NBA STAR Deandre Ayton, a centre for the Phoenix Suns, can be seen on Monday as he donated $10,000 to the Junior Achievement Bahamas programme.

As of Wednesday, July 19, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIAN professional National Basketball Association (NBA) player Deandre Ayton remains undecided on his decision to play with Team Bahamas at the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying tournament in Argentina.

#The Phoenix Suns centre also shed light on his postseason woes and new goals for the upcoming NBA season, and talked about his latest shoe release.

#With the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying tournament scheduled for August 12-20, many were curious about whether the Bahamian centre will join the men’s national basketball team. Ayton left the door open on his commitment to the team.

#“You guys are going to have to find out for yourself. I am just keeping everything under wraps, just making sure I train everyday, [but] I am thinking about it for sure,” Ayton said.

#After coming under scrutiny for his play following the Suns’ loss in the semifinals against the Denver Nuggets in six games, Ayton wants to change the narrative going into next season.

#“I can feel the whole world hating me in a way I think I am the guy a lot of people point at and I see it and feel it but mainly what I have been working on five to six days a week since we have loss is just motivating myself to change the narrative of what people think about me,” he said.

#“No matter how you put I feel like I have no fans out here and I can feel it because the whole world is saying it and my goal this whole summer is to change the narrative just unlock whatever it is and completely focus on me and change the whole thing,” the Phoenix Suns center added.

#Despite the overt criticism and adversity he has faced, Ayton is optimistic ahead of the 2023-2024 NBA season following the Suns latest acquisitions of former Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal and recently center-forward Bol Bol from the Orlando Magic.

#“It’s a lot pressure and heat coming it’s a lot of great teammates and guys Bradley Beal is a scoring champion and Bol Bol is another guy that is really talented and has a lot of potential I am truly happy that he came to a winning team…it’s no excuse now to just to have our heads down and go for the whole thing,” he said.

#Before his appearance at the press conference where he donated $10,000 to Junior Achievement Bahamas, Ayton released an unboxing video of his newest signature shoe the Puma Rise Nitro DA1 PEs which represents both the Bahamian and Jamaican flag colors.

#The Bahamian star was born and raised in The Bahamas but his mother is Jamaican and he wanted to represent both sides of his ethnicities.

#“That is just me showing both sides and showing the world who I am. Yes I was born in The Bahamas and I love The Bahamas but also on my mom’s side she is not going to let me forget where I really and truly am from, which is Jamaica as well,” he said.

#The professional player will look to continue his offseason training as he hopes to play an integral part in the Phoenix Suns quest to go all the way in the upcoming NBA season.

As of Wednesday, July 19, 2023

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SPRINTER/long jumper Anthaya Charlton.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER producing a stellar freshman season for the University of Kentucky Wildcats track and field team, sprinter/long jumper Anthaya Charlton has moved on to the Florida Gators.

#Charlton, who will turn 20 on July 28, entered the transfer portal after her sprint coach Tim Hall left Kentucky for another job at South Carolina.

#“I was exploring my options with a couple of visits and Florida just turned out to be the best for me,” said Charlton, who leaves the Bahamian connection with head coach Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene and women’s assistant coach Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie at Kentucky.

#“This was a big thing for me. It was a difficult decision, but I did what I felt was best in making the move to Florida. It’s closer to home and it feels like home.”

#With her concentration on the 100 metres and the long jump, Charlton will be entering her sophomore year after she returned to competition this past season for her freshman year.

#She enrolled in Kentucky in 2022 after she graduated from St Augustine’s College, but she took the year off.

#“I’m looking to improve on my sprints and jumps,” said Charlton, who has posted personal bests of 11.11 seconds in the 100m with a wind-aided mark of 10.98 at the Texas Relays and 6.74 metres in the long jump.

