Home|Sports|Major to throw his name in the hat for boxing federation presidentSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 21, 2022 111 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

There is no date set as yet for the Bahamas Boxing Federation’s (BBF) election of officers but it is due to happen at some point this year. One of the persons who is interested in the presidency is retired boxer Meacher “Major Pain” Major.

Major has been around the sport since he was 12 years old and said he is not happy with the condition that the sport, which he loves, is in, locally.

“I love the sport of boxing, I know what it has done to help an inner city individual like myself and many others. I have no personal agenda. I just want to see it progress for the betterment of the sport for which I have sacrificed so much during the course of my career,” Major said.

The veteran boxer wants the sport to expand and for it to become a vehicle for sports tourism in the country.

“I know I am the one who can make the changes that is needed to evolve the sport. We need new ideas, new vision to inspire others to get involved on all levels. I know I have the experience, being one of Ray Minus’ first boxers when I started boxing in 1994. I have seen what was done, what can be done, what needs to be done to help the sport to become bigger and better for the upcoming generation of boxers. Boxing in The Bahamas can become a sports tourism tool. We need a new training camp facility which can allow international amateur and professional boxers to hold their training camps in The Bahamas,” Major said.

The 40-year-old commended coaches such as Keishno Major, Valentino Knowles and Kayla Johnson, and even professional boxer Tureano Johnson who offers guidance to aspiring young boxers. Major said they are making sacrifices to have the young people more involved in boxing. He said those coaches have inspired him to run for the presidency of the BBF.

If he wins the presidency, Major said he will have to step down from his position as a member of the Bahamas Boxing Commission. He also serves as regional director in the Pan American Caribbean Boxing Organization (PACBO).

Major is looking to help boxing programs on the Family Islands, knowing that it is not an easy task.

“We have never had this amount of former boxers become trainers in the history of The Bahamas,” Major said. “Inagua and Freeport have active boxing programs. Exuma and a few other Family Islands are interested in having boxing programs, so, once I become president, I want to be able to make those a reality. I know it’s not an easy task, and so much work needs to be done, but with God on our side, and an amazing team, we will succeed.”

The current BBF president is Vincent Strachan. He was voted in as president in 2018 and it is unclear if he is running for a second consecutive term.

https://thenassauguardian.com/major-to-throw-his-name-in-the-hat-for-boxing-federation-president/

 Home|Sports|BAAA names 11-member team for World JuniorsSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 21, 2022 111 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Right on the heels of the 18th World Athletics Outdoor Championships comes another global athletics event as the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) continues its trek on a busy summer.

The BAAA has ratified an 11-member team for the World Athletics Under-20 (U20) Championships, also known as the World Junior Championships or World Juniors, which is set for August 2-7 at Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia.

The World Juniors is an international athletics competition for athletes qualifying as juniors (born no earlier than January 1, 2003), and all members of Team Bahamas have achieved qualifying standards that were in place from the beginning of the season and set by World Athletics.

A total of seven young men and four young women will represent The Bahamas in Cali, Colombia, in this global event.

Named to the team are Antoine Andrews, Zachary Evans, Carlos Brown, Zion Campbell, Keyshawn Strachan, Wanya McCoy and Shimar Bain for the boys; and female athletes Javonya Valcourt, Shatalya Dorsett, Paige Archer and Lacarthea Cooper.

Corrington Maycock is the head coach of the team and he will be assisted by Daron Lightbourne and John Ingraham. The team manager is Laketah Charlton and she will be assisted by Sharon Gardiner who is also the COVID liaison officer. Dr. Alvery Hanna is the team doctor and Terell Major is the team therapist.

The squad will be led by Strachan who is the highest ranked athlete on the team, listed as the number two under-20 javelin thrower in the world on the World Athletics Top Performance list for 2022.

“We have a strong team with very disciplined athletes. My hope is that each and every athlete participates for personal records,” said veteran throws coach Maycock, serving in a head coaching capacity for the first time on a national level.

“All of the athletes have competed at a high level all season, so now it’s time to execute.”

