Home|Sports|Bahamas Games set to unite people through sports and cultureSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 15, 2023 45 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

With just under three weeks remaining to the start of the sixth edition of the Bahamas Games, here is an outlook on how significant sports is to the nation.

With thousands of young athletes leaving high school annually to transition into college, sports has become one of the major avenues that allows many young Bahamians to get a tertiary education, where they may not qualify financially.

For a small island developing nation like The Bahamas, there is a lead on the world stage and at the Olympic level, coming first per capita with the number of gold medals won. There are eight gold medals in the history of The Bahamas at the Olympics. For a nation with a population of less than 500,000, this is an outstanding feat that Bahamians should certainly be proud of.

Bahamians have left a significant impression in professional sports, with Bahamians performing at the world and Olympic levels in numerous sporting disciplines, including basketball, baseball, track and field, swimming, boxing and sailing, to name a few.

Although competitive, events like Junkanoo have always galvanized the Bahamian people and helped them see the best in one another as they cheer on their fellow Bahamian athletes.

The Bahamas Games, first established in 1989 under the then sports minister Peter J. Bethell, was designed to evolve and revolutionize this spirit of national unity through sports while finding the most gifted athletic treasures and bringing them to center stage.

The succession planning for the games to run every two to three years was engineered to allow young Bahamians to develop their athletic prowess, allow the nation to invest in their development and allow each individual to change their economic status by acquiring an education, even if they did not go into the professional ranks.

The vision of the Bahamas Games was founded by those with a forward-looking mentality of how we as a people could move the nation ‘forward, upward, onward and together’ while investing in future leaders and nation builders and providing them with the support and resources needed to develop as a people while leaving a positive indelible impression on the world.

The games incorporate various sporting disciplines, enabling athletes from throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to not just participate but have an opportunity to develop new relationships and friendships with teammates or competitors they may not have known or interacted with previously for any number of reasons.

Each island in The Bahamas possesses its own unique brand and style that adds to the national whole. Yet sports, regardless of difference, provides an opportunity for national patriotism and understanding.

The upcoming Golden Jubilee Bahamas Games will be held from July 7-15. The opening ceremony will be held on Saturday, July 8, leading into the nation’s 50th Golden Jubilee Independence Celebrations.

This edition of the Bahamas Games will 

incorporate 14 disciplines with various venues with 10 islands or island groupings preparing to put on a spectacular show.

The secretariat will soon announce tickets and merchandise availability, and the public is encouraged to support the Bahamas Games, which is unique to Bahamians as a people and The Bahamas as a nation.

The excitement for this upcoming games is building, and everyone can participate and learn more about the games by going to the Golden Jubilee Bahamas Games website, thebahamasgames.org or visiting their social media handles for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @thebahamagames or TikTok and YouTube @thebahamasgames.

Every Tuesday, and this Thursday, June 15, at 6 p.m., the public is encouraged to tune into the Hype Tuesday show streamed live on the Bahamas Games Facebook and YouTube channels to say who they feel will win the upcoming games and which team they support.

For more information on how to participate in the Bahamas Games or general information on the event, the public is asked to please call (242) 322-1029/69 or send an e-mail to the address info@thebahamasgames.org or bahamasgamessecretariat@gmail.com.

 Home|Sports|Strachan to run in Oslo todaySports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 15, 2023 69 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian female sprinter Anthonique Strachan is hoping to continue what has been a fantastic season for her, running in the Wanda Diamond League Meet in Oslo, Norway, today.

Strachan, who at 29 is having the best season of her life, will be the only Bahamian in action at the Bislett Stadium in the Norwegian capital today. The meet will get underway at 5:30 p.m. local time, 11:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) here in The Bahamas.

Strachan will line up in the women’s 100 meters (m) at 3:30 p.m. today. She will run out of lane two.

It’s a loaded field as five of the eight women have run under 11 seconds this year.

Headlining the field is world silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Shericka Jackson, of Jamaica. She will run out of lane five. Former world championships silver medalist and Diamond League winner Dina Asher-Smith, of Great Britain, will run out of lane four, and two-time world championships medalist Marie-Josée Ta Lou, of the Ivory Coast, will run out of six.

