As of Tuesday, September 6, 2022

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

#TEAM Bahamas concluded competition at the FINA World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru with a pair of semifinalists over the weekend.

#Rhanishka Gibbs reached her second semifinal of the meet and Nigel Forbes advanced for the first time at the Videna Aquatics Centre.

#Gibbs concluded day five with an 11th place finish in the women’s 50m Freestyle with her time of 26.68 seconds – a new personal best.

#She advanced to the semi-finals with the 14th fastest time out of the prelims, 26.99. Keianna Moss also contested the event and finished tied for 23rd overall with her personal best time of 27.70.

#Forbes finished 12th overall in the men’s 50m Butterfly with a new personal best time of 24.71.

#Forbes finished 17th in the preliminaries with a time of 25.12 and was an alternate for the semifinal round.

#After a withdrawal of an athlete in the top 16, Forbes received the opportunity to swim in the semifinals.

#Marvin Johnson also swam the 50m Butterfly and finished 35th overall with a time of 26.06. Team Bahamas reached the semifinal round in four events at this year’s World Championsships.

#Gibbs was the first to advance out of the prelims with her 14th overall (33.46) finish in the 50m Breaststroke last Tuesday.

#Johnson advanced to the semis of the 50m Freestyle and finished 13th overall in 23.39.

#All six members of Team Bahamas participated across four events on day five.

#Johnson and Forbes both contested the 100m Freestyle.

#Forbes finished 30th in 52.29 and Johnson was 39th in 52.95.

#Gibbs was 35th in the 100m Butterfly in 1:09.97.

#In addition to Moss’ aforementioned appearance in the 50m Freestyle, she also swam the 100m Butterfly and finished 22nd in 1:05.21.

#Erald Thompson III and Emmanuel Gadson finished 20th (30.17) and 31st (31.45) respectively in the 50m Breaststroke.

#On the final day of competition, Gadson and Forbes were the only members to compete in an individual event – the 200m Butterfly.

#Forbes finished 21st overall in 2:06.75 while Gadson was 31st in 2:18.05.

#The duo then went on to team with Thompson and Johnson to finish 12th overall in the 400m Medley Relay.

#More than 500 of the world’s best junior swimmers from over 80 countries competed over the six-day event which concluded on Sunday, September 4.

#This Videna Aquatics Centre also hosted the XVIII Pan American and Parapan American Games in 2019, the 2021 South American Youth Aquatic Sports Championship and the 2022 FINA Water Polo World League Intercontinental Cup.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/06/gibbs-and-forbes-reach-semi-finals-fina-world-juni/?news

As of Tuesday, September 6, 2022

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

BERMUDA has now topped The Bahamas in three consecutive matches at the CONCACAF Men’s U17 Qualifiers level.

Bermuda emerged with a 4-0 win yesterday over The Bahamas as Group A play continued at the IMG Academy Field in Bradenton, Florida.

With the win, they secured qualification to the CONCACAF U17 Championships in Guatemala in 2023.

The sides previously met in the 2010 edition of the qualifiers when The Bahamas won the first match 1-0 and Bermuda followed with a 5-1 win. At the 2014 qualifiers, Bermuda took a 4-0 win.

Bermuda now tops Group A with 12 points and an unblemished 5-0 record while The Bahamas fell to 2-2 and fourth in the group with six points.

Bonaire is second in the group with nine points (3-1), Guyana is third with seven points (2-1-1), the British Virgin Islands is fifth with one point (0-3-1) while Saint Martin has yet to tally a point in the tournament (0-4).

The Bahamas closes out the round robin group stage with a matchup against Bonaire Wednesday September 7 at 9:10am. Bermuda looks to remain undefeated with a matchup against Guyana at 11:15am.

Bonaire opened the competition with a 4-2 win over Guyana, followed by a 2-1 win over BVI, a 2-0 loss to Bermuda and a 2-1 win over Sait Martin. The Bahamas opened competition with a 2-1 win over Saint Martin led by goals from Reuben Edgecombe and Kai Perez.

In their second match, they suffered a 4-0 loss to Guyana. They then improved to a 2-1 record as they blanked BVI 1-0 on Saturday via a goal from Robert Holcombe.

The four group winners will advance to the 2023 CONCACAF Men’s U17 Championship.

In addition to Bermuda leading Group A, Aruba leads Group B at 3-0, Dominican Republic leads Group C at 3-0 and Nicaragua clinched Group D.

They will join the top 16 ranked nations that have been seeded directly into the group stage of the 2023 CMU17 Championship.

