PICTURED, from left to right, are Nikkita Thompson of NACAC and BAAA executives Demaris Cash, BAAA president Drumeco Archer, Tito Moss and Sheldon Longley.

As of Wednesday, June 7, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is anticipating a grand affair when they host their Senior and Junior National Track and Field Championships next month.

#The anticipation is brewing over the fact that already seven athletes have attained the qualifying standards for the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, in August and a few are close going into the NCAA Championships.

#Against that backdrop, the BAAA will host its joint junior and senior nationals over the weekend of July 5-7 at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

#The venue, however, could change to the new TAR National Stadium, depending on the progress of the renovations underway for the World Relays next year.

#Tito Moss, BAAA vice president of operations, said they have decided to stage this year’s nationals over a three-day period, starting around 3pm each day.

#And he said it will serve as the trials for the NACAC Under-18 and Under-23, set for San Juan, Costa Rica, July 21-23, the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary from August 19-27 and the Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina from October 20 t- November 5.

#“All of our premier junior and senior athletes who wish to represent Team Bahamas in any of those championships must show up,” Moss stated. “We’ve had an exciting year of track and field thus far and we look forward to these trials being an exciting one to culminate and head into those summer meets.”

#Apart from all of that excitement, Moss said the BAAA’s will host a relay carnival where they have invited some of their NANAC and World Athletic family member associations to participate in their bid to qualify their relay teams for the World Championships.

#“We’ve gotten some commitments from a few countries and as we move closer to the meet, we will reveal a little bit more,” Moss promised. “So in addition to the nationals, we are looking to qualifying some relay teams for some of the major events this year.”

#BAAA’s president Drumeco Archer said looking at the composition of what they will present to the public during the nationals, it’s safe to say that there will be generation of athletes from the past competing mixed with a generation of the new rising stars coming forth.

#“As we see the Anthaya (Charlton), Wayna (McCoy) and Terrence Jones and the Rhema Otabor and Keyshawn Strachan, a few who have transitioned from the junior programme to the senior programmes, we’re delighted to see that there is a passing of the baton from a Jyles Etienne and Shaun Miller to Donald Thomas.”

#Coming out of the CARIFTA Games held over the Easter holiday weekend, Archer said there’s been an immense level of enthusiasm for the sport, and they hope it will spill over to the nationals.

#Demaris Cash, the BAAA’s Special Events Coordinator, said every year they are obligated to put on their national championships and this year is no exception with a number of incentives added for both the athletes and the spectators.

#“We want to encourage all fans to come out,” Cash said. “We are going to add some interesting things to this event. We will have a cultural set up where fans can participate, look at junkanoo pieces and eat some food, enjoy some arts and crafts and the kids will have the bouncing castle.”

#Cash, a former quarter-miler, indicated that there will be a wide range of athletes competing from the newcomers to the veterans, so the fans will have some exciting competition to view.

#Archer said with schools being closed during that period, they hope that the school students, especially those in primary schools, will take advantage of the entrance fee of just $5 for children and $10 for adults.

#“I’m expecting some amazing performances,” Archer predicted. “We anticipate taking one of the larger World Championships teams. I believe this set the stage for what we hope to assemble for the upcoming Olympic Games.

#“I think that the sprints will be returning back to the Bahamas. We have a cadre of sprinters that we have not seen in a decade or two, so that is good for the sport.”

#Mythopoetically, Archer said there’s a “season to born and a season to die,” and so they expect that there will be the emergence of new stars and the return of the old ones at the meet.

#Athletes, who won’t be able to make the qualifying standards for the World Championships, could still earn a berth in Budapest based on their world rankings. which is one of the measuring sticks used by World Athletes to complete their lineups for each discipline contested in August.

As of Wednesday, June 7, 2023

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MARTIAL ARTS – The second edition of the Bassai Bahamas Karate-Do Championships was a success this past weekend at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium. Photos: Tenajh Sweeting

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bassai Bahamas Karate-Do hosted the second edition of the open karate tourney/Bahamas Karate Championships this past weekend at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium.

#The day was action packed as competitors clashed in various divisions such as Kumite point fighting, Kata, weapons, kickboxing and the Masters Cup.

#In the second year, the event also honoured the Grandmasters of martial arts Alex Penn, Kenneth Lewis, Frankie Adderley and the late great Basil Rolle.

#Sensei Shawn Smith Sr, chief instructor for Bassai Bahamas Karate-Do International, talked about how impressed he was at this second edition of the Bahamas Karate Championships.

#“I am elated and I thank the Lord for blessing us with such a wonderful tournament today. I am very happy about the turnout of competitors and spectators alike. The tournament in my opinion is a success,” Smith said.

#Sensei Smith was also very happy with the work of the younger karatekas.

#“It was awesome that they came out and performed very well and we had great awards. The young kids are ready and are fighting fiercely in a controlled environment,” he said.

#For the Covenant Masters Cup competition, professor Alfredo Rolle won the kata division with first place after a masterclass performance in front of the judges. Sensei Elrick McKinney was ranked second best by the judges and third place belonged to Master Julian Rolle.

#Rolle, professor at the National Academy of Martial Arts, talked about his win with confidence.

