me|Sports|Kids get on the track at Kids Athletics ChampionshipsSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 5, 2023 129 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

It was a holiday weekend this past weekend but that did not stop the kiddies from coming out and participating in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Age Group Trials and Kids Athletics Championships at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Speed Begins sprint sensation Keyezra Thomas out of Grand Bahama won the under-15 girls 100 meters (m) and 200m races. Thomas, who took the Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships by storm in March, powered her way to cross the finish line first in the 100m dash with a time of 12.19 seconds. Team Velocity’s Sarsha Wright was second after clocking 12.86 seconds. Fast Forward Athletics’ Zara Fraser was close behind her with a time of 12.89 seconds.

Thomas ran a strong 200m race, posting a blistering time of 24.25 seconds to win that race. She finished ahead of Fraser who ran a time of 26.72 seconds. Zara Fraser’s club teammate Savannah Fraser was third when she stopped the clock at 26.85 seconds.

Hurray Murray’s Breyteisha Kemp doubled in the under-15 girls 800m and 1500m races. Kemp won the 800m race with a time of 2:35.92. She led a trio of Hurray Murray athletes in the podium finish. The others were Ramonique McLennon who was second and Breynice Kemp who placed third. McLennon posted a time of 2:37.00 and Breynice Kemp ran the two-lapper in 2:41.71.

Breyteisha Kemp ran a very focused race and created a huge gap between her and the second-place finisher in the 1500m. She clocked 5:48.14. Breynice Kemp was second in 6:02.84. Team Velocity’s Eden Johnson ran 6:41.33 to place third.

Fast Forward’s Rohman Rolle doubled in the 100m and 200m races in the under-15 boys division. Rolle clocked 11.78 seconds to win the 100m dash. He held off Team Velocity’s Kamron Henfield who ran 11.95 seconds. Bahamas Speed Dynamics’ Denim Stuart finished third with a time of 12.02 seconds.

Rolle came back and took the 200m dash in a time of 23.98 seconds. He was the only competitor to run under 24 seconds in that race. Swift Athletics’ Adam Knowles powered his way to second place when he ended with the clock at 24.26 seconds. Red-Line Athletics’ Aalijah Taylor recorded a time of 24.60 seconds to finish third.

Breyteisha Kemp’s club teammate Rion Larrimore also doubled in the 800m and 1500m races. Larrimore posted a time of 2:13.55 to hold off Core Athletics’ Kymani Bowe in the under-15 boys division. Bowe was right on Kemp’s heel as he  finished in 2:13.60. Team Velocity’s Cordell Munroe was third after finishing the race in 2:27.49.

Larrimore and his teammate Joel McPhee were first and second respectively in the 1500m distance race. Larrimore powered his way across the finish line in a time of 5:03.23 to win that race. McPhee ran his way to second place in 5:07.91. Munroe ran 5:31.73 for third.

In the under-13 boys division, there were two competitors who won both of their races. They were Swift Athletics Justin Shepherd and Hurry Murray’s Ramonick McLennon. Shepherd won the 100m and 200m while McLennon won the 800m and 1500m races.

Shepherd was the only runner to run sub-13 seconds in the 100m dash when he clocked 12.90 seconds. Fast Forward’s duo of Demih-Devaj Cash and Ahkeel Williams were second and third respectively. Cash clocked 13.03 seconds and Williams ran a time of 13.47 seconds.

The Swift Athletics athlete ran a time of 26.41 seconds to cross the finish line first in the 200m. Fast Track Athletics Emmile Higgins out of Freeport, Grand Bahama, ran 26.51 seconds to place second. Unique Athletics’ Ayden Russell posted a time of 26.72 seconds to finish third.

Shepherd also won the ball throw event as he threw a distance of 44.35m (145’ 6”).

McLennon’s time of 2:33.74 was far ahead of his closest competitor, Red-Line’s Patreco Sherman, in the 800m. The latter was second in a time of 2:46.74. It was enough to hold off Ayden Rolle who was third in a time of 2:46.82.

