Home|Sports|‘Speedy’ Stevie Gardiner pulls out of the world championships Sports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 12, 2022 285 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ team at the World Athletics (WA) Outdoor Championships received a major blow with an announcement from World and Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner on Independence Day holiday.

Gardiner pulled out of the 10-day world championships, that is set to get underway at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA, this Friday, citing a UTE tendon inflammation. He said on Instagram: “… instead of putting on my spikes, I have been advised to put on a walking boot due to a UTE tendon inflammation. Unfortunately, there will be no Eugene ‘22 for me! Devastated by the news, but I am thankful for all the blessings in my career so far. I am also thankful for my team around me for all the love and support during this process. I’ll now move ahead to obtain the necessary treatment so that I can be 100 percent. To the people of The Bahamas, my sponsors, and my fans around the world, I’m sorry I won’t be able to compete. I wish my rivals good health and the very best. Thanks for all the support.”

Gardiner, 26, was one of the favorites for the gold medal in the men’s 400 meters (m), going into the meet as one of just seven men in the field to ever run under 44 seconds – the others being world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa (43.03), Isaac Makwala of Botswana (43.72), Americans Michael Norman (43.45), Champion Allison (43.70), and Randolph Ross (43.85) and former World and Olympic Champion Kirani James of Grenada (43.74). Gardiner has a lifetime best of 43.48 seconds which he ran to win the world title at the Khalifa International Stadium, in Doha, Qatar, in 2019. That’s also the fastest time in the world in six years. He is the sixth-fastest man in history, and the second-fastest non-American behind Van Niekerk.

As for this year, Norman is the world leader at 43.56 seconds, done at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Outdoor Championships in June. Gardiner has a season’s best time of 44.21 seconds, done at the Meeting de Paris Diamond League Meet in Paris, France, in June.

Strong gold medal hopes for the country now rests on the shoulder of 

Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the only other Olympic Champion on the 17-member squad which begins competition this Friday morning with Donald Thomas in the qualifying rounds of the men’s high jump and the heats of the mixed 4x400m relay. LaQuan Nairn will compete in the qualifying rounds of the men’s long jump in the afternoon session on Friday, Samson Colebrooke and Terrence Jones will run in the men’s 100m heats and the mixed 4x400m relay final will close out day one of competition.

Other members of the team are Anthonique Strachan (women’s 100/200m), TyNia Gaither (women’s 100/200m), Devynne Charlton (women’s 100m hurdles), Ken Mullings (men’s decathlon), and Megan Moss, Doneisha Anderson, Javonya Valcourt, Jenae Ambrose, Alonzo Russell, Bradley Dormeus and Wanya McCoy who have been added for relay purposes.

The absence of Gardiner is a huge loss, undoubtedly hurting the country’s medal chances. The Bahamas has won at least one medal at every world athletics championships since 2013, and has won 25 medals in the history of the championships – eight gold, nine silver and eight bronze.

As for Gardiner, he is the only Bahamian man to ever run under 44 seconds in the men’s 400m in athletics, the reigning World and Olympic Champion, and the owner of the top 13 times in Bahamian track and field history in the one-lap event.

Gardiner will now likely bring his season to an end. He was unbeaten this year and hasn’t lost a men’s 400m race outdoors, that he has finished, in five years – a string of 23 consecutive races dating back to the 2017 World Championships when he won the silver medal behind Van Niekerk.

It remains to be seen how The Bahamas will perform without Gardiner.

https://thenassauguardian.com/speedy-stevie-gardiner-pulls-out-of-the-world-championships/

 Home|Sports|Mako Aquatics wins fourth straight national titleSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 12, 2022 237 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Aquatics Federation’s 50th National Swimming Championships came to a close on Sunday, and at the end of the meet, Mako Aquatics Club swimmers and coaches made a celebratory splash in the pool, winning their fourth straight title.

The Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex was at full capacity as parents and supporters cheered on their respective teams. Fans were allowed at the nationals for the first time since 2019.

