SPORTS SECTION E
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2025
Track athletes are ready for CARIFTA By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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MINISTRY BRINGS NATIONAL TEAMS TOGETHER FOR ‘ONE BIG SEND OFF’ By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
ith little time left before they head off to Trinidad & Tobago for the CARIFTA Games, Team Bahamas’ track and field athletes were all enthusiastic during one of their last practice sessions. The majority of the 78-member team, including athletes from college and Grand Bahama, were working out at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. Some of them interviewed were eager to get on the Bahamasair charter flight on Thursday and make their presence felt at the Hasely Crawford National Stadium when the competition takes place from Saturday to Tuesday. Home from her dominating performance at Georgia Southern where she earned the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year award after winning the 60 metres at the
CHISHOLM JR TAKES SPOTLIGHT
Lenox, Page 4
GOOD TO GO: Some of Team Bahamas’ track and field athletes at Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium yesterday during one of their last practice sessions ahead of the CARIFTA Games in Trinidad & Tobago. Photo: Nikia Charlton national indoors, Shatalya excited to lead the way in a 16-year-old student of St to bring home the gold,” Dorsett said she can’t the under-20 girls’ division. Augustine’s College. “I’m said Komolafe, a 16-yearwait to see what unfolds “We have some out- looking forward to being old 10th grader at Queen’s outdoors. standing athletes, so it’s a part of this team. We College. But she said her con- going to be very good to should do very well as a “I hope to do my percentration right now is on see how well they com- team.” sonal best again, surpassing CARIFTA. pete,” she summed up. Alexandria Komolafe, 5-feet, 7 1/4-inches or 1.71 “This is my last CAREagan Neely, competing representing The Bahamas metres with at least 5-10 IFTA, so I expect to medal in his third CARIFTA, said in the under-17 girls’ high 3/4 (1.80m). in both the 100 and 200m he’s looking for nothing jump, said as a third time Brion Ward, an underand hopefully medal in the but the gold as he com- participant in CARIFTA, 17 competitor in the girls’ relay too,” said the 18-year- petes in the under-17 boys’ she just wants to go out 100 and 200m as well as old Grand Bahamian. 200 and 400m as well as a and do her best and, if she the relays, said it’s all Compared to the previ- member of the relay teams. does, she has the potential about putting her mind on ous teams she’s been a part “I feel pretty good. I feel to be on the medal podium becoming a medallist in of, Dorsett said this is a confident, so I know I can again. “Last year, I got a really strong one and she’s get the gold,” said Neely, silver so this time I want SEE PAGE E8
WITH the CARIFTA swimming and track and field competition taking place at the same time in one country, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture brought both national teams together for one big send off. A special dinner reception was held for both teams last night in the foyer of the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, just before the 36-member swim team departs for Trinidad & Tobago today and the 78-member track team heads out on Thursday. Both competitions will have one historic opening ceremony on Friday night at the Hasely Crawford National Stadium before the competition begins on Saturday for both sports in locations that are about one hour apart. The CARIFTA Games will be held in the height of Trinidad & Tobago’s general elections that will take place the week after the games are held on April 28 after parliament was dissolved on March 18. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg assured the two teams assembled together for the first time that the country is expecting Team Bahamas to win its seventh consecutive swimming title, while the track and field team will give Jamaica “a run for their money.” Bowleg, who will be accompanying the track team on Thursday, while consultant Harrison Thompson will go with the swimming team, said the mere fact that everybody will be on one island, it’s still one team representing The Bahamas.
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THE NBA PLAYOFFS WILL, ONCE AGAIN, BE AN INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE OF STARS By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer THEY will be watching in Canada, not just because of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, though the NBA’s scoring champion and MVP favourite who plays for Oklahoma City surely helps lure in fans who are north of the border. They’ll be watching from Serbia and Greece, the homelands of Denver star Nikola Jokic and
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Alperen Sengun will have them watching Houston games in the middle of the night in Turkey, too. Fans in Cameroon will be tuned in to see Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers. Defending champion Boston features, among others, Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia and Al Horford of the Dominican Republic. Once again, the NBA
THE SPORTS April CALENDAR BASEBALL/ SOFTBALL RELOADED INVITATIONAL THE Reloaded baseball and softball programme for boys and girls is scheduled to hold its fourth invitational tournament April 18-21 at the Baillou
Hills Sporting Complex. The event, organised by Stephen “Bishop” Beneby, is being sanctioned by the Bahamas Baseball Assocation, headed by Clarence “CJ’ McKenzie, and will be sponsored by the
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MILWAUKEE Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash) playoffs are setting up to be a showcase for international stars. In a season where the five statistical champions were from five different countries, an NBA first — Gilgeous-Alexander is Canadian, rebounding champion Domantas Sabonis of Sacramento is from Lithuania, blocked shots champion Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio is from France, steals champion Dyson Daniels of Atlanta is from Australia, and assists champion Trae
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