Sprinter, high hurdler all set for big event in Zurich

SPRINTER Tynia Gaither, left, and high hurdler Devynne Charlton, right, are the only two Bahamians who secured a spot in the Wanda Diamond League Final this week in Zurich, Switzerland.

As of Tuesday, September 6, 2022

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

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemdedia.net

#After four months and 12 meetings, high hurdler Devynne Charlton and sprinter Tynia Gaither are the only two Bahamians who survived for a spot in the Wanda Diamond League Final this week in Zurich, Switzerland.

#The league’s most dramatic climax will take place on Wednesday and Thursday when 32 champions will be crowned with the prestigious Diamond Trophy in the series final at Weltklasse Zurich.

#While six finals will take place at a city event on Wednesday, Gaither and Charlton will be among the remaining 26 featured at the Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday.

#The duo earned their berths in the series of events that took place from May 14 in Doha, Qatar, to Brussels, Belgium on September 2. In the series of meets throughout that period, athletes earned points from 13 meetings across four continents.

#Notably absent from the list is Olympic and world champion Shaunae Miller- Uibo, who qualified in both the women’s 200 and 400 metres, but she opted not to compete.

#Instead, she shut down her season after winning the gold medal at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships in Grand Bahama a few weeks ago.

#The 28-year-old Bahamian multiple national record holder finished the series in fourth place in the 200m with 12 points from two meets, while she occupied the second spot in the 400m with 22 points in thee meets.

#Gaither, the 29-year-old Grand Bahamian native, is having undoubtedly her finest season, having emerged in her first Diamond League Final tied for fifth place with American Gabrielle Thomas, Swiss sprinter Mujinga Kambundji and Great Britain’s Beth Dobbin, all with 10 points from two meets.

#Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson tops the field with 23 points from three meets. Jackson, who has had a terrific transformation from the 400m to the sprints, winning a medal in just about every international meet she competed in, is also entered in the 100 at number three behind Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast and fellow Jamaican sensation Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is going for her fifth Diamond League title.

#Like Gaither, national record holder Charlton is making her debut in the women’s 100m hurdles as she capped off a tremendous season that started with a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships, another at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England and a bronze in the NACAC Championships at home.

#Charlton, 26, is tied for second place in the standings with Puerto Rico’s Olympic champion and world championship bronze medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, both with 16 points from a pair of meets.

#The leader of the pack is World and Commonwealth Games champion Tobi Amusan, the world record holder with 22 points from three meets.

#The women’s 100m hurdles will take place at 7:25pm on Thursday with Charlton competing against Amusan, Camacho-Quinn, Jamaican world championship silver medallist Britany Anderson, former world record holder Kendra Harrison along with Nia Ali and Tia Jones, all from the United States, Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji and Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska.

#“I’m feeling pretty good, looking forward to rounding out my season with a strong performance,” Charlton said.

#“It’s a tough field and should make for a really fast race. “I’m focused on having a good execution to put myself in the running.”

#Charlton, ranked at number seven in the world and a seventh place finisher at the World Championships, heads into the meet having lowered the Bahamian national record to 12.46 for her lifetime best at the Bahamas National Championships at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium in June.

#Amusan clocked 12.12 in the semi-finals at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July for the world record before she lowered it in a wind-aided 12.06 in the final that wasn’t a legal time.

#The 29-year-old Gaither, on the other hand, rebounded from a false start in the 100m at the World Championships to make the semi-finals of the 200m.

#Then she went on to the Commonwealth Games where she got seventh in the 100m and was a silver medallist in both the 100m and the women’s 4 x 100m on a brilliant comeback leg at the NACAC Championships.

#Gaither, currently ranked at No.27 in the world with her lifetime of 22.41 this season, will run in the 200m at 9:42 pm against a stacked field.

#The field includes Jackson with the world’s fastest time of 22.41 this year, Americans Thomas, Jenna Prandini and Tamara Clark, Swiss’ Kambundji, Dobbin from Great Britain and Ida Karstoft from Denmark.

#In addition to winning the Diamond League trophy, athletes will be competing for a total of $30,000 in prize money with a further $30,000 distributed amongst the other finalists. While first place will pocket $30,000, second place will collect $12,000, third place $7,000, fourth place $4,000, fifth place $2,500, sixth place $2,000, seventh place $1,500 and eighth place receives $1,000.

#From the Diamond League series, the overall winner will also get $10,000, second place $6,000, third $3,500, fourth $2,000, fifth $1,250, sixth $1,000, seventh $750 and eighth earns $500.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/06/gaither-charlton-diamond-league-final/?news

 Home|Sports|Archer said he is shaken by Hart’s deathSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailSeptember 6, 2022 285 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

For Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) President Drumeco Archer, the death of standout Bahamian athlete Shavez ‘Sparky’ Hart, an Olympian and world championships medalist, really hit home. Not only was he a mentor to Hart as the head of the BAAA, but he said he spoke with him personally many times over the phone regarding athletics and other aspects of life.