Mako came into the final session with a 293-point cushion over the second-placed YMCA WaveRunners. At the end of the session, that lead went up to 368 points. At the end of the four-day meet, Mako scored 2,011 points while the WaveRunners finished with 1,643 points. The Barracuda Swim Club was third with 1,568 points and Alpha Aquatics was fourth with 849 points.

Mako Aquatics Head Coach Travano McPhee lost his voice during the meet, but managed to say that it was great for them to get a fourth straight win.

“It feels a lot better than the other three,” McPhee said. “For some reason, we feel a lot more accomplished on this win. The swimmers really stepped up. Coming off of COVID last year, we did not know how the kids would perform and how the meet would run but the federation did an excellent job in organizing the nationals. Coming off from CARIFTA in April, these swimmers were able to defend their championship to get a fourth straight title which is not easy.”

McPhee said he was very happy with the way the swimmers performed over the four days of competition.

“It’s a four-day meet so you are looking at some of the swimmers swimming 14 or 15 races in those days. They stepped up and tried to perform personal bests in those races. Isabella Munroe dominated, Lamar Taylor broke some records, Elle Theberge, Tia-Isabella Adderley, Lenin Hamilton and I can go on and on, but the bottom line is that our swimmers performed well,” McPhee said.

The meet was held in honor of John Bradley Sr. who was an athlete, and an executive, who passed away last year August. McPhee said the win is dedicated to Bradley who he has been around for many years.

“We at Mako dedicated the victory to Bradley. He will be greatly missed by all in the swimming community, not only here in The Bahamas but the world,” McPhee said.

McPhee thanked the other coaches of his club – Duane Davis, Amanda McPhee, Sarah Knowles and Stella McPhee. He also went on to thank the parents, massage therapists at Major Changes, Evolve Functional Fitness, Oaktree Medical and the other sponsors who stayed with them.

The former national team swimmer said that his team will come stronger in 2023 as they look to win a fifth straight title.

Alpha’s Mark-Anthony Thompson came away with 47 points to win the 18-and-over men high point award. His older brother Luke-Kennedy Thompson was tied for second with Mako’s Lamar Taylor as they both scored 43 points.

In the 18-and-over women, Mako’s Anya MacPhail scored 56 points to win that division. Her teammate Kaliyah Albury was second with 50 points. Finishing third was the WaveRunners’ Katelyn Cabral with 49 points.

Marvin Johnson from the WaveRunners had a strong meet and was able to score 59 points to win the 15-17 boys high-point award. The Black Marlins’ Jake Thompson edged out Mako’s Erald Thompson for second place with 51 points. Erald Thompson scored 50 points.

It was a close race for the high-point winner in the 15-17 girls division between the Barracuda’s Rhanishka Gibss and Mako’s Keianna Moss. In the end, it was Gibbs who scored 57 points to hold off Moss who scored 56 points. Gibbs’ teammate Kyana Higgs was third with 50 points.

The WaveRunners’ Ellie Gibson won the high-point award with 56 points in the 13-14 boys age category. The Black Marlins’ Caden Wells went on to secure second place with 53 points. For third, there was a tie between the WaveRunners’ Tristen Hepburn and Alpha’s Donald Saunders who both accumulated 52 points.

The 13-14 girls age category was very competitive. In the end, it was the WaveRunners’ Zoe Williamson who won with 57 points. Her teammate Mia Patton was a close second with 56 points. Mako’s Elle Theberge was third with 55 points.

The Blue Waves Swim Club’s Dijon Simmons won the 11-12 boys age category with 59 points. Mako’s Lenin Hamilton was second with 56 points while the Barracuda’s David Singh scored 54 points to finish third.

The WaveRunners’ Lelah Lewis held off the Barracuda’s duo of Saleste Gibson and Trinity Pratt to win the 11-12 girls age division. Lewis finished with 61 points. Gibson and Pratt scored 55 and 51 points respectively.

Christon Joseph was dominant for the Blue Waves as he powered his way to accumulate 63 points to win the 9-10 boys age division. His closest competitor was the WaveRunners’ Nitayo Knowles who finished with 49 points. The WaveRunners’ Harold Simmons swam away with third place after finishing with 46 points.

