SPORTS SECTION E
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD NATIONALS START ON THURSDAY By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine will be out to defend their title as the Ministry of the Youth, Sports and Culture hosts the 29th edition of the National High School Track and Field Championships. Held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the three-day meet is all set to begin on Thursday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium and will conclude on Saturday. Admission is free but both the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the National Sports Authority have warned the public that security will be fully enforced so they are asking patrons to put on their best behaviour. Tim Munnings, the director of sports in the Ministry of Sports, said the championships come just before the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations hosts their final CARIFTA trials next week before the Games are staged here over the Easter holiday weekend. “This is an exciting time for all of our track and field athletes throughout the country,” Munnings said. “We expect to see a number of athletes representing the
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BAHAMIAN high jumper Donald Thomas (centre) with Cuban world record holder Javier Sotomayor (left) and his coach Luis Pinilo during a training session in Cuba. for him to excel on the podium. “I know I’m in shape and know with one or two corrections to my body position going over the bar, the sky is the limit. That’s the kind of shape that I’m in.” The 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Championships and 2010 Central American and Caribbean Championships champion said he would like to go to the Commonwealth Games
with fellow Bahamian Jamal Wilson because they both complement each other in competition. Thomas, however, said he would like to have his coach present for the games because he can pinpoint some of the technical things he’s doing wrong so that he can make the adjustment during the competition. “But my preparation is going good. Anything
shorter than gold would be a failure for me at the games,” Thomas said. “I know all of the other competitors are training just as hard for the gold, but I believe in my ability and what I did at Worlds was not an indication of where I’m at and what I’m capable of doing. “I’m still upset about last week, but I want to put that behind me. I have a bigger picture to look forward to at the
Commonwealth Games. I’m just waiting on them to announce the team, but I’m fit and ready to compete.” Thomas, 33, is a 6-foot, 3-inch former basketball player who has posted a personal best of 2.37m or 7-feet, 9 1/4-inches. He anticipates that it will probably take at least 2.30m (7-6 1/2) or better to get on the podium and at least 2.35m (7-8 1/2) for the gold.
AGM: BBFF executives return to office unopposed By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net LAST month, the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation hosted its annual general meeting and election of officers and all of the executives were returned to office unopposed. Joel Stubbs, who will head the federation for his second fouryear term, said they are pleased with the vote of confidence by the membership. “I thought we did very well,” said Stubbs of their previous term in office. “Anyone who would have graced any of our competitions would have seen us in action. I think we did a 180-degree turnaround. “So moving forward, I can say that this sport demands a lot of time and money, but the results are shown in the success that we have achieved, which is a contributing factor to our team getting back in office.”
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
Thomas expects ‘nothing but the gold’ at Commonwealth Games By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net fter turning in what he called a “disappointing” performance at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Great Britain, last week, Donald Thomas has his sights set on winning the gold at the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia, next month. While he awaits the final selection of the team by the Bahamas Olympic Committee, Thomas said he’s heading back to Havana, Cuba, where he will resume his training with world record holder Javier Sotomayor’s former coach, Luis Pinilo, in preparation for the games, scheduled for April 4-15. “If selected to the Commonwealth Games team whenever they select it, I expect nothing but the gold,” Thomas told the Tribune on his return from Great Britain. “That chapter (Worlds) has already passed. “I just have to work on one or two things in practice to ensure that my body is in position to pull it off. But I’m in great shape. I don’t think I would be going to Commonwealth if I didn’t think I can do it.” If selected, this would be Thomas’ third appearance at the four-yearly games and after tasting the thrill of victory in 2010 in Delhi, India, he wants to redeem himself following a ninth place finish in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014. Thomas, whose last international success came at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2011, said he’s hungry after he finished tied with two others for sixth place at the Worlds. “I’m not thinking that far ahead, but I know what type of shape I’m in,” said Thomas when asked what height he thinks it will take
Tennis,
BBFF executive officers (l-r) Kenny Green, vice president, Lillian Moncur, general secretary, Joel Stubbs, president and Wellington ‘Cat’ Sears, first vice president. Joining Stubbs on the executive team are Kenny Green, vice president, Wellington ‘Cat’ Sears, first vice president, Lillian Moncur, secretary general, Steven Robinson, secretary and Brittany Hamilton, treasurer. As they prepare for this term, Stubbs said they are looking forward to engaging more of the community, especially the high schools where they hope to formulate a national high school tournament. “We have all of the trainers in the various gyms and we hope that the schools will take advantage of them in their training,” Stubbs said. “We’re hoping that we can get some sponsorship where we can pay for discounted memberships for them to participate in their training.”
Stubbs said they will be pursuing corporate Bahamas and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to assist them in this venture because they want to reach out to a wider range of competitors to compete in the sport. “If we can get about 10 boys and girls out of the high schools, who are not interested in the basketball, or softball or track and field, to come into the gym and be properly trained in the sport,” he projected. “We just need to get them into the gym and give them about a hour to train and then get them prepared to compete in a national high school tournament. “This is a new format that the international body is introducing and we want to comply with what they are doing.”
Stubbs said he would be happy to address the various school assemblies to give the students the importance of lifting weights to assist in their growth and development. If schools are interested, Stubbs said they can contact the federation. As for the calendar of events, Stubbs said they are looking forward to staging a fun run/walk race that will provide the public the opportunity to mix and mingle with the bodybuilders. Details of the date and location of the event will be announced shortly. “We have a very good team of executives and I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish last year,” Stubbs said. “We’re hoping that we can build on that as we look ahead to the next four years.”
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NPBA: GIANTS, MINGOES IN WIN COLUMN THE Commonwealth Bank Giants and the University of the Bahamas Mingoes won the New Providence Basketball Association men’s division one double header played at the AF Adderley Gymnasium on Monday night. In the opener, the Giants routed the Caro Contractors Pirates 110-80 and the Mingoes outlasted the Leno Regulators 88-67. The NPBA will wind down its regular season action tonight with another double header before they stage their all-star activities on Friday and Saturday nights. The postseason will get underway on Monday night. • Here’s a summary: Giants 110, Pirates 80 Guard Michael Bain Jr, in 27:01 minutes, sparked the undefeated Commonwealth Bank’s attack with 25 points as he shot 9-for-20 from the field, 2-for-7 from behind the three-point arch and connected on 5-for-9 free throws. He also had five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Forward D’Shon Taylor had 17 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals, centre Gameliel Rose had 15 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block shot off the bench. David Taylor, also coming off the bench, had 13 points, four rebounds and three assists and guard Darstyn Baker, in his start, contributed 11 points, six assists and four rebounds.
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