#The economic major racked up some credible accolades this past season that included the following:

#2023 Outdoor USTFCCCA First-Team All-America as a member of the 4 x 100m relay team; Outdoor USTFCCCA second-team All-America in 100m; NCAA Outdoor silver medallist in 4 x 100m relay; Outdoor second-team All-SEC; SEC Freshman of the Week; SEC Co-Field Athlete of the Week; SEC Indoor long jump bronze medallist; Indoor USTFCCCA Second-Team All-American in long jump; SEC Outdoor Championship silver medallist in 4 x 100m relay and SEC Outdoor Championship silver medallist in long jump. “Coming back after taking a year off, I think I exceeded my expectations, so all in all, it’s been a good season,” Charlton said. “It didn’t end up how I would like, but I’m still proud of myself.”

#Having shut down her season after competing in the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, Charlton said she’s gearing up for her first global competition at Olympic Games in Paris, France, in 2024.

#She noted that she will miss the University of Kentucky where she developed a great rapport with the coaches and her team-mates, as well as her sister, Devynne Charlton, a graduate assistant who is training under Greene.

#“When we go head-to-head, it’s going to be interesting. It’s even more exciting because we are going to be at different schools,” said Charlton, who holds a slight edge over Devynne in the 100m, but conceded to the Bahamian national record holder in the 100m hurdles.

#As she moves on to Florida where she will continue to compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Charlton expressed her gratitude to the coaching staff, the medical team and her advisors, who all helped her to make the transition in getting to where she is.

#“I really like their programme. It speaks for itself,” Charlton said.

#“The people are so nice and they are welcoming. Even after the transfer portal, the athletes were encouraging and supporting me.”

#Now she’s closer to home and is just as eager to get the support from the Bahamian people.

As of Wednesday, July 19, 2023

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#By MALIQUE WALLACE

#Tribune Intern

#THE Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Track and Field Summer Camp is now in high gear at the original Thomas A Robinson track and field stadium.

#Ronald Cartwright, who is the head coach for the clinic, has been coaching for more than 50 years. He said he hopes that the kids will learn from what was said and use what they have learned to the best of their abilities.

#Saying that even though they are not going to learn everything there is to know about track and field, at the end of the day they are going to walk away with learning something new.

#Two campers G’anna Whylly and Gabriel Saunders talked about how their experiences were so far and why they attend this camp. Whylly says she feels good about attending the camp and she joined because she wanted to get more of a physical experience.

#Saunders says he feels great that he joined this camp because he got to meet a lot of new people,make new friends, and learn new things. He says that joined because he wanted to get more experience.

#Coach Bernard Newbold is the coordinator of the track and field clinic. He says that this is the third week of the camp, the last weeks being more focused on the sprints and jumps.

#He also says that this camp is more of a satellite camp with the Bahamas Athletic Association. He encourages parents to bring out their kids aged 9-12 and even those who are already in clubs.

#Newbold says that track and field is a sport that provides scholarships in the United States. “This is an easy sport where young student athletes can find scholarships, and the kids who are graduating high school, if they continue doing the sport, they will have no problem getting a scholarship in the future,” Newbold said.

 Home|Sports|Gardiner runs world-leading timeSports

Bahamian clocks 43.74 seconds in Hungary; tunes up for world championships

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 19, 2023 125 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian quarter-mile sensation Steven Gardiner powered his way to a world-leading time of 43.74 seconds, crossing the finish line first in the men’s 400 meters (m) at the Gyulai István Memorial at the Bregyó Athletic Center in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, yesterday.

It was the second-fastest time of his career and the sixth time that the national record holder has dipped under the 44-second mark in that event.

Also in action at that meet was sprinter Anthonique Strachan and long jumper LaQuan Nairn.

Gardiner was back in action after running here at home at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Junior and Senior National Track and Field Championships less than two weeks ago. He ran 44.64 seconds in the 400m final at home to successfully defend his national title. It looked like he was going to run under 44 seconds in that race, but he appeared to shut it down in the final 30 meters.

The race yesterday was the first time Gardiner he went sub-44 seconds for the season, making a return to the track after missing the majority of last season with tendon inflammation.

Gardiner gave a preview yesterday of what Bahamians and track and field fans around the world can expect at the World Athletics Championships in just over a month’s time in Budapest, Hungary.

