SPORTS SECTION E
CHAMPIONS
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
NPSA: Wildcats roll over Truckers 6-3 By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
W
hat a way for Dornette Wright to make her debut in the New Providence Softball Association with the game on the line for the defending champions Sunshine Auto Wildcats. Tied at 3-3 in the top of the seventh inning with two out and two runners intentionally walked, the pressure was on the 17-year-old catcher and she delivered a tworun single as the Wildcats doubled up the Johnson’s Lady Truckers
6-3 in Tuesday night’s opener in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The game was supposed to be the second time around for the league’s two finalists from last year, but after the initial meeting was called off due to the rain two weeks ago, they finally met. The two will be back on Saturday when they will play in the official delayed opening of the season. But for now, Sunshine Auto’s manager Anthony Bullard said it was good to get the first taste of victory. “We have some new players, about seven of them, some of them are veterans, who played on other teams in the league,”
A LADY Wildcat in action last night. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune
Bullard said. “We just need to get our chemistry together. We were a little jittery at the beginning, but we settled down. And it was good that the rookie was able to come through with everybody picking on her.” Bullard was referring to the fact that the Truckers intentionally walked shortstop Larikah Russell and newly acquired pitcher Thela Johnson to pitch to Wright with the bases loaded with Dana Cambridge on third after she reached safely on an error. All she did was drill the 0-2 pitch from Diva Burrows up the middle sending both Cambridge and Russell home for a 5-3 Sunshine Auto lead.
Russell then caught a ride home as Shakanah Sweeting followed with a run-producing single. “After they waked our two power hitters, it was very scary for me as a rookie, but I said my team needed me and I heard someone say ‘you know your worth’ and then the ball came,” she remembered. “I just went for it and I hit it good and got two runs in. It felt so good.” Wright, who started behind the plate for regular catcher Dornette Edwards, who started at first, said she was shaky at the beginning of the game, but her teammates settled her down.
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$10,000 marathon jackpot RUNNERS everywhere just got 10,000 more reasons to run Marathon Bahamas next year. For the first time in its history, the award-winning endurance event will offer a $10,000 jackpot to winners of the marathon and half marathon, in what is being dubbed “Ten for 10.” Sunshine Insurance (Agents & Brokers) Ltd, which is the lead organiser and sponsor of the event, says it is determined to position Marathon Bahamas as the ‘Best Marathon Experience in the World.’ Since its debut in February 2010, organisers have welcomed thousands of top athletes from around the world. Now, they are hoping the new prize purse will entice even more runners to take part. They are especially encouraging local runners to train, register and participate in order to win this coveted prize purse. For the marathon, the overall male and female winners will each receive $1,000, the second-place male and female winners will each receive $750 and the third-place male and female winners will each receive $500. The overall male and female master winner (40 and above) will each receive $500. The overall male and female Bahamian resident winner will each receive $250. The male who sets the course record below 2:33:09 will win $500 and the female who sets the course record below 2:54:44 will also win $500. In the half marathon category, the overall male and female winners will each receive $500, the second-place male and female winners will each receive $300 and the third-place male and female winners will each receive $100. The overall male and female master winners (40 and above) will each receive $200. The overall male and female Bahamian resident winners will each receive $200. The male who sets the course record below 1:11:36 in the half marathon will receive $200 and the female who sets the course record below 1:20:34 will receive $200. Organisers said that there will be no double dipping allowed, barring one person from winning two prizes. The only exception is if a runner sets a course record.
‘TEN FOR 10’ FOR NEXT YEAR’S EVENT
AMERICAN DAVID KILGORE, the overall winner of Marathon Bahamas.
ONEIL WILLIAMS, of the Bahamas, crosses the finish line. Marathon Bahamas takes place January 20, 2019, one day after the Susan G Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure®. Both events are part of Sunshine Insurance’s popular Race Weekend series. Marathon Bahamas has been listed as one of the top 50 races in
the world outside of the United Kingdom and has won a Tourism Impact Award. It has been repeatedly praised for its beautiful scenic route and the post-race party. In years past, Marathon Bahamas’ relays have sold out.