From the athletes entered, Maycock said they have every intention of fielding relay squads, particularly in the 4×100 meters (m) relays. He likes their chances of making it through the rounds and into the final.

“I have really high hopes for them this time around,” said Maycock. “A couple of the members of this team are currently at the world championships in Eugene and some are on Grand Bahama. When the pieces of the puzzle are all together, then we can build a solid and unified team. I expect personal best performances from all of the athletes and some hardware to go with that.”

McCoy and Valcourt are the two members of the team who are at the World Athletics Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA. As Maycock mentioned, others are on Grand Bahama and are scheduled to arrive in New Providence over the weekend.

The team departs for Cali, Colombia, on July 28. Maycock said it’s a business trip for them and they are looking forward to tremendous success.

https://thenassauguardian.com/baaa-names-11-member-team-for-world-juniors/

 Home|Sports|Miller-Uibo cruises into 400m final Sports

No American makes women’s 400m final; six of the eight from the Caribbean

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 21, 2022 118 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Shaunae Miller-Uibo was all business, comfortably getting through to the final of the women’s 400 meters (m) at the 18th World Athletics Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA, last night.

Miller-Uibo ran a structured race, finishing first in her semifinal heat in a season’s best time of 49.55 seconds to book an automatic spot for Friday’s final. Miller-Uibo will run out of lane three in the final which is set for 10:15 p.m. on Friday.

Given the form she has shown so far, the Bahamian looks determined to grab the one global title that has eluded her in her professional career. She is a world youth champion, a world junior champion, a world indoor champion and an Olympic champion, but is yet to win a world outdoor title.

That could certainly change tomorrow night when Miller-Uibo lines up in the final of the women’s 400m as she is one of the event favorites. With her sub-50 seconds run in the semis, Miller-Uibo was the fastest qualifier for Friday’s final. She got out to an early lead, powered down the back stretch, was controlled on the second curve and paced herself on the home stretch. She appeared to ease up about 50 to 60 meters from the finish line, cruising to the tape.

The two-time Olympic Champion is expected to be challenged from Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic and Candice McLeod of Jamaica – the second and third fastest qualifiers for the final respectively. Paulino was the silver medalist behind Miller-Uibo at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year, and was the only other runner under 50 seconds in the semis last evening. She won her semifinal heat in 49.98 seconds and McLeod ran a season’s best time of 50.05 seconds.

In a stunning turn of events, no American woman advanced to the final of the women’s 400m. In fact, six of the eight women in the final are from the Caribbean – two from Jamaica, two from the Dominican Republic, Miller-Uibo from The Bahamas and Sada Williams from Barbados. 

Today is an off day for The Bahamas and Miller-Uibo will be the only Bahamian athlete in action tomorrow.

On Saturday, Devynne Charlton will compete in the opening round heats of the women’s 100m hurdles and Ken Mullings will begin his competition in the men’s decathlon. Also on Saturday, the women’s 4x400m relay team will be in action, competing in the heats of that event.

So far, the highest finish for The Bahamas has been 10th by Anthonique Strachan in the women’s 100m. TyNia Gaither finished 11th overall in the women’s 200m, just coming up short of becoming the first Bahamian to advance to three consecutive finals of the women’s 200m at the world outdoor championships. She now shares the accomplishment of two successive finals in that event, among Bahamians, with Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie who did it twice in her illustrious career.

Both Strachan and Gaither ran personal best times – Strachan in the 100m and Gaither in the 200m.

The Bahamas has won at least one medal at every world athletics championships since 2013, and has won 25 medals in the history of the championships – eight gold, nine silver and eight bronze.

This is the first world outdoor championships that is being held on US soil. A total of 1,972 athletes from 192 countries are competing.

https://thenassauguardian.com/miller-uibo-cruises-into-400m-final/

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 Home|Sports|Williams withdraws; Freeport meet goes on without herSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailDecember 21, 2020 474 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Citing an inability to meet reasonable requests, foreign coach, track analyst and sportscaster Ato Boldon pulled his prized possession, Briana Williams, out of the Neymour Athletics Christmas Odd Distance Track and Filed Classic in Freeport, Grand Bahama, this past weekend, dampening the overall mood of the local meet and causing it to lose some of its luster.

