As of Tuesday, May 31, 2022

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#UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas multi-event specialist Kendrick Thompson broke the national record in the decathlon at The Jacksonville Athletics Club’s Jacksonville Combined Event Qualifier yesterday after amassing 7,788 points over the two-day, 10-discipline event.

#Thompson had held the old record set in April of this year at the Miami Hurricane Invitational with 7,762 points. Thompson won every event in the competition, including the javelin segment pictured here. “I am really happy with the record and I know coach is happy for the record,” Thompson said.

#“We were looking at going for 8000 points to give us a chance to qualify for World Championships. I fell short in two events but I know how to rebound and go after the goal.”

#Photo: UB Athletics

As of Tuesday, May 31, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#An historic season for the Life University Track and Field programme yielded another accolade for head coach Dominic Demeritte.

#Demeritte was named the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men’s Track and Field Coach of the Year.

#In the programme’s inaugural season of competition, Demeritte led the men to the NAIA Outdoor Championship last weekend in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

#Life U compiled 52 points, three individual titles and three other All-American honours.

#Demeritte’s season of milestones also included leading the Eagles to the 2022 Mid-South Conference men’s and women’s titles.

#In February he was named the Conference Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year.

#His Running Eagles men’s team captured their first championship crown at the James H Taylor II Stadium in Williamsburg, Kentucky, with 177 points, while the women’s team repeated as champions with 167 points.

#In February, Demeritte was also named the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association’s South Region Women’s Coach of the Year.

#Demeritte accepted the title of Director of Cross Country and Track in the Summer of 2021 after being tabbed as the leader for the restored Life University men’s programme and an assistant for the women in 2020.

#The women captured their first Mid-South Conference Outdoor Championships title while the team tallied 16 total All-Conference honours, including eight individual champions.

#Over the weekend at the NAIAs, the women captured a gold medal and four other All- American performances, to place fifth. “I never coached for personal goals, so it comes with the territory. It’s a blessing, not just for myself, but my coaches because it’s a coaches’ staff award, rather than a head coach’s award,” Demeritte said in an interview with the Tribune earlier this season. “They do all the work. I just bring everything together.”

#A two time NCAA All- American, Olympian and 200m World Indoor champion, Demeritte has used his platform to recruit several Bahamians into his programme.

#This year’s roster included Breanna Pratt, Aniqua Darville, Vernord Burrows, Hesley Charlton, Nigel Hepburn, Corey Johnson and Nathan Moss.

#Pratt and her Life U 4x400m team members – Alesha Wright, Iantha Wright and Brianna Florvilus, won bronze at the NAIAs in 3:45.71 seconds.

#“It doesn’t matter where you’re at, even if it’s NAIA division II,” he said. “The only four meets that you won’t compete in with division one talent is our conference and nationals indoors and outdoors championship,” Demeritte said.

#Demeritte also coached at the high school level, where he is credited with the development of over 80 collegiate athletes and two New Balance All-Americans, while leading The Marist School to six GHSA Team Championships and 38 GHSA Individual/Relay Champions.

#“It wasn’t all a straight line. I took some detours here and there, but I’m truly grateful for the opportunities along the way because it’s made me the coach that I am today,” he said. “Like I always tell my athletes, I gladly failed because failure is the only way you can have true sucess and appreciate the success once you get there.”

As of Wednesday, June 1, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#VETERAN distance runner O’Neil Williams will have another opportunity to add to his résumé of accolades when he competes in the elite field of one of the most highly regarded events on the international marathon circuit.

#Williams is set to compete in the elite flight of the BMW Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 25 in Berlin, Germany.

#As the Bahamian national record holder in the marathon, event organisers granted Williams complimentary entry into the field.

#“It’s a great step in the right direction. It’s the first time a Bahamian will run in the elite field and I’ll be the first to compete,” he said.

#“It’s a surreal feeling because I’ve seen these other great athletes compete in this event. I’ve lived in Kenya for 10 years but just started running marathons in 2017 so the progression has been great.”

#The Berlin Marathon began in 1974 and is reputed as the fastest marathon in the world as six of the latest consecutive men’s world records has been set here. Three of the women world records have also been set there.

#Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge holds the men’s course record of 2:01:39, while his country woman Gladys Cherono holds the women’s course record of 2:18:11.

#After he broke into the sport with events in Stockholm, Sweden and Jacksonville, Florida in 2017, Williams went on to set the Bahamian national record for the first time at 2:29.26 on October 20, 2019 at the Amsterdam Marathon in the Netherlands.