Hart was gunned down early Saturday morning on his home island of Abaco. An altercation had developed in a parking lot of a business establishment situated in Mount Hope, North Abaco, and according to his father, Hart was acting as a peacemaker before being shot in the chest. He was later pronounced dead at the local clinic, succumbing to the gun shot wound just three days before his 30th birthday.

 Archer, who returned to the country after a weekend trip late Sunday night, said he was devastated by the news.

“He was a good boy, positive, responsible, determined and full of life – a life we hope that many young men would emulate one day as an athlete and as a virtuous Bahamian,” said Archer. “He was a bright man with so many brilliant ideas which extended beyond the bounds of sport. He was committed to his family and in the aftermath of the Hurricane Dorian, in order to be closer to his family, he decided to reconvene his training in Freeport instead of returning to training camp in Florida.”

Hart, who is from Treasure Cay, Abaco, attended Treasure Cay Primary and S.C. Bootle Secondary in Abaco before finishing his high school education at St. George’s High in Freeport, Grand Bahama. He went on to attend South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, breaking school records in athletics and receiving conference and national acclaim. Hart finished his collegiate career at the Texas A&M University, setting his mark as one of the more substantial and impactful runners in school history. To date, he is a part of the school’s record team in the men’s 4x100m relay.

Archer said he received a call around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning informing him of Hart’s passing. He said the talented Bahamian speedster had walked away from the sport about a year and a half ago, but was still active, helping to train young athletes on Abaco.

“I come to you with a heavy heart and a volcano of emotions over the passing of Shavez,” said Archer. “When Shavez bade his goodbyes to the sport, I then realized that he had become a man who was beginning to write a new chapter in his life. It was a chapter filled with new adventure, new beginnings, new entrepreneurial aspirations and even new characters. After the scream of one single word ‘gone’, I realized that the life of a man with so much promise was taken away from us with one single bullet.

“On reflection, this is a testimony of why we as a track and field community work with thousands of athletes on a daily basis. As community developers, we as a track and field family create a safe space for people just like Shavez. It means that his life will not be in vain and we remain inspired to continue the work for children all across this country.”

Hart was a close and personal friend of Fred Kerley – the American who won the 100m world title in Eugene, Oregon in the United States this year, claiming the title of the world’s fastest man. Hart even trained with Kerley on a few occasions and was a huge reason why the American frequented The Bahamas for offseason training and conditioning and leisure time.

In coming home to train, Hart’s focus was to become a home-grown, world-class athlete, until deciding to call it quits a year and a half ago. He is survived by his mother Shammaine, father Sidney, 14-month old son Chase, three siblings and a host of other family members and friends.

“Maybe one day young Chase Hart will continue to live the legacy of his father,” said Archer. “Without the power of being able to make such predictions on one’s life, I take solace in knowing that we as a track and field community will continue to support and raise him as we have raised his father. On behalf of the executive board and the entire BAAA family, we extend our deepest, warmest and most solemn condolences to the family and friends of Shavez Hart. Hart’s heart will forever be in our hearts. May his heart and soul rest in peace.”

Hart ended his athletics career with personal best times of 10.10 seconds and 20.23 seconds in the 100 and 200m respectively, and was a formidable 400m runner as well, thereby setting his mark as one of the best 100-200-400 combo runners in Bahamian history. Indoors, he had personal best times of 6.60 seconds in the 60m and 20.57 seconds in the 200m.

He is a member of the South Plains College record team in the men’s 4x100m relay, a member of the Texas A&M University record team in the men’s 4x100m relay, a member of The Bahamas’ national record team in the men’s 4x100m relay, and a member of The Bahamas’ national record team in the men’s 4x400m relay indoors.

Internationally, he represented The Bahamas at the CARIFTA Games, the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Athletics Championships, the World Athletics Indoor Championships, the World Athletics Outdoor Championships and the Olympic Games just to name a few.

His most prestigious medal is a silver from the men’s 4x400m relay at the 2014 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon, US.

https://thenassauguardian.com/archer-said-he-is-shaken-by-harts-death/

 Home|Sports|Charlton and Gaither to go after Diamond League titles on ThursdaySports

Just two Bahamians in DL final

Sheldon LongleySend an emailSeptember 6, 2022 308 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Culminating a fantastic season in athletics, a couple of Bahamians will get a shot to go after Diamond League (DL) titles this week in Zürich, Switzerland.