Boldon, of Trinidad & Tobago, a former World Champion sprinter and Olympic medalist, coaches Williams – the World Under-20 (U20) Double Sprint Champion from Jamaica and a regional star at CARIFTA the past two years. She is the darling of track and field on the junior side in the region, and was the headliner of the Neymour Athletics classic this past weekend. The duo, Boldon and Williams, arrived in Freeport on Wednesday and left on Sunday without the latter participating in the weekend event.

Bolden said on social media: “Unfortunately, the organizers of this meet failed to deliver on just about every reasonable expectation that there could be to host a decent track and field event and as a result, I’ve decided to withdraw Briana from participation in this meet.”

Meet organizer Jerell Forbes, the head coach and president of the Grand Bahamian-based Neymour Athletics Track and Field Club, said it’s unfortunate but added that the success of the meet did not rest on Williams’ participation.

“We just couldn’t please him, and we certainly tried,” said Forbes. “I received complaints from some of the foreign coaches on what was said and done, and at that point, I said to myself that I’m not going to let any one person decide how this meet is run. It really started with a Zoom session with a few of the international athletes, with them giving their take about being in The Bahamas but he didn’t want Briana to take part in that. Also, athletes tried to mix with Brianna but he always intervened. He just acted unprofessionally. Briana even asked to run the 150, asking me to ask Coach Ato to let her run the 150, and I was about to do that, until I saw the post on social media. It was egregious and uncalled for. Be that as it may, the event was a success. Everyone who came down here said they were grateful for the opportunity to compete and they enjoyed themselves. It’s just unfortunate that that one incident put a damper on the weekend. Otherwise, it was a great meet.”

Boldon, who was unavailable for comment, also said on social media that Freeport, Grand Bahama, holds a special place in their hearts, having flown there in 2019 to assist in the Hurricane Dorian relief efforts. Prior to her arrival, Williams said to 876 Stream – an online social media site in Jamaica – that she was super excited to be coming to The Bahamas and was looking forward to competing.

There’s no doubt that it has been a rough year for the Northern Bahamas, given the damage and loss of life from Dorian and the ensuing financial impact of COVID-19. Boldon said they wanted to do their part to assist and deemed it a great idea to compete. Forbes said he welcomed the initial interest and even made his father’s plane available for transport into the island for Boldon and Williams, but was caught off guard with what followed. Despite the fallout, the meet took place Saturday at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport. Friday’s events were canceled due to a technical error.

Local and foreign athletes, nearly 200 in total, engaged in the 60 meters (m), 150m, 300m, 500m and the one-mile events, in all age groups, on Saturday.

“Saturday was a complete success,” said Forbes. “The kids were able to come out and compete and they really enjoyed themselves. The athletes, parents and coaches were excited. The Jamaican athletes and the other international athletes all enjoyed themselves, and that was good to see. This is our legacy and we have to keep it going. We want to take this to new heights. It’s just unfortunate what happed with Coach Ato but it didn’t dampen our spirits. He is impossible to please. With him being in the sport for so long, you would expect him to understand that everything doesn’t go perfect all the time, but he’s making decisions based on what he wants and not on what’s good for her. Be that as it may, we will go on. We will continue to promote this meet in the future and continue to uplift track and field.”

Forbes said they are now in the process of planning the 4th Annual Basil Neymour Construction Classic, which is set for February 12-13, 2021, at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport. He said they are expecting a large contingent from Barbados, athletes from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, and a team out of North Carolina in the United States, led by Olympian hurdler and former World Champion Bershawn “Bat Man” Jackson.

“This event was just a precursor for what’s to come,” said Forbes. “We’re looking forward to big things happening for Grand Bahama as far as track and field is concerned and we are not going to be deterred. Track and field must go on. We will continue to move forward.”