In the 9-10 girls category, Alissa Ferguson had a strong meet for the Barracuda team. She won that division with 62 points. The WaveRunners’ Skyler Smith was second with 52 points. The Mantas Swim and Water Polo Club’s Tiah Seymour rounded out the top three positions with 47 points.

The Mantas’ Asher Bastian scored 52 points to win the 8-and-under boys division. Alpha’s Fraser Menzies scored 40 points and held on to finish second. Freeport Aquatic Club’s Jeremiah Newry had 39 points for third.

Mako’s Isabella Munroe finished with 63 points to cart off the 8-and-under girls division high-point award. The Blue Waves’ duo of Rinia Johnson and Cailyn Dean were second and third respectively. Johnson scored 41 points and Dean finished with 35 points.

The nationals marked the end of the local swim meets this season. Bahamian swimmers will now be swimming in international meets to close out the season.

https://thenassauguardian.com/mako-aquatics-wins-fourth-straight-national-title/

Steven Gardiner

As of Tuesday, July 12, 2022

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

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Just days before the start of the World Athletics’ 2022 World Championships, Bahamian quarter-miler Steven Gardiner has announced that he won’t be able to defend his 400 metre title in Eugene, Oregon.

#On his Instagram page yesterday, ‘Speedy Stevie’ Gardiner posted that a UTE tendon inflammation to his right foot will prevent him from representing the Bahamas at the championships, scheduled for July 15-24.

#“Unfortunately, there will be no Eugene ‘22 for me,” he wrote. “Devastated by the news, but I’m thankful to all the blessings in my career so far. “I am also thankful to my team around me for all the love and support during the process.”

#The 26-year-old native of Abaco, whose last race was at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Track and Field Championships in June at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, said he will now focus on getting the necessary treatment so that he can be 100 percent.

#“To the people of the Bahamas, my sponsors and my fans around the world, I’m sorry I won’t be able to compete,” Gardiner continued on social media.

#“I wish my rivals good health and the very best. Thanks for the support.”

#Claude Bryan, his manager at On Track Management, confirmed Gardiner’s absence from the team, revealing that Gardiner has been having ongoing issues and it flared up at the trials. Bryan noted that Gardiner subsequently got treatment for it, however, what he is experiencing now is beyond his pain threshold.

#“It is accurate that Stevie will miss the Eugene World Championships. I notified the BAAA President and Stevie would have notified the Eugene team,” Bryan said.

#“He was at the hospital in Oregon and ordered to be booted due to inflammation of the right Achilles. He wanted to still give it a go, however, the pain and inconvenience got the better of him.”

#Bryan said Gardiner will be heading overseas immediately for treatment.

#“We cannot say as of today, anything about his recovery, that is for medical to determine upon direct consultation with and inspection of Stevie,” Bryan said.

#“The decision to not compete was a tough one for Stevie, however, before he is an athlete, he is a human being, his health is the priority.”

#Gardiner, in running 45.32 seconds to take the tape at the nationals over Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell, second in 46, was expected to be a part of a 16-member team that is scheduled to leave today for the championships.

#Efforts to contact BAAA president Drumeco Archer and team head coach Rupert Gardiner were unsuccessful.

#In addition to running the 400m in Eugene, Gardiner was also expected to be a key factor for the Bahamas mixed relay team with Alonzo Russell, Bradley Doreus, Wayna McCoy, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Anthonique Strachan, Megan Moss, Doneisha Anderson, Javonya Valcourt and Janae Ambrose in the pool.

#Gardiner was also named by the Bahamas Olympic Committee to a 28-member team, including 11 track and field athletes, for the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for Birmingham, England, July 29 to August 7.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/12/gardiner-out-world-champs-injury/?news

Jonquel Jones

As of Friday, July 8, 2022

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

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IN addition to playing in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star game, Bahamian Jonquel Jones from Grand Bahama has also been selected to participate in Saturday’s WNBA Skills Challenge.

#Jones, the starting centre for the Connecticut Sun, joins Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty and Courtney Vandersloot of the Chicago Sky as a list of eight players who will participate in the 2022 WNBA Skills Challenge as part of the weekend-long series of events at AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022.