The two-day Wanda Diamond League Final, the Weltklasse Zürich, is set for Sechseläutenplatz on Wednesday September 7 and Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday September 8, in Zürich.

There were actually three who qualified, in four disciplines, but Shaunae Miller-Uibo has decided to shut down her season and not go after a fifth Diamond League title. She is the only Bahamian to qualify in two events this year – both the women’s 200 and 400 meters (m).

Qualifying fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles is Devynne Charlton, finishing with 19 points from the qualifying period. She had a second, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth in her Diamond League races in 2022. Charlton will go up against a tough field on Thursday as she will line up next to former world record holder Kendra Harrison of the United States, current world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, Olympic Champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, former World Champion Nia Ali of the United States, world championships silver medalist and former World Youth Champion Britany Anderson of Jamaica and former World Junior Champion Tia Jones of the United States. Pia Skrzyszowska, of Poland, and Ditaji Kambundji, of Switzerland, will complete the field. All of the runners with the exception of wild card entry Kambundji have run under 12.55 seconds this year.

Charlton has had a sensational year, setting a new national record in the women’s 60m hurdles in the semifinals of that event at the World Athletics Indoor Championships at Štark Arena in Belgrade, Serbia, and then matching that time in the final for the silver medal; and also setting the national record twice in the women’s 100m hurdles, climaxed by her blazing 12.46 run at the World Athletics Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, United States (US).

In addition to her world indoors silver, she won a silver in the 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, and added a bronze in that event at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Track and Field Championships in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Charlton has had the two best runs of her career in the 60m hurdles indoors this year and the three best runs of her career in the 100m hurdles outdoors. In relay action, she was a part of the women’s 4x100m relay team that won a silver medal for The Bahamas at the NACAC Track and Field Championships on home soil.

The other Bahamian who will go after a Diamond League title on Thursday will be TyNia Gaither in the women’s 200m.

Gaither qualified seventh in the women’s 200m, finishing with 10 points in the collection of Diamond League regular season meetings. She had two fourth place finishes. Miller-Uibo finished fourth in the standings with 12 points, but as mentioned, she decided to shut down her season after the NACAC Championships in Freeport.

Gaither will line up next to World Champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica – the second-fastest woman ever over that distance, Americans Gabrielle Thomas, Jenna Prandini and Tamara Clark, hometown favorite Mujinga Kambundji, of Switzerland, Ida Karstoft, of Denmark, and Beth Dobbin, of Great Britain. Dina Asher-Smith, of Great Britain, has also pulled out. All of the athletes with the exception of Dobbin have run under 23 seconds this year.

Like Charlton, Gaither has also had a splendid season. She ran her three fastest times in the women’s 200m this year and came close to her personal best in the 100m.

Gaither ran a new personal best time in the 200m in the semifinals of that event at the Oregon World Championships, and then matched that personal best time of 22.41 seconds for the silver medal at the NACAC Track and Field Championships in her hometown of Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Earlier in the season, Gaither set her personal best time at 22.45 seconds at the Baylor Invitational at the Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium in Waco, Texas, and then topped that time twice in the ensuing months. Be that as it may, she will certainly have her work cut out for her in Zürich. Five of the ladies in the race on Thursday have run faster than her this year.

Anthonique Strachan missed out of the Diamond League Final this year, finishing 29th in the standings for the 100m and 16th in the standings for the 200m, but she will be in action at the Hungarian Grand Prix Series Meet, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze level event, at Sportcentrum in Pápa, Hungary, this week.

Just the top eight athletes in each of the 32 disciplines in athletics are assured of lanes on the track and positions in the field events.

After four months and 12 meetings, the Wanda Diamond League reaches its climax this Wednesday and Thursday as the world’s best athletes will battle for the prestigious Diamond trophies. Six finals will take place at a city event at Sechseläutenplatz on Wednesday and the remaining 26 event finals will take place at the Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday.

A number of present and former World and Olympic Champions, and medalists, will be in action over the two days of competition, looking to climax the season with fantastic performances.

https://thenassauguardian.com/charlton-and-gaither-to-go-after-diamond-league-titles-on-thursday/

Sports

Sports

Bahamian athlete shot in parking lot at local night club

Sheldon LongleySend an emailSeptember 5, 2022 357 7 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The track and field community of The Bahamas was hit hard over the weekend as it lost one of its own to a senseless act on his home island of Abaco in The Bahamas.

According to a police report, Shavez ‘Sparky’ Hart, one of the best all-around sprinters in Bahamian history, was gunned down shortly after 2 a.m. on Saturday morning near a business establishment situated in Mount Hope, North Abaco.