The Neymour Athletics Christmas Odd Distance Track and Filed Classic, the first international track and field meet in the country since the advent of COVID-19 in the region, was supported by The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry for Grand Bahama, and was given approval by health officials in the country with the mandate that safety and social distancing measures be adhered to. It was also sanctioned by the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), the governing body for athletics in the country.

Forbes said he has every intention of making the meet an annual event.

https://thenassauguardian.com/williams-withdraws-freeport-meet-goes-on-without-her/

Bahamian officially signs with the Suns; team keeping nucleus intact

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 20, 2022 115 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

PHOENIX (AP) — DeAndre Ayton finally has his new deal from the Phoenix Suns, who simply weren’t willing to let him get away for nothing.

A person with knowledge of the situation said the Suns quickly decided to match a $133 million, four-year offer sheet that Ayton agreed to Thursday with the Indiana Pacers. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Suns had not publicly announced the decision.

The Athletic first reported Phoenix matching the offer. ESPN first reported that Ayton had agreed with the Pacers.

The move means the Suns — at least for now — keep their nucleus of Ayton and the All-Star backcourt of Devin Booker and Chris Paul. The trio pushed Phoenix to the NBA Finals in 2021 and a franchise-record 64 wins during the most recent regular season.

The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton was eligible to get an extension from Phoenix last summer.

That didn’t happen, and he became a restricted free agent this summer — meaning Phoenix had the chance to match any offers. Once Indiana made its move, the Suns countered quickly.

Phoenix has been linked to interest in acquiring Brooklyn star Kevin Durant during the offseason, but Ayton can’t be used as trade bait because of the new deal.

The Suns’ move is a blow to the Pacers, who were hoping to add Ayton as a pivotal piece in a promising young core that includes 22-year-old point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was acquired in a February trade with Sacramento.

Ayton — who turns 24 later this month — had a shaky start to his career but became a critical component in the Suns’ run to the Finals. He’s part of the 2018 draft class that includes Dallas’ Luka Dončić and Atlanta’s Trae Young. The two guards have had more individual success, but neither has made it as far in the playoffs.

The athletic 6-foot-11 Ayton is powerful in the low post and has developed a strong mid-range game. He averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season while shooting 63.4 percent from the field and 36.8 percent on 3-pointers.

Much of the criticism about Ayton has been about his maturity. He was suspended 25 games without pay by the NBA in 2019 for violating the league’s Anti-Drug Program by testing positive for a diuretic. He was also benched for part of Game 7 of the team’s second-round loss to Dallas this year after appearing to exchange words with coach Monty Williams.

Still, he is generally popular with his teammates. Booker and Paul often praised Ayton, who did a lot of the little things to help the team win.

Even without Ayton, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard may not be done wheeling-and-dealing. Indiana has three potential first-round picks in next year’s draft and enough players and assets to help other teams looking for a salary-cap dump.

The Pacers announced Thursday that they waived four players — Duane Washington Jr., Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, and Juwan Morgan. They were part of Indiana’s trade that sent guard Malcolm Brogdon to Boston, clearing enough cap space to make the pursuit of Ayton or other players realistic.

https://thenassauguardian.com/ayton-staying-with-the-suns/

 Home|Sports|BBFF ratifies 16-member for the CAC ChampionshipsSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 20, 2022 140 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (BBFF) just staged its novice and national championships this past weekend and wasted no time in naming a 16-member team to compete at the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’ (IFBB) 49th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships. Competition is slated for July 27 to August 1 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Center in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The team comprises of 10 men and six women.

Making up the team on the men’s side are Gemo Smith (Men’s Muscular Physique), Giovanne Farrington (Men’s Bodybuilding – Middleweight), Orick Nesbitt (Men’s Bodybuilding – Super Heavyweight), Terrion Kemp (Men’s Physique – Junior), Justin Lightbourne (Men’s Physique – Class A), Anthon Moxey (Men’s Physique – Class C), Wedlear Eugene (Men’s Physique – Class D), Judah Forbes (Men’s Physique – Class E) and Kaif Young and Davin Johnson (Men’s Physique – Class F).