The Hurry Murray athlete’s time in the 1500m run was 5:25.12 to win the race. Rolle was second with a time of 5:31.55. Sherman was third this time after running 5:35.46.

Unique Athletics’ Jayden Jones won the 100m and 200m races and the long jump in the under-11 boys division. In the 100m, he ran a winning time of 14.19 seconds. He came back and ran 29.89 seconds to win the 200m. He leapt 3.89m (12’ 9-1/4”) to win the long jump event.

Swift Athletics’ Daythan Ingraham won the under-9 boys 80m and 200m races. He ran 12.16 seconds in the 80m dash and then he recorded a time of 31.76 seconds in the 200m race.

Beginners Track Club’s under-9 girls athlete Laveah Johnson ran away with the 80m and 200m titles. She won the 80m with a time of 13.11 seconds then won the 200m in 35.42 seconds.

In the under-7 girls division, Boost Athletics’ Summer Strachan ran away with the 50m and 150m titles. She won the 50m dash in 9.52 seconds and the 150m dash in 29.09 seconds.

In the under-15 boys shot put, Boost Athletics’ Kendal Turner won with a throw of 9.53m (31’ 3-1/4”). Unattached athlete Khristian Wright was second in the two-man battle with a throw of 4.73m (15’ 6-1/4”).

Red-Line’s Anniesha Rahming threw 6m (19’ 8-1/4”) to win the under-15 girls shot put. The Roadrunners Track Club’s Johniya George recorded a throw of 3.57m (11’ 8-1/2”) to finish second.

Next up on the local calendar for track and field is the BAAA National Junior and Senior Track and Field Championships set for July 5-7.

 Home|Sports|Christiansen repeats as chess championSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJune 5, 2023 116 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 217 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|Heartbreaking loss for The BahamasSports

Team placed fourth in CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 15, 2023 470 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Team Bahamas was on the cusp of qualifying for the Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai, but a goal by Mexico with 54 seconds left in regulation broke the hearts of the hosts and their fans on Saturday. Mexico won the match 3-2 in the semifinals of the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Beach Soccer Championships to punch the second ticket to the 2023 FIFA (International Football Federation) Beach Soccer World Cup, set for November 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Bahamas settled for fourth place after falling to El Salvador 3-2 last night. The tournament wrapped up last night, but Team Bahamas and their fans will not forget the semi-final match against Mexico.

The Bahamas’ head coach, Alexandre Soares said that the Mexico game was a good and competitive match against the third ranked team in CONCACAF.

“We need to play more and get more experience, but we were amazing in the tournament. We played at a high level. We had a possibility to win against Mexico, but they scored three times,” Soares said.

The Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Stadium in Nassau, New Providence, was loud on Saturday as Bahamians came out in full support for their team. The Bahamas had the momentum in the third period which they started down 2-1. They kept attacking the Mexican’s goal looking for the equalizer and possibly more. The Bahamas eventually got the ball past Mexican goalkeeper Gabriel Macías on a header from Wood Julmis for the 2-2 scoreline at the 6:45 mark. Julmis was on the back post to get the header on a Lesly St. Fleur shot.

The game appeared to be going into extra time and possibly penalty shoot-out as either team could not score. Macías saw an opening in The Bahamas’ wall after he and his defenders tried to find scoring options under the minute mark. Macías got a well-placed kick that went to the bottom right corner of the goal and past Bahamian goalkeeper Michael Butler to put them up 3-2.

“Macías is one of the best goalkeepers in the region. He did not have a shot in the second period and the one time we gave him the space. He punished us for it,” Butler said.

The Bahamas tried to find another equalizer, but they were unfortunate in their endeavors as their World Cup dreams were put on hold for another two years. The Bahamas’ captain, Christie said that it was a very somber locker room after the game.

“The team was very prepared and wanted to win but, unfortunately, we lost the game in the final minute. … It is heartbreaking because we worked so hard for so many months preparing and training and take time off from work and be so close just 54 seconds left before going into overtime with the momentum in our favor. Unfortunately, one silly mistake and the game is over,” Christie said.

Christie was happy with the fans’ support and looking forward to the fans coming out and supporting them in the future.

