Home|Sports|The Bahamas beats the USVISports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailDecember 5, 2022 192 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ national baseball team made history last night, winning its first game at the senior national level on home soil, as the 4th Annual COCABE (Caribbean Baseball Confederation) Caribbean Baseball Cup got underway at the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

After a grand opening Sunday afternoon, and in the front of Bahamian Major League Baseball (MLB) star with the Miami Marlins Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr., Team Bahamas pulled off a 4-3 win over the US Virgin Islands. They struggled to hit the ball all night, but came through when the team needed it the most.

Ellison Hanna got a huge two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning to put The Bahamas up, 3-2, last night, and after the USVI tied the game a half inning later, Toby Simmons drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth.

McKell Bethel came in and closed the door for The Bahamas in the top of the ninth, earning the save. Bethel retired the side in the bottom of the ninth, striking two of the three batters he faced to preserve the hard-fought win for The Bahamas.

“That guy (Bethel) was playing softball like about two weeks ago. We went down to Grand Bahama from a training camp and he was there and he just came at us,” said Team Bahamas Assistant Coach Albert Cartwright, a former professional baseball player for The Bahamas. “He came out here tonight and he was throwing heat. He was our hardest thrower, it was just crazy to see.”

Evan Sweeting recorded the win for The Bahamas and Bethel earned the save. Tahj Cunningham suffered the loss for the USVI.

The Bahamas struck first, scoring in the bottom of the second inning, scoring on an error by the USVI catcher Conroy Samuel III as he overthrew second base on a steal attempt. Hanna came home from third on the play to score The Bahamas’ first run of the game.

The USVI got that run back in the top of the fifth on an RBI (run batted in) double by Taj Bates and then took a 2-1 lead an inning later on a wild pitch. Hanna’s two-run single in the bottom of the seventh gave The Bahamas a 3-2 lead, but he was called out trying to get back to first base after being caught up halfway between first and second.

The USVI tied the game in the top of the eighth inning on a bases loaded walk, and then Toby Simmons got the game-winning sacrifice fly a half inning later.

“This almost brought me to tears tonight,” said Cartwright. “I was at the ground-breaking ceremony for this stadium, so to be here tonight and pick up this key win is a sweet feeling. This is so exciting, to see the fans come out and support us tonight is a great feeling.”

Cartwright said the bats didn’t come alive for the majority of the night, but the team was able to hang in there and do what they needed to do to get the win. The Bahamas finished with just four hits on the night as the USVI out hit them, 6-4.

“Sometimes you are anxious to do so well in front of your family and friends that you might fold. It’s challenging,” said Cartwright. “We had to take a step back, relax and gather ourselves. The important thing is that we got the win. We have to come back and build off of that. We were able to get it done and hopefully we can keep it going for the rest of the tournament.”

Hanna finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for The Bahamas. Simmons, Adari Grant and Ural Forbes II had the other three hits for The Bahamas. Six players had a hit each for the USVI.

Brandon Russell started the game for The Bahamas and went five complete innings. He gave up three hits and a run and struck out five. Toshawn Drew started the game for the USVI. He went four and two-thirds innings, giving up two hits and a run, and striking out five.

The top two teams from the week-long tournament will qualify to compete at next year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador, El Salvador. If Cuba is among the top two, the top three will qualify for the CAC Games, as Cuba has previously qualified.

It doesn’t get any easier for Team Bahamas, as they play Curacao tonight. That game will get underway at 7 p.m. Curacao won its first game of the tournament, turning back Puerto Rico, 7-1, yesterday morning.

This is the first time that a major international senior baseball tournament is being held here in The Bahamas and it’s the first time that a collection of collegiate and professional Bahamian baseball players have come together on the same team to represent the country. The week-long tournament runs through Sunday December 11 at which time the championship and third-place games will be held. The closing ceremony is set for 8:30 p.m. on Sunday December 11.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-beats-the-usvi/

 Home|Sports|It’s ‘More with Meco’Sports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailDecember 5, 2022 236 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The track and field community spoke loudly on Saturday, returning Drumeco Archer for a second consecutive term as president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA).

Archer was able to gain 50 percent of the votes from the delegates representing the various clubs, to hold off former president Rosamunde Carey and presidential candidate newcomer Dawn Johnson, 24-17-7.

Archer, who won over voters with his ‘More with Meco’ agenda and plan for track and field for the next four years, said he is grateful to the track and field community for their confidence in him and looks forward to another fruitful four years of track and field in The Bahamas.