On the women’s side, The Bahamas will be represented by Fania Joseph (Women’s Bikini – Class B), Kastachia Stuart (Women’s Bikini – Class G), Britnae Davis (Women’s Bikini – Class H), Cara Saunders and Altonmique Curtis (Women’s Wellness) and Dorcas Cox (Women’s Figure/Body Fitness).

Raymond Tucker and Leonardo Dean are the coaches, and going as judges are Charles Sealy and Robert Harris.

BBFF President Joel Stubbs said he is comfortable with the team that was selected.

“We have a small but elite team that is made up of a few new hungry athletes who are ready to take advantage of this opportunity. The team is paired evenly with eight of them having participated before at the CAC level and eight competing for the very first time. The eight veterans will provide a level of experience and knowledge that will assist in building athletes’ confidence,” Stubbs said.

To get the team to Barbados, Stubbs is appealing for sponsorship.

“We are still counting our pennies and praying and hoping for corporate sponsorship and for the government to assist the national team as we prepare to represent this great little nation of ours,” Stubbs said.

The Bahamas will be competing against countries such as host nation Barbados, Jamaica, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

“Barbados is a country that has developed bodybuilding from the high school level, and so, we expect stiff competition,” Stubbs said. “I expect Team Bahamas to be on the podium collecting hardware in each of the categories that we compete in. Athletes have a very short time in their preparation for the championships but if they can duplicate the same presentation or refine what was displayed on Saturday evening, I think a large number of gold medals will be coming back home.”

Last year, the federation was able to field eight athletes to make the trip to Sal Salvador, El Salvador, for the CACs. Although it was a small team, they produced eight medals that included two gold, three silver and three bronze. With a team double that size, they will look to bring home even more hardware this time around.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bbff-ratifies16-member-for-the-cac-championships/

 Home|Sports|Smith set to row in under-23 world championshipsSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 20, 2022 128 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Dehron Smith is looking to go to Varese, Italy, to represent The Bahamas at the World Rowing Under-23 (U23) Championships, which is set for July 25-30. Smith is currently raising funds to get an opportunity to row on a global stage. He will be rowing in the single sculls class – a highly competitive division in which rowers use a combination of power and skill.

“This competition is a huge opportunity for me to break on to the international scene in rowing and put The Bahamas in that conversation in the sport of rowing. It’s an absolute honor. The goal is to build experience and set a bar high for myself as I train moving forward. This will be my very first individual international race,” Smith said.

Smith said it’s been tough financially for him on this mission to travel to Italy. The tickets for his coach Andrea Proske, and himself, are $4,000 combined. They have a GoFundMe page set up where they are hoping to raise $4,500. The campaign is at $3,055 so far.

“My GoFundMe page is the best way for anyone to help me along in the journey in whatever amount they have to spare,” Smith said. “I was hesitant to reach out on this level but a mentor of mine made me realize that people deserve an opportunity to contribute because there are so many people in my life who care about me and all of us as Bahamians want to see each other succeed.”

Smith said it’s not strange to have fundraisers. He said it’s even done at the university level to cover costs such as equipment, travel, accommodations and the price of competitions.

The 22-year-old will be the second Bahamian male to compete in the World Rowing U23 Championships – the first was William Stanhope. Smith is coached by Canadian Olympic gold medalist Andrea Proske.

“He is a joy to guide. He takes ownership in his journey, asking thoughtful questions to ensure he understands the training plan, but also trusting the process. When faced with tough workouts – the type I used to dread as an athlete myself – he commits to digging deep. Most importantly, Smith understands his journey goes beyond the U23 World Championships.

“We are going to Italy with a clear goal – to leave it all on the water, execute our best race, and to seek our personal best. No matter what the end ranking, I know that Smith will leave proud of his work, with another exciting chapter in Bahamian rowing written.”

Smith first began rowing in 2019 when he was a freshman at Ithaca College at the age of 19. He rowed with the eights but has made the tough transition to the singles where it is just him alone in the boat. He trains on Lake Cunningham, and he said Proske is proud of his progression.