#“It’s some competition out there but I am good at what I do.

#“The competition was in doubt but then after I got out there I had to do what I had to do, putting them behind me and getting to work,” the Master Cup winner said.

#He added that it is always good to compete at a high level because you no longer have to wonder where you are after competing against other greats and you get the motivation to continue.

#The 67-year-old said his win will be a big motivation to his students to get back involved in these competitions.

#In the black belt kata, Antonese Higgs Jr finished first.

#Demetrius Robinson wrapped up second and M Dancer Lightbourne came in third.

#In the senior division for the same event, Ogae Tao Antonese Higgs Sr emerged victorious after executing the best solo martial arts movements.

#Second place finisher was Master Marcus Shadow Rolle. Akash Simmons won the continuous sparring for the lightweight division.

#In the 16-17 division for the boys kata forms, Treyvien Brown placed first in the competition. Johnathan Davis was awarded second place and Osei Mazard nabbed third.

#Brown also collected another first place finish in the 16-17 division for intermediate sparring.

#Mazard this time advanced to a higher position, finishing second.

#Jabari Miller finished on top in the advanced 16-17 boys sparring and Shamar Lewis ended the competition in second.

#One of the main focuses of the tourney was to highlight the Grandmasters while they are alive, according to sensei Smith.

#On Saturday, all of the aforementioned Grandmasters were given their flowers.

#Grandmaster Lewis was acknowledged for being one of the most decorated martial artists in The Bahamas. His accomplishments include the opening of Four Winds Kung Fu in 1972, officiating over 100 international tournaments, and being featured in the Black Belt magazine in 1977. “I would like to thank Master Julian and Smith for the honours bestowed upon me today. I am humbled, honoured and grateful,” Lewis said.

#Grandmaster Lewis said he was pleased with the level of expertise and enthusiasm in the martial arts students and is very proud of the new leaders in the art who will take it to another level.

#Grandmaster Penn received his flowers for accomplishments, including studying karate for over 47 years, being a member of the 1981 Bahamas Full Contact Karate Team, and getting promoted to black belt in 1983.

#“I feel great, it’s an honour to be here. I thank God [because] He has allowed me to be here and to be chosen to walk among these men as the youngest Grandmaster in The Bahamas,” Penn said.

#His advice to the new leaders was to continue the art by maintaining the discipline in martial arts so that the kids can continue to be better persons in their community and life.

#The late Grandmaster Rolle was honoured for his contributions as a former police officer who saw the need for The Bahamas Tong Dojo Karate School of Self Defense in 1967. His school produced individuals such as Master Brian Beckford, Master Julian Rolle and his son Master Haven Rolle.

#Rolle collected the award on behalf of his father.

#“It’s kind of like a culmination of his dedication and service to the martial arts field, mentoring and training children from the ripe age of five until adulthood,” he said.

#He added that it was a grand pleasure to accept on behalf of his father who helped some adults and it proves that everything he taught was the real deal.

#Grandmaster Adderley was the first Bahamian to receive the rank and is an inductee of the Cosmopolitan Florida Hall of Fame. Additionally, he has more than 40 years of experience in martial arts.

#Sensei Smith encouraged parents to enrol their kids into martial arts whether they are troubled or victims of bullying as it will teach them how to rechannel their energy or frustration.

#He emphasised that the martial arts world is about building a community of people that The Bahamas can be proud of.

 Home|Sports|Saunders earns pro card in bodybuilding and fitnessSports

She becomes the 21st Bahamian to reach pro status in the sport; six are retired

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 6, 2023 695 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A trio of young women from The Bahamas turned in some fantastic performances at the International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Roger Boyce Amateur Classic in St. Michael, Barbados, over the weekend.

Leading the charge was Cara Saunders who became the latest Bahamian to earn a pro card in bodybuilding and fitness. Dorcas Cox and Fania Joseph also had top five results.

There are now 16 Bahamian professional athletes who compete in bodybuilding and fitness and six retired pro athletes. The active athletes are: Jameil Hamilton, Jason Johnson, Endierich Rahming, Rasheed Edgecombe, Lorraine LeFleur, LaKeisha Miller, Chanice Bain, Tammy Stubbs, Angelika Wallace-Whitfield, Tanya Moxey-Cleare, Terran Knowles, Darvin Johnson, Kaif Young, Raynor Ferguson, Jimmy Norius and now Cara Saunders. The six retired pro bodybuilding and fitness athletes are Joel Stubbs, Gena Mackey, Natasha Brown, Dominique Wilkinson, Charles Kemp and James ‘Jay’ Darling.

As for Cara Saunders, she was a double winner a year ago, taking the Northern Bahamas and national titles in overall women’s wellness locally, and this past weekend she had a major breakthrough internationally, as she was able to claim the women’s wellness short class title (up to 163 centimeters) in Barbados.

Saunders held off Kayla Joseph of Antigua & Barbuda and hometown favorite Maria Grimes. In the overall category, Saunders finished second to Jamaican Sherea Clarke.

Cox showed what she could do in the women’s body fitness open category, securing a second place finish. Kara-Lynn Belle, of Barbados, emerged victorious. Cox was second and Ashane Gordon-Morrison, of Jamaica, rounded out the top three.