“We’re very grateful to the track and field community for having the confidence in us as an administration, a new administration, to do the work of track and field in the country,” said Archer. “I believe that the profile of the federation needs to be more fully exploited. The commercial assets of this entity, the biggest entity in this country, will be exploited to the fullest in this term. We are a part of the community and with that, fan participation is going to be a huge focus for us in this term. We are looking to engage the fan base of The Bahamas in track and field and expand it like never before.”

Also voted into office in the first vice president spot is Foster Dorsett, a former president of the association. He defeated Ednal Rolle, Carl Oliver and Rupert Gardiner, 25-13-9-2, respectively.

“I just want to say thanks to all the persons who supported me and the new slate. I’m thankful that they have the confidence in us to carry the association to the next level. I promise to go in there and keep all of the elected officials’ feet to the fire and carry out the functions of the office. I will ensure that each elected official works within the guidelines of the constitution and do their part in ensuring that track and field returns to prominence. We have a lot of work to do.”

John Ingraham, who returned to Grand Bahama on Sunday, was voted into office in the second vice president spot. He defeated Ravanno Ferguson and Sandra Laing, both also from the nation’s second city, 31-9-8, respectively. For the vice president of finance position, Laketah Charlton came out on top, defeating Philippa Willie, Shakena Demeritte and Darius Ferguson by a score of 20-13-8-8, respectively.

For the vice president of public relations and marketing position, this paper’s journalist Sheldon Longley won, defeating Verna McIntosh-Bonaby and Tanya Woodside, 27-12-10. Pharez Cooper, from Grand Bahama, is the new vice president of business operations, defeating Damarius Cash and Cedricka Rolle, 26-15-8, respectively. Finally, Tito Moss won the battle for the vice president of technical operations position, beating Bernard Newbold and Alexis Roberts, 22-21-6, respectively.

“I’m very happy that I was given this honor to serve as vice president of technical operations. Now the work begins,” said Moss. “I look forward to doing all that I can to assist the Family Island coaches with whatever increments that they might not have. I think that’s important. We have the odd distance coming up and that is is our first task as a new administration. We want to make sure all of the technical events and all technical aspects of meets, from the BAAA aspect, are adhered to.

“One of the things that we are looking at is for the jumpers, the top eight, to get at least six jumps. We also want to make sure that at all meets, throwers get at least six throws, and for at least one meet, every four to five meets, for those who do the multi events, and the same for the pole vault, to get some action. We want to make sure those technical events get the attention that they deserve.”

Elected to the council positions for the BAAA for the next term are Jason Edwards, who will serve as the council chairman; Dionne Britton, Mikhilo Strachan, Andrew Tynes, Kennard Mackey, Jason Larrimore and Robert Ayton.

The first meet on the BAAA calendar for the 2022-2023 season is the Odd Distance Track and Field Meet, set for Saturday, December 17.

https://thenassauguardian.com/its-more-with-meco/

As of Thursday, December 1, 2022

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE matchup is set for the 2022 HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl and the NCAA Division I Bowl season is set to begin in The Bahamas.

#The University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers of Conference-USA will make their second appearance at the event when they take on the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks of the Mid-American Conference at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium on December 16.

#Kickoff is set for 11:30am in the first ever meeting between the two programmes and the game will be broadcast live by ESPN.

#UAB finished 6-6 and became bowl eligible with their 37-27 win over Louisiana Tech in the regular season finale.

#Yesterday, the Blazers Athletic Department announced 14-year NFL veteran quarterback and Super Bowl XXXV Champion Trent Dilfer as its seventh head coach in programme history.

#Dilfer will officially begin his tenure as the UAB Football head coach on Friday, December 2.

#The UAB offence has averaged over 243 yards per game led by running back DeWayne McBride. McBride set UAB’s single season school records for rushing yards (1,713), rushing yards per game (155.7), rushing touchdowns (19) and yards per carry (7.4), while also establishing the single game rushing record with 272 yards in the aforementioned finale against Louisiana Tech.

#In the 2017 Bahamas Bowl, the Blazers suffered a 41-6 loss to the Ohio Bobcats. This year will mark the seventh consecutive bowl game appearance for the Blazers.

#The Redhawks also finished the season 6-6. The HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl is Miami’s 14th bowl appearance in programme history and they have been bowl eligible six of the past seven seasons. The Miami offence is led by dual threat quarterback Aveon Smith who threw for 1,137 yards with nine touchdowns and also ran for 503 yards and six touchdowns.