Organisers anticipate a strong response now that a financial component has been added to the upcoming events and are encouraging local residents to register today. To register, visit www.marathonbahamas.com
Triathlon champions are crowned at Jaws Beach JORGE Marcos and Anna Zywiolek became the first champions crowned in the Bahamas
Playoffs, Page 3
Triathlon Association’s National Champions for Triathlon in the sprint distance over the weekend. Marcos was the overall male winner in a time of 1:03:49 followed by Mark Dietrich and Simone Bertoldo. For the women, it was Zywiolek in a time of 1:09:13 followed by Julie Salas and Sarah Kennedy. The BTA hosted its first National Championships which included age groups from 8-and-under up to 70-and-over. The event was held on Sunday at Jaws Beach. For ages 16 and over it was a sprint distance which consists of a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike ride and a 5-kilometre run. The other events included 13-15, 11-12, 9-10 and the 8-and-under Splash and Dash, all which consisted of
different distances. Relays were also included in the event - all male, all female and the mixed gender categories. The winners in the All Male category were ‘Worth A Tri’ (Tristan Russell – swim, Kelly Kramp – bike and Jason Maynard – run). All Female winners were ‘Splash, Flash and Dash’ (Carrie Saidi – swim, Viviane Profit – bike and Sarah Chemaly – run) and the Mixed Category winners were ‘Just Tri It’ (Gigi Eneas – swim, Andrew Cates – bike and Carmen Vargas – run). Overall the event saw over 100 participants in this growing sport in The Bahamas. This event also served as a qualifier for the Caribbean Championships which will be held in Miami on May 20 and also
for CARIFTA, which will be held in September in Tobago. The top five finishers in the Think Simple Junior Triathlon Championships - age groups 16-19, 13-15 and 11-12 all qualified for CARIFTA. This will be the second year for CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships - the first one was held in Barbados last year - of which the Bahamas was a part of the inaugural event. “The BTA would like to thank all of our sponsors for a great event, Aliv, Think Simple, Senor Frogs, Powerade, Go Ahead, Golden Wings Charter, Mystery Shopper, Cycles Unlimited, Doctor’s Hospital, Bahamas Waste and Evolve Functional Fitness.” SEE results on PAGE 8
WATSON INTERIM COACH OF WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WITH Yolett McPheeMcCuin committed to her new role as head coach for the Ole Miss University women’s basketball programme, the Bahamas Basketball Federation has named Wayde Watson as the interim coach of the women’s national basketball team. Watson, who will be assisted by Varel ClarkeDavis, will head the team that will represent the Bahamas at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s FIBA Women’s Caribbean Cup, scheduled for June 17-21 in Paramaribo, Suriname. The Bahamas will be placed in Group A where they will play Cuba at 4:30pm on Sunday, June 17 and the Virgin Islands on Monday, June 18 at the same time. The first and second place teams from Group A and B, comprised of Guyana, Barbados and Dominica, will advance to the semi-finals and final that will take place June 20-21. Following that tournament, the FIBA AmeriCup 2021 Caribbean Pre-Qualifier will take place, but the Bahamas is not included in the list of teams that will play June 24-30. Watson is one of the top coaches in the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association with the Super Value Cybot Queens, assisted by Mario Bowleg on the men’s national basketball team that played in the first two rounds of the Americas Qualifiers in November and February. He said after McPheeMcCuin was unavailable because of her transition from Jacksonville University to Ole Miss, he was asked by the federation to be the interim head coach and he gladly accepted. “I don’t follow women’s basketball at the regional level, but having coached women’s basketball for 11 years at the senior level, except last year, I feel good about it,” he said. “I feel it’s a good opportunity to lead the team at the international level, along with coach Varel Davis, who has been a fixture on the team as a player and a coach. So it’s an overwhelming feeling.” Watson, however, said it’s going to be hard to follow in the shoes of McPheeMcCuin, who has done a tremendous job since she took over the programme
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