# The WNBA Skills Challenge and the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest will air live on ESPN at 3pm ET. Both events will take place inside McCormick Place in front of a special group of participants from the Nike Tournament of Champions and Nike Girls Nationals.

#The WNBA Skills Challenge and MTN DEW 3-Point Contest are closed to the public but can be seen at a special viewing party hosted by DJ Shale outside McCormick Place within the grounds of WNBA Live presented by U.S. Bank.

#Jones, the reigning Kia WNBA most valuable player for 2021, along with Ionescu, who on Wednesday tied a WNBA career record with her third triple-double, and six-time league assists leader Vandersloot, will compete in the WNBA Skills Challenge with guard Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream, guards Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces, forward NaLyssa Smith of the Indiana Fever and forward-centre Azurá Stevens of the Sky.

#The Skills Challenge includes eight teams, each consisting of one WNBA player and one athlete from the Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) participating in the 2022 Nike Nationals. The teams will compete head-to-head in an obstacle course relay competition that tests dribbling, passing, agility and shooting skills.

#On Sunday, Jones will play her fourth WNBA All-Star game as a member of “Team Stewart”, led by Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm) and Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) and will take on A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) and her Team Wilson co-captain Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx).

#The WNBA All-Star game will be played in Chicago at the Wintrust Arena at 1pm and will be carried live on ABC.

#Wilson and Stewart were named All-Star captains after finishing atop the fan votes for the game. Fowles and Bird, two legends in their final WNBA seasons, join them for the game.

#Jones was selected by Stewart to start alongside Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks) and Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces).

#The remainder of the team includes: Kahleah Copper (Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins-Smith ( Phoenix Mercury), Jewell Loyd (Storm), Emma Meesseman (Sky) Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings) and Alyssa Thomas (Sun).

#Jones is leading the Sun in points per game (15.1) and rebounds per game (9.4). She is also third in the league in rebounding and second in second-chance points per game (3.4).

#She was named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of May 30-June 5, 2022, where she averaged 19.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest on the Sun’s 3-1 road trip out west against the Aces, Mercury and Storm.

#In the 2021 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, Jones led Team WNBA All-Stars to a 93-85 victory over Team USA, grabbing a team-high 14 rebounds, while also notching 18 points and four assists. She also finished second in the 2021 WNBA Three-Point contest, four points behind the Chicago Sky’s Courtney Vandersloot.

Miami Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

As of Saturday, July 9, 2022

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

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedcia.net

#ALTHOUGH he’s currently on a 10-day injury, Miami Marlins’ second baseman Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm is now the first Bahamian in Major League Baseball to be selected to the All-Star game.

#When the voting process closed on Friday, Chisholm ended up beating out Atlanta Braves’ Ozzie Albies to also become the first confirmed Marlin selected for the National League, earning the most votes from the fans as the starting second baseman when the mid-season game between the National and American Leagues is placed on Tuesday, July 19 at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

#He was selected to the National League’s starting line-up that includes Cubs’ catcher Wilson Contreas; Cardinals’ first baseman Paul Goldschmidt; Padres’ third baseman Manny Machado; Dodgers’ shortstop Trea Turner; Braves’ Ronald Acuria Jr, Dodgers’ Mookie Belts and Giants’ Joc Pederson as outfielders and Phillies’ Bryce Harper as the designated hitter.

#At age 24, Chisholm is the youngest Marlins’ position player since Giancarlo Stanton in 2012 when he was 22. Chisholm and Giancarlo are two of six Marlins who have been selected to an All-Star game. The others are Hanley Ramirez, Dee Strange-Gordon, Marcell Ozuna and Gary Sheffield.

#Chisholm is coming off the celebrated Bahamian Heritage Night on June 25 at the LoanDepot Park in Miami when he was honoured by the Marlins in a ceremony that was well attended by a number of Bahamians, including Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg.

#On Tuesday, June 28, he was placed on the injured list with a right lower back strain. He was in Jupiter, Florida where he was involved in running, doing groundball drills and core/mobility work, as reported by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald on Thursday.

#When the announcement was made on Friday that he was selected, Chisholm told the media on via zoom: “I feel like I should be able to play.”