The race was a foregone conclusion as Gardiner came into the home stretch.

Gardiner finished ahead of Jamaican national record holder in that event Rusheen McDonald who ran a time of 44.03 seconds – the fastest he has run since 2015 and the first time he has run sub-45 seconds in that span. American Vernon Norwood placed third with a time of 44.63 seconds.

Strachan was in action in the women’s 200m after being in action in the 100m dash on Sunday at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial at the Stadion Śląski in Chorzów, Poland.

On Tuesday, the 29-year-old Strachan finished third after stopping the clock at 22.45 seconds. It was her third-fastest time this season as she also gears up for the world championships next month.

Winning that race was Jamaican Shericka Jackson in 22.02 seconds. Irish sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke posted a time of 22.36 seconds for second.

Strachan was in action in the 100m dash that featured Jackson and American Sha’Carri Richardson in the Poland Diamond League Meet on Sunday. The Bahamian finished sixth in that race in a time of 11.05 seconds.

Richardson won that race on Sunday in a time of 10.76 seconds. Jackson took the silver medal, running 10.78 seconds.

Nairn was in the long jump pit yesterday, leaping 7.74m (25’ 4-3/4”) to place seventh out of 10 competitors. Greek athlete Miltiadis Tentoglou won that event with a leap of 8.29m (27’ 2-1/2”).

The Bahamian was coming off a 7.46m (24’ 5-3/4”) leap at the Bahamian nationals. He has a season’s best of 8.11m (26’ 7-1/4”) that he did in Lausanne, Switzerland, in late June, and is still chasing the world championships qualifying distance of 8.25m (27’ 1”).

 Home|Sports|Ayton donates to JA; remains non-committal about playing for The BahamasSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 19, 2023 176 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After being unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the second year in a row, the Phoenix Suns have retooled, and one who was at the center of trade talks, has returned to the nation of his birth.

Bahamian DeAndre Ayton is back home, and took time to make a donation to Junior Achievement (JA) Bahamas yesterday, in the amount of $10,000. It was at the time when Bahamian media caught up with the starting center of the Suns, looking to make another run at it with his team for the 2023-2024 season. The Suns came up short as a championship contender in the NBA for the third year in a row this past season, and after coming up short offensively and defensively, Ayton said he has to take it upon himself to continue to get better.

The Suns lost to the eventual champions Denver Nuggets four games to two in the Western Conference semifinals, and Ayton’s numbers dropped significantly from the regular season. He went from 18 points and 10 rebounds per game with 58.8 percent shooting on the floor to 10.8 points and 8.2 rebounds with 57.8 percent shooting against the Nuggets. He sat out the game six loss with a rib contusion. During the regular season, he averaged a double-double for the fifth year in a row.

“It’s about basically changing the narrative … I could feel the whole world hating me, in a way. I’m the guy a lot of people point at, and I see it and I feel it, but mainly I’ve been working hard five to six days per week since we lost, motivating myself to change the narrative of what people think about me. I feel like I have no fans right now. My goal this whole summer is to change the narrative – unlock whatever it is and focus on me and change the whole thing,” he said yesterday.

As mentioned, the Suns have retooled bringing in former All-NBA player Bradley Beal in a move that eventually landed veteran point guard Chris Paul with the Golden State Warriors. The Suns also brought in veteran guard Eric Gordon and versatile forward/center Bol Bol and hired former championship coach Frank Vogel as the man to help get them over the top.

NBA superstars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker return to lead the charge.

“There is a lot of pressure for sure, a lot of heat coming. There is a lot of great teammates and a lot of great guys. There’s no excuse now. We just have to go out there and go after the whole thing,” said Ayton.

As far as suiting up for The Bahamas is concerned, Ayton remains non-committal. The Bahamas will take on Cuba, Argentina and Panama in a FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, next month. Just the winner of that mini tournament will move on to the next stage of the qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I was born in The Bahamas and my mom is Jamaican. I love The Bahamas, but on my mom’s side, she’s not going to let me forget where I really am from, and that’s Jamaica as well. In the Caribbean, it’s not just about one island. You just have to go out there and represent yourself as best as you can and represent who you are. Right now, I’m just keeping everything under wrap and making sure I train every day, but I’ll think about it for sure,” said Ayton.