It was a rough start for The Bahamas in the semi-final matchup against Mexico. Jean ‘Sunny’ scored an own goal at the 8:18 mark to put Mexico up 1-0 in the first period. At the 2:39 mark in that same period Edgar Portilla put Mexico up 2-0 at the 2:18 mark on a free kick.

Butler scored a goal of his own in the second period at the 1:17 mark for the Bahamas’ first goal of the game to cut into the deficit 2-1.

“It was an emotional goal,” Butler said. “I wanted the fan to get behind us and it always starts with me. I’m starting to realize that I am one of the core members of the team so that goal was huge.”

It was the second time the two teams faced each other. Mexico won the first meeting in the group stage 5-4.

The Bahamas made history on Friday past when it became the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to make the semi-final in the history of the tournament. They upset defending champions Panama 4-2 to set up the semi-final matchup with Mexico.

Christie liked that the younger guys like James Thompson and the Julmis brothers Evelt and Wood stepped up in the tournament.

“It is about the younger generation and the new guys coming up. I tip my hat off to them,” Christie said. We have three of four guys that are 21- and 22-year-old players that are playing at a high level against experienced teams and players. It shows we have a very bright future in beach soccer. The team is improving. We no longer go to tournaments to compete, but we go to win. We are now considered one of the top teams and threats in CONCACAF. It shows the growth in the sport and team. We want to be a powerhouse in the region.”

The United States of America won the tournament with a 5-0 victory over Mexico in the final last night.

This is the third time in 10 years The Bahamas hosted the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships.

https://thenassauguardian.com/heartbreaking-loss-for-the-bahamas/

 Home|Sports|Chisholm to see specialist about turf toe injurySports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailMay 16, 2023 275 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian professional baseball player with the Miami Marlins Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr. is dealing with a turf toe injury, and can find himself back on the injury list again.

Team Manager Skip Schumaker announced on Sunday that Chisholm will see a specialist, following which, a decision will be made on his immediate future.

The Marlins’ 25-year-old starting centerfielder and leadoff batter sustained the injury in the eighth inning of a baseball game for the Marlins against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, trying to chase down a shot to the gap off the bat of Cincinnati’s Henry Ramos. He was in full pursuit of the ball but missed, and crashed into the wall in left center field. After staying down for a few minutes while being examined by team trainers, Chisholm had to be helped off the field and missed the rest of the game. He was later diagnosed with a right foot contusion.

The Bahamian spark plug for the Marlins was having a strong game up to that point, turning in his seventh multi-hit performance of the season. However, the RBI double from Reds’ right fielder Ramos, on which Chisholm was injured, gave the Reds a 5-4 lead, and they went on to win, 6-5, giving the Marlins their first one-run loss of the year after winning their previous 12 such contests.

In a game in which Chisholm homered and stole a base, recording numbers seven and 14 respectively, the Marlins blew a late lead, dropping to third in the National League East Division of Major League Baseball (MLB). They lost the first two against the Reds, 7-4 and 6-5, before winning 3-1 at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on Sunday, and are third in the division with a 20-21 win/loss record. The Atlanta Braves lead the way at 25-15, the Philadelphia Phillies are second at 20-20, and the Marlins are just a half game behind the Phillies at 20-21. The New York Mets are just a half game behind the Marlins at 20-22. The Washington Nationals bring up the rear in that division with an 18-23 record. 

Chisholm’s productivity numbers have been a bit down this season, on average, but his 14 steals are among the league leaders in that department. Also, he was starting to produce at the plate.

In the weekend series against the Reds, Chisholm had three hits in eight at-bats, including home-runs in consecutive games for the second time this season. On Friday, he was 2-for-5 with a RBI (run batted in) and a run scored on his solo shot. He came back on Saturday and had another home-run in three at-bats before suffering the untimely injury. Marlins’ right fielder Jesús Sánchez also left the game early due to an injury. He suffered a sore right hamstring while making a diving catch on a fly ball in the top of the first inning.

