Home|News|The late Alpheus “Hawk” Finlayson was a giant in the Bahamian sporting communityNewsSports
Sheldon LongleySend an emailSeptember 23, 2023 567 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
Noted track and field historian Alpheus ‘Hawk’ Finlayson has passed, succumbing at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) at the age of 76 on Friday.
Finlayson, a former president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) and former council member of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF), now World Athletics, will go down as one of the more respected persons in the history of track and field in The Bahamas.
In addition to his administrative duties, he is a former athlete and coach, author and talk show host, bringing The Bahamas and the world closer to track and field.
His passing came just two weeks after the passing of his wife Dawn, and a day before her burial.
Finlayson was one of the longest-serving presidents of the BAAA, serving from 1989 to 1997. He served during a time when The Bahamas won its first Olympic medal in track and field – bronze from Frank Rutherford in the men’s triple jump in 1992; and first world outdoor championships medal – bronze in the women’s 100 meters (m) from Savatheda Fynes in 1995.
He is also a former vice president of the North, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC).
Finlayson made history, becoming the first Bahamian to be elected to the IAAF Council, and is the only Bahamian to attend every world outdoor championships from 1983 in Helsinki, Finland, to 2017 in London, England.
As a writer, his prized possession was his book “From Vancouver to Athens – 50 Years of Bahamian International Track and Field Competition”.
For 10 years, from 2013 to 2023, he hosted his own radio show ‘Track World with Alpheus Finlayson’ on Guardian Radio 96.9FM – the only weekly radio show dedicated solely to track and field in The Bahamas and the Caribbean region.
For his work in athletics, Finlayson was inducted into The Bahamas’ National Sports Hall of Fame.
Finlayson is survived by his daughter Alexis, son-in-law Khalil, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
The Nassau Guardian offers depest condolences to the family and friends of Finlayson.