In women’s bikini (up to 164 centimeters), National Champion Fania Joseph had to settle for a fourth place finish. There was a Bajan sweep in this event as Mikhaila Farier came out on top, Trudi-Anne Bovell was second and Cherise Ashby finished third.

Also in Barbados, in the pro segment of the show, Jason Johnson placed fourth among a field of 12 competitors in the men’s physique category, Endierich Rahming competed in men’s physique, Rasheed Edgecombe competed in the men’s classic physique category, and Saunders made her pro debut fresh off winning the women’s wellness short class title.

“Hats off to our athletes for another weekend of hard work, dedication, consistency, determination, commitment and for being goal driven,” said Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (BBFF) President Joel Stubbs. “Great athletes were on display and we were able to walk away with top honors in some categories. Congratulations to Cara Saunders, winner in the women’s wellness short class and as a result, she gained her pro card. Congrats to Dorcas Cox, silver medal finisher in the women’s body fitness (figure) category. Congrats to Fania Joseph who missed the mark and ended up placing fourth in the women’s bikini fitness category.

“In the pro segment, we congratulate Jason Johnson who placed fourth among a field of 12 competitors in the men’s physique category. Congratulations to Endierich Rahming who gave it a gutsy effort as well. Congratulations to Rasheed Edgecombe who again was competitive in a field of fierce competitors in the men’s classic physique category. Lastly, congratulations to our newest pro competitor Cara Saunders who made her pro debut at this event but was not in a top position.

“We say to the rest of you seeking professional status, that the sky is still the limit but to touch and dwell among the stars, you must take your fitness game to another level and achieve. Blessings to all for a job well done.”

The BBFF Northern Bahamas Championships has been cancelled and the novice, nationals and Bahamas Games bodybuilding and fitness will be combined into one event, set for Tuesday July 11 at the University of The Bahamas (UB) Performing Arts Center Auditorium right here in New Providence, The Bahamas.

The Bahamas drawn in Group D in Nations League

 Home|Sports|Charlton runs season’s best, places secondSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 7, 2023 239 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Running in her fifth 100 meters (m) hurdles race this season, Bahamian hurdler Devynne Charlton equaled a season’s best performance with a time of 12.64 seconds, placing second at the 5th Irena Szewińska Memorial at Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium, in Bydgoszcz, Poland, on Tuesday. It is a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Level Meet.

Charlton, who qualified for the final after running 13.02 seconds, powered her way to cross the finish line in 12.64 seconds in the final. That is the fifth time she has run under 13 seconds in that event this season.

Winning that race yesterday was American Alaysha Johnson who powered her way to a time of 12.41 seconds. Finishing third was Ireland’s Sarah Lavin who clocked 12.86 seconds.

Charlton ran out of lane three and got off to a strong start. She and Johnson started to pull away from the field by the third hurdle. Charlton kept up with the American until the seventh hurdle when Johnson pulled away a little bit and the Bahamian held on for the second-place finish.

The national record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles first ran 12.64 seconds this season at the Tom Jones Memorial at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida, on April 15. She placed third on that day.

The Bahamian was coming off a race in which she ran a time of 12.93 seconds at the FBK Games, another gold level meet, at the Blankers-Koen Stadion, in Hengelo, Netherlands on Sunday. She finished sixth in that race.

Fellow Bahamian Anthonique Strachan has been recording some strong times lately, and this past Saturday, the sprinter clocked a season’s best time of 10.99 seconds in the women’s 100m. She did it at the Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. This is the second consecutive season in which Strachan, who trains at the Maximising Velocity and Power (MVP) Track Club in Kingston, Jamaica, has run under 11 seconds, showing consistency.

Strachan was second behind her MVP Track Club teammate, Jamaican Shericka Jackson, the 2022 World Championships silver medalist in the 100m and gold medalist in the 200m. Jackson clocked a season’s best 10.78 seconds to win that race. Finishing third was Jamaica’s Shashalee Forbes with a time of 11.07 seconds.

Strachan has run five 100m races this season and her previous season’s best was 11.02 seconds which she did at her club’s meet back in March in Kingston.

The week before her sub-11 seconds run in the women’s 100m, Strachan clocked a personal best time of 22.15 seconds in the 200m at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme de Rabat, at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah, in Rabat, Morocco, again finishing second to Jackson. Jackson ran a season’s best time of 21.98 seconds at that Diamond League Meet which was held on May 28.

Charlton and Strachan are both expected to be home to compete at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Junior and Senior National Championships, July 5-7.

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas drawn in Group D in Nations LeagueSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 7, 2023 162 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Senior Men’s National Soccer Team knows who they will face in the 2023-2024 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League after the draw was held last month.

The Bahamas remained in League B which is the second tier out of three leagues. They are in Group D with Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda and Puerto Rico. It is a tough group for The Bahamas which is the lowest ranked team in the group.

The highest ranked team in the group is Antigua and Barbuda, according to the latest FIFA (International Association Football Federation) World Rankings. They are ranked at number 133. The Bahamas is ranked at number 203 while Puerto Rico is ranked at number 166 and Guyana comes in at number 170.