Jackson and Ta Lou are tied for second on World Athletics’ top performance list for 2023 behind American Sha’Carri Richardson with identical season’s best times of 10.78 seconds. Richardson has run 10.76 seconds this year. Asher-Smith and Strachan have clocked 10.98 seconds and 10.99 seconds, respectively.

Gina Bass, of The Gambia, Ewa Swoboda, of Poland, and Daryll Neita and Imani Lansiquot, both of Great Britain, complete the field.

The meet record is 10.82 seconds, ran by American Marion Jones in 1988.

Strachan is having a 

fantastic season, running sub-11 seconds in the 100m for just the third time in her career and second year in a row. She ran 10.99 seconds at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, Jamaica, about two weeks ago, finishing second behind her Maximising Velocity and Power (MVP) Track Club teammate Jackson.

In the 200m, Strachan clocked a personal best time of 22.15 seconds, again for second behind Jackson, at the Rabat Diamond League Meet, in Rabat, Morocco, at the end of May. Jackson ran a season’s best time of 21.98 seconds at that meet.

Today, Strachan will compete in her Diamond League opener in the 100m.

Strachan is in a three-way tie for 16th on World Athletics’ top performance list for 2023 in the 100m and is sixth in the 200m. She will be home to contest the short sprints at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Junior and Senior National Championships, July 5-7, at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

 Home|Sports|Speed Capital coming to The BahamasSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 15, 2023 150 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

In continuance of a busy track and field season locally, the Speed Capital International Championships is set for this weekend at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The three-day meet will get underway on Friday at 6 p.m. and wrap up on Father’s Day on Sunday.

Speed Capital Track Commission President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Luke Robinson said they expect the inaugural meet here in The Bahamas to be lively, featuring some of the best young talent from around the region. Overall, about 600 athletes from about seven countries from around in the region, including The Bahamas, the United States, Canada and Jamaica, are expected to compete. About half of those athletes will be visiting guests, including about 125 from the United States.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) and the National Sports Authority (NSA) have partnered with Speed Capital, a non-profit organization based out of South Florida committed to enhancing youth athletics from an event/performance perspective, educating practitioners on the importance of balancing academics and athletics.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be here and I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for making this happen and being a participant, spectator, coach or club,” said Robinson at the press conference to announce the event yesterday. “There is a Bahamian group of athletes who have been coming to our meets in Florida and we wanted to return the favor through an international meet, showing the same level of support that they showed us. We’re starting small but essentially we have athletes from all over the region. We are going to continue to grow. One of the intentions is to give Caribbean athletes a second option of elite level competition.”

The competition is expected to rival that of the most recent CARIFTA games that was held here at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in The Bahamas. All of the track and field disciplines, with the exception of the pole vault, in a number of youth and junior age divisions, will be contested. The entry fee is set at $20 per day, free for kids under five years of age. There are three-day passes for $45 each. The meet will get underway at 6 p.m. on Friday, 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.

“My expectation is for us is to come and present an experience that is second to none,” said Robinson. “We usually average about 1,000-2,000 athletes per meet, and we’re looking to bring that kind of experience here. We will get bigger and better and we want to continue that experience here in The Bahamas. We’re asking the public to come out and enjoy the show. It will be something that The Bahamas has not seen before.”

Robinson said that they are 100 percent committed to continuing the Speed Capital International Championships, on an annual basis, here in The Bahamas.

Tito Moss, vice president of technical operations for the BAAA, said that is exactly what they envisioned when they welcomed Speed Capital to our shores.

“We are so happy that Speed Capital is here and partnering with the NSA and the BAAA in staging this meet,” said Moss. “Any time that we could be a part of any group of persons who are growing the sport, we in the federation will always be willing and welcome that. We have seen the success that Speed Capital has had with the meets in Florida and we know that they will bring that same level of success here to The Bahamas. We hope that this meet continues to grow and we look for many more to come.”

Derek Green, the director of operations for Speed Capital, said it’s an absolute pleasure for them to be here.