#Defensively, linebackers Ryan McWood and Matthew Salopek anchor the defence and was ranked among the top against the run in the MAC. “We are thrilled to be the opening game of Bowl Season and to showcase the beautiful islands of the Bahamas through this event, which has been a fixture on the sporting calendar since 2014,” said Bahamas Bowl executive director Lea Miller-Tooley in a press release. “The Bahamas Bowl has provided tremendous competition for our participating teams from Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference, while offering a one-of-a-kind experience for student athletes, coaches and families to travel to a foreign country and be rewarded for a successful season. We know that the 2022 bowl will remind everyone why ‘Bowl Games are Better in The Bahamas’.”

#The 2022 HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl is one of 17 college bowl games owned and operated by ESPN.

#For more information on the 2022 HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl, visit BahamasBowl.com

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/01/matchup-set-hometown-lenders-bahamas-bowl/?news

CELEBRITY Artist and culture ambassador Jamaal Rolle with portraits on the Legends Walk of Fame. Photo: Moise Amisial

As of Friday, December 2, 2022

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIAN celebrity artist Jamaal Rolle may have outdone himself in producing the 69 portraits of past and present Bahamian sporting superstars for the relaunch of the Legends Walk of Fame outside of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#Rolle, who has drawn portraits of so many world famous persons from Bahamians to foreigners, said he started the first batch of portraits in 2014, again in 2015 and then in 2019 before they were taken down because of Hurricane Dorian.

#“I’m happy that the Local Organising Committee approached me about redoing the Legends Walk of Fame because it gave me a chance to redo those that were damaged and then I got to add the three new ones,” Rolle said.

#“This serves as a landmark for the country. As often as I passed by, I would see tour guides bringing the tourists here and when I checked on trip advisor, the Legends Walk of Fame was one of the things they listed as something to see.

#“The impetus behind this was to inspire the youngsters, who would one day aspire to be among this list of sporting heroes,” Rolle said. “I know for me, I never really got to go to the airport to travel until I was an adult.

#“But I always came as a child for sports day at school. So to see this here, I think it’s good to have something that can inspire the youngsters. For me, to be an inner-city boy becoming an accomplished artist to do something as grand as this.”

#What fascinated Rolle the most about the project was the amount of Major League baseball players the country produced – six to be exact – who were all included in the variety of sporting personalities displayed for all to see.

#“The late Sir Durward Knowles and I had a father-son relationship, He and I were very close. We were Rotarians,” he said. “I always heard of Elisha Obed and Yama Bahama, so to use my craft and express that in a drawing was a challenge I took.

#“It was good to do a portrait of Anthony Carroll, the bodybuilder, my ambassador collegiate Rick Fox from basketball, the Golden Girls, who are all my friends and I remember when the country erupted that night when they won, along with the Golden Knights. Mark Knowles was a mixed doubles champion at Wimbledon in tennis and Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson, the first Bahamian drafted in the NBA.”

#Rolle said it’s so good to see the diversity of athletes young and old in so many disciplines being placed on this Legends Wall of Fame is just a sight to behold.

#Andy ‘Smudge’ Ford, who has three of his siblings, including Major leaguer the late Wenty Ford, multiple star Eddie Ford and softball pitcher Linda Ford, said the portraits were all well done.

#“It’s really a good reflection of all of them and they brought back a lot of memories,” said Ford, who is an accomplished baseball/ softball player. “It was wonderfully done, can’t ask for anything more nor anything less.”

#Patricia McKenzie said she was so impressed that she wanted to congratulate Rolle and to check to see if he could do some personal portraits for her family. “I think the work is beautiful. They are awesome,” she said. “To see how much talent we have in this country is just phenomenal. He’s one of our uprising artists in the whole world. He did the Prince and he did the Queen. I just thought I would come up and congratulate him for the great work he has done with all of our legends.”

#Two of the living legends, strongwoman Lavern Eve and sprinter Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie were equally impressed with what they saw. “I think this is a fantastic idea. I’m glad they brought it back,” said Eve, a multiple national star, but the first athlete to repeat as the Austin Sealy Award winner as the most outstanding athlete at CARIFTA in 1992 and 1993.

#“People just think of track and field, but I’m glad to see all of the legends who came from the different sports. This gives the country a chance to see a variety of people who excelled. I don’t consider myself as a legend. I just believe that I was blessed by God with my talent and I made good of it.”

#Having gotten her first glimpse of all of the portraits, Eve said Rolle should be commended for a “great job” because “they look just like the people in real life.”

#She noted that he certainly did a great job.

#Ferguson-McKenzie, who also won the Austin Sealy Award in 1995, couldn’t agree more.

#“I am so honoured to be here. When we were included, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I forgot about it,” said Ferguson-McKenzie, referring to the Golden Girls – Eldece Clarke, Savatheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup and Pauline Davis-Thompson, who were all included at the same time.