League B has 16 teams that were evenly divided into four groups. The teams in Group D will play each other twice for a total of six games – three at home and the other three away for each team. The group winners will be promoted to League A, and fourth-place finishers will be relegated to League C.

The schedule will be announced later.

The Bahamas has played all three countries with matchups against Puerto Rico and Guyana in 2021.

The Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Guyana were in Group F in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers in 2021. Puerto Rico and The Bahamas battled in June that year in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico with the home team taking advantage of The Bahamas and coming away with a 7-0 victory. Guyana and The Bahamas played in neutral territory in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 2021 with Guyana winning that battle 4-0 as the world, in sports, battled back in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antigua and Barbuda and The Bahamas played in The Bahamas at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in October 2018 with the visitors winning 6-0.

The Bahamas will be looking to return the favor against those three teams.

The Bahamas finished third in League B Group C action in the 2022-2023 Nations League competition. They finished with four points with a 1-4-1 win/loss/draw record in the group. The win and the draw came against the St. Vincent and the Grenadines with the win coming with a 1-0 scoreline at home at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. That group also featured Nicaragua and Trinidad and Tobago.

 Home|Sports|Top talent coming home for track nationalsSports

Mega event set for July 5-7 at Thomas A. Robinson Stadium

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 7, 2023 212 6 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The fantastic times and exceptional distances recorded by Bahamians track and field athletes this season are all set for an exciting culmination at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Junior and Senior National Championships, scheduled for July 5-7 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

The three-day meet, which will feature The Bahamas’ best junior and senior athletes, was launched yesterday at a press conference at the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The event will get underway at 3 p.m. each day, and according to BAAA President Drumeco Archer, there is still a chance that it will be moved to the new stadium which is undergoing repairs ahead of next year’s world relays.

On day one of the nationals, the featured events on the track will be the heats and finals of the 100 meters (m) and the heats of the 400m races. The heats of the short and long hurdles and the 400m finals will be held on day two, and the finals of the short and long hurdles finals, the finals of the 200 and 800m events, and the relay carnival will wrap up the competition on day three.

The meet is a qualifier for the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Under-18 and Under-23 Track and Field Championships from July 21-23 in San Jose, Costa Rica; the Pan American Under-20 (U20) Athletics Championships; and the 19th edition of the World Athletics Championships set for August 19-27 at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary.

Team Bahamas is expected to be well represented and athletes must compete at the nationals in order to be considered for any of the aforementioned teams.

“Every year, the federation is tasked with putting on its national championships and this year’s event is expected to be grand. We want to encourage all of the fans to come out and support the athletes,” said BAAA Special Events Coordinator Demarius Cash, the meet director for the nationals.

Cash said that there will be a cultural set-up at the nationals, complete with everything Bahamian from arts and craft, music and food and drinks. There is also expected to be a corner for children with a bouncing castle.

“The cultural village that will be on display, that kind of feature, is so important to the preservation of things Bahamian, and in this 50th anniversary of independence, we celebrate one of the pastimes of this country which is track and field,” said BAAA President Archer. “We are looking forward to the public coming out and supporting this event.”

As far as the action on the track is concerned, BAAA Vice President of Technical Operations Tito Moss said that all of the elite senior athletes and promising junior and collegiate athletes are expected to be home to compete.

“We are looking forward to an exciting championships as all of our junior athletes and the premier senior athletes are expected to be here,” said Moss. “We have had an exciting year of track and field thus far and we are looking forward to this trials being an exciting one, heading into the summer meets.”

One of the breakout stars in Bahamian athletics this season has definitely been Terrence Jones, a junior at Texas Tech University. Jones, who competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week, has already equaled the Bahamian national record in the men’s 100 meters (m) this year, and is the NCAA Division I champion in the men’s 60m indoors.

Indoors, he came within a hundredth of a second of his own NCAA record, running 6.46 seconds this year and outdoors, he has run sub-10 seconds in the 100m twice, including tying the Bahamian national record of 9.91 seconds. In the 200m, he has run 20.05 seconds, becoming the second-fastest Bahamian all-time over that distance.

Jones is one of nine Bahamian athletes to qualify for the Budapest World Championships so far, and he has done so in two individual events (men’s 100 and 200m). The others are Steven Gardiner (men’s 200m and 400m), Alonzo Russell (men’s 400m), LaQuan Nairn (men’s long jump), Anthonique Strachan (women’s 100m and 200m), TyNia Gaither (women’s 200m), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (women’s 200m and 400m), Devynne Charlton (women’s 100m hurdles) and Charisma Taylor (women’s triple jump).

In the relays, the women’s 4x100m relay team is currently in the top 16 teams in the world, thereby holding on to a qualifying spot and the other teams are close to cracking the elite group of world level qualifiers.

The qualifying period for the worlds closes at the end of the month, and there are other Bahamians who are close to the required times and distances.

In the men’s 100m, Clemson sophomore Wanya McCoy ran 10.10 and 20.41 seconds in the short sprints this year, and just might be the stiffest competition for Jones. The standards for the worlds are 10 seconds flat and 20.16 seconds respectively.