Hart, just three days short of his 30th birthday, represented The Bahamas at all levels of track and field, reaching as high as the world championships and the Olympic Games. He had personal best times of 10.10 seconds and 20.23 seconds in the 100 and 200 meters (m) respectively, and was a formidable 400m runner as well, thereby setting his mark as one of the best 100-200-400 combo runners in Bahamian history. Indoors, he had personal best times of 6.60 seconds in the 60m and 20.57 seconds in the 200m.

Hart was more known for his accomplishments in the short sprints, but it’s actually in the 400m, as a part of a relay squad, in which he achieved his most prestigious medal. Stepping in with two of The Bahamas’ ‘Golden Knights’, Chris ‘The Fireman’ Brown and Michael Mathieu, Hart won a silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay at the 16th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Indoor Championships in March 2016 in Portland, Oregon, United States. Hart teamed up with Brown, Mathieu and Alonzo Russell, and they ran a national record time of 3:04.75 for the silver medal.

Hart never really reached his full potential on the senior side at global meets, but his times have him listed in the top five in Bahamian history in the short sprints. He is at number four in the 100m and tied for fifth with another of the ‘Golden Knights’, Demetrius Pinder, in the 200m.

According to the police report, a group of men were involved in a physical altercation in the parking lot of a local night club on North Abaco early Saturday morning. One of the men left, returned with a firearm and discharged the weapon, shooting Hart in the chest. EMS (Emergency Medical Services) attended to the victim and found no signs of life. He was later transported to the Marsh Harbour Clinic where he was seen and examined by a doctor and pronounced dead. The report continued, stating that the suspect in this matter was later arrested and taken into police custody, and that investigations are continuing.

Shavez’s mother said her son was trying to defuse an altercation between two men when he was caught in the middle and shot. It was reported that the subject attempted to shoot another man and ended up shooting Hart.

 “He was such a good son – very quiet and always helpful,” said his mother Shammaine Hart. “He did a lot of work in the community and was always trying to give back. I will certainly miss him.”

Hart was well-loved in local track and field circles.

Speaking from Europe where she is busy running on the circuit, Anthonique Strachan who represents the athletes locally, and who was just elected as a Member-at-Large for the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Athletes’ Commission, said she is devastated by the news.

“This is just too much. Shavez was the sweetest, most kind-hearted person you would ever meet. He was dedicated in everything he did and he was a guy who wore his heart on his sleeve even though he showed minimal emotions,” said Strachan. “I’m still very shocked. I wish the best for his son and his family and will continue to pray for them during this most difficult time. His son, who I believe hasn’t turned one yet, will never really get to experience his father – just knowing what is told to him. He will never get to see the great person that his dad was, and how driven and dedicated his father was in everything that he put his mind to – from school, to sports to becoming an entrepreneur.

“It’s very hard to grasp that something like this happened. Condolences to his mom, his dad, his son and his entire family. This is so heart-wrenching and so sickening. There are a lot of innocent people being killed and I hope the government does something to put a serious clamp on the gun violence that is happening in the country.”

Strachan said she last spoke to Hart via phone during the NACAC Championships in Freeport, Grand Bahama, in August, and he vowed to attend the event for the weekend but it never materialized. She said in speaking to the athletes, they have decided to make a donation to the family, setting up a GoFundMe account.

 NACAC President and former BAAA President Mike Sands said he was saddened by the news of Hart’s unfortunate and unexpected demise.

“He was a great athlete who competed with true grit and determination. It was always a pleasure being in his presence,” said Sands. “He was a very humble and a mannerly young man who always greeted you with a smile. My condolences goes out to his immediate family and the wider track and field family. Let fond memories of ‘Sparky’ comfort us all during this difficult period. I also take this opportunity to urge everyone and our young men, in particular, to seek conflict resolution rather than violence that all too often ends tragically.”

Hart was just three days short of his 30th birthday, set to run 30 on September 6. In athletics, he was a bronze medalist at the CARIFTA Games and the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, a gold medalist in the men’s 4x100m relay at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Athletics Championships, and a silver medalist in the men’s 4x400m relay at the World Indoor Championships.

In college, he excelled nationally as a double sprint champion at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Championships in 2012, and a double medalist indoors and outdoors nationally in 2013 while at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. To this day, Hart is the school’s record holder in the men’s 100m and a member of the record-setting men’s 4x100m relay team – a record which stands to this day. Hart then went on to become a standout athlete at Texas A&M University, excelling indoors and outdoors. Hart is a part of the school’s record-setting team in the men’s 4x100m relay. The team of Prezel Hardy Jr., Hart, Michael Bryan and Trinidadian Deon Lendore, in that order, ran 38.30 seconds at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, in 2014, and eight years later, that school record still stands.