#This year, he lowered that record to 2:25.10 at the fourth edition of the Eldoret City Marathon in Kenya to finish 56th out of a field of 193 competitors. “In 2020 I couldn’t run because of the pandemic and in 2021 I had an Achilles injury that prevented me from running. I ran one race, but I couldn’t finish,” he said. “But coming back from all that, this year I ended up breaking a national record again, by four minutes, so it is coming along pretty well. You know, as long as I have like a support I’ll be able to continue my progression.”

#Despite his recent success, Williams said distance running continues to be overlooked by the Bahamian track and field community at large.

#“I get no support from the BAAAs and I barely get any support from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. To be an elite athlete at this level is very expensive. Sometimes I get $1,500, sometimes I get $3,000,” Williams said.

#“They come up with a lot of excuses. So most of the times I try to find sponsors outside of the BAAAs and the ministry to help with my training and also to represent my country.”

#While chasing his Olympic dream has become uncertain due to a lack of funding, Williams said he has been thankful for the network of friends, family and private sponsors that have been the catalyst of his success.

#“Without those people taking an interest trust me, I was not going to be running today,” he said. “Distance running gets no support, I would say it’s disrespected.

#Despite the setbacks, Williams said he is pleased to see the popularity of distance running continue to rise in the Bahamas due in large part to the growth of groups like the Bahamas Roadmasters who he looks forward to seeing at the Berlin Marathon.

#At a crossroads in his career, Berlin will be a probing ground moving forward for the 39-year-old Williams.

#“I’m not saying at this point I’m going to try for the Olympics because like I said, I have a family now and training and running is difficult. Especially when you have no support,” he said. “So I was thinking of making this my last year, but if I do well in Berlin, then I’ll see if I’ll go forward. If don’t do well, then I’ll just quit and try to focus on my family because they come first and running comes after that.”

Devynne Charlton

As of Wednesday, June 1, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Sprint hurdler Devynne Charlton continues her season of milestones with another new season’s best time.

#Charlton ran to a fourth place finish in the 100m hurdles in a time of 12.88 seconds at the Ostrava Golden Spikes at Metsky Stadium in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

#The meet was the latest on the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Series.

#Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico continued her dominance in the event with a first place finish in 12.56.

#The world leader finished ahead of Poland’s European U23 champion Pia Skrzyszowska in 12.65 and Nia Ali of the United States was third in 12.69.

#Charlton’s time of 12.88 finished just ahead of Hungary’s Luca Kozak who also finished in a season’s best time of 12.89.

#On May 13, Charlton posted a wind aided (+3) time of 12.61 to finish fourth on the Diamond League Series meet in Doha, Qatar.

#The 26-year-old World Indoor silver medallist and Tokyo Olympic finalist is currently ranked no.6 in the world in the 100m hurdles.

#Her indoor season was highlighted by her silver medal in the 60m hurdles in the World Indoor Championships at Belgrade, Serbia.

#France’s Cyréna Samba- Mayela won the gold medal with a time of 7.78 while Charlton was second in 7.81 – a new national record.

#At the time of her silver medal triumph, Charlton said she hoped that her first individual success of that magnitude set the tone moving forward to an eagerly anticipated outdoor season.

#The season includes the upcoming BAAA Nationals and World Athletics Championships. “I’m expecting to build on this experience.

#“A lot of the improvements I made indoors can only help with my outdoor hurdles and so I think it will be that much better,” she said.

As of Thursday, June 2, 2022

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Antoan Richardson

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#ANTOAN Richardson’s San Francisco Giants are once again expected to battle for a National League postseason spot and the club’s first base coach detailed his decision to accept the post in addition to the appeal of the Giants organisation in his recent media availability.

#“I think it’s everybody’s desire to work together for a common goal. We see it on a daly basis and it really feels like a family,” he said.

#“From the clubhouse to the baseball ops to the entire organisation. I really appreciate the family aspect. I always talk about the Bahamas being a community and that’s the part I enjoy about the Giants.”

#The Giants are currently 27-21 on the season, third in the NL West.

#They open a three-game set against Jazz Chisholm and the Miami Marlins tonight at 6:40pm local time.

#The franchise’s first base coach is currently serving in his second year in the role.

#“It’s a lot of reminding them of game situation, I think my job is just to be a reminder,” he said.

#“They know what to do, and it’s just a matter of nudging them a bit to remember ‘hey if this happens we’re going to look do this’ remember to pick up [Mark Hallberg] at third base’ and let’s just find a way to help our team by getting to the next base.”

#Richardson has also been privy to several moments this season where he had an opportunity to witness players record their first major league hits.

#“It’s pretty cool, what I try to do in those moments is encourage the player to take it in because you don’t get to experience it again,” he said.

#“I know sometimes as a young player you get excited and move on to the next play but I just like to remind them to take a moment, embrace it and try to hold on to the moment because it’s not going to happen again.”