Gardiner has re-established himself as the man to beat in the men’s 200 and 400m, and in the latter, Alonzo Russell has stepped forward as a challenger this season. Russell has run the three fastest times in his life in the men’s 400m this year, highlighted by the 44.73 clocking he had at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic in Gainesville, Florida, in April. He is now the joint fifth-fastest Bahamian of all-time in that event, tying Troy McIntosh’s former national record. Junior national record holder Wendell Miller, coming back from an injury, could also pose a threat in the men’s 400m.

Stepping up to the 800m, Joel Forbes is the new man on the scene, taking down a 25-year-old national record. The 24-year-old Cumberland University junior ran 1:49.32 at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Outdoor Track and Field Championships for a second place finish in that event two weeks ago, erasing Chris Brown’s national record of 1:49.54.

Texas Tech freshman Antoine Andrews, just 20, has emerged as arguably The Bahamas’ best in the short hurdles. In the long hurdles, Shakeem Hall-Smith will be aiming for another national title and will be challenged by a bevy of young hurdlers.

In the jumps and throws for the men, strongman Keyshawn Strachan who was once the world leader in the men’s javelin is recovering from an elbow injury and hopes to compete, Nairn will be in action in the men’s long jump, Kaiwan Culmer will be a force to reckon with in the men’s triple jump event and the high jump is always competitive with the likes of Donald Thomas, Jamal Wilson and Shaun Miller.

In the men’s decathlon, Kendrick Thompson and Ken Mullings continue to rack up World Rankings points and inch closer and closer to the qualifying standard for the world championships.

In the female short sprints, 29-year-old Anthonique Strachan is quietly having her best season and is expected to be challenged by Anthaya Charlton, the younger sister of Olympic and world championships finalist Devynne Charlton who has run four tenths of a second faster than she ever did in the women’s 100m this season.

With Miller-Uibo out of the 200 and 400m events, recovering from giving birth in April, some new talent is anticipated.

Charlton should reign supreme in the women’s short hurdles and could be challenged by a trio of women who have each run under 13.10 seconds this year – Charisma Taylor, Denisha Cartwright and Gabrielle Gibson.

In the women’s jumps and the throws, Rhema Otabor in the women’s javelin, Taylor and Androsian Tamara Myers in the women’s triple jump and Anthaya Charlton and Taylor in the women’s long jump are some of the athletes to look out for. Taylor, who has already qualified for the world championships in the women’s triple jump, is close to qualifying in the women’s 100m hurdles and long jump events as well.

Those are just the seniors. The juniors are expected to be just as competitive with a number of young stars rising to the forefront this year and making names for themselves in track and field.

On the senior side, apart from the stringent qualifying standards, athletes can also qualify for the world championships by their World Athletics rankings, by wildcard entry (reigning world champion or 2022 Diamond League Champion), or as the current area champion from his or her respective area championships.

BAAA President Archer said he anticipates that The Bahamas will field one of its strongest teams, for that global meet, in many years.

“When we look at the composition of what we will be presenting over the course of the junior and senior nationals, we will see that a generation of athletes under 30 years of age will be competing, and so succession is something that we are incredibly proud of and we can see that there is a passing of the baton from one generation to the next. That’s a direction of the sport that is indicative of progress,” said Archer. “I am expecting some amazing performances. We have always talked about small country with great wonders and I think that The Bahamas has become a producer of track and field talent, and because of our focus and the attention that we have given to our sport, through the support of parents and family members, and the government and the corporate community, we are indebted to each and every one of you that has made track and field what it is today. There will be the emergence of new stars and the return of old ones at these nationals and we invite everyone to be there.”

Bahamian collegiate athletes and elite athletes training overseas are expected to begin arriving in town from as early as next week.

Once again, the BAAA Junior and Senior National Championships is set for July 5-7 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium, with a possibility of the venue being changed to the new stadium.

 Home|Sports|Christiansen repeats as chess championSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 5, 2023 225 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

For a second consecutive year, Grandmaster (GM) Johan-Sebastian Christiansen has emerged as champion in the Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament open category. The 2023 tournament was held at Breezes Resort. It began on May 31 and wrapped up on June 5.

In the competition, the players played nine intense rounds over four days. It featured players from nine countries including The Bahamas, Spain, Norway, Serbia, the United States of America (USA), Cuba, Canada, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. The tournament utilized the Swiss system which is similar to a round-robin tournament. Cash prizes were awarded to the top five finishers in the open category and the top three finishers in the 1700 and under category.

The highest placed Bahamian in the open category was Dr. Kenville Lockhart who ended up 11th.

The 1700 and under category was won by Jamaica’s Angelus McDonald. Avian Pride, who was the best local player in that category, placed second.

Christiansen, who is Norwegian, was tied with Spanish GM Jose Jiminez with eight points, but won the tiebreaker. He said he was happy to be back and defend his title.

“I was playing at my top level,” Christiansen said. “I was lucky to play good chess and was able to come out with a very good score. I had to come back and defend my title and I was able to do so against a stronger field with more grandmasters.”

Christiansen will be looking to win a third title next year. Finishing third place in the open category was GM David Nieto who scored 6.5 points.

