting of the event featured the largest number of participants ever registered with 180.

#The programme was initially opened for only 150 participants due to limited space, however, after the influx of registrants, organisers allowed for more.

#Jayson Clarke, programme director, talked about how he felt about the two-weekend flag football event.

#“The clinic went exceptionally well. One of the highlights for me was that a lot of kids that competed in our high school tournament ventured to the clinic which means that there is a genuine interest in the sport itself,” Clarke said.

#After hosting this year’s first high school flag football tournament at the beginning of April, the BYFFL looked to build off the kids’ excitement.

#The clinic focused on skills such as quarterbacking, learning how to catch, how to run routes, learning how to be a defensive back, and how to increase speed in footwork.

#The largest age group at this year’s event was the 12-15 division.

#“It is by far the largest clinic that we have hosted personally so [I] am definitely happy about that because it definitely tells us that we are doing some things right in terms of getting the message out there about youth flag [football] and what we are doing,” Clarke added.

#The programme director also noted that following their appearances at last month’s flag football high school tourney St John’s College and Kingsway Academy will be the first to receive their flag football equipment in two to three weeks. The event was geared towards raising funds to purchase the flag football equipment needed to integrate the new sport into the schools’ curriculum. The league will present the equipment as well as the winner’s trophy to Kingsway Academy after they were crowned the first over 14 champions. Additionally, the under 14 champions of St Augustine’s College will also receive a championship presentation in their honor.

#BYFFL will look to continue their work on the field as their next event will be a flag football training camp that will include National Football League (NFL) players on June 24.

#Additionally, for the entire month of July, persons can look forward to joining BYFFL’s summer camp which will be in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture (MOYSC).

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/02/byffl-hosts-its-largest-spring-football-clinic/?news

Sherman ‘the Tank’ Williams flanked by a group of enthusiastic promoters and volunteers.

As of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

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PROFESSIONAL boxer Sherman ‘The Tank’ Williams is expected to be honoured by the Real Fun Entertainment Incorporated for his contribution to the development of amateur boxing in Melbourne, Florida.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#SHERMAN ‘The Tank’ Williams, who is still actively pursuing his professional boxing career, will be honoured by the Real Fun Entertainment Incorporated for his contribution to the development of amateur boxing in Melbourne, Florida.

#Dubbed “The Battle of Novice,” the event will take place on Saturday, June 17 and Williams is encouraging the local boxing fraternity to travel to Florida to get some of their amateur boxers involved in the show.

#Williams, a native of Grand Bahama now residing in Florida, will be honoured along with Antonio Tarver, former world light heavyweight champion and Winkie Wright, former world light middleweight champion.

#Williams, who is gearing up for his next pro fight in June in New Zealand, said he’s delighted that he is being recognised for the role he’s playing as a coach with the Police Athletics League as a certified US coach.

#“This past Saturday, I was honoured with two other fighters from Puerto Rico as legends and future legends in Port St Lucie, Florida,” Williams said. “I had about eight fighters who I train compete in the event and we got six victories.

#“The next tournament is going to be held in Melbourne, Florida where they will be honouring me again. Hopefully we can get some of the amateur boxers from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Bimini to come over and participate because Melbourne, Florida is so close to the Bahamas.”

#While he has heard so much talk about bringing boxing back in the country, Williams said this is one avenue for the amateur boxing federation to take a step in that direction as there are persons in Florida who are willing to assist the local amateur boxing programme.

#“I tried two promotions in 2018 and 2019 with the same national pride to set the stage for our local fighters,” Williams said. “I think we need to do more of that, but most importantly focus on amateurs because if there’s no stable, there’s no future for professionals.”

#Williams said he’s eager to assist any local fighter who wants to be a part of the show. He noted that the promoters will be willing to provide lodging for the boxers as they are doing for the boxers coming in from Puerto Rico, Mexico and the state of Florida.

#“The remedy here is working as we’ve seen a turnaround in some of our drastic youth in Florida,” Williams said. “I think we’ve been doing things backward for too long and if there is anything I can do to help, by all means I am willing to do so.”

#Journeyman Williams, with a 45-15-2 win-loss-draw record, remembered how he was treated to a motorcade in Key West, Florida, after he won the World Boxing Organisation’s Asian Pacific heavyweight title over Chauncy Welliver in 2012. Williams is currently a honorary citizen of Key West, Key Largo, Melbourne and Port St Lucie, Florida.