As for Chisholm, for the season, he is batting .229 with seven home-runs, 16 RBIs and 16 runs scored. He has a slash line of .229/.291/.403 over 159 plate appearances this season. He also has 14 stolen bases, currently tied for third in the majors, and has been caught stealing just twice.

Last year, he had a batting average of .254 with 14 home runs, 45 RBIs and 39 runs scored before getting injured and sitting out most of the season with a stress fracture in his lower back.

The Marlins host the Nationals for three games starting today and then go on a 16-game road trip out west starting with three games against Bahamian Antoan Richardson and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, this weekend. Richardson is a first base coach with the Giants.

https://thenassauguardian.com/chisholm-to-see-specialist-about-turf-toe-injury/

Camperdown teams sweep Interscholastic Equestrian League spring term competition

FIRST PLACE CEC Blue Marlins, shown from left to right, Connor Watkins, Hannah D’Aguilar, Trainer Kimberly Johnson, Kaitlyn Russell, Marlo Pinder and Kelsey Pyfrom.

As of Thursday, May 18, 2023

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#THE Camperdown Equestrian Centre Blue Marlins emerged triumphant as champions in the final show of the Bahamas Interscholastic Equestrian League (BIEL) competition season, which took place at Camperdown Equestrian Centre last weekend.

#The CEC Blue Marlins finished with a total of 38 points, while the CEC Sand Dollars and the two-time Champion Mariposa Gold Drops battled for second place, tied just one point behind.

#In the end the home side took all the top honours, as the Sand Dollars won an over-fences tiebreaker to finish as Reserve Champions with 37 points, while the Gold Drops had to settle for third place. The Mariposa Monarchs, competing one rider short, finished in fourth.

#Strong performances from all the riders meant that just seven points separated the top four teams.

#The third and final leg of this year’s BIEL Interscholastic competition featured a total of 30 student riders from different schools. Riders competed under the watchful eye of USEF ‘R’ Judge Robert Robold, a former alternate for the German Show Jumping Team and past president of the East Coast Hunter-Jumper Association. Robold took time to dispense comments and advice to riders and their coaches, Kimberly Johnson (coach of the CEC Blue Marlins and CEC Sand Dollars) and Erika Adderley (coach of the Mariposa Gold Drops and the Mariposa Monarchs.)

#BIEL was founded in 2017 and is sponsored by Equestrian Bahamas, the national federation for equestrian sport.

#The league consists of a series of three competitions, from which a national championship is awarded.

#Teams are comprised of school-aged riders from across New Providence.

#BIEL competitions are perennial favourites among junior riders because of the team emphasis and the unique format, based on collegiate competition rules, in which riders and horses are matched by random draw. This provides riders with the exciting opportunity to show their skills in the ring while riding unfamiliar horses, preparing them for the rigours of intercollegiate competition.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/18/camperdown-teams-sweep-interscholastic-equestrian-/?news

As of Thursday, May 18, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#SPECIAL Olympics Bahamas athletes are ready to go for the 2023 Special Olympics World Games which is less than one month away.

#The games are set for June 17-25 in Berlin, Germany, for the first time and will see competition across 24 sports. Special Olympics Bahamas has been competing in the World Games since their first appearance in 1979 and will field seven athletes at next month’s competition.

#The athletes will compete in the bowling, swimming and track events. With the athletes undergoing physical training for the competition since October of last year, director of the organisation Gilbert Williams talked about the preparation with less than 30 days remaining.

#“We started off with weekly training for our track athletes [which] has picked up to at least twice a week, bowlers a bit of a challenge there but they have been getting in some training at the Icons entertainment centre,” Williams said.

#The director added the bowlers have been training twice monthly but they also got the opportunity to get additional training for a weekend at a bowling camp in Florida which consisted of 15 games.

#Meanwhile, the swimmers have been utilising the beach and the South Beach pool as well as the pool at the Fox Hill Community Centre.

#The athletes are also coming off a World Games training camp which they took part in a week ago. Ahead of next month’s games, Williams said although the group of athletes have an extra push it’s still business as usual because they train and compete all year long. “I think all of the pressure if there is any pressure comes prior to team selection where everybody is doing whatever they can to try and ensure that they are a part of the final team that is selected but once that selection process takes place, I think athletes breathe a sigh of relief,” he said.