Hart is a former Southeastern Conference (SEC) Athlete of the Week and received numerous school and conference accolades while at Texas A&M.

It’s been a tough year for the Texas A&M Aggies as Lendore died after being involved in a car collision near Cameron, Texas, in January, 2022. Lendore was a close friend and former teammate of Hart.

As for Hart, he is also a member of men’s 4x100m relay team that holds The Bahamas’ national record in that event. The team of Adrian Griffith, Warren Fraser, Hart and Teray Smith, in that order, set the record of 38.52 seconds at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Just a month ago, Hart had started up track training in North Abaco, working with some young men in the area.

“I had a conversation with him and he was in the process of going around to get athletes to start the program,” said Rev. Anthony Williams, who was one of Hart’s mentors out of Moore’s Island in the Abacos. “With the Bahamas Games and the CARIFTA Games slated for The Bahamas in 2023, Shavez was working aggressively to find new talent. I am very saddened by this, especially how he lost his life – trying to stop a fight. I want to express my deepest condolences to his family and the people in Abaco and the wider track and field community. Moving forward, we have to do something to help these athletes when they finish school and come into the system. There needs to be more programs to deter men from a life of crime.”

Outside of athletics, Hart was a young entrepreneur. He was the former owner of Club Magenta in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis expressed condolences on Twitter.

“On behalf of my family and the people of The Bahamas, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Shavez Hart. As a country, we’ve been blessed to have had an amazing athlete carry our flag worldwide. (My wife) Ann and I will keep the family of Shavez in our thoughts and prayers.”

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg also expressed condolences.

“It is with great sadness that I join in the sporting fraternity in expressing heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Shavez Hart, Olympian…. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture also extends heartfelt condolences to the executive branch of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), all other members of the organization, and persons within the sporting community. As minister, I pray for healing and comfort for the family of the bereaved during this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace.”

Hart’s former coach at South Plains College Blaine Wiley expressed his sentiments on Twitter.

“(I’m) waking up to absolutely devastating news that one of my former athletes Shavez Hart was shot and killed last night in The Bahamas. I had the honor of coaching ‘Sparky’ at South Plains College where he remains the school record holder and won many NJCAA Championships. #RIP”

Hart’s former teammate at South Plains and Texas A&M, American Fred Kerley, the reigning World Champion in the men’s 100m, simply tweeted ‘My Brother’ with a photo of Hart on Twitter.

No doubt, Hart was one of the greatest Bahamian sprinters of all-time. He is survived by his mother, father, a 14-month old son, three siblings and a host of other family members and friends.

He was certainly one of the most pleasant athletes to interview by the Nassau Guardian sports team, and the team offers sincere condolences to his family, friends, the track and field family of The Bahamas, and to the local sports fraternity in general.

May his soul rest in peace.

Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 5, 2022 711 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Days after winning the women’s 200 meters (m) in Lucerne, Switzerland, Bahamian Anthonique Strachan hopped over to Budapest, Hungary to win the 200m race there. She finished first in that event on Friday and fellow Bahamian TyNia Gaither finished in second place.

Over at the Wanda Diamond League Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday, Devynne Charlton was up against a stacked field and she finished sixth in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Strachan, who is having a strong season, ran out of the outside lane again, clocking 22.63 seconds to cross the finish line first at the Hungarian Grand Prix Series Meet at the Lantos Mihály Sportközpont in Budapest. Gaither, who is coming of a silver medal finish at the NACAC Championships, clocked 22.89 seconds to finish second to Strachan to complete the 1-2 punch for The Bahamas.

Finishing third was Jamaican Natasha Morrison who clocked 23.05 seconds.

Strachan is coming off a first place finish in the 200m at the Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern at Stadion Allmend in Lucerne, Switzerland, on Tuesday, running out of lane eight. On Friday, she ran out of lane seven with Gaither beside her in lane six.

It was clear early on that Strachan meant business as she came off the curve in good position and powered her way down the final 100 meters. Gaither broke away from Morrison in the final 20 meters to complete the Bahamian sweep.

It was Strachan’s sixth time running sub-23 seconds this year in what has been a strong outdoor season for her. Gaither has also had a busy outdoor season.

After not winning in Europe in her career, it was her second straight victory on European soil, in a matter of days. Strachan has been fantastic, running the three fastest times of her career in the women’s 100m this year, and her fastest time in the women’s 200m in eight years. Her season’s best of 22.55 seconds was done at the MVP (Maximizing Velocity and Power) Velocity Fest in Kingston, Jamaica, earlier this year in which she defeated former World Champion in that event, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Gaither is having a strong season as well, recording her personal best in the 200m despite missing out on the final at this year’s World Athletics Championships. She ran her personal best time of 22.41 seconds in the semifinals at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon.