#Last year, the Giants concluded the regular season 107-55 on the year and earned the team’s first division title since 2012. They advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2016 when they advanced to the NLDS before an elimination at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

#The 107 wins for the Giants established a new franchise record and also clinched the home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The previous record was 106 wins in the 1904 season. The 2021 season represented a complete turnaround for the Giants who missed the postseason a year ago in the 2020 regular season finale.

#Richardson previously served as an outfield coordinator before he joined the major league club at first base.

#“When I was done playing I thought I was done with the sport but I had a passion for coaching youth. I was in The Bahamas, got involved, started a non non-profit to give back. During that time I got a few calls about getting back into the game, but the thing I dreaded the most was being away from my family. I had done it since I was 14. It wasn’t a hard transition in the sense that I love working with people. I’m still learning, I’m still growing, we have an awesome coaching staff I get to learn from daily so it’s just been a really cool experience,” Richardson said.

#“I just wanted to be in a position to help the organisation so at the time when I took this role here I was still a field coordinator in the minor leagues. It was a tough decision, I remember going back and Kyle Haynes our farm director and trying to get some assistance with that process. At that time the move was the best for the organisation.”

#As he prepares for another series against Chisholm and the Marlins, he discusses the role the group of professional players currently serve as ambassadors of the country and the game.

#“We’re a close knit community, we’re just really rooting for each other and trying to push the sport forward,” he said. “Over the past 5-10 years it has grown a lot in the Bahamas and from a youth standpoint we have a booming youth baseball programme now so I’m excited to see where we grow over the next couple of years.”

#Despite recording his first career hit against Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw and scoring a run on Derek Jeter’s final RBI, Richardson said his most memorable moment on the field was the opportunity to share the field with other Bahamians. “In 2016 I got an opportunity to play in the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers with a lot of other Bahamian professional baseball players,” he said. “Got to take the field with Jazz and some of the other prospects we see coming through the system now, that was one of the moments I really cherish and I haven’t forgotten about that one.”

As of Thursday, June 2, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Football Association’s senior men’s national team returns to the pitch this weekend to kickoff the second edition of the CONCACAF Nations League.

#Team Bahamas will open League B play when they face St Vincent and the Grenadines at 3pm in the Thomas A Robinson Stadium in the first of its four Nations League matches this month.

#In match two, The Bahamas will travel to Trinidad and Tobago to take on the hosts at Hadley Crawford Stadium on June 6 at 8pm.

#On June 10, the venue shifts back to the Thomas A Robinson Stadium when The Bahamas hosts Nicaragua at 5pm.

#They complete the home and away series against Nicaragua on June 13 at 8pm at the Nicaraguan National Stadium.

#Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has the 1-0 upper-hand in the all-time series with the Bahamas, after a Shandel Samuel double helped pace the team to a 3-2 victory at the 2007 Caribbean Cup.

#In the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2019, The Bahamas earned promotion when they won Group C.

#They finished 3-0-1 against Bonaire and The British Virgin Islands to total 10 points.

#Suiting up for The Bahamas on the defensive line are Lesly St. Fleur, Jean Francois, Troy Pinder, Evelt Julmis, Kenaz Swain, Derrick Ferguson and Quinton Carey. Playing the midfield positions are Alexiou Cartwright, Roen Davis, Michael Massey, Nathan Wells, Christopher Rahming, William Bayles, Marcel Joseph, Logan Russell and Nicolas Lopez.

#Looking to put the ball in the back of the net in the forward positions are Wood Julmis, Jordin Wilson and Omari Bain.

#The custodians between the goal posts are Julio Jemison, Ian Lowe, and Vance Wheaton. Nesly Jean is the head coach.

#Jean will be assisted by Kevin Davies and Avery Kemp, and Larry Minns is team manager.

#In preparation for the Nations League, The Bahamas hosted a pair of friendly matches with the Turks and Caicos Islands.

#“Over the two days, it was really good,” said Bahamas head coach Nesly Jean.

#“We really put on the match to see how the team would look going into the games on June 3.

#“We tried new players just coming on the team and using some different formations. They’re buying into what we’re trying to do and hopefully by June 3, we will be ready to go.”

#The Bahamas will also be represented on the pitch by Evens Julmis who received his first Nations League appointment as a referee.

#Julmis has been appointed by CONCACAF to the 4th referee position for the League B, Group B match Haiti vs Bermuda in Bermuda on June 4.

#A product of the Bahamas Referee Academy and having attended the CONCACAF Referee Academy, Julmis has five years of refereeing experience.

MIAMI Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr gestures to Avisail Garcia after he hit an RBI-single off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela in the fourth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader yesterday in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

As of Thursday, June 2, 2022

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MARLINS’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. follows the flight of his three-run home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#After two hitless games since his return from a hamstring injury, Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr was the catalyst of a Miami Marlins offensive explosion in the first game of yesterday’s double header.