McDonald, who won the 1700 and under category for Jamaica, said he was happy for the competition but wished some other players did not withdraw from the tournament. The Jamaican finished with eight points, looking to move up from his ranking of 1640. He was undefeated and finished with two draws.

“There were some good players in this tournament but I fared well. The victory feels good but I was expecting to play against some other players. They did not show up. The quality was decent but there was more who were left out that was going to make it interesting,” McDonald said.

The 19-year-old is hoping to play in the open category in the future as he looks to move his 1640 rating past the 1700 mark.

Placing third in that category was Jamaican Christopher Murdock with 6.5 points.

Lockhart was the best local player in the open category, finishing 11th with a score of 4.5 points. He said he has a long way to go in the game of chess and is ready to embrace the challenge.

“My play could be better and I have quite a ways to go in my chess career,” Lockhart said. “I enjoyed the competition with our counterparts from Jamaica and playing against grandmasters. The last few days was a real look at how chess should be in The Bahamas. I think this will give us a good push going forward.”

Pride came away with seven points and missed out on winning that section by a point. The 15-year-old said he enjoyed playing in the tournament.

“It was a difficult tournament for me but I tried my best in every game. The best match for me was on Saturday when I played against Terrence Lindo from Jamaica. It was the first time playing against persons from different countries and it was a good experience,” Pride said.

Noah Albury was one of the youngest players in the open section and had the lowest rating – 1482. It did not stop the 17-year-old from putting on a show as he finished 16th out of 24 players. The St. Augustine’s College (SAC) student scored 3.5 points that he had to work hard for.

“Everyone who I played against were better than me. The first day was my best day as I won one and lost one, but it was a battle,” Albury said. “The loss was against a very tough opponent but I feel I played well. The category was tough but I was not scared because I knew I was going to do well.”

The 17-year-old opened the tournament on a strong note as he took down the highest ranked player in The Bahamas, Franklyn Gibson, who has a rating of 1895. Albury is a Candidate Master (CM) elect which means that he can elevate to the CM title but he knows that he has a long way to go.

The wife of the late Orjan Lindroth, Amanda Lindroth, who was a sponsor of the event, enjoyed seeing the level of competition that was on display. There were six grandmasters who played.

“My husband would have been thrilled with the participation level and the quality of chess played. He loved the game and love thought and learning. This certainly was an example of that,” Lindroth said.

The event was hosted by the Bahamas Chess Institute and president of the Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF) Candidate (CM) Kendrick Knowles played. Although he did not perform like he wanted to, he said he was happy with the fierce competition that was on display. He scored 2.5 points for an 18th place finish in the open division.

“It was the vision of Orjan Lindroth to bring in as much international masters to help the sport grow. It was a successful event although it was long and hard. I thought I played some of my best chess but the results would not show that. Hopefully I will play better when I am not the president,” Knowles said.

There were two women in action in the open category and there were five in the 1700 and under category. A total of 33 percent of the arbiters were women.

The title sponsor of the event was Scotiabank Bahamas Ltd.

 Home|Sports|Team confirmed for NACAC Age GroupSports

Eight earn spots on Team Bahamas; set to travel in July

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 5, 2023 294 6 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Following a very competitive Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Age Group Trials and Kids Athletics Championships at the end of last week at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium, an eight-member national team was able to be identified, and will represent The Bahamas at the 4th North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Age Group Championships, July 15 and 16, in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.

The top two finishers in the under-13 and under-15 divisions will receive that honor, going up against the region’s best in about a month’s time. As far as island representation is concerned, the team is split straight down the middle with four coming from Grand Bahama and the other four from the capital New Providence.

In the under-13 girls division, Trinity Rolle from Fast Track Athletics in Grand Bahama won the title, accumulating 2,594 points over the two days of competition. Symiah Strachan from Boost Athletics in New Providence finished second with 2,535 points. Jazae Johnson from the Striders Track Club missed out on the two automatic qualifying spots for the national team but secured the bronze on Friday, finishing third with 2,511 points.

“I was a lil nervous, but my coach just told me to hang in there and I did that,” said Rolle. “I just went out there and pushed as hard as I could and I’m glad that I was able to come out on top. I feel great. I still have to work on my field events some more but I feel good with where I’m at and I’m confident that I will do well at the NACAC.”

Fast Track Athletics Head Coach Rayvanno Ferguson said he is very proud of Rolle.

“She did exceptionally well. She went out there and did what she needed to do. We worked on her weaker events over the past weeks and she was really able to improve. I knew that her strong event would have been the 800 and she went out there and showed how strong she is in that event. I knew that she would have had a far better 800 than most of the other athletes.”

The under-13 girls and boys competed in a pentathlon, doing five events over two days. The under-13 girls did the 60 meters (m), high jump, long jump, ball throw and the 800m; and the under-13 boys competed in the 60m, high jump, long jump, ball throw and the 1,000m.

Rolle comfortably won the 800m, finishing in 2:37.12 to secure her victory in the under-13 girls pentathlon.

