SPORTS SECTION E
Friday, April 24, 2026
WEMBANYAMA - E4
Zion clocks lifetime bests By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@ tribunemediaa.net
SPRINTER Zion Campbell posted his lifetime best times in winning the sprint double at the Gary Wilson Invitational in Minneapolis. (FILE photo)
ZION Campbell posted his lifetime best times in winning the sprint double at the Gary Wilson Invitational in Minneapolis, while Joanna Miller and Ryan Anderson held their own at the GIAA Regional Championships on a busy day for Bahamians. Campbell, in his senior year at the University of Minnesota, won the men's 100 metres in an impressive time 10.00 seconds to win the final after he came through with the fastest qualifying time of 10.08 in the preliminaries. Campbell, a former student of Iowa Central Community College, was followed by his team-mate, Wanyae Belle, a junior, who took second place in 10.07. Kevin Arthur, competing unattached, took third in 10.18. Campbell came back in the 200m where he clocked another personal best of 20.49 for his second victory. Another team-mate, freshman Jayden Green, was second in 20.65 and Luke Schroeder, a senior at UW-La Crosse, was third in 20.78. The meet was held a day before the start of the 116th Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. Campbell is now tied with Gout Gout of Australia, who have ran the fourth fastest times this year in the 200m. They trail Botswana's Collen Kebinatshipi, who did 9.89, Max Thomas in 9.90 and Australia's Lachlan Kennedy in 9.96.
In the 200m, Campbell follows Wayna McCoy, who has ran the fastest time by a Bahamian this year in 20.17. Gout Gout has the world's leading time of 19.67. While the Drake Relays are being staged in Des Moines, Iowa, this weekend, a number of Bahamians will also be participating in the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia. Among the list in the high school segment are teams from St Augustine's College and Queen's College from New Providence and both Bishop Michael Eldon High and Tabernacle Baptist Academy from Grand Bahama. Meanwhile at the GIAA Region Championships from April 20-22 at the Monroe Area at the George Walton Academy, Joanna Miller and Ryan Anderson held their own for Tallulah Falls. Miller captured the title in the 400m in 1:00.25 and lowered her school records with her second-place finishes in both the 200m in 25.70 and the 100m in 12.50. She also ran the third leg on the 4 x 400m relay team that included Mary Kate Ball, Gaby Oliver and Masa Ivancevic, who got third in 4:23.95. Miller claimed her fifth title to her ledger, the second most in the school's history and was named the Region High Point Award winner, which goes to the athlete that had the most points scored in the meet. Anderson also claimed his first two career region titles, winning the 400m in 52.02 and the 800m in 1:59.77 and was third in the 1,600m in 4:40.81.
Carl ‘King Flashy’ Hield to defend one of his three international belts next month By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net CARL “King Flashy” Hield, taking advantage of his training at home for the first time in a long time, said he's eager to return to Cartagena, Colombia, next month to defend one of his three international belts. Hield, who added the World Boxing Council's FECARBOX International Championship title to his collection in February in Pereira, Colombia, will be defending his WBC FECARBOX super welterweight title. The "ageless wonder" 39-year-old Hield, who is still undefeated at 15-0 as a professional, is also the holder of the National Boxing Association's Latin super welterweight title. Hield, who leaves town on Monday, May 11 for the fight, scheduled for Friday, May 15, thanked God for everything he's done for him, keeping him in the right direction. "I'm feeling good. It's my first time training at home
preparing for a fight," said Hield. He is working out at Strikers Boxing Club under the supervision of his manager/trainer Ronn Rodgers. "I'm just staying focused, trying to get my name in the black book so I can get this title shot by the end of the year." During the mornings, Hield works out with his strength and conditioning coach John Mills at Better Bodies and getting some much needed rest, he's back at it at Strikers Boxing club in the afternoons. "It's been going good. We have some things," Hield said. "As an elite boxer, who has boxers looking up to me and following in my footsteps, I'm happy to see some other boxers getting some exposure." Two other boxers from the Strikers Boxing Club, headed by Ronn Rodgers, will be making their international amateur debut. Also appearing on the undercard will be welterweight champion Rashield “Raw” Williams.
Rodgers, the manager and trainer for Hield, said the plan is to get at least three more fights this year in the hopes and the bids for a world title fight, possibly here in The Bahamas at the end of the year. "Carl is looking really good. He stayed active. He got back in the gym about a week after he won the WBC belt. “So he's in tip-top shape," Rodgers said. "He never really slowed down or took a long break. "So he's looking pretty good. Just as he did in the WBC fight, he still has that edge, so he's good to go. We worked on his left hand, utilising it a little more and we worked on his alertness, not giving up when you realise that you are winning the fight." With the support of his wife Irina Chacon Palacios, who was a coach and a Pan American champion in karate, Hield said the plan is simply to go in the ring, put on a display and get his hand raised in victory as he successfully defends his title.
As usual, he will be dedicating the fight to his number one fan, his deceased mother Norman Hield. He also thanked his sponsors Production Gurus, Rigger242, R&R Sports Management, Strikers Boxing Club and West End Construction and Repairs, for their continued support. In addition to Hield, Rodgers revealed that heavyweight Amron 'Sandman' Sands is also working out at Strikers Boxing Club. Sands is making a comeback after suffering a broken left hand in his last fight in Madison Square Garden in 2024. "We have to take some weight off him, strip him of about 70 pounds so we can get him back in the ring," said Rodgers of Sands, who will be home from Florida training at Strikers Boxing Club for the next few months. "He's on his way to a world title fight later this year. So we're trying to get him at least two fights this year as tune-ups to get him back on the road."
CARL “King Flashy” Hield and his coach Ronn Rodgers.