After this competition, Smith will return to Ithaca College for his senior year. He is looking to graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Athletic Training, specializing in sports medicine. Smith will also continue to compete with his school’s varsity crew as they look to dominate the Liberty League.

The GoFundMe page is https://gofund.me/5c874de5. The duo is set to leave on Saturday July 23.

https://thenassauguardian.com/smith-set-to-row-in-under-23-world-championships/

 Home|Sports|Gaither finishes 11th in women’s 200mSports

Bahamian runs personal best time but comes up short of making history

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 20, 2022 134 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

TyNia Gaither was looking to make history last night by becoming the first Bahamian to ever advance to the final of the women’s 200 meters (m) at three successive world outdoor championships, but it wasn’t meant to be for the speedy Grand Bahamian as she was up against a tough field of competitors and fell short.

The women’s 200m semis was one of the featured events on the track at the 18th World Athletics (WA) Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA, last night.

Despite running a personal best time of 22.41 seconds, Gaither fell short of one of her goals of advancing to the final of the women’s 200m. She was fifth in her semifinal heat and finished 11th overall.

Out on an island in lane eight in the first of three semifinal heats, Gaither knew she had to get out of the blocks quickly and run the race of her life last night. She did that and still failed to advance to the final. The 29-year-old veteran sprinter came off the bend in good position, but couldn’t keep up with top end sprinters Shericka Jackson, of Jamaica, and others, on the home stretch.

Jackson won that heat in a blazing 21.68 seconds, easing up at the tape. Aminatou Seyni, of Niger, was second in that semifinal heat in 22.04 seconds. Mujinga 

Kambundji, of Switzerland, ran a national record of 22.05 seconds for third in that semifinal heat. American Jenna Prandini was fourth in 22.08 seconds. Gaither had to settle for fifth. She ran 22.61 seconds in the heats and a personal best time of 22.41 seconds in the semis.

Led by Jackson, five of the women in the semis ran under 22 seconds last night, and the final non-automatic qualifying time was a Swiss national record of 22.05 seconds by Kambundji. Prandini’s fast time of 22.08 seconds wasn’t even good enough to make the final. 

“I’m with the world’s best and times are getting faster and faster. They pushed me to a PB (personal best time), so I’m very happy with that,” said Gaither to reporters last night.

Gaither had to finish in the top two in her semifinal heat or be among the next two fastest non-automatic qualifiers to have a chance to run in the final. Sadly for Gaither, that wasn’t the case. She had finished eighth in the women’s 200m at the last two world championships, in London, England, in 2017, and Doha, Qatar, in 2019, sharing a Bahamian record of two successive world finals in that event with the legendary Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie who did it twice in her illustrious career.

As for Gaither, her world championships experience is now over, unless coaches in Eugene decide to give her a leg in the women’s 4x400m relay, which gets underway on Saturday. Gaither false started in the semifinals of the women’s 100m and was 11th overall in the women’s 200m.

“I’ll take a few days off and then head over to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games. Also, I have a few more races in Europe and then I’ll shut it down after that. NACAC is too tight, so I don’t think I will do that, but I’m looking forward to completing the season,” said Gaither.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games is set for July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England, and the 2022 North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Track and Field Championships is set for August 19-21 in Gaither’s hometown of Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Strong hope for a medal for The Bahamas at the worlds, particularly a gold, still lie in the legs of two-time Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the women’s 400m. Miller-Uibo will be the only member of Team Bahamas in action today, competing in the semifinals of the women’s 400m. She will run out of lane six in the first of three semifinal heats at 9:45 p.m. this evening. Just the top two finishers in each heat and the next two fastest times will advance to Friday’s final.

Miller-Uibo cruised through the first round heats, easily winning her race in a modest 51.10 seconds. She goes into the semis with the ninth-fastest time out of the heats and is an overwhelming favorite to get through the semis and win the gold in the final. Miller-Uibo is still looking for her first world outdoor title.

Also competing for The Bahamas this week will be Devynne Charlton in the women’s 100m hurdles, Ken Mullings in the men’s decathlon and the women’s 4x400m relay team.