#He has not been officially ruled out of All-Star duties yet as Miami’s General manager Kim Ng said she’s “not really sure” about Chisholm’s return-to-play timeline, indicating that the priority is to ensure that he’s available for the Marlins’ second half stretch towards the playoffs following the All-Star break.

#Chisholm got off to a great start during the first half of the season before he suffered the injury. He has played in 60 games so far this season and in 213 at-bats, he has a batting average of .254 with 54 runs and 14 home runs. He has also drove in 45 runs, stolen 12 bases and scored 39 runs.

#As one of the most flamboyant players in the league, Chisholm has been a smashing success with the fans on and off the field, taking selfies with them and signing autographs before every game. He has provided just as much flair with his bang-bang plays defensively and his euro-stepping performance after every home run he hit offensively.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/08/jazz-chisholm-first-bahamian-major-league-selected/?news

TEAGAN COLEBY, left, and Ralph Burrows in action on day one of the inaugural Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational. Yesterday featured both close games and lopsided results to set the tone for an exciting weekend of youth baseball at the Baillou Hills Sports Complex.

As of Friday, July 8, 2022

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

JAVAN Smith pitched a perfect game with nine strikeouts in three innings on day one of the inaugural Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Day one of the inaugural Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational featured both close games and lopsided results to set the tone for an exciting weekend of youth baseball at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

#In the 12U division, Bahamas (Tournament) completed day one at 2-0, while Bahamas (Host) went 1-1.

#Bahamas (Tournament) opened play with a 20-0 win over the Cayman Islands. Javan Smith pitched a perfect game with nine strikeouts in three innings.

JORDAN Miller in action yesterday at the newly refurbished Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

#Offensively, Kaizen Dorsett went 3-3 with two runs and three RBI, Ajay Knowles went 2-2 with three runs and three RBI, Javez Coleby went 2-2 with two runs and two RBI, Carlton Storr went 2-4 with 4 RBI and Trae Neymour scored three runs with two RBI. Smith, Mario Dean and Jordan Miller also added RBIs.

#In game two, they recorded another shutout with a 6-0 win over Puerto Rico. Mirko Gervasini took the mound and finished with six strikeouts while allowing just two hits through five innings.

#Dorsett went 1-2 with a run and two RBI, Knowles was 2-3 with a run and two RBI and Jordan Archer drove in two RBI.

AJAY KNOWLES, front, went 2-2 with three runs and three RBI.

#Bahamas (Host) defeated Cuba 6-5 in their opening game. Nathan Fernander got the win and pitched six strikeouts in relief.

#Sherman Ferguson went 2-3 with two RBI while Fernander and Nicholas Cox also drove in runs.

#In the 16U division, the Bahamas won 4-1 over the Netherlands in their only game of the afternoon.

#Breyas Dean blasted a two-run home run while Andru Arthur added a solo shot in the win.

#The 12U Division continues to play today at 9am when both Bahamas teams square off.

#At 11am, Aruba will take on Cuba, followed by the Cayman Islands against Puerto Rico at 1pm.

#Bahamas (Tournament) takes on Cuba at 3pm and the Cayman Islands concludes the day with a matchup against Aruba at 5pm. The 16U division will feature Aruba and the Netherlands in the 9am matchup followed by Puerto Rico and The Bahamas at 11am and Aruba against the USA at 1pm.

#Puerto Rico and St Marteen will face off at 3pm and The Bahamas will conclude the day with a matchup against Aruba.

#The 1pm and 3pm games will be broadcast live on Rev throughout the group stage. They will also broadcast the semifinals and medal games on the final day.

#Play in the group stage continues from 9-5 tomorrow.

#The single-game elimination round takes place on Sunday with Monday slated for gold and bronze medal games.

#Ticket packages for the event can be purchased at the NSA office at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

#Five-day packages for adults are available at $65 for adults and $20 for children. Daily rates are $15 for adults and $5 for children.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/08/hit-run-score-inaugural-babe-ruth-region-caribbean/?news

As of Friday, July 8, 2022

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

WILLIS MACKEY JR, of Grand Bahama.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER completing his first year with Mulhouse Basket in France, Grand Bahamian native Willis Mackey Jr is looking forward to returning to Europe in August to continue his professional basketball career.

