Home|Sports|Cecil Cooke Memorial Junior Regatta set for this weekendSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailOctober 17, 2022 146 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The 9th Annual Cecil G. Cooke Memorial Junior Regatta is set to be held in the Montagu Bay this coming Saturday and Sunday.

A great display of junior sailing is expected this weekend. The event was initiated in 2014 by Cooke’s daughter Sandra Cooke, to honor her father who was one of The Bahamas’ greatest sailors. He competed with Sir Durward Knowles in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics winning the first ever gold medal for The Bahamas.

Growing from strength to strength over the years, the Cecil G. Cooke Memorial Junior Regatta has become one of the biggest events on the junior sailing calendar. Well attended by sailors from the New Providence clubs and a number of Family Islands, the young athletes race in three classes of boat (Optimist, Sunfish and Laser) with the top finishers all receiving trophies. The prestigious Cecil G. Cooke perpetual trophy is awarded to the first place finisher among the Optimist sailors who are the youngest group and those who Cecil Cooke would have been most encouraging and supportive towards in their pursuit of the sport of sailing.

Sandra Cooke is particularly excited about this year’s regatta, as her father was recognized posthumously on this year’s Investiture of National Honors, receiving the Order of Merit. She proudly received the award on her late father’s behalf from Governor General Sir Cornelius A. Smith at a ceremony held at Baha Mar on Heroes Day, October 10th.

Making this year’s regatta possible are Insurance Management, Darville Packaging and Pioneer Brite. As in previous years, the Nassau Yacht Club will be hosting the event, providing food and beverage to the sailors and their supporters. It will also be a venue for the awards presentation after sailing on Sunday.

For enquiries on junior sailing classes and details of how to register for this event, please see the Bahamas Sailing Association’s social media and the Bahamas National Sailing School’s website. www.bahsailingschool.org.

https://thenassauguardian.com/cecil-cooke-memorial-junior-regatta-set-for-this-weekend/

 Home|Sports|Rowers set for Massachusetts competitionSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 17, 2022 130 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Windsor High School Rowing Club and the Nassau Rowing Club (NRC) will be on the Charles River at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States. Competition is set for October 21-23.

Representing the Windsor High School Rowing Club is Matthias Simms and Isaiah Ellis in the men’s youth doubles. The NRC is represented by Kathryn de Souza in the women’s grand master singles; Dehron Smith in the men’s championship singles; and Jessica and Poppy Proffitt in the women’s youth doubles.

Jessica Proffitt traveled to Cambridge last year for the 2021 Head of Charles Regatta. The 16-year-old traversed the course then with her older sister, Sascha Proffitt, so she knows what to expect as she rows with her younger sister this time.

“It is a technical race and there are a lot of bridges, and so it is a hard course. I am in bow and I have to steer the boat. Last year it was a little challenging because we do not have any obstacle courses on our lake to navigate around. Now I have a better awareness to find the fastest route. We just need to focus,” Jessica Proffitt said.

Heading to Cambridge under the NRC is Kyle Chea. He has high expectations from his doubles team.

“She (Jessica) knows exactly what she’s going into; she steered the course last year, so she knows where the challenging moments will come, and we’ve identified where we can build on last year’s successes. We were 42nd out of 53 crews, which was a big achievement for a debut on the Charles; I’d be ecstatic with a finish in the mid-low 30’s out of 55 crews this year,” Chea said.

Poppy Proffitt is the youngest of the contingent at 14 years old and is excited to compete in her third international regatta. She has had a tough training camp in the past month and a half and will be looking to put that training to use. She sits in the stern position and will control the pace of the boat.

“I know that it is a big regatta, so I am a little scared. We had a tough training camp with that included doing a 5K on the ergometer every Sunday with it being increased to two beats every week. I hope that considering how hard we trained that it pays off during this race and we have a very good experience,” Poppy Proffitt said.

Chea knows that Smith will have a tough field as he do not have the tenure and experience as his competitors but likes Smith’s development since taking up the singles this year.

Simms and Ellis took up rowing last year November and has made progress in the sport in just about a year. Simms will be in the bow seat and will be making the calls while Ellis will sit in the stern seat. Simms is aware there are six bridges and five very steep turns but he is looking forward to the challenge.

“This is our first time going. We have very little international experience, but we will do our best. We are looking to put our name out there, the experience and come back and go for gold,” Simms said.

Ellis is in Grade 10 at Windsor School says that there are a lot of colleges that will be at the regatta and will look to get his name out there.

“I am surprised that I was able to compete in the sport at a high level so quickly. At my age I am high in the rankings and look forward to the competition,” Ellis said.

Simms is 16 years old and Ellis is 15 years old. They will be looking at meeting new people and making connections, and having a great experience on the course.

Windsor School head coach, Canadian Olympian Rob Gibson hopes his rowers have a great learning 

experience for them. He advised them about the course and focused on fitness through training.

“My advice has been to go and enjoy the experience and to be prepared to handle all weather conditions,” Gibson said. “We’ve primarily focused on building fitness through challenging workouts on the rowing machines in recent weeks. They complement each other well on the water and have an instinct to push each other when training in the gym.”

Gibson told Simms and Ellis how huge of an opportunity it is to get an entry at the regatta which has 2,471 entries from 793 clubs.

