Home|Sports|BTC to serve as title sponsor for Geriatrics Push-a-ThonSports

Home|Sports|BTC to serve as title sponsor for Geriatrics Push-a-Thon

Photo of The Nassau Guardian The Nassau Guardian Send an emailMay 26, 2023 411 2 minute read
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From left are Sandra Mortimer-Russell, Dr. Sasha Dorsett, of Sandilands Rehabilitation Center; Deputy Governor General Cynthia Pratt; Dr. Indira Minus-Grimes, of Sandilands and BTC CEO Sameer Bhatti. BTC
Understanding that healthy aging is vital to the social, mental, and physical health of a country’s geriatric population, Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has stepped up to serve as the title platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatrics Push-a-Thon on Saturday, June 3.

The push-a-thon is an exciting push, walk and run event that is hosted by the Public Hospitals Authority and Sandilands Rehabilitation Center. The event was introduced as a creative way to promote mobility while engaging caregivers and the community at large.

This year’s run, walk and push-a-thon theme is, PUSHH on Bahamaland – Positively Uplifting Seniors with Helping Hands, and the event is being held under the patronage of Deputy Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

Dr. Sasha Dorsett, chairperson of the push-a-thon, said: “We are so thankful to have BTC serve as our title sponsor for Push-a-Thon 2023. This corporate sponsorship provides the Geriatric Hospital with an opportunity to partner with the BTC community and will give the

hospital significant financial support. The funds from BTC and other corporate sponsors will be utilized to purchase accessories and assist seniors with walking aids, proper footwear, and the purchase of 50 wheelchairs to ensure safe and effective mobility.”

BTC has contributed $5,000 toward the push-a-thon’s success.

The company is encouraging its team members to lend their support by registering to participate.

BTC Chief Executive Officer Sameer Bhatti said the company is happy to serve as a platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatric Push-a-Thon, which promotes healthy aging and encourages older persons to be physically active.

“We are always willing to support any efforts that are being taken to ensure that our precious senior citizens adopt ways to stay active and feel included,” Bhatti said. “Our sponsorship and those of others will ensure that the elderly is given the tools that are needed to maintain their independence and live longer lives. We are, therefore, encouraging our staff and the general public to register and support this upcoming event, which is also open to walkers and runners.”

Since the beginning of this year, BTC has implemented several initiatives to encourage its employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Bhatti and his family hosted a recent farmers market at BTC Perpall Tract location where colleagues were able to enjoy Eleuthera grown vegetables free of charge.

In recognition of Earth Day, BTC teamed up with the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs to purchase 500 fruit and vegetable backyard farming kits, which were distributed to BTC colleagues on New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, Long Island, Exuma and Andros. Kits were also distributed to Family Island schools with the goal of having students embrace farming and feeding themselves at an early age.

The company also recently wrapped up its wellness week that included a health fair and a number of activities and learning sessions to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles.

Persons interested in participating in this year’s push-a-thon can register at the website: www.pushathon242.com or at the Sandilands Geriatric Hospital. There is a registration fee of $15 that can be paid at the Sandilands business office or via Cash and Go.

The run, walk, push-a-thon will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 3. There will be warm-up at 6:15 a.m. and there will be staggered times for walkers, runners and pushers.

The event will start at the entrance of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center, turn south onto Fox Hill Road to Yamacraw Road, turn east on Yamacraw to Commonwealth Boulevard, turn north on Commonwealth Boulevard through Elizabeth Estates to Prince Charles Drive, turn west on Prince Charles Drive to Fox Hill Road, and then turn south on Fox Hill Road ending at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMay 26, 2023 411 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Understanding that healthy aging is vital to the social, mental, and physical health of a country’s geriatric population, Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has stepped up to serve as the title platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatrics Push-a-Thon on Saturday, June 3.

The push-a-thon is an exciting push, walk and run event that is hosted by the Public Hospitals Authority and Sandilands Rehabilitation Center. The event was introduced as a creative way to promote mobility while engaging caregivers and the community at large.