#Mackey Jr, who averaged 11.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocked shots, is currently in town. He’s assisting former pro JR Cadot with his NEXT Basketball organisation’s inaugural Dream Again Basketball Camp at the Remnant Tabernacle of Praise auditorium on Carmichael Road.

#Now in his fourth year on the pro circuit, Mackey Jr said it has been quite a rewarding experience so far.

#“These countries treat so well, it’s really a good life out there,” Mackey Jr said. “I’ve been playing pretty good out there too, just trying to find my space, so it has paid off for me.”

#As a late bloomer who got started playing basketball at the age of 18, Mackey Jr said he’s seen such a vast improvement in his game from year to year.

#“I just really want to see how far I can go,” he stated.

#Looking back at his tenure, Mackey said a knee injury this year has caused him some setback, which included not being able to suit up and play for the men’s national basketball team that played and lost to the Dominican Republic on Monday in the FIBA Americas Basketball Championship at Baha Mar.

#“I was having a great season and I was really looking forward to things getting even better,” he said. “But it’s life. You get a setback, but you don’t allow it to keep you down.

#“I really would have liked to have played on the national team this year, but the injury forced me to have to sit out. I hope that I will be able to play in the next round in August before I head off to France to play in the upcoming season.”

#Although all of the focus on the international basketball has been centred around the National Basketball Association (NBA), Mackey Jr said Europe is just as competitive, although the salary earned may not be as lucrative.

#“We know that not everybody will get to play in the NBA,” Mackey Jr said. “But in Europe, you get to play a high level of basketball and you make some money. So once I can support my family, I’m satisfied.”

#Mackey, a 28-year-old 6-foot, 8-inch power forward, said he’s just eager to continue to play wherever his talent takes him and he can make a contribution to the growth and development of the sport in the country. He noted that he was just thrilled to have been invited by Cadot to lend his assistance to his basketball camp.

#Hopefully, he can share his expertise with some of the other camps while he’s home. Mackey, who played for Northwestern Ohio Racers in the NCAA college basketball, went on to play for Bordeaux during the 2020/21 season where he averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists before he ended up at Mulhouse.

#On November 05, 2021, Mackey Jr tied his career high in points in a Mulhouse 81-64 win over Besancon with 23 points, shooting 8-for-8 from the two-point line, 1-for-2 from three for a 90.0% from the field. He also shot 4/4 from the free-throw line and added nine rebounds and an assist.

#Mackey came back and established his career high in rebounds with 14 in a 77-69 win for Mulhouse in a home game against Caen. He also produced a double-double with 16 points, an assist, a steal and a block.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/08/mackey-jr-continue-pro-basketball-career-europe/?news

 Home|Sports|Swim nationals set to get underwaySports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 7, 2022 252 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Aquatics Federation is all set to host its 50th national swimming championships today through Sunday at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

Action gets underway today at 9 a.m. and will feature the 800 and 1500 meters (m) freestyle finals, and the 50m backstroke and the 100m butterfly preliminaries. The evening session will get underway at 6 p.m.

There are 600 athletes who will be in action. Cayman Islands athletes are also expected to compete along with a team from South Florida.

The meet will be held in honor of the late John Bradley who passed away in August 2021 in Grand Bahama. He was a former athlete and later became a long-standing executive in the federation. He was instrumental in the production of the results of local meets.

President of Bahamas Aquatics Algernon Cargill said they expect a good showing.

“This is a milestone for hosting as we celebrate our 50th nationals. We are progressing, and it tells us that we are going in the right direction. Things are shaping up and the team is excited, and we feel that although we do not have a title sponsor for the meet, we will hold a successful national championships,” Cargill said.

The meet will feature local standout swimmers such as Lamar Taylor, DaVante Carey, Lilly Higgs and Izaak Bastian, just to name a few.

The championships will serve as an

official qualifier for upcoming FINA (International Swimming Federation) meets such as the 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), and the 2023 World Aquatics Championships (50m).

After last year’s edition, there weren’t any spectators due to stipulations brought on by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The federation is welcoming back spectators this year.