“One of the things that we want to do is improve technology and the experience for the fans and families that will be in attendance,” he said. “We’re going to improve the checking-in process where it is done electronically. We can speed it up or slow it down based on whatever is required. We have the ability to scan 20 girls for a 400 meters event in 50 seconds. We believe that all of these things will lead to the overall experience of the meet being enhanced.”

NSA General Manager Moses Johnson said it’s a pleasure for them to have Speed Capital here for this grand event.

“Speaking with Luke (Robinson) over the past few months, his enthusiasm and infectious attitude toward what he does was a driving point for us to partner with him and Speed Capital,” said Johnson. “We look for a multi-year partnership where we could bring these types of activities here to The Bahamas. I think that this will be a fantastic event and we hope that it continues to grow by leaps and bounds. This one will be great, but greater is coming. The NSA offers its full support.”

Grand Bahama Heats Athletics, the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture have also come on board in the staging of this meet here in The Bahamas.

Raynor Andrews Jr

As of Wednesday, June 14, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#betubbs@tribunemedia.net

#MAKING the switch from The Bahamas to the United States and from basketball to football has paid off for Raynor Andrews Jr.

#The former Noble Preparatory Academy basketball player has secured an athletic scholarship to play for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team next season. 

#On his decision to make the transition from basketball to football, Andrews Jr said it was a conversation he had with a friend of his mother, Lakeya Hamilton-Swann. The friend came to The Bahamas and advised him to move to Florida to play football. 

#After going to Miami last March for a spring training session, the 18-year-old 6-foot, 6-inches and 312 pounds Andrews Jr said he was awarded a scholarship and he begin playing on their offensive line at left tackle. 

#“I missed basketball because it was my first love,” said Andrews Jr, who played on the offensive line at left tackle where they finished with a 7-3 win-loss record for fourth place in the standings. “I got into it and now I love football much more than basketball.”

#Despite the change, Andrews Jr said he will forever be grateful to coach Geno Bullard and Noble Preparatory Academy for really preparing him for moving from the high school to the collegiate ranks. 

#“From Noble and playing basketball, all the stuff that coach Bullard prepared us for,” Andrews Jr reflected. “I already knew what I had to do to stay focused and concentrate on my schoolwork.

#“The workouts over there were different from what we had here, so I couldn’t mess up. I knew if I messed up, I may not have a second chance, so I just had to keep focused and stay on the right track because I didn’t want to come back home.”

#What was so remarkable for Andrews Jr in his journey is the fact that he never played football before leaving The Bahamas.

#“All of my coaches and everyone were surprised about how fast I caught on with everything,” he said. “But I think they felt with me playing basketball, it really helped because I had light feet, and I was quick to play at left tackle.

#“My quick reflexes really helped me, but I think I caught on pretty fast so that really helped me out a lot.”

#Andrews Jr, who spent most of his summers in Black Point, Exuma where he started to play basketball, began playing with the SC McPherson Sharks before he enrolled at Noble Preparatory Academy.

#He left The Bahamas last year to attend Miami Jackson, but instead of playing basketball, Andrews Jr got into football. He will be transferring to Miami Orleans in August before he takes off to start his collegiate career at Rutgers where he hopes to study either Sports Medical or Sociology.

#“I just feel like from the beginning of my recruiting process, this was the school that stood heavily on my mind,” Andrews Jr said. “They kept really close to my family and so when I went for my official visit, my family found out first hand for themselves and so the decision was made to go there.”

#For the past week, Andrews Jr has been back home. One of the first things he wanted to do was to indulge in some of the good old home cooking that he missed, especially from his grandmother, Marylee Strachan. 

#“I also want to focus on helping some of the guys who have been recruited to go to the United States to play,” Andrews Jr said. “I want to work out and show them that if this is what they really want, they have to go for it.

#“I didn’t have anyone there to guide me through it before I left. So I really didn’t know what to expect. But now that I’ve experienced it, I want to show them how hard it is going to be and so I want to help prepare them for it.”

#Andrews Jr is expected to return to Florida in a few weeks to begin his summer workout sessions to get ready for his final high school season before it’s off to college and eventually the pro ranks.

#“I selected Reuters because the OL coach is a former NFL head coach and Super Bowl champion for the Philadelphia Eagles,” said Andrews Jr, who is a big an of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, like most Bahamians.