De Souza is in Chicago and has been training four days per week on water and the other days on land running. She also spent a week in Vermont, USA at a rowing camp at the end of September to prepare for this regatta. It is her second regatta.

“I am hoping to finish in the middle of the pack out of 55 competitors. It is a very competitive regatta if I finish in the middle of the group. Hopefully, I do better but that is my expectations.”

She has been rowing four of the past four years in her mid-50’s after being a runner all her life.

The regatta began in 1965 and has attracted hundreds of thousands of rowers to the Charles River. The rowers who are in Nassau will leave for Cambridge later this week.

https://thenassauguardian.com/rowers-set-for-massachusetts-competition/

 Home|Sports|Hitmen, Wildcats strike first in NPSA championshipsSports

Game two in both series set for tomorrow night

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 17, 2022 159 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Softball fans filled the Bankers Field on Saturday night as the C&S Hitmen and the Sunshine Auto Wildcats got their title defense off on the right foot, as they won their respective division’s first game in the New Providence Softball Association’s (NPSA) best-of-five championship series.

The games were initially set to happen on Thursday last week, but inclement weather pushed it back.

After being off for almost a month, the women’s division defending champions and pennant winners, the Wildcats, played a full game and held off the second-seeded RAB Operators 7-5.

The Hitmen, the defending men’s division champion and pennant winners, took care of the Cyber Tech Blue Marlins 3-1 to start their title defense on the right note.

The Hitmen and the Marlins used one pitcher each in their seven-inning clash. In the end, the Hitmen’s Edney “The Heat” Bethel got 16 strikeouts while the Blue Marlins’ Thomas Davis finished with seven strikeouts. There were some great defense and infield plays as the game lasted under two hours. Bethel gave up four hits while Davis seceded four hits.

Manager of C&S Hitmen Darren Stevens was happy that they went up 1-0 as he spoke highly of his team’s pitching and defense.

“Pitching is very imperative to the game and when you can strike out and minimize baserunners, it puts less pressure on the offense. The defense was up to par and we made the plays when the ball was put in play,” Stevens said.

The Marlins got on the scoreboard when catcher Garfield Bethel, who finished the game 1-for-3, got his only hit at the top of the second inning. He showed some great base running to score the only run for the Blue Marlins.

The Hitmen jumped on the scoreboard in the second inning when rightfielder Edron Knowles, who went 0-for-2 and leftfielder Martin Burrows who finished 2-for-3, came home to give their team a 2-1 lead.

The next three innings saw both teams going scoreless. A substitute in the bottom of the sixth inning by the Hitmen paid off. They brought in pinch hitter Rudy Fox and swapped out Philip Johnson. Fox wasted no time as he showed that he was ready. He hit the ball over the centerfield to get the triple. A pass ball brought home the pinch runner as the Hitmen secured a run that gave them some room to breathe. It was 3-1 in Hitmen’s favor as the game went to the top of the seventh inning.

The Blue Marlins came up empty in their final try with Edney Bethel picking up two more strikeouts.

Stevens is looking forward to seeing consistency especially at the plate and strong pitching from his team in game two. The second game that gets underway at 9 p.m. tomorrow.

The Wildcats’ coach Michael Moss was happy with the win but did not like his team’s execution. He felt the long layover might have had a part to play in the ending.

“I am happy we got the victory but I am not pleased in our play. We were sloppy and made too many mistakes but luckily we got the lead and was able to hold it,” Moss said.

The Wildcats poured in five runs in the bottom of the first inning that got them off to a great start. This came after holding the Operators scoreless at the top of the first inning. The game was looking like the Wildcats was going to dominate it.

The Operators eventually scored for the night at the top of the third inning. They scored two runs as the Wildcats led 5-2 after three innings.

The Wildcats could not get on the scoreboard for three straight innings. The bottom of the fifth inning saw them scoring two more runs to go up 7-2. They looked well on the way to a comfortable win.

A resilient Operators put the Wildcats on the ropes a little in the sixth inning by capitalizing on their fielding errors. At the end of the sixth inning, the score was 7-3. The top of the seventh inning saw the Operators’ bats working as they scored two runs but that was all they scored as the slight ray of hope dimmed away as the Wildcats held on for the 7-5 victory.

The Wildcats pitcher Thela Stevens had four strikeouts and went 1-for-3. Looking ahead, Stevens said she hopes they keep their defense tight and bat better.

“I hope we can cut down on the errors some more and hit the ball. We are going to be batting first and once we get the runs in and the get the flow going throughout the game and not just in the beginning, we should be good,” Stevens said.

Moss shared the same sentiment as his pitcher as he thought their batting, though aggressive, was a little off.

Game two in this series gets underway tomorrow at 7 p.m.

https://thenassauguardian.com/hitmen-wildcats-strike-first-in-npsa-championships/

Nassau Rowing Club team heads for Massachusetts

Four competitors to take part in Head of Charles Race

FROM LEFT: Dehron Smith, sisters Jessica and Poppy Proffitt and Dr Kathryn de Souza.

As of Wednesday, October 12, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#FOUR competitors, all of whom have gained some international experience, will be representing the Nassau Rowing Club at the Head of Charles Race that will be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts from October 21-23.