At this time, the Bahamian big man said he just wants to open doors for kids to have an education and excel in life.

“I don’t want people to feel like coming from The Bahamas you have to have some kind of athleticism or some kind of gift to reach your goal or some kind of success in life,” he said. “There are a lot of talented people here in The Bahamas and I feel like we just need the right resources for us to expand and really see what we have going on. Being in a position that I am in and having an opportunity to go the United States, and seeing the resources over there, I’m just happy to be on this platform to give kids in The Bahamas a chance to try something they would like to do. This is the least that I could do. I appreciate the love and support on the court while I do my thing so I had come back home and show some love.”

Ayton said he takes The Bahamas with him wherever he goes and continues to represent “the 242” (The Bahamas) in everything he does and is a part of, whether it’s on or off the basketball court.

The Bahamian basketball star recently released his new tennis shoes, adorned in both Bahamian and Jamaican colors, in a social media hype video, proclaiming his love and affinity for both nations. One of the versions of the Puma Rise Nitro DA1 PEs has the Bahamian flag and the inscription “242 to the World” on it.

“The meaning behind the shoes is just to represent where I’m from,” said Ayton in the video. “I’m representing two strong-minded ethnicities. It’s just something I want to share and show the Caribbean that I’m truly representing them the best way I can. Growing up in The Bahamas, and experiencing that island life, it’s freedom. You get to understand the true meaning of humility and having that pride that I’m from here.”

The Bahamian star player added that the new sneakers represent his culture.

 Home|Sports|Bowleg looks forward to 2026 Bahamas GamesSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 19, 2023 31 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The sixth Bahamas Games is in the books and the seventh edition is set for 2026. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said he is looking forward to that edition after seeing what transpired in the sixth edition. He said that they are looking to implement a precursor event to the Bahamas Games.

“What we want to try and see if we can implement is a regional games in The Bahamas, which would be the year before the Bahamas Games. The regional games would include the Northern Bahamas islands competing against themselves, the Central Bahamas islands compete against themselves, and the southern islands competing against themselves. What we’ll be doing is like a precursor and warm up for the Bahamas Games so that in the absence of the three years, they don’t feel that long of a wait, but they have something regional that they could compete in. It will also prepare them for the Bahamas Games,” Bowleg said.

This year, the games featured soccer, 

swimming, tennis, cycling, sloop sailing, baseball, volleyball, basketball, softball track and field, golf, opti sailing, boxing and edukarting, which was an exhibition event. Bowleg said that the federations have seen the talent that was on display in these sports from the different islands.

“What has to happen now is that each federation has to go to these various Family Islands where they do not have an association and establish an association,” Bowleg said. “We are about to have a sports conclave later in the year, sometime between September and October and the idea will be to bring all the sports councils and minds together. We want to find means and ways and make it mandatory that these federations have associations in at least four or five of the major islands, and if that is happening, I can assure you the level of talent that we saw in this year’s edition will even be tremendous or even 10 times higher in the next four or five years.”

Coming into the just completed Bahamas Games, facilities on the islands other than New Providence and Grand Bahama were a hot button topic. Bowleg said that they will look to add facilities on the various islands.

“It comes at its own time. This government has already allocated $40 million over the next 10 years – $4 million a year to repair those facilities. Cat Island has gotten a new track, a new softball, baseball and basketball court. The next island we intend to move to is Abaco. We understand that since Dorian, their facilities are very bad but Abaco, Eleuthera and Exuma are next. Grand Bahama continues to develop as time goes on. We are we are going to break ground for that Olympic sized swimming pool before the year end. Simultaneously, you’ll see us moving through the various islands and getting things done but Abaco is definitely next on the list for us to get their facilities up and running,” Bowleg said.