#“It’s so nice to be back and to watch Shaunae (Miller-Uibo), Stevie (Gardiner) and Anthonique (Strachan) joining the list on legends, is just amazing.”

#Ferguson-McKenzie was taken aback when she saw a portrait of her long-time coach Frank ‘Pancho’ Rahming. She was speechless just to know that he was included in the Legends Walk of Fame.

#The relaunch of the Legends Walk of Fame came on the same day as the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture officially launched the return of the CARIFTA Games for the 50th celebrations here at the stadium from April 7-10, 2023.

#At the same time, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations was celebrating as they received the good news that World Athletics, the governing body for track and field, had re-awarded the Bahamas the World Relays in 2024, marking the fourth time that the event will take place here.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/02/jamaal-rolle-legends-walk-fame-serves-landmark-cou/?news

As of Friday, December 2, 2022

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

FAMILY: Coach Wilton Johnson and his Mt Carmel Cavaliers senior boys basketball team join in prayer after their victory last night against the Freedom Baptist Warriors.

COACH WILTON JOHNSON, far right, gets his point across on the sidelines yesterday.

#IT was another day in the office for coach Wilton Johnson and his Mt Carmel Cavaliers senior boys basketball team last night.

#In the final game of the slate on a chilly Thursday evening, the Cavaliers were able to stay undefeated with a 2-0 record, earning the emphatic 40-31 victory over the Freedom Baptist Warriors.

#Dorien LaRoda and Romin St Rose led the way for Mt Carmel with 18 and 11 points respectively.

#A number of games were played yesterday as the Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association resumed basketball action inside the Hope Centre at University Commons.

#Thursday Results are as follows:

#Mini Division

#Kingsway Academy 8 def Genesis Academy 4

#Ralph Saintil no. 21 led Kingsway with 4 pts in the win.

#Noel Sands no. 1 led Genesis with 4pts in the loss.

#Junior Boys

#Greenville Preparatory Academy 28 def Freedom Baptist Academy B 17

#Michael Dames no. 4 led Greenville with 10pts in the win.

#Devaughn Deveaux no. 22 led Freedom B with 8pts in the loss.

#Freedom Baptist Academy A 24 def Genesis Academy 21

#Senior Girls

#St. John’s College 26 def Teleos Christian School 4

#Reyannah Green no. 7 led the Giants with 11pts in the win.

#Friday, December 2

#MD – Temple Christian School vs Genesis Academy

#PG – Freedom Baptist Academy vs Temple Christian School

#PB – Teleos Christian School vs Kingsway Academy

#JG – Teleos Christian School vs Freedom Baptist Academy

#SB – Freedom Baptist Academy vs New Horizon Christian Academy

#SB – Genesis Academy vs Teleos Christian School

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/02/undefeated-cavaliers-secure-40-31-win-over-freedom/?news

THE Local Organising Committee (LOC) has officially launched the hosting of the 50th CARIFTA Games to commemorate the Bahamas’ 50th anniversary of Independence. Scheduled for the Easter holiday weekend of April 7-10, the region’s most prestigious track and field competition for junior athletes will be hosted here for the ninth time and all indications are that the Bahamas Government and the LOC are planning to make this one of the best ever.

As of Friday, December 2, 2022

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AMIDST the backdrop of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) officially launched the hosting of the 50th CARIFTA Games to commemorate the Bahamas’ 50th anniversary of Independence.

#Scheduled for the Easter holiday weekend of April 7-10, the region’s most prestigious track and field competition for junior athletes will be hosted here for the ninth time and all indications are that the Bahamas Government and the LOC are planning to make this one of the best ever.

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said through the title partner of the Oaktree Medical Center and Scotiabank, Aliv and Bahamas Waste, who are their corporate sponsors, plans are underway for the Sports in Paradise mandate that has been the hallmark of their government.

#“CARIFTA Games, the Bahamas welcome you back home,” Bowleg stated.

#The games will have the Oaktree Medical Center as its title sponsor. Having pegged $300,000 into the

#LOC, proprietor Dr Don Deveaux said 2023 will be the Golden Jubilee of the Bahamas and it’s only fitting that they are a part of the major international sporting event to commemorate the occasion.

#“What was once an idea, a dream, a seed in the mind of Sir Austin Sealy and company 50 years ago has built and strengthened relations between the island nations of the Caribbean,” he said. “Through Caricom, the track and field movement has grown exponentially, unearthing talented athletic gems and has created a powerhouse in track and field.