#NRC’s president Kyle Chea will serve as coach of the team that will have Dehron Smith competing in the Men’s Championship Sculls Division; Dr Kathryn de Souza in the Grand Master Veterans Single Sculls Division and sisters Jessica and Poppy Proffitt will team up to contest the Youth Women’s Under 17 Doubles Sculls Division.

#Chea said the expectations are very high for the team that will represent the Bahamas – they leave on October 19th for the competition.

#“I feel great about this team,” Chea said. “Kathryn de Souza is a seasoned marathon runner, so this long distance race is very suited to her skill set. It’s a five-kilometre race, so I think she will be very well.

#“Jessica Proffitt competed in this race last year, so she comes with a familiarity of the course and so she wants to improve on her performance. They both raced in a regatta held in Canada over the summer, so they bring a high level competition “

#As for Smith, who is currently enrolled st Ithaca College in New York, Chea said he competed in Italy in the Under-23 World Championships and they are looking forward to him honing his skills.

#“It will be a tough competition because it is a global level of competition with everyone from club level to national team rowers racing,” Chea said. “But the crews and the entries we have will be able to represent us well.”

#Dr. De Souza, a 58-year-old Physician specialising in Sports Medicine/Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has been rowing for 4 1/2 years. She is coming off her international debut in the Head of the Schuylkill regatta in Philadelphia last year where she placed 5th in the Women’s Masters Lightweight 55-59 age group.

#“I have been a long time marathon runner and started rowing as a way to cross train for running. It was fun to pick up a new sport in my 50s,” Dr de Souza said. “I am hoping to finish mid fleet in the Head if the Charles Regatta. There are 55 women in my age category.”

#Although they have a small team, Dr de Souza said they are fortunate to be able to train year round on one of the most beautiful rowing venues in the world at Lake Cunningham.

#“The Proffitt sisters are lightening fast and Dehron Smith is a collegiate rower, who represented the Bahamas at the Under 23 World Championships this summer, so we have an excellent chance of doing well at the Head of the Charles next week,” Dr de Souza said.

#“Hopefully we will have more members of the Nassau Rowing Club competing in the Head of the Charles next year. Several of the Masters rowers and I are planning to compete in the 2023 World Rowing Masters Regatta in South Africa and I plan to row in a few more Head races (5k/ 3.1 miles) in the US next year.”

#Smith, a 22-year-old senior at Ithaca College where he is majoring in Athletic Training, is hoping that the experience he gained at the 2022 Under-23 World Rowing Championships will help him as he competes in his second race in a single.

#“It’s an awesome venue to gain race experience and once again set an example of what’s possible in the sport for my teammates at Ithaca college and for younger rowers at home,” Smith said. “This is a different style than the spring races so I hope to set a solid standard to use as a benchmark as I work to improve over the coming months.”

#After graduating from Nassau Christian Academy in 2017, Smith went to Ithaca College where he was a walk on to their rowing team in his freshman year and he admitted that he immediately found a home.

#“I was welcomed and it really helped my transition into college to be among people who encourage me to be the best version of myself,” he said. “ It helps that I love competing at anything and everyday is an opportunity to challenge myself with the team.”

#Smith said his initial international competition this summer really put elite rowing into perspective for him and that’s why he feels Ithaca College has been the best place for him to improve and to realise his full potential.

#“I hope to set some ambitious personal best for the spring season when we do the majority of our racing and contribute to a victory in our school’s first appearance at the IRAs in early June,” Smith summed up.

#The Proffitt sisters are just as eager about competing in the event as Dr de Souza and Smith.

#Jessica profit, a 16-year-old 11th grader at the Lyford Cay International School, has been rowing since she was 11 and she has rowed competitively and gone to regattas for two years, including the Head of the Indian Creek Regatta (Miami, October 2019), Head of the Charles Regatta (Boston, October 2021), Miami International Regatta (Miami, April 2022), CanAmMex International Regatta for Team Bahamas (Ontario, Canada, July 2022)

#She noted that last year, she participated in Head of the Charles in the same race in a double with her older sister Sascha and while it was an amazing experience, she was able to learn a lot about the race and how to train for this next upcoming regatta.

#“I believe that going into the competition this time around with this new knowledge has made me feel more prepared and confident for our race,” she said. “Our training for this regatta has also been a lot more more intense than last year, especially since last year we were only just coming out of COVID.

#“We have been continuously conditioning ourselves for the past month through a very difficult training plan, and while it was extremely challenging, our training will definitely boost our success for this race. Along with our training and past experience in the regatta, my team and coaches have also been extremely supportive and motivating throughout our training, and this has helped me to develop my skills for our race.”

#As for the team selected for this race, Jessica Proffitt said the NRC provides an extremely supportive and encouraging environment for rowers.

#“Training for regattas can be challenging, but my teammates always push me to do my best,” she said. “The team going to Head of the Charles is very diverse in terms of age and experience, and so I believe that we have a lot to offer at this upcoming regatta.”

#Poppy Proffitt, a 14-year-old ninth grader at Lyford Cay International School, has been rowing for three years with participation in the Miami Regatta and CanAmMex.

#“For this regatta, although it is going to be a little scary as this is my third international regatta that I have participated in, I hope to take this experience as a way to improve, have fun, and to meet other rowers,” Poppy Proffitt said.

#“I have been training every day of the week for the past month. I hope that with our intense training plan and all the strength that we managed to build, we will be successful in the race and place high. I want to show everyone what I have accomplished and learned from training hard this month.”