#Chisholm drove in the first four runs of the Marlins 14-1 win over the Colorado Rockies in game one yesterday at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.

#He finished 2-5 with four RBI. Chisholm got the scoring going with his RBI single in the second inning. He followed with his eighth home run of the season in the fourth inning to give the Marlins a 4-0 lead.

#After missing four games with a hamstring injury, Chisholm returned on May 29 in a 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves in the series finale at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

#On May 30 the Marlins’ offence again struggled in a 7-1 loss to the Rockies in the opening game of the series.

#Chisholm still leads the Marlins in several categories with a .276 average, 31 RBI, 22 runs, four triples and seven stolen bases. He ranks second on the team with eight home runs and is third with 38 hits and seven doubles.

#Chisholm also missed 16 games of his rookie season with a left hamstring strain.

#The Marlins travel to San Francisco to open their three game series against the Giants at Oracle Park. First pitch is set for 6:40pm local time.

Sports

Teams ready for Nations League showdown today

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 3, 2022 161 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas and St. Vincent and the Grenadines senior men’s national teams held their final practice yesterday afternoon and are set to get their 2022 CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Nations League campaign underway today at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

The game is set to begin at 5 p.m. and can set the tone for both teams, which will look to get to League A. Both teams were on hand for a press conference that was held before their respective practice sessions.

Bahamas Head Coach, Nesly Jean said he is focused on his side.

“It’s good as a coach to analyze and look at videos and see what other teams are doing, but the most important thing is focusing on ourselves and trying to achieve what we want to and, on the reason why we’re there. Yes, you need to look at videos, but I’m not too worried. I want to try focus on my team and trying to make sure they get the job done. So, that’s what I’m here for,” Jean said.

Likewise, for the St. Vincent Head Coach, Bishon Williams, he is also focused on his team.

“Our focus will be on how we play,” Williams said. “Whatever little studies we could have done to educate ourselves about The Bahamas, we’ll keep that in mind, but our main focus is make sure we execute our plan.”

The Bahamas was promoted from League C to League B of the CONCACAF region after winning its group in the 2019 edition of the competition. They are in a tough group with St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Nicaragua. St. Vincent and the Grenadines remained in League B.

This will be the first time that the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium will see local fans come out to support their ‘Junkanoo Boys’ since the 2019 Nations League competition. For Logan Russell, he is looking forward to the fans.

“I think it feels great to play at home. I haven’t played at home in a while. To have the fans too is going to be awesome so talk about home support, I think we’re all looking forward to it,” Russell said.

Playing away does not put any pressure on the ‘Vincy Heat’ side according to captain, Cornelius Stewart.

“I think for me, over the years we are better on the road than at home and I think we are ready for any challenge and that’s a good mentality that we have as ‘Vincy Heat’ and we are just focused on one game at assignment tomorrow. It is the beginning of the tournament, so we want to start strong,” Stewart said.

The Bahamian captain, Lesly St. Fleur has been a staple on the senior national team especially with his scoring prowess. Now, as the captain, he is tasked with helping to manage a young squad.

“We wanted some young players to cover for the other players that left. The young players came in and brought the same energy we had and possibly even more energy to the team. We are building and it is a new team,” St. Fleur said.

Tickets are on sale at the box office for the match at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The single game tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for youth. There is a special package for today’s game and the Nicaragua game set for Friday, June 10, which is $30 for adults and $15 for youth.

MIAMI Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr watches from the dugout railing between innings of the team’s baseball game against Atlanta Braves on Friday, May 27, in Atlanta. Chisholm was not in the starting lineup. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

As of Monday, May 30, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr returned to the Miami Marlins lineup after being sidelined for a week with a hamstring injury.

#Chisholm went hitless in his return and the Marlins’ offence outside of Jorge Soler struggled in a 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves in the series finale yesterday at Truist Park in Atlanta Georgia.

#He missed four games with the injury and the Marlins went 1-4 in their last five to fall to 19-26 in the National League East.

#Chisholm still leads the Marlins in several categories with a .290 average, 27 RBI, 21 runs, four triples and six stolen bases.

#He ranks second on the team with seven home runs and is third with 36 hits and seven doubles.

#Chisholm was removed in the top of the third inning of the Marlins 4-3 win over the Braves on May 22 due to left hamstring tightness.

#The injury is to the same leg that Chisholm had spiked by Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies in Saturday’s 4-3 loss, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com.

#Chisholm also missed 16 games of his rookie season with a left hamstring strain.

#The Marlins travel to Colorado to open their three-game series against the Rockies at Coors Field. First pitch is set for 4:10pm local time.

#Stay tuned.