#Andrews Jr was a huge fan of the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association, so naturally like so many other Bahamians, he was also disappointed that they lost the championship title to the Denver Nuggets in five games.

#“We’re good. Next year,” said Andrews Jr, who predicted that his Heat will return to prominence in the league for another year after falling short in their second trip to the finals in four years.

#Andrews Jr thanked Noble Preparatory Academy, the Black Point Community Association, his uncles and his father, Raynor Andrews Sr, for the roles they all played in his career so far. 

#With two younger brothers. Kaleb Black and Kyis Asquith, following him, Andrews Jr said he will definitely push them to follow in his steps as an athlete, preferably playing football as well.

As of Wednesday, June 14, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#With less than four weeks remaining until the start of the sixth edition of the Bahamas Games, excitement is building for the Bahamian-style Olympics. The Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games is another one of the major sporting events to coincide with the country’s celebration of the 50th year of independence.

#The sporting extravaganza is set to take place July 7-15 with an opening ceremony held on July 8. The games will feature 16 sporting disciplines to be played at 16 different locations throughout the week of competition.

#Rev Harrison Thompson, chairman of the Bahamas Games, was recently appointed to the position after taking over from the retired Martin Lundy. He operated as the chairman for the fifth edition of the games last held in 2001.

#Rev Thompson talked about the excitement as the games draw near.

#“I am really excited about the Bahamas Games that will happen in the next 27 days, God willing, and we are looking for a wonderful and blessed time where the whole Bahamas can be able to come together and be represented through the avenue of sports,” he said.

#At this year’s games there will be 10 teams formed to represent the various Bahama Islands. Persons can join or support teams such as the Abaco Survivors, Andros Chiccharnies, Bimini and Berry Islands Marlins, Columbus Isles Arawaks (Cat Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador), Eleuthera Adventurers, Exuma and Ragged Island Navigators, Grand Bahama Lucayans, Long Island Sheep Runners, MICAL (Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, and Long Cay) Flamingoes and the New Providence Buccaneers.

#Collectively, the 10 teams will compete in softball, basketball, track and field, lawn tennis, swimming, field and beach soccer, indoor and beach volleyball, bodybuilding and powerlifting, boxing, cycling, baseball, youth Olympic sailing, regatta sailing and golf.

#Rev Thompson said the competitors from the various Family Islands are hyped for their first time competing in these Olympic-style games.

#“I am advised that the athletes on the Family Islands are very hyper; they are very ready to go and come and show the rest of The Bahamas what they are all made up of,” the chairman said.

#He added that they are looking forward to a good sporting experience and team New Providence is going to be surprised at the talent that comes out of the Family Islands.

#The Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games was first established in 1989 by former Minister of Sports Peter J Bethell. The event occurred four more times following the start in 1991, 1995, 1998, with the last one in 2001. The games were instrumental in helping to discover new talents throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and also allowed athletes from different sports and islands to be unified.

#While the countdown to the games is ongoing, the Bahamas Games Baton has been on the move. The first stop was in Exuma which was followed by Grand Bahama. The Baton tour will make its commute to all the represented Family Islands as a sign the Games are getting closer and also as a symbol of unity and allegiance among Bahamians. The final destination of the tour will be New Providence.

#Although most of the athletes that will compete across the 16 sporting disciplines were not around for the previous editions of the Games, Rev Thompson had this message.

#“I know these games are a new thing for a lot of Bahamians particularly those under 30. They did not experience the last Bahamas Games because they happened about 22 years ago…this is going to be a great experience for millennials and those around that age set. They might not get to go to the Olympics but they will get the opportunity to celebrate with us here in The Bahamas,” he said.

#The 2023 Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games will continue over a week and the highest overall collective score across the various sports will be deemed the winner of the games.

Coaches Sam Nichols and Patricia Johnson.

As of Wednesday, June 14, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BASKETBALL Smiles, one of the most successful Summer Basketball Camps to come out of the United States, will be returning for its 24th year next week.

#Local coordinator coach Patricia ‘Patty’ Johnson confirmed that the co-ed camp for boys and girls between the ages of 4-16 will be staged from June 19-21 with a change in location to the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. 