At the sixth edition of the Bahamas Games, New Providence won titles in men and women’s soccer, baseball, track and field, men’s volleyball, cycling and opti sailing. Grand Bahama won titles in swimming, women’s softball and boxing. Long Island won all three classes in sailing. Eleuthera took home titles in men’s softball and men’s basketball. Andros prevailed in tennis and golf. Columbus Isles was victorious in women’s volleyball and Exuma and Ragged Island won the gold medal in women’s basketball.

 Home|Sports|Babe Ruth Caribbean Championship set to start ThursdaySports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 18, 2023 120 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Over 200 athletes are set to compete in the 2023 Babe Ruth Baseball Caribbean Championship and 16U Invitational, set to get underway this weekend at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex and the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium. The Bahamas will field teams in the 12-and-Under (12U) Division which is a qualifying outlet for the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series at Ballparks of America in Branson, Missouri, later this summer, and the invitational 16-and-Under (16U) Division that will feature teams from the region, the United States (US) and as far away as Europe.

The local tournament, in which The Bahamas won both divisions at home last year, will run from July 20-24.

“We’re ready to go. Last year, we had an excellent tournament, and this year, the number of teams have doubled. I’m very excited to see how the tournament will play out over the five days of competition,” said Greg Burrows Sr., commissioner of Babe Ruth Baseball Caribbean.

The championships will feature teams from the Netherland Antilles, Cuba, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, St. Eustatius, Aruba, Puerto Rico and host nation The Bahamas. The 16U Invitational will encompass teams from the US (South USA and USA Metro), North Netherlands, South Netherlands, Jamaica, Aruba, Curaçao, Belize, Puerto Rico and host nation The Bahamas.

In the 12U Division, The Bahamas will play the Cayman Islands in the first game of the tournament. That game is set for 8 a.m., Thursday, at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

The winner of the 12U Caribbean Championship will advance to the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series set for August 2-12, 2023, at Ballparks of America in Branson, Missouri. The Bahamas has an automatic bid in that world series as a result of being the host of the Caribbean Championship this weekend.

“When you look at this tournament, there are teams from Europe, two teams from the United States, Jamaica will be competing for the first time and will have two teams and Belize is competing for the first time,” said Burrows. “Also, there are two teams out of Aruba, two teams out of Curaçao and two teams out of Puerto Rico. This tournament is expected to be very competitive.”

Burrows said they have created all-star teams from The Bahamas in both divisions, and they have been given the leeway to do so, with The Bahamas being one of the smaller countries in the tournament. Usually, the winner of the 12U division at the Bahamas Baseball Association’s (BBA) National Championships would be given the nod to compete in the regional qualifier for the world series. On the contrary, Burrows said for this tournament, they have athletes from both the Freedom Farm Baseball League (FFBBL) and the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) in New Providence as well as athletes out of Grand Bahama on the squad. The Grand Bahama Little League was the winner of the 12U Division at the national championships.

“At the end of the day, we selected the best who are available,” said Burrows. “There are players from the two major leagues in New Providence and four out of Grand Bahama. We have no doubt that they will represent The Bahamas well and compete for a spot at the world series.”

The Bahamas will stage a grand, cultural opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on July 20, welcoming the international guests. The tournament itself will be played over five days. Packages are priced at $65 for adults and $20 for children for the five days. Single-day tickets can be obtained for $10 for adults and $5 for children. Group packages, and single-day tickets, can be obtained by calling the telephone number (242) 376-7628. The event will be streamed through an app created by the local sports media group Sports Media Plus.

General Manager of the National Sports Authority (NSA) Moses Johnson said they are delighted to partner with the Babe Ruth Baseball Caribbean Region in the staging of this event.

“We in the NSA are privileged to partner with the Babe Ruth organization and see this tournament through,” he said. “We are happy to see it grow from strength to strength. We will continue to do out part – ensure that all of our facilities are ready to go. I implore everyone to come out and show their support for these players as they go after the gold.”

Coming on board as a major sponsor of the event is Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited.

Senator Randy Rolle, who has responsibility for the oversight of sports tourism in the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, said they are excited and look forward to a great tournament.