#As a member of the NRC, Poppy Proffitt said everyone is so supportive and kind.

#“Going to this regatta, Jessie and I will also be with some of the Windsor rowing members from The Bahamas, which is very exciting,” she said. “At CamAmMex, both of our crews trained together and they are very friendly.”

#Poppy Proffitt said she plans on continuing rowing until university.

#“I would like to continue rowing competitively and take part in more upcoming international regattas,” she stated. “When I get older, I would love to help teach new rowers at the NRC summer camps, including possibly becoming the rowing captain.”

#After she graduates in two years, Jessica Proffitt said she hopes to move into rowing at a collegiate level.

#“Regattas like Head of the Charles provide a great opportunity to get in touch with some of the best colleges in the world, and so its my plan to harness this opportunity and start looking at some of my options in Boston whilst I am there,” she said.

#For Dr de Souza, she’s just hoping that the NRC will be able to host an international regatta in The Bahamas in the near future and she can display her skills with her team-mates at home on Lake Cunningham in front of the Bahamian crowd.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/oct/12/nassau-rowing-club-team-heads-massachusetts/?news

SHAUNAE Miller-Uibo after winning the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon earlier this year.

As of Thursday, October 13, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#A triple crown at the World Athletics’ Indoor and Outdoor Championships and the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships has landed Bahamian multiple national record holder Shaunae Miller-Uibo back in the running for the 2022 Women’s World Athlete of the Year.

#Miller-Uibo was confirmed as one of ten nominees announced on Tuesday by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.

#The performances by the athletes produced what World Athletics has dubbed another memorable year for the sport and the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world.

#For the 28-year-old Miller-Uibo, it was a culmination of events this season that she had either never competed in before or had previously fell short of winning that she was now able to post on her resumé.

#She returned to the World Indoor Championships for some unfinished business when she claimed her first gold medal in the 400m in 50.31 seconds in Belgrade, Serbia on March 19 to improve on the bronze she achieved in her initial appearance in 2014 in Sopot, Poland.

#She accomplished another first at the first World Championships to be held in the United States in Eugene, Oregon on July 22 to snatch her first gold in 49.11 – adding to a pair of silver medals and a fourth place in the 400 and a bronze and fourth in the 200 in four previous championships from 2013.

#And to top off her year, Miller-Uibo came home, albeit in Grand Bahama, for her successful debut at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships (NACAC) with a meet record breaking performance of 49.40 on August 20.

#The other nominees for 2022 Women’s World Athlete of the Year are:

#Tobi Amusan, Nigeria’s quadruple World, Diamond League, Commonwealth Games and African 100m hurdles champion, who established a world record of 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals at the World Championships.

#Chase Ealey, America’s world shot put champion and world indoor shot put silver medallist and Diamond League shot put champion, who threw a world-leading 20.51m.

#Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica’s world 100m champion, claiming a fifth gold medal in the event as well as taking the Diamond League 100m champion and running a world-leading 10.62 among her record seven sub-10.70 100m races of the season.

#Kimberly Garcia, Peru’s world 20km race walk champion, winning her country’s first ever World Athletics Championships medal, in addition to winning the world 35km race walk champion in a South American record to complete a race walk double and the world Athletics Race Walking Team Championships 20km bronze medallist.

#Shericka Jackson, Jamaica’s dual world and Diamond League 200m champion, who ran a world-leading 21.45 to move to second on the world all-time list.

#Faith Kipyegon, Kenya’s double world and Diamond League 1500m champion, who ran a world-leading Kenyan record of 3:50.37, just three tenths of a second off the world record.

#Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Ukraine’s world indoor high jump champion and world high jump silver medallist and European high jump champion, who jumped a world-leading 2.05m, equalling the outdoor national best.

#Sydney McLaughlin, America’s world 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion, who broke the world 400m hurdles record with 51.41 at the US Championships and further improved the world record to 50.68 to win the world title.

#Yulimar Rojas, Venezuela’s triple world indoor and outdoor and Diamond League triple jump champion, who improved her world record to 15.74m in Belgrade.

#A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.

#The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the World Athletics social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube this week; a ‘like’ on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or a retweet on Twitter will count as one vote.

#The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50% of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25% of the final result.

#Voting for the World Athletes of the Year closes at midnight on Monday 31 October. At the conclusion of the voting process, five women and five men finalists will be announced by World Athletics.

#The winners will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms in early December.

#Further information about the World Athletics Awards 2022 will be announced in the coming weeks.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/oct/13/miller-uibo-running-womens-world-athlete-year/?news

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas, Guyana win in T20 cricket actionSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 13, 2022 151 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Cricket Association (BCA) continued action in the Nations League Twenty Twenty (T20) series over the weekend with The Bahamas and Guyana easily winning their matches over the World and Jamaica teams at Haynes Oval respectively.

The Bahamas got some good bowling from Rudy Fox as the World only managed to score 93 runs for the loss of six wickets in 16 overs. Fox finished with three wickets and gave up 21 runs in four overs.

Set with a target of 94 runs, The Bahamas did not need the services of slugger Marc Taylor. They opened with Greg Taylor and Turan Brown. Taylor was run out for duck in the first over. Johnathan Barry replaced him.