“This meet will be exciting not just because of the preparation for the Commonwealth Games and the world junior championships, it is also exciting because we have so many young people who are the future of our federation competing at nationals and at a high level. We have an outstanding team in the eight-and-under categories and they will bring the crowd to the stadium. It will one of the largest championships in years,” Cargill stated.

As COVID-19 is still around, Cargill said that the federation is taking the necessary precautions with their protocols that includes all patrons presenting a negative COVID-19 test result.

“The Bahamas Aquatics Federation will have very stringent protocols in place. Unlike some of the other public events going on, everyone who is attending the nationals must provide a COVID negative test result. We want to ensure that people will sit in the stands and have fun. The athletes are competing in a very safe environment. Everyone has to do it – from me down to the swimmers,” said Cargill.

There will also be testing on site, said Cargill.

This will be the first nationals in quite some time that will be held without the assistance of Bradley. Cargill said that he will be missed.

“Having this meet without John is very sad for us. He has done an excellent job working for the federation. I am very happy to host the 50th championship in his honor. It was difficult to get it done without him, but the team has pulled together and we feel that although he will not be there in physical presence, he will lead us in spirit and will certainly provide us the guidance we need to have a very successful meet.”

Mako Aquatics Club, with Head Coach Travano McPhee leading the charge, is going after a fourth straight title. They won the 2018, 2019 and 2021 editions. There was no nationals in 2020 due to the threat of COVID. Cargill said that he and his executives are neutral and do not have a horse in the race. Mako understandably has a target on its back as clubs such as Barracuda, the YMCA WaveRunners and Alpha Aquatics are looking to end the streak.

https://thenassauguardian.com/swim-nationals-set-to-get-underway/

 Home|Sports|Swimming nationals gets underway with distance finalsSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 8, 2022 376 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Aquatics Federation’s 50th National Swimming Championships got underway with the distance events finals at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Center yesterday.

Winning the first event of the day was Mako Aquatics Club’s Elle Theberge in the 13-14 girls 1500 meters (m) freestyle. She set a personal best of 20:06.09 to power her way to victory. The 14-year-old’s previous best was 20.24.46.

“I feel great coming away with the gold medal. It was a good race and I did better than I thought I was going to do. My team gave me that motivation from the start and I had a mindset to not give up,” Theberge said.

YMCA WaveRunners’ Zoe Williamson placed second with a time of 20:14.06. Theberge’s teammate, Giada Bertoldo, was third in 20:15.56.

Later in the morning session, Theberge swam in the 50m back and qualified for the final. The results of the evening session finals were unavailable up to press time. Theberge has six more races remaining in the nationals.

The WaveRunners’ Seannia Norville-Smith touched the wall first in the 15-17 girls 1500m free. The 15-year-old clocked a personal best of 19:27.40 to come away with the win.

“The 1500m free is a hard race but I was able to keep kicking the whole way. I have things I want to change for the next time I swim it. I am happy that I dropped time. It is a confidence booster as I did not have a good year swimming,” Norville-Smith said.

Alpha Aquatics’ Bianca Johnson placed second, swimming a personal best of 19:43.62. Barracuda Swim Club’s Grace Farrington came in third after recording a time of 20:06.39.

Norville-Smith has five more races left in the meet.

In the 18-and-over 1500m free for women, two competitors from Mako went head-to-head for the gold medal. In the end, it was Kaliyah Albury’s 21:05.00 that was good enough for the gold. Aaleyah Evans clocked 27.37.30 for the silver.

The WaveRunners’ Ellie Gibson swam with the big boys, as two divisions were combined, and that helped the 14-year-old to win the 13-14 boys 800m free. He swam a personal best of 9:06.61 to get the gold medal.

“The race was good. I paced off of 15-17 boys swimmer Jack Barr and he helped me to go through the race. I did not go as hard from the start but when I reached the 400 meters mark, I started to pick up my pace,” Gibson said.

Finishing with the silver medal was Alpha Aquatics Swim Club’s Caleb Ferguson who posted a time of 9:31.68. Ferguson’s teammate Jarrod Charles was third as he clocked 9.55.94. Both Ferguson and Charles swam personal best times.