“When you look at the global impact that this event will have on our country, certainly the time is right to stage such an event,” said Rolle. “It is such an honor for us to be a part of this. These are the type of events that sports tourism looks forward to and if we are going to continue to push the agenda that sports is better in The Bahamas, we have to continue to lure events like this to our shores, creating room nights and providing opportunities for the youth of the nation through sports.”

Representing Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, Minister of State in Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Training Zane Lightbourne said that Babe Ruth Baseball Caribbean Region has the full support of the government of The Bahamas in the staging of this event.

“This is an ideal destination not just for sports tourism but also for scouts to come and see the most talented country on the planet,” said Lightbourne. “Sports has proven to be a very resilient entity. Sports is back and it is back bigger and better than ever before. The government fully supports this event. This is a way for communities to come together and a way for the potential of our youth to be exposed and shown to the region. I encourage all Bahamians to come out and support sports in this country and to support this event. We have to make sure that this event exceeds the last event and that every year, we move forward and forward in our progression.”

Bahamians are encouraged to show their support for Team Bahamas by filling the stands.

 Home|Sports|Bodybuilding is backSports

National championships set for this Saturday at the University of The Bahamas

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 18, 2023 200 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

In spite of the sport being suspended internationally, the Bahamas Bodybuilding Wellness and Fitness Federation (BBWFF) National Championships will go on, scheduled for Saturday July 22 from 4-11 p.m. inside the University of The Bahamas (UB) Performing Arts Center Auditorium.

BBWFF President Joel Stubbs said at a press conference yesterday that quite a number of the country’s top amateurs, and even some professionals, will be in action. 

The event is being dubbed ‘The Battle of the Best’, and will take place in three segments – novice, nationals and open category. The price of admission is $30 for general, $40 at the door, and $50 for the VIP section. Stubbs said they anticipate a full house in support of the 55-60 athletes who will be competing.

“We’re happy and delighted to host the 50th edition of the national bodybuilding and fitness championships where a number of athletes from New Providence and Grand Bahama will be in competition. Due to technical and international situations beyond out control, we were given a citation not have the sport be a part of the Bahamas Games through WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). We suffered the disappointment but that is not going to stop the sport locally. The show will go on and we anticipate a very competitive night. You will see many of the greats in action – professionals will be in attendance and they will be competing. It’s going to be a grand night,” said Stubbs.

Local pro bodybuilding and fitness athletes usually have demonstrations in exhibition at the nationals, but Stubbs said they will be in competition this year, along with some amateurs, in an open section of the show. The bodybuilding and fitness nationals was originally set to be a part of the lineup for the Sixth Bahamas Games, but the sport was sanctioned by WADA for non-compliance of international rules and regulations as it relates to doping in the sport.

“It’s unfortunate. We in the region were looking to incorporate the sport in the Olympics but some athletes were caught with drugs in their system in an event in El Salvador about two years ago and that wasn’t too pleasing to WADA. WADA passed down strict sanctions and bodybuilding was suspended due to non compliance. It doesn’t affect our nationals. We still have strict measures in place where athletes will be tested, and at the CASC Championships, athletes will be tested. It’s just through trying to make the corridor of the IOC (International Olympic Committee), we are kept out of the loop,” he explained.

There will be 11 categories contested in the bodybuilding and fitness – men’s bodybuilding, men’s classic bodybuilding, men’s physique, women’s physique, women’s fitness, women’s body fitness (figure), women’s wellness, bikini, women’s fit model, men’s fit model and classic physique.

 In addition, kids fitness will be introduced for the first time at the nationals and young athletes from ages 7-15 will take part in that segment of the show. The kids fitness show will start at 4 p.m. this Saturday and the seniors will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Following the conclusion of the nationals, the BBWFF will name a team to represent The Bahamas at the 50th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, set for September 21-25, 2023, in Aruba. Stubbs remain hopeful that they will obtain the required funding for that trip.