#“So it’s an honour and privilege to be recognised in a country where I wasn’t born. I am happy that I can help some of these young boys to become young men and to help them to make their lives better by putting God first and making some life-changing decisions.”

#Williams, however, said he’s disturbed by reading the national headlines in the Bahamas where so many young men are reportedly killing each other.

#He noted that the murder rate in the Bahamas is at a higher percentage than it is in Florida.

#Citing one of those recent cases where promising rising boxer Tyrone Oliver Jr and his brother Shakuar Oliver were killed, Williams noted how he was able to showcase Oliver Jr on the two Bahamas Sons Promotions held in Grand Bahama in 2018 and New Providence.

#“My respect and condolences go out to his family,” he stated. “I tried and created a platform that he was able to benefit from. He was a young man with a lot of promise, but there’s a lot of distractions out there and a lot of hatred and violence.

#“We just have to focus on the ones who are here and hope that we can save some of them.

#“I think we have more good kids than we have bad kids. We just need more direction in their lives.

#“It doesn’t have to be boxing, but we can do it in athletics, softball, baseball, basketball and some of the other sporting disciplines,” he stated.

#Williams also expressed his condolences to the family of the late Ray Minus Jr, who passed away last week in Princess Margaret Hospital at the age of 58 after suffering from Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS).

#“Ray Minus Jr was a great boxer, a great athlete but, most importantly, he was an excellent man and a great human being,” Williams said. “He was very humble, friendly and he always had a big smile on his face whether he was happy or sad.

#“As an amateur, I got to know Ray when I competed for Grand Bahama in the first Bahamas Games and I beat up on some of the boxers he coached from New Providence,” Williams said.

#“I last saw him when he came to Grand Bahama for the professional boxing show we put on there. He came with Tyrone Oliver and his coach Ron Rodgers.

#“Just to see him deteriorate slowly with ASL was really sad to see. He’s gone, but not forgotten.

#“He’s one of the greatest pugilists to come out of the Bahamas. May his soul rest in peace.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/02/sherman-tank-williams-be-honoured/?news

Members of BTC sales team were in Exuma last weekend to offer various services to residents and visitors.

As of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

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#BTC officially kicked off its support of the National Family Island Regatta with a $10,000 sponsorship of Exuma’s 67th regatta held April 18-22 in George Town.

#And as thousands flocked to Elizabeth Harbour to watch the exciting sailing action, BTC made its presence felt on the ground, offering many deals for existing and prospective customers while touting the benefits of its broadband services.

#“BTC has been a longtime sponsor of the National Family Island Regatta, and we are grateful and happy that BTC has partnered again with us this year,” said Danny Strachan, chairman and commodore of the National Family Island Regatta.

#Strachan said BTC was also a part of history in the making as the government used the platform of last week’s regatta to officially announce sailing as the country’s national sport on Friday, April 21.

#According to Strachan, last week’s regatta in Exuma was dubbed as “the largest ever held,” with more than 80 boats participating in various sailing categories.

#“Also, if anyone had the opportunity to visit the site, one would get the impression that BTC was sponsoring the entire event as they had a very large presence on the ground,” Strachan said, adding that the regatta was also a tremendous economic boost for the island and for various vendors on site, including BTC.

#BTC held a major presence in George Town with tent space at the regatta site, featuring BTC-branded flags and banners.

#The company partnered with ZNS TV & Radio as well as Exuma’s 98.3 The Blaze to promote special regatta plans.

#A special invitation was also given to BTC to have its representatives attend the exclusive Skipper’s party.

#Persons attending the regatta had the opportunity to purchase devices and mobile plans at special prices.

#BTC’s CEO Sameer Bhatti said the National Family Island regatta in George Town, Exuma is the country’s largest.

#Hence, it was only fitting for BTC to serve as a sponsor.

#“Regattas are national events on the Bahamian social calendar, and a big part of our culture.

#“So having our presence felt on the ground in Exuma as the largest telecoms operator in The Bahamas was important to us,” Bhatti said.

#He continued: “Having sponsored the Exuma regatta for many years, our presence in Exuma last week gave us the opportunity to deepen and strengthen our connection with residents and forge new relationships as we continue to rollout fiber on the island.”

#Thus far, fiber has been installed in George Town, Bahama Sound 11, 14 & 18; Forest, Farmer’s Hill, Staniel Cay and Black Point.

#Fiber to the home will ultimately replace BTC’s copper network and allow users to experience a more robust service with faster internet speeds of up to 1gig, more broadband, and a higher capability to stream.