#“As the title partner for this historic 50th edition of CARIFTA, Oaktree Medical Center is proud to assist our Bahamian and Caribbean athletes to ensure that they have the opportunities to grow, compete and win both locally and internationally.”

#Deveaux said with his wife, the chief executive officer, the Oaktree Medical Center is more than just a medical center, but is a community center and their team stands with the LOC, the BAAA, NACAC, the government of the Bahamas and all partners for the future, not just for sports, but for the development of youth and their development. “Come go with us and let’s cross the finish line together,” said Deveaux as he pledged the Oaktree Medical Center’s commitment to making the 50th CARITA Games the best ever held.

#Mike Sands, the president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean – the CARIFTA Games falls under their jurisdiction – speaking in a video presentation from where he was attending the World Athletics’ meeting, said since the games were formed in 1972, there’s been a stage created that allows the country’s most promising athletes to display their gifts and talent to the region before stepping out on the world stage.

#“In these trying times, the CARIFTA Games is a beacon of hope where the world is coming out of the residual and the dramatic effects of the pandemic amongst other world-shattering events,” Sands said.

#“This is a gleam of hope and joy as we come together to celebrate, cheer and encourage our young athletes to push themselves to help develop and improve the world in which they live.”

#LOC chairman Lynden Maycock said his hardworking staff that includes logistics, operations, social functions, finance, technology, competition, venue, marketing, media and vendor teams, have all done an excellent job so far.

#The Blue Marlins Sports Network, according to Maycock, was officially launched as the radio network for the games as did their first live broadcast of the event. He noted that they will be the official radio station for the games, while Aliv will be the television station with the rights to cover the games. “We also want to make mention here that for the first time in the history of the games, we are partnering with a financial platform, Arawak X, that will provide the funding needed for the games.

#Maycock also introduced the LOC’s mascots, the Blue Sharks, while Maryann Higgs, the first Bahamian recipient of the Austin Sealy Award as the Most Outstanding Athlete, was presented as the Mother of the Games and “Golden Girl” Pauline Davis Dame of the games.

#BAAA president Drumeco Archer, still celebrating the announcements by World Athletics that the World Relays will be coming back to the Bahamas for the fourth time in 2024, said the Bahamas will be welcoming the best that the world has to offer.

#“From the BAAA side, we are ready,” Archer said. “If you come to the track every day, our athletes are ready to put on a show for you the Bahamian people.”

#Archer, who will be seeking another four-year term in office when the BAAA goes to the polls for their election of officers on Saturday, commended the Bahamas Olympic movement, the Bahamas government, the LOC and the Bahamian public. “A lot of work has been taking place in a short period of time,” he pointed out. “I will leave it right here and I would say let’s get ready to rumble. Let’s put on your running shoes and let’s get ready for the 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/02/50th-carifta-games-set-april-7-10/?news

As of Friday, December 2, 2022

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#After the first day of competition, the Baby Wave took the cannon at the finish line of the first race in the E class. The Bulls Reg won the C class first race, while Ant’s Nest carted off first place in the first B class race.

#Sailing competition will continue at 10am today and Saturday with the preliminary rounds in all classes.

#The final day of competition will take place on Sunday when all of the winners of each class will be decided.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/02/best-best-regatta-sets-sail-montagu/?news

SHOWN, from left to right, are Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, World and Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Prime Minister Philip Davis, sprinter Anthonique Strachan, celebrity artist Jamaal Rolle and World and Olympic champion Steven Gardiner as they became the latest athletes added to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Legends Walk of Fame yesterday. Photos by Eric Rose/BIS

As of Friday, December 2, 2022

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WORLD and Olympic champions Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner and their World Relays’ mixed relay gold medal teammate Anthonique Strachan were the latest athletes added to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Legends Walk of Fame.

#The three athletes joined a list of 66 who were previously on the pathway on the Mychal Thompson Boulevard that leads from John F Kennedy Drive into the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium during a ceremony yesterday to relaunch the Wall of Fame.

#The ceremony was a part of the launch of the 50th CARIFTA Games that will take place at the stadium from April 7-10, making it the ninth time that the top regional track and field competition has been staged here.

#Among the dignitaries in attendance were Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, Minister of Social Service and Urban Renewal Obie Wilchcome, former Minister of Sports Danny Johnson, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Drumeco Archer, Lynden Maycock, the chief executive officer of the Local Organising Committee for CARIFTA and Don Deveaux, the proprietor of the Oaktree Medical Center, the title sponsors for the games.