Gibson has five more races remaining.

In the 15-17 boys 800m free, the Barracuda’s Jack Barr won in 9:10.53 and his club teammate Hodari Prince was right behind him with a time personal best time of 9:26.05 to capture the silver medal. Mako’s Tristan Ferguson was able to get the bronze medal when he posted a time of 9:35.34.

In the 18-and-over category for men, Mako did what they did in the 18-and-over category for women in the 1500m races. Mako was the only club with competitors entered in that event.

Action continued last night with the 200m breaststroke, 50m back, 100m fly and the 200m free relay finals.

The second day commences at 9 p.m. today. The meet wraps up on Sunday night.

https://thenassauguardian.com/swimming-nationals-gets-underway-with-distance-finals/

 Home|Sports|Today is the last day to vote for ‘Jazz’Sports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 8, 2022 484 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

At 2 p.m. today, the online voting process for the 2022 Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game will close and the starting position players in each league will be announced.

Despite being out with back soreness, Bahamian professional baseball player with the Miami Marlins Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr. continues to be the leading vote-getter among second basemen in the National League.

In the latest returns, Chisholm has received 58 percent of the votes while Atlanta Braves’ second baseman Ozzie Albies is at 42 percent. They are the only two in contention as the field was narrowed down to the top two vote-getters after phase one of voting. Voting takes place on the website mlb.com.

The MLB All Star Game, otherwise known as the Midsummer Classic, is set for Tuesday July 19 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA. The best players in the American League (AL) and National League (NL) are set to face off for bragging rights for their respective league. The game will be televised by FOX.

Chisholm goes into the classic with a .254 batting average, 14 home runs, 45 RBIs (runs batted in) and 39 runs scored. He also has 12 stolen bases. His competitor for the starting second baseman slot Albies has a .244 batting average, eight home runs, 33 RBIs and 34 runs scored with just three stolen bases. Chisholm has an on-base percentage (OBP) of .325 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .860. Albies has an OBP of .289 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .694.

Defensively, Chisholm has 93 putouts and 123 assists in 220 total chances this season. He has helped turn 21 double plays and has a fielding percentage of .982. Albies has 79 putouts and 149 assists in 231 total chances this season. He has helped turn 33 double plays and has a fielding percentage of .987.

Overall, the numbers certainly favor Chisholm, but he will have to wait until later today to see if he gets the nod.

The loser will still have a shot to be named to the National League team for the game as reserves will be selected via ‘player ballot’ choices and selections made by the Commissioner’s Office, and will be announced on July 10. Each team will have a final roster size of 23 players.

As for Chisholm, he experienced back tightness a little over a week ago, and exited a game in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals with the injury. The Marlins star infielder was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right lower back strain, and utility man Luke Williams was called up to fill the roster spot.

Chisholm, 24, was battling a nagging back issue that forced him out of the lineup the previous week. He said the injury dates back to a slide he did early in the season.

Chisholm is widely regarded as the Marlins’ best player and one of the game’s most exciting young talents.

Currently, he is taking part in mobility and core-strengthening exercises at the Marlins’ spring training facility in Jupiter, Florida, in preparation for a return to the lineup. He is scheduled to return to action this weekend, but it remains to be seen whether he will do so or not.

With a 39-41 win/loss record going into last night’s game against the NL East Division leading New York Mets, the Marlins are significantly out of playoff position, but there is still a long way to go. If they’re going to have any shot at playing in October, they’ll need Chisholm back in the lineup as soon as possible.

This is the second time this season Chisholm has missed games due to an injury. As mentioned, he is eligible to play when the Marlins take on the division-leading Mets at Citi Field in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, New York, on Saturday. Following that, the Marlins will host the Pittsburgh Pirates for four games at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, before hosting the Philadelphia Phillies for three games in their final series before the all-star game, on the weekend.

Once again, today is the final day for Bahamians to vote for Chisholm. The cut-off time is 2 p.m. Voting takes place on the website mlb.com.

The Marlins’ leadoff hitter is well on his way to his first career MLB All-Star selection.

https://thenassauguardian.com/today-is-the-last-day-to-vote-for-jazz/