#Persons visiting the George Town Park in Exuma are also able to utilise the free BTC-powered Wi-Fi that was installed last August in conjunction with BTC’s partnership with the government and its ParkConnect initiative.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/02/btc-makes-its-presence-felt-exuma-national-family-/?news

 Home|Sports|Smith is leading junior jumper at Lexington Spring PremiereSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMay 4, 2023 181 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian rider Kacy Lyn Smith had a stellar showing at the Lexington Spring Premiere in Lexington, Virginia, last weekend, riding her two horses, Chicago M. and Costbar 2, to multiple high placings. She was also named as the Overall Leading Junior Jumper of the competition.

The Lexington Spring Premiere heralds the opening of the Virginia Horse Center’s annual Festival of Champions in Lexington, and the beginning of the equestrian show season in the mid-Atlantic area.

Riding Chicago M., Smith won the Medium/High Junior Amateur Jumper Class on the first day of competition, and after multiple high placings over the remainder of the weekend, the pair finished as reserve champions in the 1.30m Medium/High Junior Jumper Division. Smith also had successful rounds with her young horse Costbar 2 in the 1.20m Low Juniors Division, including riding a double clear round for fourth place one class and placing sixth in the Speed Class. Overall, her performances with both horses earned her the title of Leading Junior Jumper at the competition.

Last year, Smith and Chicago M. made history as the first duo to represent The Bahamas at the FEI (International Federation for Equestrian Sports) North American Youth Jumping Championships in Traverse City, Michigan. This year, the pair has qualified to represent The Bahamas in individual jumping once again, this time at a higher level, moving up from the Pre-Juniors to the Junior Division.

https://thenassauguardian.com/smith-is-leading-junior-jumper-at-lexington-spring-premiere/

 Home|Sports|BADC pleased with testing process at CARIFTA GamesSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 4, 2023 161 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The 50th CARIFTA Games is behind us, and life is back to normal … for the most part.

During the hustle and bustle of the event over the Easter holiday weekend, the Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission (BADC) was busy ensuring the integrity of the meet by testing athletes for banned substances. According to BADC Executive Director Petra Haven, the testing part of the process was smooth.

BADC engaged sample collectors and results management authority. Haven didn’t release a report, but said they are awaiting results from the samples that were examined at the CARIFTA Games. Before CARIFTA, BADC was the anti-doping authority at the Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships and CARIFTA Trials at the end of March.

“Like any other testing mission, we were able to complete everything successfully with no issues,” Haven said. “We would have had an anti-doping educational talk with our national team prior to, so I know for sure our Bahamians understood that testing was happening. All the other teams were advised that testing would be happening as usual, so this was no different than any other event that we would host nationally. The only difference is we would have tested pretty much all the teams.”

Haven said once they get the results, they will publish them. The results from those samples can take between 14-21 days, or longer, to be processed. The samples were sent to a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited lab in Canada. Haven noted that they are unable to discuss any pending cases, if there are any, until an athlete outright admits, or their disciplinary hearings are completed.

Haven commended her team for making the athletes and athlete representatives comfortable during the testing process as some of the athletes were being tested for a first time.

“We use our testing almost like an educational session as well, so we walk the athletes or their representatives through each step, so that they could become more comfortable with the process,” Haven said. “There were some first-timers and I think as we all know, there would be some sort of nerves because you must now conduct this test in front of somebody, whether it’s your first time or second time. There were nerves, but we have a way of being able to talk to our athletes and let them be comfortable with the process, so they understand what’s happening, how it’s going to happen, how long it’s going to take. I think the most nerve-racking part is not being able to urinate right away, so we have to wait up to an hour or more sometimes for it to pass.”

Next up for BADC is the Bahamas Triathlon Association National Championships this weekend, then after that is the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Beach Soccer Championships set for next week. They will also be working the CARIFTA triathlon that will be hosted here in The Bahamas in August. They will also be testing athletes prior to them traveling to the World Athletics Outdoor Championships set for August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary.

https://thenassauguardian.com/badc-pleased-with-testing-process-at-carifta-games/

 Home|Sports|Ayton, Suns in 0-2 holeSports

Bahamian big man is averaging 14 points and 7.5 rebounds in the series

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 3, 2023 221 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian center DeAndre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns appeared to be on the verge of stealing a game against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals of the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs, but they ran out of steam in the final quarter of game two, losing 97-87 on Monday night. The win put the Suns down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series.