The Bahamas has won at least one medal at every world athletics championships since 2013, and has won 25 medals in the history of the championships – eight gold, nine silver and eight bronze.

This is the first time the world championships are being held on US soil in the 39-year history of the event. A total of 1,972 athletes from 192 countries are competing.

https://thenassauguardian.com/gaither-finishes-11th-in-womens-200m/

As of Tuesday, July 19, 2022

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Tynia Gaither

Anthonique Strachan (File photo)

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senor Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#One day after they both bowed out in the semi-finals of the women’s 100 metres on Sunday, Anthonique Strachan and Tynia Gaither returned yesterday to begin their campaign for a shot in the 200 in the World Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

#But once again, there was some disappointment for the Bahamian crowd as Strachan, storming off the top of the curve in lane eight, hobbled to a halt with a left leg injury that didn’t allow her to complete the race.

#Strachan, who was having a sensational season that was compared to her 2012 reign as the world junior champion, watched in pain as the rest of the field was led by Nigeria’s 19-year-old Favour Ofili with the victory in the second fastest qualifying time of 22.24.

#Gaither, coming off her disqualification for a false start in the century, came out in the fourth of seven heats in lane eight to surge off the curve in the half-lap race to rally from fourth to surge and lean into third in 22.61 seconds to advance to the semi-final tomorrow with the 13th best time.

#Her heat was won by American Tamara Clark in 22.27 with defending champion Dina Asher- Smith – the Briton came off that unforgettable spot in fourth place behind the first sweep of the 100m by the Jamaicans the night before – second in 22.56.

#Leading the field of competitors through to the semi-finals was the 25-year-old Aminatou Seyni with a national record of 21.98 for Niger. American Abby Steiner, the collegian champion and record holder, opened her international campaign as the top American contender in third spot in 22.26.

#Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, still in a celebratory mood after winning her fifth World Championship title in securing the gold in the Jamaican sweep of the 100m, had the fourth fastest qualifying time of 22.28. Silver medallist Shericka Jackson sat in seventh in 22.33 with bronze medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah in 10th in 22.41.

#All three Jamaicans are on the verge of another showdown for an unprecedented match-up in both sprints in the same championships.

#Gaither is scheduled to be back in action today when she contests the first of three heats of the semi-finals in lane eight again.

#The 29-year-old Gaither will compete against Jackson who, in five, will be sandwiched between American Jenna Prandini in four and Switzerland’s world indoor 60 metre champion Mujinga Kambundji in six.

#Gaither will have to feed off Jacinta Beecher.

#The Australian is expected to chase her in lane seven.

#The first two finishers in each of the three heats and the next two fastest finishers on time will book their ticket to the final on Thursday.

#Meanwhile, the next Bahamian in action will be two-time Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the semi-final of the 400m on Wednesday.

#The runner-up from Doha in 2019 has drawn lane six in the first of three heats after she cruised through the first round on Sunday in the ninth fastest time in winning her heat in 51.10. The 28-year-old Miller-Uibo will have her 23-year-old American training partner Lynna Irby, who was a part of the Pure Athletics Track Club camp in the Bahamas in January, running on the side of her in lane seven.

#Still waiting to compete this weekend will be the women’s 4 x 400m relay team.

#Also, national record holder Devynne Charlton in the women’s 100m hurdles and Ken Mullings making his global debut in the decathlon.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/19/gaither-advances-200m-semis-strachan-injured/?news

As of Tuesday, July 19, 2022

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THE Bahamas senior women’s national basketball team at the FIBA Caribbean Women’s Basketball Championships in Havana, Cuba.

BAHAMIAN players Karoyln Baptiste and Denika Lightbourne defend against Jamaica.

DENIKA Lightbourne and Britenique Harrison trap a Jamaican player.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IF the women’s national basketball team intends to have any success at the FIBA 2022 Women’s Centrobasket Championships in November in Mexico, interim head coach Donillo ‘Donnie’ Culmer said the Bahamas squad will have to be much stronger.