“We’re disappointed to know that we are unable to attain corporate sponsorship to our liking – the only thing left is for the government to come to our aid as best as it can,” said Stubbs. “Hopefully, at the end of the day, we could be in a position where we could get as best of team as possible to represent us at the CAC Championships in Aruba. We’re hoping to carry a sizable team to Aruba and come back with medals, but we need assistance.”

As for this year’s nationals, Stubbs said there are a lot of new faces and a lot of returning faces. He said they are always looking for new talent to enter the sport.

Former world championships athlete for The Bahamas Paul “Mighty Mouse” Wilson said he has a passion for the sport but a lack of funding is a detriment to himself and other athletes.

“The sport of bodybuilding and fitness is very expensive,” he said. “Athletes are losing interest because of a lack of support from the country and from corporate Bahamas. Bodybuilding is not supported like other sports in the country and that is the most detrimental thing to bodybuilding athletes.”

One of the founding fathers of the sport here in The Bahamas Richard Demeritte said he is delighted to be a part of the organization, but it is disappointing to him to see where the sport stands in terms of the support it receives.

“I started in the sport in the 1950s and the discipline that I got out of the sport, that is what needs to happen to everyone in the field. Bodybuilding is what caused me as a Bahamian to rise to the top in everything that I do in this life. That discipline is needed in whatever you do. I am here to give my full support to the administration and the sport here in The Bahamas. We cannot allow bodybuilding to fall in The Bahamas,” he said.

Demeritte said he is in the process of compiling information and pictures to create a legacy book of the sport here in The Bahamas. He said the intention is to complete the book and present it to the Government of The Bahamas.

Former federation president, CAC Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (CACBBFF) Vice President and president of the Antilles region Danny Sumner detailed a history of the sport here in The Bahamas over the last 50 years. He said that bodybuilding was the first sport in an independent Bahamas to have a national championships. That inaugural championships took place at the now defunct Garfunkel Auditorium in July 1973. Sumner termed the sport the most productive indoor sport in the country.

Team brings home trophies, medals

BRINGING HOME THE GOLD: Team Bahamas returned home yesterday from the IV North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-13 and Under-15 Championships as repeat champions. Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

As of Tuesday, July 18, 2023

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NACAC President Mike Sands presented the gold medals to Team Bahamas, who returned home yesterday from the IV North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-13 and Under-15 Championships in the Dominican Republic. The Bahamas topped Jamaica, who was second and Cuba, who came in third.

TEAM Bahamas’ mixed relay team.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#The Bahamas team returned home Monday from the IV North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-13 and Under-15 Championships as repeat champions.

#Team Bahamas, coached by Sherry Francis, posted a total of 27,984 points to out-distance Jamaica, who was second with 27,043 points and Cuba, who came in third with 26,641 in the two-day event over the weekend in the Dominican Republic.

#It was an improvement on Team Bahamas’ performance at the last championships in Nicaragua in 2021.

#In the divisional competition, Team Bahamas’ duo of Symiah Strachan and Trinity Rolle captured the pentathlon girls’ 11-12 division with 5,411 points over Jamaica, who had 5,065 with the Dominican Republic third with 5,044.

#Strachan won the divisional title with 2,733 and Rolle was third with 2,678.

#The pentathlon boys’ under-13 division saw Team Bahamas, consisting of Avonte Lotmore and Emile Higgins, pick up second place with 5,927 points behind Cuba’s victory of 5,940 and just ahead of Barbados with 5,855 for third. Higgins was fifth with 2,986 and Lotmore seventh with 2,941.

#In the heptathlon girls’ under-15 division, Keyezza Thomas and Alexandria Komolafe led Team Bahamas to third place with 7,617. The Dominican Republic won with 7,813 and Curacao was second with 7,620. Thomas was second with 4,355 points and Komolafe was 19th with 3,262.

#And in the heptathlon boys’ under-15 division, Team Bahamas’ pair of Jahcario Wilson and Kamron Henfield was third as well with 9,029.

#The British Virgin Islands took the top spot with 9,478 and Jamaica came in second with 9,126. Wilson won with 4,798 and Henfield got 21st with 4,231.

#Francis said she was quite pleased with the performances of the team.