In her race on Friday, Charlton clocked 12.66 seconds, running out of lane one. Winning that race was Puerto Rican Jasmine Comacho-Quinn who ran a meet record and season’s best 12.27 seconds, just outside of her personal best time of 12.26 seconds. American Tia Jones ran a personal best time of 12.38 seconds to get the second-place finish. American Kendra Harrison, the former world record holder, got third when she clocked 12.40 seconds. Also in that race were Jamaicans Britany Anderson and Megan Tapper.

It has been an up and down season for Charlton but the highlight of the season was her breaking the national record in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.46 seconds in the semifinals of that event at the Oregon World Championships. Charlton also won the silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games this year.

Strachan, Gaither and Charlton are all expected to be back in action this week.

https://thenassauguardian.com/strachan-gaither-finish-1-2-charlton-sixth-in-brussels/

Sports

Forbes just short of making semis; action continues today

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 2, 2022 239 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Yet another Bahamian junior swimmer was able to advance to the semifinals at the 8th FINA (International Swimming Federation) World Junior Championships, currently ongoing at the VIDENA Aquatics Center in Lima, Peru. This time it was Marvin Johnson who placed 13th overall in the boys 50 meters (m) freestyle with a time of 23.39 seconds last night.

Rhanishka Gibbs was the first to qualify for a semifinal at this edition of the championships, placing 14th overall in the girls 50m breast on Tuesday.

Johnson finished sixth in the second semifinal, swimming out of lane eight, and was unable to make the final. Winning his heat was Portugal’s Diogo Matos with a time of 22.45 seconds. Swimming away with the fastest time heading into the final was Croatia’s Jere Hribar who clocked 22.35 seconds.

During the heats in the morning session, Johnson powered his way to a qualifying time of 23.38 seconds, swimming out of lane six in the 10th heat. He placed fifth in that heat, and his time placed him at number 15 heading into the semis.

Johnson’s teammate with the YMCA WaveRunners in Grand Bahama, Nigel Forbes, swam before him in heat number six. Swimming out of lane six, Forbes won his heat with a personal best time of 23.64 seconds to finish 18th overall. He was a reserve for last night’s semifinals. His previous personal best of 24.79 seconds was done in the same pool at the UANA (Swimming Union of the Americas) Swimming Cup in 2020.

It was a great feat for both swimmers as 82 athletes took part in that event.

Keianna Moss powered her way to another personal best, clocking 29.28 seconds in the girls 50m butterfly. She finished 23rd overall after placing eighth in heat number six that had six qualifiers. Her previous personal best was 29.53 seconds which she swam at CARIFTA in April in Wildey, Barbados. Croatia’s Jana Pavalic went into the semifinals with the fastest time of 26.86 seconds.

Gibbs placed 24th overall in the girls 100m breaststroke when she touched the wall in 1:17.87. She posted splits of 36.12 and 41.75 seconds. The 16-year-old placed sixth in heat seven. Poland’s Karolina Piechowicz swam the fastest time of 1:09.74 heading into the semis.

The four swimmers finished the morning session swimming in the mixed 4x100m free relay. The quartet finished 19th out of 28 teams after posting a time of 3:55.37. They were sixth in heat two. Forbes started the race off, turning in a split of 54.95 seconds. Johnson then continued the race and his split showed 55.39 seconds. Moss and Gibbs finished the race on the third and fourth legs respectively. Moss’ split was 1:02.08 seconds while Gibbs posted a split of 1:02.95 seconds.

The Bahamas will experience action in the pool today. Moss will swim in the girls 50m backstroke. Johnson and Forbes will swim in the boys 50m fly. Emmanuel Gadson and Erald Thompson III will compete in the boys 200m breast. Gibbs will have the day off.

https://thenassauguardian.com/johnson-finishes-13th-in-50m-free/

 Home|Sports|Inaugural Fred Sturrup Championships set for September 24Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 2, 2022 238 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Looking to give long-time boxing administrator Frederick Sturrup his flowers while he is able to enjoy it, the Major Pain Boxing Club will host the inaugural Fred Sturrup Boxing Championships on Saturday September 24 at the National Boxing Gym at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

Former Bahamian boxer Alpachino Allen, one of the organizers of the event, is anticipating a night of good quality fights.

“We are expecting a clash of the best amateurs in the country. In our club (Major Pain Club), we have John Saint Surin who is one of the top heavyweight amateur fighters. Also present at the show will be the Aftershock Boxing Club which has its own amateurs,” Allen stated.