#The camp is conducted by Sam Nichols, a retired Hall of Fame head women’s basketball coach at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. He brings the camp to town with the motto: “We bring a week of smiles and hope through basketball.”

#But according to Nichols, “along with basketball, we conduct a daily life skills programme during the camp that emphasises self-respect, academic success, good citizenship, and spiritual values. Our goal is not just to develop basketball players, but help build future leaders in The Bahamas.”

#Nichols will be joined by Texas coaches Adam Young, Jonathan Gibson, Trovoice Jackson, Kyle and Renee Williams, David Bookman, Cam Hurd, Taylor Luster, and Chris Burrow. 

#“This group of coaches comprise a tremendous staff of dedicated coaches with big hearts who love teaching the game of basketball. We have the largest and most experienced staff in the history of Basketball Smiles,” Nichols said.

#“All of these coaches raised their own money and are giving up their free time to come and work with Bahamian boys and girls. The quality of instruction will be second to none, and the love these coaches have for the campers will be second to none.” 

#Johnson, the long-time coach of the Lions at HO Nash Junior High School, welcomed the return of her long-time coach and mentor Nichols as well as his supporting cast.

#“This year, we expect the kids to improve their game as the coaches provide them with more drills,” Johnson said. “We are also looking forward to working with the young kids and teaching them the fundamentals of the game, focusing on proper drilled, proper executions.

#“We will also be working on their attitude towards the game, their selfishness, their attitude in the game and in the camp and in basketball because basketball is the avenue or ticket for some of these players who are interested in going off to high school or college.”

#As one who would have benefitted from a college experience at Fort Valley, Johnson said if the campers use the game wisely, they can take it further and make something of themselves in the future.

#“We will be pushing the educational aspects, making sure that the players are doing their school work because it’s students first and ball players second,” Johnson stressed.

#“So we’re expecting the kids to come out and learn all of these quality tit bits that we have to offer. They will be able to ask the coaches questions about their schools, how kids move from high school to college in the United States and they can inquire what they need to know about getting into college.”

#Nichols comes to town with a wealth of experience, having retired after coaching women’s basketball for 33 years. His last 12 years was spent as Head Women’s Basketball Coach at McMurry University. He retired as the all-time winningest Women’s Basketball Coach in McMurry University history. 

#In 2017 he was inducted into the prestigious McMurry University Athletic Hall of Honor. Sam has also been named as the Women’s Basketball Coach for the All-Century Team at McMurry University.

#Nichols guided the Lady Indians to national prominence during his twelve seasons at McMurry University. He also won several Coach- of-the-Year honours during his career. 

#The camp is open to all high school boys and girls basketball players. However, each day, the girls will be in action between 9am and noon and the boys will follow from 1-4pm. 

#Basketball Smiles is sponsored in part in Nassau by The Atlantis, the Green Parrot, Kelly’s, Bahamas Wholesale, Lickety Split, D’Albenas Company, Wizard Signs, Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise, and Rotary Club of East Nassau. 

As of Wednesday, June 14, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#The 27th edition of the “Peace on Da Streets” Basketball Classic will return to the Hope Center basketball courts, July 24-30. The community basketball event will feature five divisions including the 13 and under, 16 and under, 19 and under, church and open division. For the latter, the team which emerges victorious will go home with a cash prize of $3,000.

#The basketball classic, which has been in existence since 1995, will not only give athletes an opportunity to play in an organised tournament but will also keep their focus away from crime.

#Carlos Reid, event organiser, talked about the purpose of the basketball classic event.

#“We believe that if we can encourage young men to shoot hoops then they do not have to shoot guns so that is the gist of why we do the tournament . . . we need to encourage our young men to do something positive rather than them having to do something negative to end up in the Magistrate or Supreme Court,” Reid said.

#Registration for the “Peace on Da Streets” Basketball classic recently opened in May and will close on July 14.

#Therefore, Reid is encouraging potential teams to register via the “Peace on Da Street” Facebook Page using the QR Code. Among the teams that are currently expected to compete are the Politicians, Pastors, Pirates, and the defending champions, the Team Rotary East Hype.