Barry and Brown took their time and methodically got The Bahamas the victory as Barry finished with a game-high 44 runs while Brown finished with 42 runs. The Bahamas finished with 95 runs in total.

The World could not get any rhythm going offensively in this game. Dave Vanoaselen led them with 41 runs. Delford Compass chipped in with 19 runs. They were the only World batsmen to score in double figures.

On Saturday, Guyana won the toss against Jamaica and elected to bat first. Guyana’s opening batsman Festus Benn put on a clinic as he had a knock of 96 runs – just for runs short of the century mark. Mike Smith was the bowler who got him.

Other than Benn, three other Guyanese batsmen were able to score in double digits. Jagnaugth Jagroo finished with a knock of 42 runs, opening batsman Richard Fredericks scored 27 runs and Renford Davson added 19 runs.

After the 17th over, Guyana’s captain Jagroo declared with 212 runs which meant Jamaica needed 213 runs to get a victory.

Jamaica refused to chase those 212 runs and as a result Guyana scored the victory.

Cricket action continues this weekend at Haynes Oval when the Lions take on Westerns on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. On Sunday, the Police will battle the Rising Stars at 1:30 p.m.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-guyana-win-in-t20-cricket-action/

 Home|Sports|Miller-Uibo nominated for World Women’s Athlete of the YearSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailOctober 13, 2022 200 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

For the second year in a row and the third time in her career, Bahamian track superstar Shaunae Miller-Uibo has been announced as a nominee for the World Athletics Women’s Athlete of the Year.

Miller-Uibo was shortlisted among nine other athletes, each of whom have experienced tremendous success in 2022. Also making the list are world record holder in the women’s 100 meters (m) hurdles Tobi Amusan, of Nigeria, World 100m Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, of Jamaica, her countrywoman and World 200m Champion Shericka Jackson, World Shot Put Champion Chase Ealey, of the United States (US), her countrywoman and world record holder in the women’s 400m hurdles Sydney McLaughlin, World 20-kilometer Race Walk Champion Kimberly García, of Peru, World 1500m Champion Faith Kipyegon, of Kenya, World Indoor High Jump Champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of the Ukraine, and world record holder in the women’s triple jump Yulimar Rojas, of Venezuela.

As mentioned, this is Miller-Uibo’s third time being nominated for the prestigious award. She went on to become a finalist in 2018, but eventually fell short to former World and Olympic Champion in the women’s triple jump Caterine Ibargüen, of Colombia.

In a year in which she won another Olympic title in the women’s 400m, Miller-Uibo was nominated again in 2021, but wasn’t among the finalists for the award as she was up against a number of world record holders and a triple Olympic Champion in Elaine Thompson-Herah, of Jamaica.

This year, Miller-Uibo faces tough competition again.

In 2022, the Bahamian became just the second woman, and second athlete, in history to win all of the global titles in an individual event in athletics, joining former great Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva. They have both captured world youth, world junior, world indoor, world outdoor and Olympic titles, in the same event.

Miller-Uibo won the world indoor and outdoor titles in the women’s 400m in 2022, and added the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) 

Championship in her home country. She won the latter in what was her fifth sub-50 second race of the year, in Freeport, Grand Bahama, in August.

Amusan won the World 100m Hurdles title in Eugene, Oregon, USA, setting a new world record of 12.12 seconds in the semifinals. She also won the Diamond League, Commonwealth Games and African titles in 2022.

Fraser-Pryce claimed her fifth world title in the women’s 100m this year and ran under 10.70 seconds in that event an astonishing seven times for the season. She ended the year with a world-leading time of 10.62 seconds. She also won the Diamond League title in that event.

Her compatriot Jackson won the world 200m title, becoming the second-fastest woman of all-time behind world record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner, of the United States. She ran a stunning 21.45 seconds in the world championships final. She also won the Diamond League title in that event.

Ealey won the world shot put title and a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships. She threw a world-leading 20.51m (67’ 3-1/2”) and also won the Diamond League title.

McLaughlin won the world 400m hurdles title in a blazing world record time of 50.68 seconds. That was her second time breaking the world record in 202 as she ran 51.41 seconds at the US Championships. McLaughlin also won a 4x400m relay title at the world championships.

García became Peru’s first-ever world championships medalist, winning the gold medal in Eugene. She won the world 35-kilometer race walk title in a South American record to complete the double, and also won a world race walk team 20-kilometer bronze medal.

Kipyegon won the world 1500m title and the Diamond League title in that event in 2022. Also, she ran a world-leading Kenyan record of 3:50.37 at the Herculis EBS Diamond League Meet, just three tenths of a second off the world record.

Mahuchikh won the world indoor high jump title and was the silver medalist at the world championships. She also won the European title and jumped a world-leading 2.05m (6’ 8-3-4”), equalling her outdoor national best, and coming up just four centimeters short of the world record.

Finally, Rojas won both the indoor and outdoor world titles in the women’s triple jump in 2022, the former in a new world record of 15.74m (51’ 7-3-4”). She also won the Diamond League title in 2022.

This week marks the opening of the voting process for the award which will be handed out during the World Athletics Awards 2022. The 10 women were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.

A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.

The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the World Athletics social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube this week, and a ‘like’ on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or a retweet on Twitter will count as one vote.

The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50 percent of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25 percent of the final result.