#“We knew we were going in with a very strong team and we were the overall winners from the last games and this team was even stronger than the last one,” Francis said.

#“So we knew that we were going to come out victorious.”

#Francis said there were some outstanding performances across the board.

#“In the under-13 girls division, Symiah (Strachan) got first place and Trinity (Rolle) was third, so that division was very strong,” Francis said. “Trinity only missed the second spot by about five points, so they were very strong.

#“In the under-15 girls’ division, Keyezza (Thomas) was second and Alexandria (Komolafe) did very well. That was a very strong area aswell.

#“Jahcario (Wilson) won the under-15 boys division and Kamron (Henfield) was 21st. We also had a strong under-13 boys division. Emile (Higgins) was fifth and Avonte (Lotmore) was seventh.”

#Based on what she saw, Frasncis said a lot of the clubs are concentrating on their youth development programme and it’s paying off.

#“We were looking for the greatest from this crew. This is one of the strongest teams that I’ve seen and they came through,” she said. “I was very pleased with the way the team performed overall.”

#She noted that the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is looking to continue to excel at this level and she hopes that they can duplicate the feat at the next NACAC U13 and U15 Championships in two years.

Jurelle Mullings, far left, of the Abaco and Cays Survivors women’s team in action during the basketball segment of the 6th Bahamas Games. Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

As of Tuesday, July 18, 2023

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#By LEESHAN MORLEY

#Tribune Intern

#WITH Saturday marking the end of the basketball segment of the 6th Bahamas Games, eight athletes were able to stop and reflect on how they felt coming into the games and their excitement going up against the other islands.

#Raynia Russell from Columbus Isles Arawaks women’s team reminisced about being in a competition as big as the Bahamas Games and playing against the other teams.

#“I feel as though it was a good experience, our team came out and did their best.”

#She further went on to express her hopes about the team building a closer connection and coming back stronger next time.

#Tracey Lewis from the Exuma and Ragged Island Navigators women’s team also played with the national team and participated in college basketball leagues.

#Lewis says that coming into the Games she was confident. She felt like the teams were equally matched up.

#“I was happy that all of the teams are matched up well, it’s even, and it was no super team that was put together, so every time we come out and play, we are able to compete and the best team wins.”

#Lashann Higgs, from the Eleuthera Adventurers women team, has also stepped into big competitions by being involved in college basketball and presently playing in Europe. She expressed that it is neat to be able to play against the other islands, especially being off to school.

#Jurelle Mullings from the Abaco and Cays Survivors women’s team was able to speak on how she felt optimistic coming into the Bahamas Games. She spoke about having a good team, with a good mix of veteran and younger players.

#The players were able to gel well on the court while having fun.

#Mullings further went on to say that she loves the idea of playing against other islands. “I love it. If anyone knows me, I’m a nationalist, so just the fact of the Bahamas coming together to do anything gives me joy.”

#D’Angelo Parker from the Grand Bahama Lucayans men’s team expressed that he has not been in a tournament as big as the Bahamas Games, and that being a rookie on the team has been a very good experience. He further went on to say that coming into the Games he just plans to show up and do the best that he can. Parker also mentioned that being in the games was a dream come true for him. “This was one of the tournaments I was wishing to play in and this year it turned out to be a dream come true.”

#Shaquille Evans from the Andros Island Chickcharnies men’s team, is also no stranger to high-level basketball. He has played years of college basketball.

#He also expressed how great it has been to come back, play with old teammates and go up against the other islands while representing his home.

#Christopher Grant from the Eleuthera Adventurers men’s team expressed that this is the first time that he played in an event as big as the Bahamas Games.

#He said he loved the experience and that his team came in and played strong.

#Grant added that it was also great to go up against tough competition and be able to take the win.

#Dylan Musgrove from the New Providence Buccaneers men’s team expressed that he has never been in a competition this big but he came in with a lot of confidence.

#He said it was great to play with his teammates and represent his own island.

#He further went on to say that he liked having the opportunity to be exposed to the way that others play representing their islands.

#His plan was to just take it one game at a time and focus on getting the gold.