#This year’s event will also include the IHOP-sponsored slam dunk contest, and Mr Ship it three-point contest. Additionally, there will be a free throw contest between the Lady Pastors and Lady Politicians as one of the newest elements of the basketball classic.

#Reid encouraged Bahamians to come out and support the Bahamian basketball showdown.

#“This tournament is where persons who are on holiday from school look to participate because this is a tournament where all of the ballers in The Bahamas want to win for bragging rights,” he said.

#He also expects college scouts to be in attendance to watch the play of the ballers in the tournament which will present them the opportunity to be granted scholarships.

#Although most of the teams will be males, Reid hopes to see more of an interest from their female counterparts for the yearly tournament.

#“In the past we tried to include girls teams three times but the best we ever had was three teams that signed up . . . if we see where we can get a contingent of female teams we will be open to the possibility of making that happen,” the event organiser said.

#With registration now underway, the basketball classic will also need volunteers. Individuals that are interested can also use the “Peace on Da Street” Facebook Page to sign up.

#The event kicks off on the Hope Center basketball courts at 5pm on July 24.

KEYSHAWN Strachan in action. He is currently recovering from a grade one UCL sprain in his right throwing arm.

As of Tuesday, June 13, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IT was a painful experience over the weekend as Bahamian national javelin record holder Keyshawn Strachan sat and watched the National Collegiate Athletic Assocation’s National Track and Field Championships rather than competing in it.

#The Auburn University freshman had to skip the biggest collegiate track and field extravaganza of the year at the Mike A. Moore Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, because of a grade one UCL sprain in his right throwing arm.

#The injury happened in March and, for the past three months, Strachan has been recuperating with the view of getting ready to compete when he returns home for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships from July 5-7 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

#“It was very difficult because I knew what I was capable of doing,” Strachan said. “I knew I could have won my first NCAA National title. It was tough for me, but I’ve been getting the therapy and treatment to help me get over it.

#“I’m just trying to get back to the shape that I was in at the beginning of the season. But it was really tough because I knew I had the ability to win the title.”

#Although he has had limited action since joining Auburn, Strachan threw his lifetime best of 276-feet, 5-inches or 84.27 metres to improve on his national record at the same site at the Texas Relays on March 31.

#At the NCAA Championships, the winning throw was 261-9 (79.79m) by Tzuriel Pedigo, a junior at Louisiana State University. That was one of the reasons why Strachan was a little uneasy watching the event because he believed he had the potential to throw much further.

#“The only thing going through my mind was that I felt I could have been right there and I probably could have had a good throw on my first attempt and just sat down and watched the competition,” Strachan reflected.

#“Looking at my progression before the injury, my workout predicted that I would have been able to throw about 87 or 88m. After looking at that, I was really upset. But it is what it is.”

#Strachan admitted that things happen, injuries are sustained, and he just had to battle with it when it occurred. He got to see the team’s physiologist and did it tetrapodic work to try to stay focused.

#“I don’t feel too bad or get down on myself because things happen. I know I will get over the injury and so I’m just waiting for them to give me the clearance to compete again,” Strachan said.

#“I was a little concerned, thinking about what if I don’t come back to the level that I was at, but they told me it’s just a mental thing. In three weeks I should be good and ready to go again. I should not let it get to my head or play with my mind. I am just trying to stay positive.”

#The good thing is Strachan doesn’t have to undergo any surgery. He will remain in Auburn until it’s time for him to come home on June 24. In the meantime, he will continue to work on his therapy.

#While he didn’t get the opportunity to pick up the coveted national title, Strachan said he was glad to watch as Rhema Otabor, a junior at Nebraska, secured her national title in the women’s javelin.

#She did it with a winning heave of 195-2 (59.49m), although her toss of 193-8 (59.04m) in the first round had pushed her in front of the 12-woman field that didn’t have anyone come close to her performances.

#“I wasn’t even shocked. I trained with Rhema for the past six plus years, so I know what she was capable of doing,” he said. “She came into the event, almost didn’t make it. But things happen. I know when the competition starts, she will do her thing.”

#Strachan said he knew his Blue Chips Throwers Club teammate would accomplish the feat. He congratulated her and their coach, Corrington Maycock, who helped to prepare her for her collegiate journey before she got to Nebraska.