This year’s run, walk and push-a-thon theme is, PUSHH on Bahamaland – Positively Uplifting Seniors with Helping Hands, and the event is being held under the patronage of Deputy Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

Dr. Sasha Dorsett, chairperson of the push-a-thon, said: “We are so thankful to have BTC serve as our title sponsor for Push-a-Thon 2023. This corporate sponsorship provides the Geriatric Hospital with an opportunity to partner with the BTC community and will give the 

hospital significant financial support. The funds from BTC and other corporate sponsors will be utilized to purchase accessories and assist seniors with walking aids, proper footwear, and the purchase of 50 wheelchairs to ensure safe and effective mobility.”

BTC has contributed $5,000 toward the push-a-thon’s success.

The company is encouraging its team members to lend their support by registering to participate.

BTC Chief Executive Officer Sameer Bhatti said the company is happy to serve as a platinum sponsor for the 12th Annual Geriatric Push-a-Thon, which promotes healthy aging and encourages older persons to be physically active.

“We are always willing to support any efforts that are being taken to ensure that our precious senior citizens adopt ways to stay active and feel included,” Bhatti said. “Our sponsorship and those of others will ensure that the elderly is given the tools that are needed to maintain their independence and live longer lives. We are, therefore, encouraging our staff and the general public to register and support this upcoming event, which is also open to walkers and runners.”

Since the beginning of this year, BTC has implemented several initiatives to encourage its employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Bhatti and his family hosted a recent farmers market at BTC Perpall Tract location where colleagues were able to enjoy Eleuthera grown vegetables free of charge.

In recognition of Earth Day, BTC teamed up with the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs to purchase 500 fruit and vegetable backyard farming kits, which were distributed to BTC colleagues on New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, Long Island, Exuma and Andros. Kits were also distributed to Family Island schools with the goal of having students embrace farming and feeding themselves at an early age.

The company also recently wrapped up its wellness week that included a health fair and a number of activities and learning sessions to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles.

Persons interested in participating in this year’s push-a-thon can register at the website: www.pushathon242.com or at the Sandilands Geriatric Hospital. There is a registration fee of $15 that can be paid at the Sandilands business office or via Cash and Go.

The run, walk, push-a-thon will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 3. There will be warm-up at 6:15 a.m. and there will be staggered times for walkers, runners and pushers.

The event will start at the entrance of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center, turn south onto Fox Hill Road to Yamacraw Road, turn east on Yamacraw Road to Commonwealth Boulevard, turn north on Commonwealth Boulevard through Elizabeth Estates to Prince Charles Drive, turn west on Prince Charles Drive to Fox Hill Road, and then turn south on Fox Hill Road ending at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

 Home|Sports|Champions crowned in GSSSA soccerSports

Magic take down Knights 2-1 to win senior boys division

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 25, 2023 323 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Soccer Championships got rained out this past Friday, four champions were crowned yesterday at the Roscow A.L. Davies Soccer Field.

The Government High Magic won the senior boys division, while the C.R. Walker Knights won the senior girls division. In the junior division, Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves won the boys division, while the H.O. Nash Lions lifted the title in the girls division.

The Magic pulled off the 2-1 comeback victory over the Knights in the senior boys division by scoring both goals in the second half. The Knights looked like they were about to pull off the upset and hand the Magic their first loss of the season, however, they were unable to sweep the senior division.

After the game was knotted at 1-1 in the second half, both sides were fighting for the go-ahead goal, but it came down to which team wanted it more and which was fitter. Just like in the playoffs, Most Valuable Player (MVP) Wilder Petit-Homme stepped up and found the back of the net to help his Magic to defend their title from 2019.

Head coach of the Magic, Melvin Miller, needed to catch his breath after running across the field to his fans as he basked in the moment.

“This feels awesome,” Miller said. “We came out here and had a little difficulty at first. We regrouped at the half and ironed out our kinks, went back out there and gave them the ‘magic’. At Government High, we don’t do average, we do awesome.”

The Knights went into halftime up 1-0 on a goal from Kevin Thomas. Miller fixed his midfield, tightened it, and pressed the Knights’ defense. It worked for the Magic and Brian Miller broke past the defense and scored the equalizer.

After the 2-1 lead, both teams lost a player each to a red card. The Magic tried to find a third goal, but could not find the back of the net.

One day after both teams played in the girls division of the Sam P. Haven Jr. National High School Soccer Championships, the Knights took care of the R.M. Bailey Pacers 3-0 to win the senior girls title.