A pair of Grand Bahamians, both from Hugh Campbell Primary School in Freeport, Grand Bahama, captured the top two spots in the under-13 boys division. Avonte Lotmore from Grand Bahama Heats Athletics, won with 2,828 points. Emmile Higgins, from Fast Track Athletics, finished second with 2,804 points, just edging Ahkeel Williams, from Fast Forward Athletics, who finished third with 2,801 points.

“It feels amazing,” said Lotmore. “To come here, win and be a part of Team Bahamas is a great feeling. The workouts were hard but I was determined to put in the work. I just have to continue to work on my stamina and speed and I feel I will be okay.”

Lotmore’s coach at Grand Bahama Heats John Ingraham said his athlete was training hard all season and this is the moment that he was waiting for.

“I’m very proud of him. He now has a chance to showcase his talents throughout the whole region,” said Ingraham. “He is an excellent athlete. I’m very proud of him and what he was able to achieve. I told him to just go out there and show me that you want this, and he was able to do that. It’s been a back and forth between Avonte and Emmile (Higgins) all season. They push each other in practice and it’s a good thing that two Grand Bahamians made it through. It’s a proud moment for Grand Bahama.”

The under-15 girls and boys competed in seven events on Thursday and Friday. The under-15 girls did the 80m, 60m hurdles, high jump, long jump, ball throw, shot put and the 1,000m. The under-15 boys competed in the 80m, 80m hurdles, high jump, long jump, ball throw, shot put and the 1,200m.

In the under-15 girls division, Keyezra Thomas from Speed Begins out of Grand Bahama, won easily with 4,159 points. CARIFTA high jumper Alexandria Komolafe, representing X-Treme Athletics out of New Providence, was a distant second, finishing with 3,447 points. Caitylyn Smith, from Red-Line Athletics, finished third with 3,234 points.

Thomas was a qualifier in the 400m for the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games in New Providence, The Bahamas, but was unable to compete because she is under the age limit. To be eligible for CARIFTA track and field, an athlete has to be turning 14 in the year of competition. Thomas is just 13 and won’t turn 14 until 2024. Thomas is also the under-13 girls champion from the 2021 NACAC Age Group Championships in Managua, Nicaragua.

“I feel good. I’m happy,” she said. “I just want to thank God for allowing me to come this far and perform the way that I did. I fell in love with the high jump at this meet so that is definitely one of my favorite events now. I surprised myself with how well I did. I didn’t know that I would have done so well in the high jump. I’m pleased and I’m looking forward to representing The Bahamas again, and bringing home the gold again.”

Keyezra is coached, in part, by her mother Meoshe Thomas, an assistant coach with Speed Begins. The head coach of Speed Begins is Audrick Lightbourne.

“I was pleased with her performance because she worked toward it and the results showed,” said mother and coach Meoshe. “She put her best foot forward and I can’t ask for more than that. I would want her to work on the hurdles a bit more. The good thing is that she saw her mistake in the hurdles and she is prepared to fix that. I also feel like she needs to work on the long jump a lil more. Once she works on those two events, she will be fine.”

Thomas completely dominated the competition, winning the 80m, shot put and 1,000m and placing second in the long jump, ball throw and high jump events. She was fourth in the 60m hurdles. The high jump was the most shocking result as she challenged CARIFTA high jumper Komolafe throughout the competition, finally giving way at 1.58m (5’ 2-1/4”). Komolafe cleared a personal best 1.61m (5’ 3-1/4”) to win the high jump competition.

Coming out on top in the under-15 boys division was Jachario Wilson of Bahamas Speed Dynamics out of New Providence, finishing with 4,495 points. Kamron Henfield of Team Velocity out of New Providence was second with 4,430 points, and Rohman Rolle from Fast Forward Athletics finished third with 4,272 points.

“I feel good about it,” said Wilson. “I had a good start to the meet and I was able to push through. I know I was going to be able to execute. I knew that once I executed in the 1,200 and run my race, I would be fine. I feel like I have to work on the high jump and long jump a lil more and once I do that, I will be fine.”

Bahamas Speed Dynamics Head Coach Darren Lightbourne said he always had the confidence that Wilson would pull through. This is Lightbourne’s second athlete that has qualified for the NACAC Age Group Championships. He guided Jonathan Higgs to a qualifying spot in 2021.

“I feel awesome,” said Lightbourne. “This is Jachario’s first time doing seven events in the multi and he did extremely well. Now, we’ll get ready to travel and represent the country and I have no doubt he will do well again. He’s well-rounded and I’m extremely proud of him and what he was able to accomplish.”

The eight first and second place finishers from the local age group championships, Trinity Rolle and  Symiah Strachan in the under-13 girls, under-13 boys Avonte Lotmore and Emmile Higgins, Keyezra Thomas and Alexandria Komolafe in the under-15 girls and under-15 boys Jachario Wilson and Kamron Henfield, will represent The Bahamas at the 4th NACAC Age Group Championships, set for July 15 and 16, at the Athletics Stadium inside the La Barranquita Sports Complex in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.

Kids Athletics Club Head Coach Sharon ‘Sherry’ Francis will lead that team and she will be assisted by Kenrid Munroe and Mikhilo Strachan. Dr. Karlton Rolle is the Team Doctor and Sonia Black is the chaperone.