Voting for the world athletes of the year closes at midnight on Monday October 31. At the conclusion of the voting process, five women finalists will be announced by World Athletics.

The winner will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms in early December.

https://thenassauguardian.com/miller-uibo-nominated-for-world-womens-athlete-of-the-year/

 Home|Sports|Beach soccer returns to The BahamasSports

National teams gear up for competition; tournament set for next weekend

Simba FrenchSend an emailOctober 13, 2022 136 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

It’s been a long time since Bahamians had an opportunity to cheer for their senior men’s national beach soccer team at home. The wait is over as they will get to see them next weekend, and as a bonus, the women’s national beach soccer team will also be in action at the Beach Soccer Stadium at Malcolm Park. They will be playing in the Bahamas Beach Soccer Cup 2022, set for October 21-23.

The men will play against Colombia, Costa Rica and 

Trinidad and Tobago. The women will play against Trinidad and Tobago and the neighboring Turks and Caicos Islands.

Games will get underway at 6 p.m. on the three days. The Bahamian men will play at 8:30 p.m. each day while the Bahamian women play at 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.

This is the first time that men’s team will play at home since 2018 and the first time the women will play in an international match at home.

Guardian Sports was out at both practices and caught up with the coaches and players. Veteran Lesly St. Fleur is no stranger to playing in front of local fans. He said he was waiting to have the opportunity to play at home again.

“We are happy to finally get the games here,” St. Fleur said. “We have been waiting for this. We have to get back to the noise and the fans cheering. It will be good to see them. We get to play in front of our fans who come to see us play so we must go out there and put on a show and don’t disappoint our country.”

Women’s Head Coach Daria Adderley will be coaching an international beach soccer game at home for the first time and said she expects a competitive tournament. 

“I am very excited because this is the first time that the country is going to see our women play an international match at home. We have different players on the field now because a few went off to school. However, we still bring the competitiveness because we are the top-ranked Caribbean team. We will be playing Trinidad for the first time and we have played Turks before. It will be exciting,” Adderley said.

The women’s team is ranked at number 18, as of September 30, in the Beach Soccer Worldwide Rankings, but is the 

top-ranked team in the Caribbean region. Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos are not ranked.

Adderley is looking to win both games. She said she is happy to see women coming out and engaging in beach soccer. She praised the efforts of Bahamas Football Association’s (BFA) Women’s Director Soraya Toppin-Herbert.

“I have been a part of women’s football for years so to see these young women come out and stick with it, speaks volumes for the program. That is credit to Toppin-Herbert for her tenacity, getting the ladies to come out and play,” Adderley said.

The men’s team is coming into this tournament ranked at number 38 in the Beach Soccer Worldwide Rankings. Colombia is ranked the highest in the tournament at number 26 while Costa Rica is at number 52. Trinidad and Tobago is positioned at number 54.

Men’s Head Coach Gavin Christie said playing at home is one of the advantages that his squad has. Christie has represented the country in the sport for many years and likes that there are new faces this year.

“The difference with this team is that we have a lot of new faces. Talent has come on to the team. We have a handful of younger players who are playing in their first international beach soccer tournament. It will be fun and interesting for them along with a great experience,” Christie said.

He spoke about changing hats as he steps off the field and on to the sidelines to pass down his knowledge of the game.

“Coaching and helping this team get ready for the upcoming tourney has been a great experience. It is the kick-off to the Beach Soccer World Cup qualifying process. That is one of the things we are using this tournament for. We are looking to rejuvenate the beach soccer program in The Bahamas. We want the guys to get back into training and let the new guys get some experience. Hopefully, the program will keep going at a robust pace right up to the world cup qualifiers,” Christie stated.

Gina Stubbs is one of the custodians on the women’s team. She will be looking to help the team climb the rankings.

“We played in April, and we want to build off of that. We want to move up in the rankings. When we first started, we had a few members and the number gradually increased. It is a lot to run on the sand, but it is a lot of fun getting dirty. I get dirtier because I have to dive to make saves but I enjoy it,” Stubbs said.

Looking to score her first international goal is Hadassah Knowles. She is not looking to score just one but at least three goals in this competition, she said.

“We have a goal in mind every time we play which is to outscore the opponent. Practice has been going good. I am happy that I will have my family and friends in the stands cheering me on so it is a great opportunity,” Knowles said.

One of the goalkeepers for the men’s team is Michael Butler who is playing in a semi-professional league for the FBS-FC soccer club in Miami, Florida. He was at his first practice on Tuesday night and said he felt like he never left. He said the chemistry with his teammates is still there. He hopes to help control the tempo of the game.

“Everything I learned, the tempo, building up from the back, is there. We pride ourselves in being the fittest and the fastest team. From what I learned abroad, controlling the tempo and knowing when to use speed and when to slow down, is important. I think controlling the tempo is what I hope to bring to the team,” said Butler.

St. Fleur was shortlisted as one of the 100 best male players in the world. The winner of the best male player will be announced at the Beach Soccer Stars Gala on November 6 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“We have been preparing for this tournament for a while and it has been going well,” St. Fleur said. “We just need a few more training sessions to get match fit but between now and then we will be ready to go. The key is to communicate with each other. Everyone has to listen to each other, play hard and fight for each other. With the new ones coming in, there is no change in the game and that is why we train. We have to help them, and they help us. With my experience, I have to help coach because I can see the game, so I have to help get them ready.”