Like Tuesday night, the MVP, Valtinique Simmons, was the hat-trick hero as she led her team to victory once again. Over the two games, the 10th-grade student-athlete notched six goals. Simmons’ final two goals came from outside of the Pacers’ 18-yard box, as she prevented the Pacers from any thoughts of a comeback. Both goals were in the second half.

“I came with the mindset today (Wednesday) that I was going to score another hat trick and I did just that,” Simmons said. “I owe the goals to my teammates and coaches. I am happy and excited to win the championship and we came out with the mindset to win.” 

Her first goal came in the first half from a deflection that she tapped past the Pacers’ goalkeeper, to put her team up 1-0 in the first half.

The Knights were dominant in the victory, winning the loose balls and attacking the Pacers’ half.

In the junior boys division showdown between the Timberwolves and the S.C. McPherson Sharks, a penalty shootout was needed to determine a winner. In the end, the Timberwolves won 3-2 on penalty kicks. The game ended 1-1 after regulation. Scoring first was the Timberwolves’ Arayshio Green, who won the MVP award for his goal in the first half. Steven Desir equalized the game for the Sharks a few moments later.

The junior girls division saw two unanswered second half goals by the Lions to take down the C.H. Reeves Raptors 2-0. Scoring for the Lions first was Zante Ferguson, while Evanice Sands scored the second goal to put away the game. Sands won the MVP award.

It is the end of the sports year for the GSSSA, as they were able to get in all their core sports since 2019.

The Magic senior boys and the Knights senior girls teams advanced to the semifinals of the Sam P. Haven Jr. National High School Soccer Championships earlier in the week. The Magic play the feature game against Lucaya International School Buccaneers at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Knights play Queen’s College Comets at 6.30 p.m. on Friday.

 Home|Sports|Adderley receives SWAC honorsSports

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Adderley receives SWAC honors
Photo of Simba French Simba French Send an emailMay 25, 2023 359 2 minute read
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Bahamian collegiate baseball player Daalen Adderley shows off his honors from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Bahamian collegiate player Daalen Adderley had a superb season for his Texas Southern University Tigers, helping them to a 31-20 win/loss season. For his play, he was Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Player and Hitter of the Year and was named to the All-SWAC baseball first team.

Adderley, who plays in the left field for the Texas Southern University Tigers, had a batting average of .423 in regular season play that put him as one of the top batters in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. His batting average has him ranked at number six in the national rankings. In addition, his on-base percentage of .544 has him ranked number four in the nation.

“It feels good to receive these awards because of the work ethic that I put in. It shows what I have accomplished for the team and helped us to win throughout the season. It has helped to push the team towards the playoffs,” Adderley said.

In total, he finished with 74 hits in 175 at-bats in the 50 games that he played in. Adderley also has 42 runs batted in. The junior has six home runs, 14 doubles, and one triple to go with 17 stolen bases.

“It took consistent work every day and not getting satisfied or comfortable. It was about wanting it more and more. I did not notice I was doing that well until my friends were showing me on social media accounts and posting it. I am not a stats guy, but when I found out I had to keep it going and believing in God has kept me going,” Adderley said.

His play this season has earned him a spot on the Minority Baseball Prospects Historically Black Colleges and Universities All-Star Game roster, that is slated for June 3 at 7:15 p.m. He was selected as a captain of the all-star team.

“I was very surprised because of how quickly they chose me. I was doing well so I can understand why, but I was excited and still excited to be a part of that. It is a privilege,” Adderley said.

His Tigers were in action yesterday in the SWAC tournament. They lost 9-1 against the Florida A&M Rattlers. It was a close 1-0 lead for the Rattlers at the end of the sixth inning. They scored eight runs in the final three innings. Adderley batted second and finished 1-for-3.

They will face either Prairie View A&M or Alabama State University this morning at 9 a.m. at the Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Adderley played in the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) and attended Queen’s College. He left after Grade 8 and went to McCallie Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He later went to Tusculum University and Wabash Valley College, before going to play for the Tigers.

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 25, 2023 359 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian collegiate player Daalen Adderley had a superb season for his Texas Southern University Tigers, helping them to a 31-20 win/loss season. For his play, he was Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Player and Hitter of the Year and was named to the All-SWAC baseball first team.