“This meet was very competitive and it was amazing to see how the kids went out there and laid everything on the line to complete all of their events,” said Francis. “A lot of the divisions went right down to the final event to decide who the overall winner would be. Some kids would be strong in a particular event and not so strong in another and the results kept fluctuating over the two days of competition so it was very competitive. We appreciate the efforts of the kids. The results were impressive and we will be taking a very strong team to the NACAC Age Group Championships in the Dominican Republic.”

Following the conclusion of the age group trials, the BAAA Kids Athletics Championships was held on Saturday where national champions were crowned in all of the youth age divisions. The BAAA Age Group Trials and Kids Athletics Championships is one of the more comprehensive three-day meets on the local track and field calendar, and brings the youth athletics season to an end.

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas national beach soccer team inspires studentsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 6, 2023 116 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Senior Men’s National Beach Soccer Team made a special visit to D.W. Davis Junior High School to inspire the students and engage with them during their Jubilee Assembly. Several team members, including Jaime Thompson, Lesly St. Fleur, Daron Beneby, Jean Francois and Torin Ferguson, and team manager Julian Thompson, were in attendance.

Jaime Thompson emphasized the importance of education while sharing his personal experience of playing soccer at the University of Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia – a top National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II college. St. Fleur, a D.W. Davis alumnus and a top Bahamian soccer player with the most goals in Bahamian beach soccer history, expressed his joy in returning to his alma mater and giving back to the school.

The team members introduced themselves to the students, shared short stories of their soccer journeys, and participated in a fun juggling session with members of the school’s boys and girls soccer teams at center court.

The visit also served as an opportunity for the Bahamas Football Association (BFA), highlighting the importance of that association giving back to the community. The BFA is encouraging all schools to support the national beach soccer team.

By engaging with the students and showcasing their passion for the sport, the national beach soccer team aims to inspire the next generation of soccer enthusiasts and promote the importance of education, hard work, and dedication in achieving success both on and off the field.

 Home|Sports|Jones averaging career-low numbers, but team winningSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 6, 2023 160 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian professional women’s basketball player Jonquel ‘JJ’ Jones and the New York Liberty split a mini series with the Chicago Sky this past weekend, ending a four-game winning streak in the 2023 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) season. They won the opener, 77-76, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois, on Friday and dropped the encore, 86-82, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday.

Jones and the Liberty now stand at a 4-2 win/loss record, third in the WNBA Standings behind the undefeated Las Vegas Aces (6-0) and Jones’ former team, the Connecticut Sun (6-1). Jones spent six years with the Sun before coming over to New York in an offseason trade. She and the Liberty gave the Sun their only loss of the season.

Coming back from a foot injury, it’s been an inauspicious start for the 29-year-old Bahamian post player, averaging just nine points and four rebounds per game – both at the lowest since her rookie season in the WNBA. She is averaging just 18.3 minutes per game, also the lowest since her rookie season. Defensively, she is averaging career-low numbers in blocks (1.0) and steals (0.2). She is still shooting at a high percentage – 51.1 percent from the field and a career-high 50 percent from deep.

Jones’ teammate Breanna Stewart, who also was an offseason addition, is flourishing in the Liberty’s offensive system, averaging a career-high 23.7 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field. She is also contributing career-high numbers in rebounds (10.5), steals (2.2) and three pointers made at 2.3 per game. Both Jones and Stewart are starting over with a new team after spending all of their careers in Connecticut and Seattle, respectively.

Stewart has been explosive and her production seems to be coming at the cost of Jones – each a former Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the league.

Jones is barely getting more minutes than backup center Stefanie Dolson who is at 14.2 minutes per game. Jones, Stewart and all-star guard Courtney Vandersloot came together to win a title in New York this season, and it’s been working out for the Liberty as they are just coming off a four-game winning streak and are right in the mix, but Jones seems to be the one of the trio whose level of production has been impacted the most thus far. Vandersloot is enjoying her seventh straight season in double figures scoring at 10.5 points per game.

As for the game on Sunday, Kahleah Copper scored 27 points and Courtney Williams added 12, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to help the Sky rally from 19 points down to beat the Liberty in their second game in three days. On Friday, the Liberty rallied for a one-point win on a shot by Stewart with 7.1 seconds left.

This is the second consecutive year that the Sky pulled off a monumental comeback. Last season they rallied from 28 points down to beat the Aces, setting a WNBA record.

In the two games, Jones combined for just 19 points and eight rebounds. She shot 44.4 percent from the field in the first game and 57.1 percent from the floor in the second game – both Commissioner’s Cup contests. The Commissioner’s Cup is an in-season competition throughout the regular season, with players competing for a prize pool and an additional pool of money for charitable and civic organizations. There are 10 games per team in the tournament and the team from each conference with the top record in designated ‘Cup games’ will compete for the Commissioner’s Cup title and a special prize pool. Cup games are the first home game and first road game each team plays against its five conference rivals.

The Liberty return to action on Wednesday, taking on the Minnesota Lynx (1-6) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. That game tips off at 7 p.m.

There are high expectations surrounding the Liberty this season, as they look to win the franchise’s first WNBA title. Jones is also looking for her first title, seven years into her career.