#At this year’s 50th CARIFTA games, Special Olympics Bahamas had six of their athletes participate in the 100m and 200m track events. The events not only served as a feel good moment for the athletes of the global organization but also were used as a measuring stick to determine their progress in terms of training in preparation for the World Games in Berlin.

#Athletes to be on the lookout for next month will include Deron Forbes (200m, 400m, and 4x400m relays), the team’s youngest member Justin Miller (100m, 200m, 4x400m relays) and bowling singles and doubles competitor Austin Green who competed in the 2019 World Games in Abu Dhabi.

#Although the director noted that expectations will be high for the Special Olympics athletes to secure medals he simply wants them to try their best in Berlin and everything else will fall into place.

#“We [are] already extremely proud of all our athletes for pushing themselves to the point where they actually have been selected to participate to represent the country. Hopefully it will all pan out where their best is not just good enough for us but is good enough for the Bahamian public,” Wiliams said.

#The team will leave for competition on June 11 to participate in the host town program in Papenburg, Germany.

#Persons are encouraged to follow the Special Olympics Bahamas social media pages during this year’s Special Olympics World Games in Berlin and also subscribe to their YouTube channel for coverage of their athletes in action this June.

#For persons that wish to interact with the athletes ahead of their travels they can meet them at this weekend’s Community Grill at the Church of God and Christ from 11am to 3pm.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/18/special-olympics-bahamas-athletes-ready-world/?news

DEFENCE FIRST: The second-seeded Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves faced off against third-seeded RM Bailey Pacers yesterday during the GSSSA soccer sudden death playoffs. Photo: Tenajh Sweeting

As of Thursday, May 18, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#With the soccer nationals looming in the background, the junior and senior teams sudden death playoffs kicked off yesterday for the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA).

#Teams not only competed to punch their ticket to the soccer championships on Friday but also hoped to solidify their spot at next week’s Samuel P Haven Jr High School Soccer Nationals.

#On the day, eight games were played across the two divisions which saw the HO Nash Lions, CH Reeves Raptors, CR Walker Knights, RM Bailey Pacers, SC McPherson Sharks, Government High School Magic and Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves.

#Seniors

#The CR Walker Knights senior girls once again reigned supreme. The senior school has been impressive all year, most recently collecting their seventh straight victory at the GSSSA track and field championships, and the seniors girls’ volleyball championships.

#The Knights have now asserted their dominance in soccer. The Lady Knights entered this year’s soccer playoffs with an unblemished record. On the year, the team has scored 39 goals in total with only one scored on them the entire season. The team continued to roll on as they defeated the fourth-seeded CI Gibson Rattlers 2-0.

#In the matchup, the Knights got to work early as they secured their first goal off a ferocious kick to the back of the net by Shenell Stewart. With the Rattlers battling hard to get a goal on the board against the undefeated team, the Knights once again scored a goal, this time by Valtinique Simmons.

#The Lady Knights narrowly got the ball past the opposing team’s goalkeeper to thwart their chances of a comeback and book their ticket to the championships on Friday.

#Knights’ head coach Dan Weithtman talked about the team’s playoff win.

#“It feels good the girls have worked hard, they are undefeated and have scored 39 goals this season which is astronomical for soccer so we are really proud of them and our defence has only let up one goal in the first five minutes of the first game,” the coach said.

#He added that the team is looking forward to Friday’s championships and his message to the team is the same as always staying focused, and not taking any teams lightly. He believes that once his team sticks to the strategy, they will have a good chance.

#In game two, the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves fell to RM Bailey Pacers 1-0. The lone goal was scored by Pacers’ Janea Ariste.

#She snuck past the Timberwolves defence and had a clear route to the net as the ball zipped past the opposing team’s goalkeeper.

#The Timberwolves were unable to respond in the game. The Pacers will now look to take on the first-seeded CR Walker Knights this Friday.

#Robert Johnson, head coach of the Pacers, said it felt unbelievable to get the win because they avenged an early season loss to the same team. He added that the team was hoping to match up against the Timberwolves and they stayed steady, focused and disciplined to get the win.