Ayton scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 33 minutes of play at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. He made a blistering 7-for-10 shots from the field, but battled foul trouble for most of the third quarter and into the fourth. He finished the game with five fouls.

The Nuggets outscored the Suns 27-14 in the fourth quarter to defend their home court and maintain the homecourt advantage. 

The Suns went into the fourth quarter with a 73-70 lead, and without one of their leaders, Chris Paul, who left the game in the third quarter with a groin injury. That lead withered away at the start of the fourth quarter as the Nuggets opened that quarter on an 8-0 scoring run that ended at the 8:24 mark. They led 78-73 at that point in the game.

Ayton made a slam dunk at the 4:56 mark in that quarter to bring them to within three points, 84-81. That three-point lead quickly stretched into a 10-point lead as the Nuggets went on a 7-0 run to lead 91-81 with a little over two minutes left in the game. The Suns could not cut into that deficit as the Nuggets made their free throw shots down the stretch to seal the win. 

The Suns were led by guard Devin Booker with 35 points. Ayton’s matchup counterpart Nikola Jokic came away with a game-high 39 points.

The Bahamian missed his first shot of the game in the first quarter but was able to end the quarter making his next three field goals to finish that quarter with six points. The Suns led after that opening period, 21-18. Ayton ended the first half with 10 points and six rebounds and was the Suns’ second leading scorer in the first half.

Playing against Jokic, one of the candidates for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), has Ayton working hard in this series. Ayton is averaging 14 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and shooting 66.7 percent in the two games. He is a key part of giving his Suns a better chance at winning and will look to make an impact in the third game.

The series swings home for Ayton and the Suns as they head to the Footprint Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, for a pivotal game three on Friday. They will look to avoid going down 0-3. The third game of the series starts at 10 p.m. on Friday and will be televised on ESPN.

https://thenassauguardian.com/ayton-suns-in-0-2-hole/

 Home|Sports|Russell coming home for New Life this SaturdaySports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailMay 3, 2023 525 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian Alonzo Russell has been blazing a new trail this season, establishing himself as a force to reckon with in the men’s 400 meters (m) worldwide, and now he’s coming home to compete.

The Grand Bahamian athlete is set to run in his specialty, the men’s 400m, at the 2nd NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association) New Life Invitational which will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Russell has already run under 45 seconds twice this season – becoming the 10th Bahamian all-time to accomplish that feat. At his last race, at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida, a few weekends ago, Russell won in a stunning personal best time of 44.73 seconds. With that time, he tied former national record holder Troy McIntosh and LaToy Williams for the fifth-fastest in Bahamian history. The weekend before he ran that blazing time, Russell clocked 44.93 seconds at the Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, going under 45 seconds for the first time in his career.

The Bahamian quarter-miler is looking to go even faster at home, making inroads in what is turning out to be a breakout season for him. He is at number nine on World Athletics’ top performance list for 2023.

A few other stars who have confirmed attendance at the New Life Invitational are American quarter-miler Trevor Stewart, and Jamaican sprinters Tyquendo Tracey and Ackeem Blake. Overall, about 100 of the region’s elite stars are expected to be in the nation’s second city for the NACAC New Life Invitational this coming Saturday. Without releasing much information, Meet Director Demarius Cash said they have four sub-10-second male 100m runners and two sub-11 female 100m runners confirmed to compete. So far, indications from the organizers are that there has been great interest shown by athletes of the NACAC area.

The local organizing committee has been busy reaching out to agents of athletes from the region to ensure an array of high-quality athletes at the show.

The first NACA New Life Invitational took place in Miramar, Florida, in the summer of 2021.

The event is part of the plan of NACAC Athletics to facilitate an annual circuit of competitions with cash prizes, between the end of March and the second week of June, each year, aimed at providing opportunities for athletes from the area to compete right here in the region, before going on to Europe and other international competitions.

As the athletes prepare for the world championships, scheduled for August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary, the New Life Invitational will afford them an early opportunity to showcase their skills and also qualify for the world championships if they have not already done so.

The 2nd NACAC New Life Invitational is a World Athletics Continental Tour (WACT) Silver Level meet where athletes will have an opportunity to post qualifying times and distances, gain world ranking points, and compete for their share of the $75,000 prize money. The level of talent on display is expected to rival that of any of the top meets in the United States and on this side of the world.

The one-day athletics meet is sanctioned by the local governing body of the sport of athletics in the country, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), and it will be arguably the most anticipated track and field meet on Grand Bahama this year.

https://thenassauguardian.com/russell-coming-home-for-new-life-this-saturday/