#Culmer, filling in for Yolett McPhee-McQuin, who opted out to assist the men’s national basketball team, led the coaching squad that included Diasti Delancy and Deven Johnson as they won the bronze medal over Jamaica on Sunday at the FIBA Caribbean Women’s Basketball Championships in Havana, Cuba.

#By virtue of their feat, the Bahamas joins champions Cuba and silver medallist Dominican Republic in advancing to the Americas Women’s CentroBasket, scheduled for November 22-27 in November.

#“Hopefully for Mexico in November, we would be able to field a team more talented because the competition will be more intense,” Culmer said.

#Culmer, however, admitted that having travelled with the team, he got a first-hand glimpse of how intense it is in putting the team together to compete.

#As for whether or not he would be back as the head coach, Culmer said he would love to do so.

#“I love serving my country and I love the game,” he said. “As a country, we need to find why at games our best doesn’t want to represent their country if available.”

#Culmer opted not to go into further details, but team manager Anastacia Moultrie said they heard people complaining that the team was a weak one and it was too small, but they took the players who were committed to coming out to practice every day.

#“We chose young ladies who were committed,” she said.

#“Those who you did not see on the team were one, either not serious about coming out to practice and or believed they had a sure spot on the team, two, some could not make it because of reasons they could not travel or three, some just did not come out.”

#Having spent the past month from May 20 preparing the team, Moultrie said they felt they had assembled the best team from the players available to compete.

#“I am very proud of these young ladies, and we had two of the youngest players in the whole tournament in (my daughter) Antonicia (Moultrie) and Denika (Lightbourne). They all made us proud.”

#Moultrie, a shooting guard/small forward, was the youngest member of the team at age 16. She will be entering the 12th grade at St Augustine’s College, while Lightbourne, at 17, will also be entering the 12th grade.

#The other members of the team were Philicia Kelly, 32; Valerie Nesbitt, 23; Valicia Demeritte, 22; Britenique Harrison, 29; Latoya Rolle, 34; Karolyn Baptiste, 19; La’Tavia Brennen, 22; Lorraine Oliver, 30; Roberta Quant, 45 and Tiffany Wildgoose, 31.

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, the immediate past president of the federation, extended congratulations to the team, now on their path to qualification for the Olympic Games.

#“I extend congratulations to the senior women’s national basketball team, the coaching staff and executive members of the Bahamas Basketball Federation,” Bowleg said.

#“This accomplishment comes on the heels of the victory by our men’s national basketball team, who qualified for the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.”

#Bowleg also congratulated Lightbourne, who scored 12 points with six rebounds and five steals and Moultrie, who added six points, two rebounds and two steals in the Bahamas’ 68-57 win over Jamaica on Sunday.

#Lightbourne also finished with a tournament high 71 points scored in five games with an average of 14.2 points per game, while Nesbitt was fourth with an average of 11.8, scoring a total of 59 points.

#Nesbitt was the tournament’s leader in assists with 28 for an average of 5.6 per game and also topped the chart in steals with 16 for an average of 3.2 stripes per game.

#She also had the third highest turnovers with a total of 22 for an average of 4.4 per game.

#Harrison, the tournament’s leader in double-doubles with two, ended up in second place in rebounding with 11 offensive and 29 defensive rebounds for a total of 40 or an average of 13.6 per game. She was also second in blocks with an average of 1.8 after she squatted a total of nine shots.

#The Bahamas eventually occupied the top three spots in fouls with Brennen being accessed 16 for an average of 3.2, while Nesbitt trailed with 15 for her average of 3.0 and Rolle was next with 13 for her average of 2.6.

#Bowleg is currently in Eugene, Oregon for the World Championships in track and field before he heads to Birmingham, England, for the Commonwealth Games next week.

#He said he likes what he has seen so far from his old stomping ground as a former player, coach and executive.

#“The future of basketball is bright and remains in good hands,” Bowleg said. “The Bahamas was also represented at the junior levels, both boys and girls, in seperate tournaments last month. Congratulations once again to Team Bahamas.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/19/bahamas-will-have-be-much-stronger-against-mexico/?news