Adderley, who plays in the left field for the Texas Southern University Tigers, had a batting average of .423 in regular season play that put him as one of the top batters in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. His batting average has him ranked at number six in the national rankings. In addition, his on-base percentage of .544 has him ranked number four in the nation.

“It feels good to receive these awards because of the work ethic that I put in. It shows what I have accomplished for the team and helped us to win throughout the season. It has helped to push the team towards the playoffs,” Adderley said.

In total, he finished with 74 hits in 175 at-bats in the 50 games that he played in. Adderley also has 42 runs batted in. The junior has six home runs, 14 doubles, and one triple to go with 17 stolen bases.

“It took consistent work every day and not getting satisfied or comfortable. It was about wanting it more and more. I did not notice I was doing that well until my friends were showing me on social media accounts and posting it. I am not a stats guy, but when I found out I had to keep it going and believing in God has kept me going,” Adderley said.

His play this season has earned him a spot on the Minority Baseball Prospects Historically Black Colleges and Universities All-Star Game roster, that is slated for June 3 at 7:15 p.m. He was selected as a captain of the all-star team.

“I was very surprised because of how quickly they chose me. I was doing well so I can understand why, but I was excited and still excited to be a part of that. It is a privilege,” Adderley said.

His Tigers were in action yesterday in the SWAC tournament. They lost 9-1 against the Florida A&M Rattlers. It was a close 1-0 lead for the Rattlers at the end of the sixth inning. They scored eight runs in the final three innings. Adderley batted second and finished 1-for-3.

They will face either Prairie View A&M or Alabama State University this morning at 9 a.m. at the Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Adderley played in the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) and attended Queen’s College. He left after Grade 8 and went to McCallie Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He  later went to Tusculum University and Wabash Valley College, before going to play for the Tigers.

 Home|Sports|BLTA set to host ITF TournamentSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMay 25, 2023 211 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) is pleased to announce its return to hosting international tournaments. The J30 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junkanoo Bowl will see players from all over the world converging at the National Tennis Centre on June 24-July 1.

The qualifying rounds will occur on June 24-25 and the main draw starts on Monday, June 26. The BLTA anticipates that some local players will have the opportunity to play in their first ITF tournament on home soil.

Players are eligible to compete on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors in the year they turn 13, if they have reached their 13th birthday on or before the start of the singles main draw of the tournament they are competing in, until the end of the year in which the player turns 18 years of age.

BLTA President Perry Newton expressed his pleasure on the BLTA being able to put on this international tournament once again post-COVID, and to offer this opportunity to locals as well as international juniors.

“Tournament travel is expensive and if we can host this tournament in our country, it provides an avenue for our talented juniors to get exposure and match play,” Newton said.

The tournament normally features juniors from the United States, Canada, Europe, Italy, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The association expects athletes from over 20 countries, and the tournament will be great for the country and for tennis in The Bahamas.

The tournament is being sponsored by RMS Insurance Agents and Brokers

 Home|Sports|Semifinals set in soccer nationalsSports

Girls and boys are set to play on Friday; finals on Saturday

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 24, 2023 332 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

It was a busy afternoon at the Roscow A.L. Davies Soccer Field as six senior girls teams battled for three spots in the upcoming semifinals of the Samuel P. Haven Jr. National High School Soccer Championships. In the end, it was the Lyford Cay International School Dragons, the C.R. Walker Knights and the Queen’s College Comets who secured spots yesterday afternoon, winning their quarterfinal matches.

Those three schools will join the Bishop Michael Eldon School Warriors in the semifinals set for this coming Friday.

In the featured game of the day, the Comets took care of the R.M. Bailey Pacers, 1-0. The game was decided by a penalty kick by Alexis Williamson in the first half. The penalty was awarded after the Pacers were whistled for a handball in their own box.

The game was an aggressive one but the Comets had more shots and more shots on goal than the Pacers. Comets’ Head Coach Deborah Humes said that it was a good game between two good teams playing each other.

“There was a lot of pushing and shoving for the ball which is how we play sometimes. We play a little bit more skillfully and getting pushed off the ball is not something we are used to. We could have done a little better there but we had 10 shots on target and we dominated the game. We played in our half for most of it,” Humes said.