#The ceremonies also brought together all six women who have won the prestigious Austin Sealy award for the most

#outstanding athlete of the games. They are now all among the list of honorees, whose portraits were beautifully drawn by Bahamian celebrity artist Jamaal Rolle, who got three CARIFTA ambassadors Johnathon Fowlers, Kennedi Knowles and Skinner to Miller-Uibo, Gardiner and Strachan respectively.

#The six Austin Sealy winners in order are Maryann Higgs-Clarke, crowned the “Mother” of the games, who won the title in 1978, Lavern Eve, the first two-time winner in 1982-83, Pauline Davis, now the “Dame” of the games, who won in 1984, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, who did it in 1995, Strachan, another double champion in 2011 and 2012 and Miller-Uibo, the last to achieve the feat in 2013. For Gardiner, Miller-Uibo and Strachan, they were all delighted to be added to the Walk of Fame.

#Having missed the majority of last season because of an injury, Gardiner, the men’s 200 and 400m national record holder, said finally after watching the others make the Walk of Fame, he’s now included.

#“Now that I’m a professional athlete and I hold all of these titles, I’m just happy to see myself amongst all of the legends in our country,” said Gardiner, a native from Moore’s Island who is now training in Florida.

#With the games coming here for the 50th anniversary, Gardiner said it’s exciting for the country and hopefully he will be able to come back and celebrate with the Bahamian people next year.

#As for next year, the trimmed and fit looking Gardiner said his training has been going tough, but he’s looking forward to his return and facing some of the new athletes in the sport as well as his arch-rivals. “I went to see the doctor in July after the World Championships and I’ve been training since October and I haven’t felt a thing,” he said.

#“I think I have a new leg, so come January, you should see me in some indoor meets.”

#Every year, the 27-year-old Gardiner said his goal remains the same and that is to stay healthy, go to the major championship or games and get on the podium, if not as the champion as one of the three medallists.

#As a youngster growing up, Miller-Uibo said she was inspired by Tonique Williams, who had won the Olympics and World Championship titles.

#Having achieved that same goal, Miller-Uibo said she hopes that she can be an inspiration to the next great Bahamian female quarter-miler.

#On the portrait, Miller- Uibo said Rolle always “does a great job and he picked a wonderful photo. I’m happy for it.”

#She was even more thrilled to be able to come home for the launch of CARIFTA and to hear the news of the Bahamas re-gaining the World Relays for 2024, having competed on the last one here in 2017 when she teamed up with Gardiner, Strachan and Michael Mathieu to win the first mixed 4 x 400m relay held at any major international competition.

#“I’m looking forward to it. I think CARIFTA is going to be a smash and so I’m looking forward to it,” said Miller-Uibo, who trains in Florida.

#“I’m also looking forward to the return of the World Relays. I’m just excited that we are having it here in the Bahamas again.”

#After winning just about every title from the CARIFTA to World Indoors to outdoors in the 400m and holding multiple Bahamas national indoor and outdoor records in the 200- 400m, Miller-Uibo said the goal for her next year is to get better, but this time as she drops back down to the 200m. “I just want to have some fun with it,” she stated. “These are my last few years and I just want to go out with a bang. We’re trying some new things. We’re going to drop down to the sprints as well as test out the multis, so we will see how it goes.”

#When asked if she’s going to pursue the heptathlon, the women’s version of the decathlon that her husband Maicel Uibo from Estonia competes in, the 28-year-old Miller-Uibo would only chuckle and say: “We’ll see.”

#Strachan, who had a great comeback year that ended with her running on the women’s 4 x 100m silver medal team at the NACAC Championships in Grand Bahama, said it motivates her to do more because she can now see that she can be able to achieve more things in the country. “I’m very grateful for this and so much more,” said Strachan, who noted that Rolle did an exceptional job capturing her best angle.

#Strachan, who currently trains in Jamaica, said she enjoys being a part of any event being hosted at home and she’s looking forward to coming back to cheer on the future stars as they compete at CARIFTA next year. “To the young athletes trying out for CARIFTA, I just want to say to them, keep going,” she charged.

#“Once they have their minds fixed on this, keep it there. It doesn’t matter what anybody else tells you.

#“Make it your motivation. When the world gives you lemon, you make lemonade.”

#The 29-year-old Strachan, who became the seventh Bahamian to dip under the 11-second barrier in the 100m this year with a time of 10.98, said her goal next year is to get better and hopefully go after the Bahamian national century record of 10.84 that was set by Chandra Sturrup in 2005.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/02/three-more-athletes-added-walk-fame/?news

READY TO FACE THE REGION: Team Bahamas members, shown above, were named ahead of the 4th Caribbean Baseball Cup. The roster and coaching staff for next week’s event was officially revealed at yesterday’s Media Day, hosted at the new Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

As of Friday, December 2, 2022

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Team Bahamas is ready to take on the region at the 4th Caribbean Baseball Cup.