#Both Strachan, 19, and Otabor, 20, are hoping to make the Bahamas team that will compete in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary from August 16-27. Aslnthough neither have done the qualifying standard, their performances have them in a position to earn an invite from World Athletics, the governing body for the sport.

As of Tuesday, June 13, 2023

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Brenden Vanderpool

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#CARIFTA record breaker Brenden Vanderpool added another accolade to his collection when he was selected as the 2023 Male Field Event Athlete of the Year for the Georgia, Atlanta Track Club.

#The award was presented to Vanderpool on Wednesday, June 7. He was one of four athletes who received awards as the Male and Female Track and Field Athletes of the Year.

#“It’s kind of a surreal experience for the fact that I’m kind of being recognised, not just for the pole vault,” Vanderpool said. “This is my first time that I have been compared to the outstanding athletes in all of the events and I was declared the winner.”

#Just before he was announced as the winner, a video was played featuring Sam Kendricks, the highly acclaimed American pole vaulter, declaring the female field champion.

#Vanderpool said when he saw the video with Kendricks, he knew he had won the male field award.

#“I was kind of taken aback. I wasn’t expecting it,” Vanderpool said. “It’s funny because I did see him at a local Atlanta meet where he was competing.

#“I didn’t meet him because I had to compete. But when he made the announcement, he said he saw me competing in the meet and he was impressed with my performance.”

#Vanderpool was also named to the 2023 All-Metro Track and Field team. The All-Metro team is selected based on scholastic performances in the Metro Atlanta area. Athletes are selected to represent each discipline based on their season best, head-to-head competition, and state performances.

#“This has certainly been a great year for me,” Vanderpool stated.

#“I’ve surpassed all of the expectations that I wanted to do and what I was able to do this year.

#“Last year, my outdoors was really bad. I didn’t like it at all. I jumped just about one inch better than my personal best, so this year was like a redemption for me.”

#Vanderpool, 17, repeated as the champion of the under-20 boys pole vault at the CARIFTA Games held during the Easter holiday weekend at the Thomas A. Robinson National stadium.

#He soared 16-feet, 7 1/4-inches or 5.06 metres to shatter the games’ record of 16-6 3/4 (5.05m) set by Baptiste Thiery of Martinique in 2018.

#His 57-year-old father, Brent Vanderpool, a former Carifta gold medalist in the same event, said he was thrilled to see the progress that his son has accomplished.

#Prior to coming home for the games, Vanderpool broke his father’s national pole vault record of 16-0 ½-inches that he established in 1987 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

#“I think everything he’s getting is well deserved,” said Brent Vanderpool. “He had some stiff competitors in the competition, but I’m proud to see that he was able to outshine them all. It’s just a great feeling. Well deserved.”

#Over the weekend, Vanderpool competed in his latest meet where he captured another first place with a leap of 15-9. He will now compete in the Adidas Nationals next weekend in North Carolina.

#Vanderpool, who is completing his senior year at Whitefield Academy, will enrol at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama in August where the head coach is a pole vaulter who has ensured him that he will be able to improve on his performances.

 Home|Sports|Clubs ready for swim nationalsSports

Coaches say that their athletes will be ready; meet set for Thursday to Sunday

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 14, 2023 19 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The time for fine tuning and tweaking is just about over and coaches from several clubs are ready for the 51st Bahamas Aquatics Federation’s National Swimming Championships set to get underway Thursday and wrap up on Sunday. The event will take place at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

The reigning club champion is Mako Aquatics. The club will be seeking its fifth consecutive title. Head Coach of Mako Travano McPhee said that his club, which has an arm in Freeport, Grand Bahama, is not taking its competition lightly.

“Preparations are intense. The swimmers are focused and are looking forward to a five-peat. We know that being the reigning champions, we will be the target. Our swimmers are using this as fuel to work even harder to secure and maintain this title,” McPhee said.

Last year, Mako Aquatics scored 2,011 points to win by a margin of 368 points over the now defunct YMCA WaveRunners which scored 1,643 to place second.

Barracuda Swim Club was third last year. Head Coach Camron Bruney said that they have been working on team bonding.