The Comets were missing a few of their senior girls who were preparing for exams today. Humes expects them back in the semifinal game and the final once they make it through.

In the second game of the afternoon, Valtonique Simmons picked up a hat-trick to help the Knights take care of the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine, 3-0. It was a very aggressive game but Simmons was strong early and often. She was able to find the back of the net in the first half to send her team into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

“We knew that we could win the game,” Simmons said. “I am happy to help my team … we did an excellent job today.”

Simmons scored midway through the second half to put the Knights up 2-0. Simmons did not rest after her second goal as she looked for a hat-trick. She finally got it late in the second half as she pressed SAC’s box and blasted a shot into the right side of the net to complete the hat-trick.

Knights’ Head Coach Dan Weightman said it was a very hot game and his girls had to push. He said he had to use his bench a lot and it paid off for him.

“They were able to pick each other up and the subs did their job. The girls wanted to go deep in the tournament. They are undefeated with a very successful season. They did not want to go out in the first round. We had to win this game,” Weightman said.

The first game was dominated wire-to-wire by the Dragons as they dropped five unanswered goals on the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves to win, 5-0.

Dragons’ Head Coach Sarah Ilgenfritz was happy with the way the team came out.

“The girls came out with a lot of grit. The last time we played was not a good result. We came out hungry and I was not surprised that we did. They worked hard and did exactly what we talked about in practice,” Ilgenfritz said.

After a quiet start to the game, CARIFTA swimmer Delaney Mizell got the Dragons on the scoreboard. On the Timberwolves’ kick-off after the goal, Yasmin Kennedy stole the ball and dribbled into the Timberwolves’ box and scored to put the Dragons up 2-0.

Melissa Beukes scored a goal for the Dragons to put them up 3-0 in the second half. The Dragons shared the ball, and as a result, had three different goal scorers.

Issa Bournas became the fourth goal scorer for the Dragons as the game got more out of reach for the Timberwolves. Bournas was not finished as she scored again before the end of the game to put in the fifth goal in the back of the net.

Co-captain and goalkeeper for the Dragons Lillian Haynes did not have much to do but she was happy with the team’s victory.

On Monday, the boys were in action and the Government High School (GHS) Magic, the Timberwolves, and the Dragons secured spots in the semifinals on Friday. After a scoreless game in regulation, the Magic won 4-3 on penalty kicks over the St. Anne’s Blue Waves. The Timberwolves won 2-1 over the St. Andrew’s Hurricanes and the Dragons won 3-2 over the Knights.

The fourth team in the semifinals for the girls and the boys are the Warriors out of Grand Bahama on the girls side and the Lucaya International School Buccaneers, also out of Grand Bahama, on the boys side.

The semifinals are set for Friday and the third place games and finals are set for Saturday. There will be a Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy awarded in both divisions.

Home|Sports|Newton excited about senior teams
Sports

Photo of Simba French Simba French Send an 24, 2023 296 2 minute read
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Perry Newton.
It has been a busy year for the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) internationally but that has been with the juniors. Their senior teams will be in action in June and July in the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup tournaments respectively and the president of BLTA, Perry Newton, is looking forward to seeing those teams in action.

The Davis Cup will get underway on June 19 at the Club Internacional de Tenis in Asuncion, Paraguay. The Billie Jean King Cup is set for July 26-29 at the Centro Nacional De Tenis Parque Del Este in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Newton saw Marvin Rolle and Donte Armbrister book the remaining two spots on the Davis Cup team and teenager Sapphire Ferguson and Simone Pratt securing their spots on the Billie Jean King Cup team this past weekend at the national team trials.

“We had Rolle and Armbrister face off as well as Ferguson and Pratt. We are excited about the teams as usual. Whenever we have an opportunity to compete it is exciting because that is what we train and prepare for – the opportunity to compete and to compete at a high level,” Newton said.

The other members on the Davis Cup team are Denali Nottage and professional tennis player Kevin Major Jr. Elana Mackey and Sydney Clarke are the other two members of the Billie Jean King Cup team. Rolle will be making his 19th appearance at Davis Cup while Major is making a seventh appearance. Armbrister will make his second appearance and Nottage, who is the national champion, will be making his debut.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) made a change to zone play where zone two is now a world group and zone three has a lot of high quality teams. The Bahamas is competing in zone three.