#The coach said he feels confident about his team’s chances against the Knights after only losing 0-1 to the team earlier in the season.

#Once the team stays focused and sticks with the team work, he will look forward to seeing where it takes them.

#For the senior boys, the Knights team once again took care of business. The third-seeded team toppled the second-seeded Timberwolves in a matchup that ended 3-1. The Knights senior boys will now face off against the first-seeded Government High School Magic.

#The Government High School secured their spot in the GSSSA soccer championships after closing out the Pacers’ senior boys 2-1.

#Juniors

#The HO Nash Lions’ junior girls comfortably defeated the Timberwolves 2-0. The Timberwolves lost three out of their four playoff games in yesterday’s sudden death rounds.

#The fourth-seeded Raptors’ junior girls came out on top against the first-seeded DW Davis Royals to upset the team 3-2 after penalties. The Raptors will now look to carry the momentum into Friday’s championship showdown against the Lions.

#The first-seeded Sharks’ junior boys wrapped up the fourth-seeded LW Young Golden Eagles in a match that ended 3-1.

#The top seed will now take on the junior boys of Anatol Rodgers on Friday.

#The Timberwolves got their first playoff win of the day as their junior boys closed out the DW Davis Royals 2-0.

#The GSSSA soccer championships will commence at 3:45pm at the Roscow A L Davies Field this Friday.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/18/gsssa-sudden-death-playoffs-underway/?news

AN HISTORIC MILESTONE: Anya James is the first woman to be elected as the Bahamas Football Association’s (BFA) newest president at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday night.

As of Friday, May 19, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Anya James is the first woman in history to be elected as president of the Bahamas Football Association (BFA).

#The newfound title and position came after the association’s Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday night at Breezes Resort Bahamas.

#James was elected to her new position following a 5-4 presidential vote over Sam Thibaud. She previously served as vice president for the BFA with Anton Sealey formerly positioned as president. Sealey opted not to run in this year’s election and now it’s James’ turn to lead the BFA for the next four years.

#The newly-named president talked about her historic feat for the BFA.

#She said that she is very excited about being the first female president of the BFA and one of her goals is to increase the number of participants in football in the form of players, coaches and referees.

#Additionally, James said she wanted to increase the BFA’s presence in the Family Islands.

#Although she already made history being named the first female vice president, and now president, she is also only the fourth woman to serve in the position for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) in the region.

#James will not be without help as her council members are Dion Peterson, John Joseph, Gavin Christie, Frankie Edmond, and Andrè Moss. The council will also include Daria Adderley who will join James which makes it two women on the council for the first time in BFA history.

#Women have been making waves in the sport recently as Annisa Albury was the first Bahamian woman to referee at the Beach Soccer Pre-World Cup and also Krystal Evans who has served as a FIFA assistant referee since 2019.

#As more women make their names in the sport, James had this message for them. “My message to younger women is do not settle just because you are a woman, dream big and follow your passion [and] try to surround yourself with other women who can and will straighten your crown and encourage you to achieve your goals,” the president said.

#In regards to football, she also encouraged more women to take on leadership roles in the sport.

#After serving as vice president previously, she said she wants to encourage stakeholders to continue to engage in respectful dialogue for the benefit of all in the sport.

#With her previous experiences as team manager in 2014 for the under-17 boys national team and as an executive for the Dynamos Football Club, she will look to make her mark in the BFA as president.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/19/anya-james-first-woman-be-elected-president-bfa/

The USA won the beach soccer title last night, beating Mexico 5-0. Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune staff

As of Monday, May 15, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#The Bahamas men’s national beach soccer team came so close to booking their ticket to the United Arab Emirates for the 2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

#But before a large crowd of spectators on hand at the Malcolm Park beach soccer facility, Mexico left them grounded with a hard-fought, 3-2 victory in the feature game played in the semifinal matches of the CONCACAF Championships on Saturday night.

#Mexico, the four-time CBSC champions who took advantage of a stunning own goal from the Bahamas and another from Edgar Portilla in the first of three periods, prevailed to join the United States on the trip to Dubai.