St. Fleur said his goal is to help the team win even if it means he ends the tournament goalless.

The final rosters for both teams will be released later.

https://thenassauguardian.com/beach-soccer-returns-to-the-bahamas/

Four competitors to take part in Head of Charles Race

FROM LEFT: Dehron Smith, sisters Jessica and Poppy Proffitt and Dr Kathryn de Souza.

As of Wednesday, October 12, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#FOUR competitors, all of whom have gained some international experience, will be representing the Nassau Rowing Club at the Head of Charles Race that will be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts from October 21-23.

#NRC’s president Kyle Chea will serve as coach of the team that will have Dehron Smith competing in the Men’s Championship Sculls Division; Dr Kathryn de Souza in the Grand Master Veterans Single Sculls Division and sisters Jessica and Poppy Proffitt will team up to contest the Youth Women’s Under 17 Doubles Sculls Division.

#Chea said the expectations are very high for the team that will represent the Bahamas – they leave on October 19th for the competition.

#“I feel great about this team,” Chea said. “Kathryn de Souza is a seasoned marathon runner, so this long distance race is very suited to her skill set. It’s a five-kilometre race, so I think she will be very well.

#“Jessica Proffitt competed in this race last year, so she comes with a familiarity of the course and so she wants to improve on her performance. They both raced in a regatta held in Canada over the summer, so they bring a high level competition “

#As for Smith, who is currently enrolled st Ithaca College in New York, Chea said he competed in Italy in the Under-23 World Championships and they are looking forward to him honing his skills.

#“It will be a tough competition because it is a global level of competition with everyone from club level to national team rowers racing,” Chea said. “But the crews and the entries we have will be able to represent us well.”

#Dr. De Souza, a 58-year-old Physician specialising in Sports Medicine/Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has been rowing for 4 1/2 years. She is coming off her international debut in the Head of the Schuylkill regatta in Philadelphia last year where she placed 5th in the Women’s Masters Lightweight 55-59 age group.

#“I have been a long time marathon runner and started rowing as a way to cross train for running. It was fun to pick up a new sport in my 50s,” Dr de Souza said. “I am hoping to finish mid fleet in the Head if the Charles Regatta. There are 55 women in my age category.”

#Although they have a small team, Dr de Souza said they are fortunate to be able to train year round on one of the most beautiful rowing venues in the world at Lake Cunningham.

#“The Proffitt sisters are lightening fast and Dehron Smith is a collegiate rower, who represented the Bahamas at the Under 23 World Championships this summer, so we have an excellent chance of doing well at the Head of the Charles next week,” Dr de Souza said.

#“Hopefully we will have more members of the Nassau Rowing Club competing in the Head of the Charles next year. Several of the Masters rowers and I are planning to compete in the 2023 World Rowing Masters Regatta in South Africa and I plan to row in a few more Head races (5k/ 3.1 miles) in the US next year.”

#Smith, a 22-year-old senior at Ithaca College where he is majoring in Athletic Training, is hoping that the experience he gained at the 2022 Under-23 World Rowing Championships will help him as he competes in his second race in a single.

#“It’s an awesome venue to gain race experience and once again set an example of what’s possible in the sport for my teammates at Ithaca college and for younger rowers at home,” Smith said. “This is a different style than the spring races so I hope to set a solid standard to use as a benchmark as I work to improve over the coming months.”

#After graduating from Nassau Christian Academy in 2017, Smith went to Ithaca College where he was a walk on to their rowing team in his freshman year and he admitted that he immediately found a home.

#“I was welcomed and it really helped my transition into college to be among people who encourage me to be the best version of myself,” he said. “ It helps that I love competing at anything and everyday is an opportunity to challenge myself with the team.”

#Smith said his initial international competition this summer really put elite rowing into perspective for him and that’s why he feels Ithaca College has been the best place for him to improve and to realise his full potential.

#“I hope to set some ambitious personal best for the spring season when we do the majority of our racing and contribute to a victory in our school’s first appearance at the IRAs in early June,” Smith summed up.

#The Proffitt sisters are just as eager about competing in the event as Dr de Souza and Smith.

#Jessica profit, a 16-year-old 11th grader at the Lyford Cay International School, has been rowing since she was 11 and she has rowed competitively and gone to regattas for two years, including the Head of the Indian Creek Regatta (Miami, October 2019), Head of the Charles Regatta (Boston, October 2021), Miami International Regatta (Miami, April 2022), CanAmMex International Regatta for Team Bahamas (Ontario, Canada, July 2022)

#She noted that last year, she participated in Head of the Charles in the same race in a double with her older sister Sascha and while it was an amazing experience, she was able to learn a lot about the race and how to train for this next upcoming regatta.

#“I believe that going into the competition this time around with this new knowledge has made me feel more prepared and confident for our race,” she said. “Our training for this regatta has also been a lot more more intense than last year, especially since last year we were only just coming out of COVID.

#“We have been continuously conditioning ourselves for the past month through a very difficult training plan, and while it was extremely challenging, our training will definitely boost our success for this race. Along with our training and past experience in the regatta, my team and coaches have also been extremely supportive and motivating throughout our training, and this has helped me to develop my skills for our race.”

#As for the team selected for this race, Jessica Proffitt said the NRC provides an extremely supportive and encouraging environment for rowers.