“I am excited about the men’s team,” Newton said. “It is just an amazing process and it is amazing to see the level of competition throughout the region based on some changes the ITF has done. It is a joy to be in that zone and be able to compete at that level. That level of exposure is what we seek to get because we have to prove that we can compete at a high level.”

Pratt is making her seventh appearance on the Billie Jean King Cup team while Clarke is making her fifth appearance. Mackey, the nation champion, will be making her fourth appearance while Ferguson is making her debut. Newton said he is looking forward to their play, especially for 15-year-old Ferguson.

“I am excited for Ferguson as it is her first time on the team and just to be able to go and experience this level of play, is an accomplishment. It is a career defining moment and hopefully, she will be able to take away a lot of lessons and gain a lot of experience to help her in her personal development,” Newton said.

The other teams participating in the Davis Cup tournament are Bermuda, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Venezuela. There will be two round robin groups with one having four teams and the other one having five teams. Three nations will be promoted and two will be relegated.

The other teams that will be competing at the Billie Jean King Cup tournament are Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Two teams will be promoted and two will be relegated.

 Home|Sports|Cartwright wins 100m hurdles titleSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 31, 2023 1,727 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

This past weekend was a busy one for Bahamian athletes competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships on the campus of Colorado State University in Pueblo, Colorado.

Denisha Cartwright’s Minnesota State University (MSU) at Mankato Mavericks placed second overall, and Cartwright earned All-American honors.

The Mavericks scored 57 points for the second-place finish, coming behind the Azusa Pacific University Cougars who won with 66 points.

Cartwright, a junior, won the 100 meters (m) hurdles title, clocking a wind-aided 12.94 seconds. The race was ran with a tailwind of 4.9 meters per seconds (mps), and in the end, Cartwright came out on top, earning the title of national champion in that event for a second consecutive year. The time is not legal, but Cartwright went into the meet with a NCAA Division II best 13 seconds flat and had a time of 13.15 seconds in the preliminaries. The junior earned All-America honors for her performance.

Cartwright finished ahead of Missouri Southern University’s Kiara Smith who crossed the finish line a distant second in a time of 13.13 seconds. Finishing third was the Cougars’ Esther Conde-Turpin with a time of 13.14 seconds.

Cartwright was also in action in the 200m and her time of 23.10 seconds was good enough to give her a silver medal. Winning that race was Divonne Franklin from California University of Pennsylvania who stopped the clock at 22.77 seconds. Simon Fraser University’s Marie-Eloise Leclair was third in a time of 23.14 seconds.

The Bahamian was not finished competing as she went on to the track to run the 100m dash. Cartwright missed out on a podium finish, ending up fourth in a wind-aided time of 11.13 seconds. Winning that race to secure the double was Franklin in a time of 11.09 seconds.

Along with those three individual events, Cartwright was also on the track for the 4x100m relay with teammates Ja’Cey Simmons, Rose Cramer and Makayla Jackson. The race in the final was a strong one as it was a battle between the Mavericks and Lincoln University of Missouri for the top spot. In the end, it was one one hundredth of a second that separated the two with Lincoln finishing with a time of 44.20 and the Mavericks clocked 44.21 seconds. West Texas A&M won the bronze medal in 44.23 seconds. The Mavericks’ quartet had the third fastest time in the preliminaries – 44.47 seconds.

Cartwright has earned a total of 19 All-American awards in her collegiate career.

Another Bahamian competing at the meet was Robyn Rolle-Curry. She competed for the Minnesota State University (MSU) at Moorhead Dragons in the 400m. Rolle-Curry, who was the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference champion in the 400m, placed seventh over the weekend with a time of 53.67 seconds. With that finish she got an All-America honor. Winning that race was Winona State’s Shereen Vallabouy with a time of 52.74 seconds. Rolle-Curry went into the final with the fourth-fastest time in the preliminaries – 53.22 seconds which is a school record

 Home|Sports|Bahamas Bowl makes return for ninth yearSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 1, 2023 333 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl will make a return to The Bahamas as the ninth edition is set to kick off the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football Bowl Season. The game will be held on Saturday December 16, getting underway at 11 a.m. It will be televised live on ESPN. The announcement came from the organizers yesterday.

