SPORTS Junior golfers are crowned champions

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After picking up a second-place finish, Alex Dupuch said he just wanted to make sure he finally won his first Bahamas Golf Federation junior national golf championship title before he made his exit.

Dupuch, winner of the boys’ under-18 flight, was joined by a host of other champions, including Tyesha Tynes, who had to go to a playoff before she repeated as the girls’ under-18 national junior champion on Sunday at the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island.

At the end of the twoday event, Dupuch had to dig down deep before he emerged with a one-stroke victory with his scores of 80-78 for a 158 total over Aidan Gorospe, who trailed with 83-76 for 159. Adrian Stan-Busuioc was third with 87-77-164.

“I didn’t really strike the ball very well. I knew coming into the tournament, I wasn’t striking that well, so I had to rely on my putting,” Dupuch said.

“I didn’t score the way I wanted, but mentally this was the best I felt, just staying in the battle.

“I never gave up, so I’m really proud of myself because Aidan never gave up. There was one point that I was down, and I had to battle back, and I ended up winning by one stroke in the very last hole. He really made it really tough on me.”

The 18-year-old senior at Windsor High School said it’s good to go out of the junior ranks in style, hoisting his first national title in the process.

Tynes, with had identical scores of 97, and Milijojka Gojkovic, with her rounds of 90 and 104, finished tied at 194 at the end of the two days. After going

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: GREAT BRITAIN IN THE WIN COLUMN

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER losing their first two games of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s 2023 World Baseball Classic, Great Britain, with its Bahamian connection, has finally gotten in the win column.

Great Britain, coming off a 6-2 loss to the defending champions United States of America on Saturday and a 18-8 rout by Canada on Sunday, prevailed with a 7-5 decision over Colombia yesterday at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

“It was rough. We anticipated coning in here and winning some games, but after the two losses, it was tough,” said Antoan Richardson, one of two Bahamian coaches on the team.

SEE through a playoff on the 12th hole, Tynes emerged the winner by two strokes over Gojkovic. Mia Underwood was third with 104-99-203.

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Special Olympics In Carifta Mix

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Oaktree Medical Center’s 50th CARIFTA Games over the Easter holiday weekend at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium will have a special element to its line up with the inclusion of Special Olympics Bahamas.

Not only has North American, Central American and Caribbean president Mike Sands granted Special Olympics the opportunity to be a part of a pilot programme for the 100 and 200 metres during the games from April 8-10, but their entire executive board and coaches were given 20 tickets from title sponsor Oaktree Medical Center to view the competition.

At a special press conference yesterday in the Cultural Village of the eastern parking lot of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, Special Olympics Bahamas director Gilbert Williams was thanking Sands for their inclusion at the games.

Right after Williams made his speech, Oaktree Medical Center’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Don Deveaux made the announcement that they will purchase 20 tickets for Special Olympics.

Although they have already made a donation of $300,000 as the title sponsors of the games, Deveaux said he was moved by the inclusion of Special Olympics and wanted to reward the people behind the scenes who work directly with the athletes.