#The roster and coaching staff for next week’s event was officially revealed at yesterday’s Media Day, hosted at the new Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

#Managed by Geron Sands, the staff will also include assistant head coach Albert Cartwright alongside coaches Dominique Collie, Donovan Cox and Trae Sweeting.

#Sands called it an honour to introduce a new era of Bahamian baseball in the Andre Rodgers Stadium.

#“It’s a pleasure and honour to be leading this team and to be the first to play in the new stadium and represent the country,” Sands said.

#“I’ve been around these guys so long I feel kind of used to it and it feels like we’re just preparing for another game but I’m sure once Sunday comes we’ll be ready. It’s an honour, it’s fulfilling and I’m excited. Practices have been great, training camp has been great, these guys are ready to go.”

#Team Bahamas’ roster includes a cross section of talent across various levels of play including the minor leagues, independent baseball, collegiate baseball and locally.

#The infielders include St Louis Cardinals prospect Adari Grant, New York Mets prospect Warren Saunders, Texas Rangers prospect Keithron Moss, Miami Marlins prospect Cherif Neymour along with Northwestern State’s Daunte Stuart and Kennesaw State’s Jay Knowles.

#The outfielders will be led by Los Angeles Angels prospect D’Shawn Knowles, who recently helped Great Britain qualify for the World Baseball Classic.

#The remainder of the infield includes Ellison Hanna of the Lake Eerie Crushers, Toby Simmons of the Miami Marlins, Kristin Munroe of the Los Angeles Angels, Kashon Conliffe of the San Diego Padres and highly touted international prospect for the class of 2023 – Janero Miller.

#The pitching staff is headlined by Evan Sweeting who last pitched in the San Diego Padres organisation and D’Vaugn Knowles who was last with the New York Yankees organisation.

#Also, Brandon Russell, Robin Haven College, Carvin Dames, Derrinyj Russell, McKell Bethel, Giovante Tomlins, Travvis Ferguson, Kennedy Cooper, and Mateo Ferguson.

#The catchers are Ural Forbes, Yeshua Saint and Diontwon James.

#“We have a mixture. The selection process included countless nights going over stats, checking on health. There are guys that were unavailable because of

#career commitments, they have winter ball to play, they’re on 40 man rosters, some have to go to big league camps, so we had to take all that into consideration.

#“We picked the best guys that were available, healthy and ready to play in this tournament,” Sands said. “It’s going to help boost these guys in their organisations. Anytime you play in international competition teams are going to be interested to see how guys compete so it will help their respective teams that they are ready to go to the next level and hopefully it forces everyone to step their game up.”

#The Bahamas opens competition against the US Virgin Islands on December 4 at 7:30pm, followed by matchups against Curaçao on December 5 at 7pm, Cuba on December 7 at 7pm, and completes round robin play against Cuba on December 8 at 7pm.

#The five participants in the tournament are world No. 9 Cuba, No. 16 Puerto Rico, No. 60 Curaçao, and No. 66 US Virgin Islands. The Bahamas is ranked No.80.

#The tournament will qualify two teams for the Central American and Caribbean Games 2023, scheduled for June 23 to July 8 in El Salvador.

#For many of the players, they see it as an opportunity to reconnect with teammates from their childhood.

#Angels prospect D’Shawn Knowles said: “Some of these guys I haven’t played with since I was 11-12 so it feels great to have an opportunity to perform on the biggest stage in our city, in front of the home crowd.”

#Marlins prospect Neymour added: “It’s a great feeling, especially playing with my brothers. It’s great to just have the opportunity to share the field with them and to have home field advantage and I feel great going into this event.”

#Rangers prospect Moss said while the team is set on winning the event, serving as an inspiration for future generations is equally as important.

#“It’s definitely something special and we’re looking forward to it. We’re doing this for the younger guys coming up behind us so being a part of it is a very special thing,” he said.

#“Baseball is baseball, but it’s better with my guys that I know. That’s the most important thing. I don’t feel the nerves, we just have to play ball, pick each other up, play together and honestly I feel like we can win this thing.”

#One team in the field will be eliminated following round-robin play.

#The number one seed after the first round will play the fourth-place team in the first semifinal. The second and third-place finishers will compete in the other semifinal.

#Curaçao is the defending champion. They defeated Cuba in the final of the third edition.