The 11 a.m. kickoff is the earliest in the game’s history that it will start. It will be played at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

“It’s an honor to be the very first game of Bowl Season,” said Lea Miller-Tooley, executive director of the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl. “It’s an action-packed time of year for college football, and the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl delivers a unique atmosphere with two great teams enjoying a week in one of the most beautiful locations in the world.”

The game is played between a school in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and a member of Conference USA (C-USA). It is one of 17 bowl games that is owned and operated by ESPN Events.

Last year, there was a close game between the Conference USA’s University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers and the Miami University (Ohio) RedHawks. The Blazers won, 24-20, to lift the Prime Minister’s Trophy. The win gave the Blazers their second consecutive bowl win after they won the Independence Bowl in 2021.

In last year’s game, the Blazers’ defense made a key tackle to stop the RedHawks’ offense two yards shy of a touchdown as time expired. Blazers’ wide receiver Trea Shropshire tied the bowl record of 183 receiving yards that former Western Michigan receiver Corey Davis, now with the New York Jets, had in 2015.

The 2023 National Football League (NFL) Draft was in April and Blazers’ running back DeWayne McBride was drafted in the seventh round at pick 222 by the Minnesota Vikings. RedHawks’ wide receiver Mac Hippenhammer agreed to terms on a mini-camp invite with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders won in 2021, the University at Buffalo in 2019, Florida International University (FIU) in 2018, the RedHawks in 2017, Old Dominion in 2016, Western Michigan in 2015 and Western Kentucky in 2014.

 Home|Sports|Jones, Liberty win third straight gameSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 1, 2023 337 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After starting the season with a loss, Bahamian women’s professional basketball player Jonquel ‘JJ’ Jones and the New York Liberty have reeled off three wins in a row. Their latest victim was the Seattle Storm, Breanna Stewart’s former team. Jones, Stewart and the Liberty dismantled the Storm, 86-70, at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, on Tuesday.

Jones finished the game with nine points and five rebounds in 18 minutes on the floor as she continues to make her way back from a foot injury. She had a good game on defense coming away tied for a team-high three blocks. Courtney Vandersloot also had three blocked shots for the Liberty. Jones finished 4-for-6 from the field, shooting 66.7 percent. It included making a shot from deep in two attempts.

The center got off to a hot start, scoring seven points in less than a minute and it looked like she was going to have a strong night offensively. The scoring got underway with a layup at 7:24 mark. She then made a jump shot from deep at the 6:59 mark as her team team led 9-6. It was 24 seconds later when the Grand Bahama native made a three-foot layup to cap off her seven-point outburst and give the Liberty an 11-8 lead. Jones also had three rebounds at that point.

Jones finished the quarter with those seven points and three rebounds and the Liberty led 27-21 at thee end of one.

In the second quarter, Jones scored her final two points of the night. That came at the 6:50 mark in the second quarter. The Liberty led 34-29 after that shot. The Storm bounced back to take the lead at 35-34 with 3:56 left in the second quarter. A 12-4 scoring run to end the first half, put the visitors up 46-39 which turned out to be the turning point of the game. They never trailed the rest of the way.

Stewart was brilliant in her return to Seattle, coming away with 25 points and 11 assists. Jewell Lloyd led the Storm with 26 points in the loss.

The Liberty shot the ball well, making 49.1 percent of their shots from the field compared to 38.4 percent for the Storm. They were able to punish the Storm for their turnovers as they scored 13 points from eight turnovers from the Storm.

It has been a slow start for the Bahamian this season as she works her way back from a foot injury. She is averaging 17.6 minutes per game in the four games that she has played in – a far cry from her 25-plus minutes per game in her last three seasons. She is averaging 8.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Jones is shooting 51.7 percent from the field, and has 1.3 blocks per game.

The Liberty sport a 3-1 win/loss record with their only loss coming in their season opener against the Washington Mystics, falling 80-64. They won against the Indiana Fever, 90-73, and Jones’ former team, the Connecticut Sun, 81-65.

