SPORTS SECTION E
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2025
Pickleball: Bringing home the medals By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
T
he Bahamas Pickleball Federation’s 19-member national team, competing at the Caribbean Nations Cup, turned in a superb performance, winning a total of 13 medals in the open division and the 50-and-over divisions. The event was staged at the Pickleball Cayman in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands over the weekend. It wrapped up on Thursday with the over-50 team winning the silver in their loss to the Cayman Islands. The under-50 team didn’t qualify, missing the semifinals by one point. The Bahamas will return home with seven gold, five silver and a bronze, leaving Kevaughn Ferguson - one of the team leaders - singing the praise of the entire contingent. “Overall, the team was so excited over the outcome of the tournament,”
said Ferguson, a coach out of Harbour Island who, along with Brazile Ferguson at Albany and Justyn Thompson at Baha Mar, served as coaches. “We felt they really excelled in this tournament. This is only the second time the Bahamas has travelled for an event in pickleball, so we exceeded our expectations.” UÊ iÀi½ÃÊ>ÊLÀi> ` Ü Ê vÊ the team’s performances 50-plus Gold - men’s doubles Lindsay Brown and Robert Griffin. Gold - men’s singles Lindsay Brown. TEAM BAHAMAS, waving their national flags, celebrate on the medal dais with a gold, silver and Silver - mixed doubles - bronze at the Pickleball Nations Cup in the Cayman Islands over the weekend. Lindsay Brown and Kerry Pryor. Gold - men’s doubles Bronze - mixed doubles badminton and table Silver - women’s singles - - Justyn Thompson and - Justyn Thompson and tennis. Kerry Pryor. Brezile Hamilton. Sandra Masterman. It is America’s fastestSilver - men’s singles Gold - men’s doubles Silver - men’s singles - growing sport that is now Matthew Pryor. Kevaughn Ferguson and Sean Fitzpatrick. catching on in the BahaGold - mixed doubles - Sean Fitzpatrick. Pickleball, which was mas. The federation is Robert Griffin and Paige Gold - mixed doubles invented in 1965 on Bain- headed by Kelly Ann Taylor. - Brezile Hamilton and bridge Island, Washington Meade, the president, with Gold - women’s doubles Sandra Masterman. by Joel Pritchard, Barney Erika Knowles as vice - Kerry Pryor and Sandra Silver- mixed doubles - McCallum and Bill Bell, president, Kim Kooskalis Masterman. Kevaughn Ferguson and is a hybrid sport that com- as treasurer and Sandra Open under-50 Tricia Fernandes. bines elements of tennis, Masterman as secretary.
‘Baby Slice’ has successful boxing debut
SPRINTER LAMARR WILLIAMS’ DOUBLE DOSE OF VICTORY By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahamian Lamarr Williams pulled off a double dose of men’s sprint victories at the National Chistian College Athletic Assocation (NCCAA) Indoor Championships to highlight a list of Bahamians, including Olympians Devynne Charlton, Denisha Cartwright and Antoine Andrews, competing at various meets around the United States over the weekend. Williams, representing Bethel University, won the 60 metres at the championships at the Doden Fieldhouse in Cedarville, Ohio, winning the event in 6.84 seconds and he came through with the fastest qualifying time of 6.81 in the preliminaries. He came back and earned the title in the 200m in 22.29 for All-American honours in both events. Just last month, Williams lowered the Pilots’ school record in the 60m with his time of 6.76 at the Bob Eubanks Open at the Grand Vallet State University in Allendale, Michigan, to qualify for the Nationals. The previous record of 6.80 was held by recent Al Beutler Hall of Fame inductee Tommy
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By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net KEVIN ‘Baby Slice’ Ferguson Jr’s debut home in the footsteps of his deceased father Kevin ‘Kimbo Slice’ Ferguson Sr was over before he got started in the first round against Hazel ‘the Latin Lover’ Roche on Saturday night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. With his family members from Step Street, Fox Hill, in attendance cheering for him, Kimbo Slice Jr unleased two flurries on Roche, the last tanging him in the ring as he wobbled. Roche trapped on his right foot and had to seek medical care as the fight was called off with eight seconds left. The fight was the only one not to go the distance as Real Housewives star Juicy Joe Giudice
Super Bowl, Page 2
KEVIN ‘Baby Slice’ Ferguson Jr shares a moment with his family after his first round TKO. out-punched TV star and model Ojani Noa in the Xrumble celebrity Boxing three-round one-minute each main event.
The show, promoted by Brandit Sean and carried live on Triller TV powered by FITE, also featured three preliminary matches
between boxers from promoter Ronn Rodgers’ Strikers Boxing Club. Kimbo Slice Jr, in memory of Kimbo Slice,
the popular mixed martial artist and professional boxer who died on June 6,
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MINGOES AT THE STAR PERFORMERS CLASSIC – PAGE 4
THE SPORTS February CALENDAR TRACK DLT TRACK CLASSIC THE Roadrunners Track and Field Club is scheduled to hold its 19th annual Diana Lynn Thompson Track Classic at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium on Saturday, February 15. For more information, contact club president and head coach Dexter Bodie at 434-7706 or 477-1198. CYCLING NPCA ACTION During the month of February, the New Providence Cycling Association will hold two separate events, Saturday, February 15 - Cycling Clinic at the Queen Elizabeth Sprots Centre, eastern parking lot next to the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The event will run from 9-11 am. Refreshments will be provided.
Sunday, February 23 - King of the Hills Cycling Championships, starting 8:30am on Fort Charlotte Hill. The winner will be crowned the King of the Hills for 2025. Registration forms for this event can be picked up from the Cycles Bike Store or contact the NPCA. The categories include elite men, open women, under-23. male/female, masters’ male over 40 years, masters’ male over 55 years, 15-17 boys and girls, 12-014 boys and girls and 9-11 boys and girls. SOFTBALL BBSF SEASON THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will now start its first team competition for 2025 with its co-ed slow-pitch softball season on
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ERIN Adderley (white shirt) poses with members of the women’s national softball team, led by manager Bobby Baylor Fernander (left) and coach Ali C.
CHERYL MARIA TURNQUEST LAID TO REST By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net MEMBERS of the women’s national softball team, who finished third at the World Games in 1981 in San Jose, California, showed up to pay their last respects to their team-mate - the late Cheryl Maria Turnquest. Turnquest, 76, was funeralised on Friday at St Francis Xavier Cathedral in a service officiated by Father Junior Calixte before she was laid to rest in Woodlawn
Gardens. She left behind three children, Alexis (Warren) Cartwright and brothers Erin (Donna) and Jayson (Dr Kitiboni) who played softball and baseball. A host of other family members and friends were in attendance, including the women’s national team, which included Turnquest, were all honoured during the Bahamas Softball Federation’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Government House last month. Oria Wood-Knowles said when they were inducted,
Turnquest was thrilled to be around her former team-mates. “She was happy to see the team come back and her friends in softball all in one place again,” WoodKnowles said. “She enjoyed this group. She’s sometimes the first one to come on in the morning in the group and make a prayer. “We came together since we first came together in November when the initial activities got started before
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