#Cuba has already qualified for the Central American and Caribbean Games.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/02/team-bahamas-named-4th-caribbean-baseball-cup/?news

 Home|Sports|World relays set to return to The BahamasSports

Global relay event approved for The Bahamas for 2024

Sheldon LongleySend an emailDecember 1, 2022 45 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Just last year, president of World Athletics (WA) Lord Sebastian Coe said he is open to the world relays returning to The Bahamas, and as of yesterday, a major step was made in that direction as it was determined at the ultimate level that the global event would come back to these shores.

During a press conference via Zoom at the conclusion of the 229th World Athletics Council in Rome, Italy, Lord Coe said the recommendation of the Bid Evaluation Panel to return the World Relay Championships has been approved for 2024. The Bahamas hosted the first three editions of the event, in 2014, 2015 and again in 2017, at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau. After the Government of The Bahamas decided to withdraw its host status, the 2019 event was moved to Yokohama, Japan. The 2021 world relays was held in Chorzów Poland.

“I am delighted to announce that the recommendation to the council for the destination of the 2024 world relays was in essence awarded to and approved for The Bahamas,” said Lord Coe via Zoom yesterday. “With this being a qualifying event, it was determined that The Bahamas presents the best atmosphere for the athletes to qualify in the relays ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Congratulations to The Bahamas.”

An aggressive bid campaign, in which a 10-minute video highlighted the beauty of The Bahamas’ landscape, beaches, water and culture, and past scenes from the world relays, caught the attention of the global leaders of the sport. Lord Coe said he is delighted that the event is returning to The Bahamas.

Making appearances in the video of the World Relays Bahamas Bid Presentation were two-time Olympic Champion in the women’s 400 meters (m) Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Olympic and former World Champion in the men’s 400m Steven Gardiner, and Bahamian track and field legend Pauline Davis-Thompson among others.

In the video, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation I. Chester Cooper said there is a good reason why sports in The Bahamas is referred to as ‘Sports in Paradise’.

“We have a team of citizens and residents who work together to deliver unforgettable experiences. What our team provides could best be described as a paradise for our guests,” he said. “It really starts with the convenient travel to our islands from gateways around the world. The Bahamas sits as a convenient midway point between North and South America, welcoming flights daily from both continents. At the same time, European travelers make their way to us easily with connecting flights daily through the United States and 10 flights per week through London.

“Once in our country, our guests find world-class accommodations, and all selected resorts for the games village are less than seven kilometers from the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium. I stand with a team of hospitality professionals who are ready to care for World Athletics with excellence whether it is at the competition venue, at hotels, restaurants or at our airports, we look forward to welcoming the world relays back to where it is better – right here in the islands of The Bahamas.”

The deputy prime minister went on to say that beyond the resorts the guests will have several forms of entertainment and festival options.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said in the presentation that he wholeheartedly agrees that there is no place like home – Nassau, The Bahamas.

“Nassau is the original home of the world relays. It is where thousands of fans experienced the thrill of an all relay event. The world had never seen anything like it, and it was a mega success,” said the minister. “What a legacy it would be to show how World Athletics continues to work with development states to bring opportunities to them. We can show the world that World Athletics provides a leveled playing field for all of its national federations. We believed in the world relays from the very beginning and it is my distinct pleasure to confirm that we still believe. Sports is once again a top priority for the Government of The Bahamas. The world relays has the unflinching support of the Government of The Bahamas and we are committed to exceeding the prior success of this event. We certainly feel that the time is right to bring the world relays back to its favorite destination – The Bahamas.”

Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) President Drumeco Archer said he, as all Bahamians should be, excited upon the return the of world relays to The Bahamas.

“For the first three years of the world relays, the BAAA stood side by side with World Athletics, presenting to the world a new and fascinating aspect of track and field competition. It was ‘Bahamazing’, so I say let’s do it again,” he said. “This event was an inspiration not only to the people of The Bahamas, but it captured the attention of the world. Our team is once again ready to meet all of the challenges of the 2024 edition of the world relays. Volunteers, coaches, athletes and administrators from throughout our country will look forward to welcoming the world to our home. Most importantly, there is a widespread support of Bahamians for the return of the world relays. Throughout The Bahamas, we are collectively saying let’s bring this brand of excitement back to our shores.”

The 2024 World Relay Championships will serve as a qualifying competition for the relay events at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

With the 2023 CARIFTA Games being hosted in The Bahamas as well, and with the return of the Bahamas Games set for the summer of 2023, the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium is set to be a busy venue over the next two years. It remains to be seen how much upgrades will be undertaken and what the final cost will be.

https://thenassauguardian.com/world-relays-set-to-return-to-the-bahamas/