The Storm return to action on Friday, taking on the Chicago Sky (3-2) on the road at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. That game tips off at 6 p.m.

 Home|Sports|Kids Athletics Championships set for this weekendSports

The BAAA will also stage its age group trials; scores of young athletes to compete

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJune 1, 2023 415 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

One of the more comprehensive three-day meets on the local track and field calendar is set for this weekend at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Age Group Trials and Kids Athletics Championships will be held Thursday to Saturday, June 1-3, at the stadium, with the age group trials being contested on Thursday and Friday, and the Kids Athletics Championships being held on Friday and Saturday. The meet will get underway at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 12:30 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday.

The age group trials will determine the eight athletes who will represent The Bahamas at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Age Group Under-13 (U13) and Under-15 (U15 Championships, set for July 15-16 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.

The top two finishers in the four divisions at the age group trials, under-13 and under-15 boys and girls, will be selected for the national team traveling to the Dominican Republic this summer. The Kids Athletics Championships will crown national champions in all of the youth divisions in local track and field.

The meet is open to clubs and schools and scores of young athletes are expected to take part.

“The BAAA is proud of this event. It is a part of the germination of our program, and this event represents the sprouting of new plants. We would have produced some of our best athletes out of this program and it doesn’t escape us as to why our program is probably the best in the world per capita. This is a program that we put a lot of emphasis on,” said BAAA President Drumeco Archer on Wednesday.

The Bahamas has been a regular participator in the regional age group championships ever since its inception in 1985. Many track and field stars from The Bahamas got their start in the sport at the Kids Athletics level, and have participated in the age group trials and championships.

“Kids Athletics is the engine that keeps track and field rolling in this country, and I’m always excited about this program,” said Archer. “Whenever you think that the program is about to drop on its head, we have the emergence of new athletes, and that is what makes me excited. While we look at the Shaunae Millers and the Steven Gardiners as the pinnacle of success, it is our hope that our future athletes will surpass that and become global leaders as well.”

NACAC President Mike Sands said: “Kids Athletics is the world’s largest grassroots program and it is an introduction to the sport of track and field. World Athletics, and by extension, NACAC encourages it. There are over 200 member federations with over 13 million young people who participate in the Kids Athletics aspect of track and field. It is the foundation to the success of any program in track and field. This is designed to inspire the next generation of athletes to continue on to the bigger stages of track and field. NACAC lends its full support to these championships.”

For the age group trials, participants in the under-13 category will contest a two-day pentathlon, with the girts taking part in the 60 meters (m), high jump, long jump, ball throw and 800m, and the boys competing in the 60m, high jump, long jump, ball throw and 1,000m. Athletes in the under-15 category will contest a two-day heptathlon, with the girts taking part in the 60m hurdles, 80m, high jump, long jump, ball throw, shot put and 1,000m. The boys will compete in the 80m hurdles, 80m, high jump, long jump, ball throw, shot put and 1,200m.

The Kids Athletics Championships will commence at the conclusion of the age group trials.

“We have to recognize our specialty coaches such as Sherry Francis and Nekeno Demeritte who have really driven the program to the success that we have seen in more recent times,” said Archer. “We recognize that there aren’t enough meets at the age group level and we wanted to create a championship event for the young athletes to give them more focus. Parents come to track meets to watch their kids perform. This is the one opportunity where you have the fullest engagement of the track and field community. This is an important event for us. It is a showcase for one of the assets of the federation and we hope to grow this area for our sport.”

Sands encourages the entire family to come out and support the young athletes. There will be competitors from all over The Bahamas competing this weekend.

“The Bahamas is one of the top ranking age group federations in the system,” said Sands. “I congratulate the BAAA for continuing this program and I also have to mention some of the coaches in the system because it takes a special breed to manage such a collection of kids. Sherry Francis, Nekeno Demeritte, Dexter Bodie and then you have to look at what clubs like Star Trackers and Red-Line Athletics are doing. You have to really have a passion for this to do this and so we cannot underestimate the amount of effort that they put into the program that keeps it going and make it a success.”

There will be medals for the top three finishers in each event and trophies for team division winners. Admission for the event is at $5 for children, $10 for adults and $15 for the VIP section. There will be three-day passes available at $12 for children, $28 for adults and $40 for the VIP section.