“We are easing up on the training load now. We had a lot of team bonding things going on so had to get the whole team together because we are at two pools. The swimmers don’t see each other regularly so we had a couple practices recently where we got everyone together and had fun and raced in the water. We have one last bonding exercise on Wednesday (today) and then compete the next day,” Bruney said.

Another team looking to put up a challenge is fourth place team from a year ago, Alpha Aquatics. They, like Mako, now have a Freeport arm after the WaveRunners disbanded. The 11 Alpha Aquatics swimmers from the nation’s second city will be in New Providence today to join the other members of the club. The Freeport liaison, Ashley Comarcho, said that they have a strong group of swimmers who will be in action.

“We must be there at least a day in advance so they can rest and acclimatize themselves to the big pool because we currently do not have a 50-meter pool or proper guiding blocks here for the Alpha swimmers. This meet is the biggest event aside from CARIFTA and the Goodwill Games and they are excited. They are seasoned swimmers in the sense that they did nationals before, so they know what it takes to get ready,” said Comarcho.

The Blue Waves Swimming Club has been competing at nationals for the past six years and Head Coach Dellan Brown said that he has been preparing his swimmers to swim twice per day like at nationals which has two sessions. His club has also worked on recovery as the meet is very intense. He has the team’s physiotherapist and nutritionist working with the swimmers on a regular basis.

“We initiated our nationals preparations about three weeks ago so we are tapering the workload right now. The swimmers are fully focused and ready to go. We have a solid 8-and-under group of swimmers and mixed talents when we go through the age groups, and a couple CARIFTA and Goodwill swimmers in the ranks. Everyone has a responsibility in achieving our goal which is to increase our points and rankings at the meet,” said Brown.

Lyford Cay Swim Club is a small club compared to the other clubs that were already mentioned, with about 33 swimmers. Head Coach of that club Mancer Roberts Jr. said that they have eased up on practice sessions, eliminating morning sessions.

“We are just sharpening up on our skills as there is not much work to be done now other than fine tuning details to get everyone mentally ready. Nationals is a four-day meet so it is very grueling like CARIFTA so resting is a priority,” Roberts said.

Last year, Roberts said a lot of his swimmers went on vacation because nationals were held in the early part of July. The timing this year worked out for his swimmers as they will be on the island competing.

“The swimmers are excited as this is the meet we talk about all year. The swimmers are ready to wear their new swimsuits and caps. I have swimmers who are moving into new age groups. It is the first time we put together an 8-and-under relay team so it’s a new dynamic for my team. Delaney Mizell is the first one from my club to compete in the 18-and-over category. We’ll be ready to go,” he assured.

Dethroning Mako Aquatics is obviously on the opposing clubs’ agenda. Bruney, who was the head coach for Team Bahamas at this year’s CARIFTA Swimming Championships, said hats off to Mako Aquatics, hailing it as a club with great swimmers and coaches.

“We are focusing on our club and improving our swimmers as best as we can. If we do that, we are going to be the most competitive team that we can be. We have been getting stronger every year. I do not expect this year to be any different,” Bruney said.

Brown prepared his swimmers for the nationals two-sessions multiple days meet by having them compete at about three international meets with that format. He was happy with how his club moved up the rankings in the six years that it has competed. They placed fifth last year.

“We had one goal which was to get better each year and grow the club and we did that. From year one, what we have done was increase points and rankings and we have been doing that well. These swimmers came to us from the beginning. They did not come from any other club. That way and culture gave them more pride and power when they perform. It’s by Blue Waves for Blue Waves,” Brown said.

The meet will feature 50 international swimmers who will be at the meet competing in an attempt to qualify for the Olympics Games in Paris, France, in 2024. The Bahamian 18-and-over swimmers will have a chance to swim against those senior swimmers.

“The older swimmers look forward to the international competition,” McPhee said. “They always respond well to the fast international swimmers who give them that extra push. It’s always good to get that exposure of racing swimmers with that experience.”

The morning sessions of the nationals get away at 9 a.m. daily and the evening sessions start at 6 p.m., except on Sunday June 18 when the evening session starts at 5 p.m.