Meacher ‘Major Pain’ Major will be in the ring in an exhibition fight, squaring off against Anthony ‘Psycho’ Woods. Professional boxer Tyrone Oliver taking on retired boxer Quincy ‘The Thriller Man’ Pratt is on the card for that night, also in an exhibition. Also in action that night will be Erin Williams, Aladdin Ellis, Davon Musgrove, Andrew Curtis, Mario Goddard, Christoff Robinson and Maleko Davis.

Sturrup was inducted into The Bahamas’ National Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 for sports journalism. He is currently the chairman of the Bahamas Boxing Commission and a former Bahamas Boxing Federation president and Commonwealth Boxing Council president. The organizers felt the need to show him appreciation for his support of the sport over the years.

“Fred has contributed many years as a sports analyst and he is in the hall of fame for sports journalism,” Allen said. “He has always backed the sport and is still involved in the sport. He put in the work and dedication for the sport of boxing so we wanted to recognize him.”

The organizers are looking to make the event an annual one and also host some smaller shows leading up to the big event. Allen said they want to give the amateurs more opportunities to showcase their skills, and also start a ranking system.

“It feels great to put on a show like this because boxing is a positive sport. It makes the young people participate in something that is positive. They can change their life because of the sport. The boxers are putting in the time and effort so we can get the sport of boxing going,” Allen said.

Allen is hoping that they can be more active in the lives of the boxers, particularly in their education and their progress academically. He is appealing to the Bahamian public to support the boxing event on September 24.

https://thenassauguardian.com/inaugural-fred-sturrup-championships-set-for-september-24/

Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 2, 2022 209 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A game-high 23 points was not enough for Bahamian women’s professional basketball player Jonquel ‘JJ’ Jones as she and her Connecticut Sun team fell 85-77 to the Chicago Sky in Game Two of their best-of-five semifinal series. That series is now tied at a game apiece.

Playing on the road at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois, on Wednesday night, Jones was able to make 10 of her 17 shot attempts from the field in 29 minutes of play for the Sun. The Grand Bahama native was also effective from three-point territory, hitting 2-of-4. She pulled down seven rebounds and was able to dish out three assists. Jones, who was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team earlier this week, also had two blocks.

Only one other Sun player was able to score in double digits as Natasha Hiedeman finished with 14 points. All 10 active Sun players were able to score at least two points Wednesday night. They finished with 19 assists in the game.

Although they lost to the Sky, the Sun have the upper hand as they stole a crucial first game on Sunday, winning at least one of the first two games on the road. They now have home-court advantage.

A look at the stat sheet showed the game was basically even with both teams making 32 field goals. The Sun made five three-point shots while the Sky made six, they both had seven steals and 12 turnovers apiece. The Sun dominated the glass, 39-29. However, one of the biggest differences in the game was free-throw shooting. The Sun went 8-for-16 to shoot 50 percent while the Sky went 15-for-22, shooting 68.2 percent.

The Sky’s Candace Parker led them with 22 points on the offensive side of the ball. All five starters scored in double digits for them.

Jones was able to give the Sun an early three-point lead when she made a trey with 9:49 left in the first quarter. It was the Sun’s only lead of the game. Sky sharpshooter Allie Quigley hit a long distance shot to tie the game, and that started a 7-0 scoring run. By the time Jones went to the bench, with just under two minutes left in the first quarter, the Sky was up 22-14. The quarter ended with the Sky ahead 24-14.

Odyssey Sims made a jump shot at the 7:24 mark of the second quarter to cut the Sky lead to four points, 26-22. The Sky went on a 15-2 run after that, demoralizing Jones and the Sun. They led 41-24 with 2:40 left in the first half. The first half ended with the Sky up 47-32. The Bahamian had 10 points.

It didn’t get any better in the third quarter for the Sun as they shot the ball poorly from the field, going 6-for-17 to shoot 35.3 percent. At one point, the Sky led 61-41. They controlled the game offensively, and at the end of the three quarters, they were up 65-48.

Jones turned it up in the fourth quarter, scoring nine points but it was not enough. The Sun managed to outscore the host 29-20 in the fourth quarter but the result was already a foregone conclusion. The Sun were also able to cut the lead down to single digits, after the starters on both teams were pulled, but the lead was too insurmountable to overcome.

The pivotal third game will be held on Sunday at 1 p.m. on the Sun’s home floor at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Game Four will also be in Uncasville as the Sun look to finish off the series at home.

https://thenassauguardian.com/jones-23-points-not-enough-as-sky-evens-series/