#The USA avenged their defeat to El Salvador two years ago by dethroning the defending champions with a 5-2 victory in the other semifinal game.

#As the championship came to a close yesterday, defending champions El Salvador nipped the Bahamas 3-2 as Kyle Williams and James Thompson scored for the Bahamas.

#El Salvador got a pair of goals from Jason Urbina and another from Heber Ramos to snatch third place in the team rankings from the Bahamas.

#Thompson said they gave their all right to the end but, like they did the night before against Mexico in their semifinal matchup, they fell short against El Salvador in their finale yesterday.

#“How far we made it was a dream come through,” Thompson said. “It’s just a true testament of how hard we worked as a team, We definitely know what we need to do to get to the next level.

#“We were very close to getting to the World Cup. It’s always a childhood dream. It’s just a shame we let the opportunity slip away, but we know what we have to do for the next one.”

#Despite the loss, it was the best showing ever for the Bahamas in the CONCACAF Beach Soccer competition.

#The USA wrapped up the championship by clinching the title with an impressive 5-0 whitewashing of Mexico. Gabriel Silvera booted in a pair of goals and Nick Perera, Tomas Canale and Ricardo Carvalho added one each.

#It was still a memorable championship for the Bahamas.

#On Saturday, after trailing 2-0 to Mexico, the Bahamas got on the scoreboard, thanks to a goal from goalkeeper Michael Butler to cut the deficit to 2-1 at the end of the second period.

#Wood Julmis came through with the 2-2 equalizer in the third. but Mexico put the icing on the cake as their goalkeeper Gabriel Macias booted in the final goal in the final minute to begin their celebrations.

#It was a painful loss for Team Bahamas, losing it down the stretch, but team captain Gavin Christie lamented it will be one that will propel the team even further in the future.

#“It’s kind of heartbreaking because the team worked so hard for so many months, preparing, training, time off jobs and to be so close,” Christie said. “With 30 seconds to go, we had the momentum in our favor, but unfortunately one silly mistake and the game was over.”

#Christie, however, thanked the Bahamian public for their tremendous support.

#“We heard them, we felt them, so we thank them for all of their support,” he quipped. “We just encourage them to continue to support beach soccer. We have a very good team, We just continue to support the team.”

#At this stage in the game, Christie said the Bahamas no longer go to the tournaments to compete, but to win. Considered one of the top teams in CONCACAF, he said it shows the growth of the sport and they only hope to improve.

#Butler admitted that it was a tough pill to swallow.

#“It was pretty tough. It was a really tough game. Obviously, we didn’t get the results that we wanted, but the team went out there and gave it 100 percent,” he said.

#On scoring the goal for the team, Butler said it was what the doctor prescribed because it was contagious as the Bahamas got another to level the score.

#But he admitted that Mexico’s goalkeeper is considered to be one of the best in the region and the one time the Bahamas “gave him the space,” Butler said Macias “punished us.”

#Renowned Brazilian coach Alexandre Soares, who guided the team through the tournament, said they played a very experienced team, but he was proud of the effort the Bahamas produced against them.

#“The team is amazing. They play with a high quality,” said Soares, who noted that the young players played exceptionally well. “The future is very bright for them,”

#In Friday’s semifinal match after a day’s rest at the completion of the round robin play, the Bahamas clinched its spot in the semifinal with an impressive 4-2 win over Panama in their quarter-final match-up.

#Kyle Williams and Gary Joseph pushed the Bahamas up 2-0 with their pair of goals in the first period. Panama responded with a goal from Nagdiel Del Rosario and Luis Quintero before Williams added another for a 3-2 Bahamas lead at the end of the second.

#The lone goal in the third came from Michael Williams on a goalkeeper’s insurance boot to seal the deal as the Bahamas moved one game closer to getting to the World Cup.

#Unfortunately, they ended up one goal short of beating Mexico in the semifinal clincher and one behind El Salvador to complete the championship in fourth place overall.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/may/15/usa-tops-mexico-5-0-beach-soccer-title-bahamas-4th/?news