#“Training for regattas can be challenging, but my teammates always push me to do my best,” she said. “The team going to Head of the Charles is very diverse in terms of age and experience, and so I believe that we have a lot to offer at this upcoming regatta.”

#Poppy Proffitt, a 14-year-old ninth grader at Lyford Cay International School, has been rowing for three years with participation in the Miami Regatta and CanAmMex.

#“For this regatta, although it is going to be a little scary as this is my third international regatta that I have participated in, I hope to take this experience as a way to improve, have fun, and to meet other rowers,” Poppy Proffitt said.

#“I have been training every day of the week for the past month. I hope that with our intense training plan and all the strength that we managed to build, we will be successful in the race and place high. I want to show everyone what I have accomplished and learned from training hard this month.”

#As a member of the NRC, Poppy Proffitt said everyone is so supportive and kind.

#“Going to this regatta, Jessie and I will also be with some of the Windsor rowing members from The Bahamas, which is very exciting,” she said. “At CamAmMex, both of our crews trained together and they are very friendly.”

#Poppy Proffitt said she plans on continuing rowing until university.

#“I would like to continue rowing competitively and take part in more upcoming international regattas,” she stated. “When I get older, I would love to help teach new rowers at the NRC summer camps, including possibly becoming the rowing captain.”

#After she graduates in two years, Jessica Proffitt said she hopes to move into rowing at a collegiate level.

#“Regattas like Head of the Charles provide a great opportunity to get in touch with some of the best colleges in the world, and so its my plan to harness this opportunity and start looking at some of my options in Boston whilst I am there,” she said.

#For Dr de Souza, she’s just hoping that the NRC will be able to host an international regatta in The Bahamas in the near future and she can display her skills with her team-mates at home on Lake Cunningham in front of the Bahamian crowd.

As of Wednesday, October 12, 2022

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FORMER Bahamas Amateur Boxing Federation president and Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller receives his award from Governor General CA Smith.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#FORMER Bahamas Amateur Boxing Federation president and Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller was invested with the Companion Order of Merit in an official ceremony on National Heroes Day on Monday at the Baha Mar Resort.

#The honour from the Bahamas Government comes just a month before Miler will be returning to the same venue on Wednesday, November 16th to be indicted into the National Hall of Fame by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

#In the national honours on Monday presented by Governor General Cornelius A. Smith, Miller said he was delighted to be among the more than 200 persons, including 20-plus persons from the sporting world, who were recognised for their contribution to nation building.

#“First of all, I want to thank God for allowing me to see this day and to be in the best shape of my life to receive this honour,” Miller said. “I want to also thank the persons who recommended me and the committee for accepting the recommendation.

#“I know there were many recommendations they received, so I’m just happy that my own was one that they accepted. It makes you feel good because you have been working all along and you never know that there were persons out there who were watching what you’ve been doing.”

#It’s a recognition that Miller said he never envisioned nor aspired to receive from the time he started making his contribution. He insisted that his satisfaction came from assisting the many young men in boxing.

#“When you look at it, to come from Andros and a small settlement like Conch Sound and an even smaller town like Miller Hill, to come to Nassau and to climb that height to now receive the third highest honour the country can give out is very amazing,” Miller stressed.

#The retired Immigration Officer, who now serves as a newly ordained Deacon in New Covenant Baptist Church and the current president of the Men’s Department of the Bethel Baptist Association, said it just shows that if you work hard, be consistent and be honest, you can achieve anything.

#“To be honoured for something that I have been doing for such a long time, it couldn’t come at a better time,” Miller said. “So I encourage all young people who are volunteering their service, don’t just try to get in to get paid, but to make a difference in the lives of the persons you come in contact with.

#“I also want to thank the Bahamas Government for accepting the nominations of so many sporting persons. I think we had over 40 persons who were involved and some are still active in their various sporting disciplines. Sometimes people don’t know the work we put into sports and the amount of young people we help to change their lives.”

#As a former amateur boxer, Miller called on the Bahamas Government to include sports in their anti-crime prevention plan because if boxing can take young men from the Simpson Penn School and make them respective citizens of our country, so many other sporting bodies can do the same.

#“I’m sure that many other sporting bodies can attest to how they have taken many young boys and girls off the street and put them into some wholesome sporting activities to make them better citizens,” Miller disclosed.

#For 25 years, Miller has served as an executive in amateur boxing. He was first elected as president in 1984 until 2000. He had decided to take some time off to raise his two young sons, but Miller was asked to serve as vice president under Alvin Sargent that same year. At the next election in 2004, he was re-elected as president until he demitted office for good in 2017.

#However, Miller was then elected to serve as a vice president in the BOC under the leadership of the late Arlington Butler in 2000. After serving two consecutive terms, he was elected in 2008 as the president, serving in that capacity until 2018 when Rommel Knowles was first elected as the new president.

#“I don’t have any regrets. I would do it all over again without any reservations,” said Miller about his tenure in office. “I enjoyed my time. I met a lot of people and I got to help turn the lives around for so many young people.”

#As he celebrated the national honour with his family and friends, especially those who were also honoured, newly minted Miller will be heading off on Friday to represent the BOC at the meeting in Seoul, Korea. He will return on October 25th.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/oct/12/wellington-miller-honoured-national-heroes-day/?news