Track and field fraternity mourning death of former BAAA executive Patricia Elaine Thompson
In preparation for the inaugural gala awards reception, Renee Pargo wrote the following as a tribute to Thompson: Elaine Thompson is a graduate of Eastern Senior School, a former member of St Matthews Church Sporting Club and competitor for both institutions as a short sprinter. Thompson was among the first of four female competitors from the country to participate in an international track and field competition, having competed at the Senior CAC Games in Kingson, Jamaica, in 1962. She specialised in the 100m and 4x100m relay. Thompson obtained a
Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics, with a minor in physical education from Florida Memorial College. She also completed a Diploma in Education from the University of the West Indies and spent 44 years as an educator, primarily at AF Adderley Senior High School, with the last 10 years of service at SC McPherson. This trailblazer served as chaperone of the 1976 Montreal Olympic Team, which consisted of a sole female athlete (Shonel Ferguson). She would go on to travel extensively while serving as chaperone and national team manager at every major regional and world competition in which The Bahamas participated. Of particular note, she served as team
years, Thompson acknowledges her coaches, the late Henry Crawford and Deanza Burrows.
According to Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene, now the head coach at the University of Kentucky, Thompson served as his coach during his tenure at AF Adderley when he competed in the sprints.
“We lost a good one and heaven gained an angel. She will be missed,” he said. “It always amazes me how things like this hits us so seriously.
Sprinter Andrew Tynes, who is now coaching here at home, said she recalled travelling on many national teams with Thompson as the manager.
“But the one that stood out was in 1990 on our Junior World Team. She had to take care of us for three weeks,” Tynes said.
“We went on a training camp in Florida and two weeks later flew off to Belgrade where the Junior Worlds was held.
manager for the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, and chaperone of the 1984 and 1988 Olympic teams. As a BAAA council member for more than 20
“But we never stay in touch the way we should. I guess we need to learn from things like these and improve upon our connection with one another.
“She was always that mother figure and that nurturing person you could go to. She was a very pleasant person you could go to. May she forever rest in peace.”
“I gat to be better,” she stated.
And Bernard Newbold, who has emerged as one of the next personalities to
PONY 14U Caribbean and Latin America Baseball Championships
carry on the administrative work of the BAAA, said he cherished the memories of working with Thompson when she was in charge of the accommodations when The Bahamas hosted CARIFTA and the Central American and Caribbean Championships.
“I also had the pleasure of working with her when she was at SC McPherson during many of the high school championships,” he said. “A very calm and pleasant person.”
But two former athletes summed it up best. Long jumper Jackie Edwards said Thompson was a “wonderful, kind person. She will be missed.”
And versatile Linda Woodside added that
“Elaine was one of a kind.” DEATH, from Page 16
Bahamas edge Venezuela 14-13, advance to semis
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter
THE Bahamas Champs 14U team showed its resilience when it mattered most, rallying from a tworun deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge 3-0 Venezuela 14U 14-13 on Monday at the Andre Rodgers Stadium, heading into the semifinals of the PONY 14U Caribbean and Latin America Baseball Championships. In a game that featured momentum swings, defensive miscues and late-inning drama, The Bahamas improved to 3-1 in roundrobin play. The victory did not come easily. Bahamas appeared in control early before defensive lapses allowed Venezuela to climb back into the contest. Venezuela eventually erased the deficit and took a 13-11 lead in the top of the seventh inning, putting the hosts on the brink of defeat. Instead, Bahamas delivered one final response.
Xavier Petit reached on an error to start the decisive rally and Eldon Bullard Jr. followed with a walk. Logan Rolle then ripped a double to left field, driving in two runs and tying the score at 13-13.
The Bahamians continued to pressure Venezuela’s pitching staff as Kamdynn Miller and Isaac Richardson drew walks to load the bases. With two outs and the winning run standing at third base, Travonte Saunders worked a full-count walk that forced home Rolle with the winning run. The walk-off victory capped a remarkable offensive effort for Bahamas, which collected 13 hits and overcame seven defensive errors.
Manager Donovan Cox said the key was simply continuing to fight despite the mistakes.
“The mindset was keep fighting man,” Cox said. “We got flat-footed in the middle of the game. Started to get notched on a lot of days but we picked it up on the offensive side. We made a few errors defensively, but our bats came alive and helped us win the game.”
Saunders delivered one of the biggest performances of the tournament for Bahamas, finishing with five RBIs, including the game-winning RBI on the bases-loaded walk.
Miller added two hits and two RBIs while Richardson went 2-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI and two walks. Bullard scored three runs and reached base three times, while Jaden Liberal contributed two hits.
Despite the offensive production, Bahamas was forced to withstand constant pressure after committing seven errors in the field.
Cox said the mistakes were largely the result of his players losing focus after building an early advantage.
can play. They know that they can make routine plays but that’s baseball sometimes. Sometimes the errors happen but you just got to be ready to make the next play.”
The victory completed a strong round-robin showing for Bahamas and secured a place in Tuesday’s semifinals.
Puerto Rico finished first in the standings at 4-0 and will face Aruba in the opening semifinal at 9 am, while Bahamas and Venezuela will meet again in the second semifinal at noon.
Rolle believes the formula for success in the playoffs is straightforward.
Logan Rolle led the offensive charge, finishing 4-for-5 with four runs scored and four RBIs. His game-tying double in the seventh inning set the stage for the dramatic finish. He also finished with two home runs.
VICTOR -
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his first NBA Finals win, carrying the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-111 victory last night that cut the New York Knicks’ lead to 2-1.
The Spurs handed the Knicks their first loss in 46 days and potentially salvaged their season in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd that included President Donald Trump. The Knicks had their 13-game winning streak, the second-longest in NBA postseason history, snapped and missed a chance to move to the brink of their first championship since 1973.
WNBA, from Page 16
Houston next season, will honour six former Sun members of the franchise during this season. “It’s an honour. It means a lot, a lot of great memories there,” Jones said. “It’s an organisation that saw a lot of me before I proved myself to the WNBA. I said it before, but (Connecticut) decided to move players that were really solidified in this league.” Connecticut acquired Jones on draft night in 2016 from the Los Angeles Sparks in a deal for Chelsea Gray that worked out well for both teams.
Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox hit big shots late as the Spurs avoided falling into a 3-0 hole, which no NBA team has escaped. Now they can tie the series Wednesday night and are guaranteed another game at home, with Game 5 scheduled for Saturday.
“They saw me as someone that could come in and really contribute before I ever stepped on the court in the WNBA. That means a lot to me,” she said. “It’s kind of cool to say you’re honoured while you’re still playing in the WNBA as well. Definitely new territory. Something I’m looking forward to, and something that I’m really excited about.” Jones, who won the league’s MVP award in 2021, helped the team reach the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022. She is sixth in franchise history with 196 games and fifth in points scored, totalling 2,657.
She’s first in blocks with 270 and third in rebounds with 1,633. She was traded to New York before the 2023 season.
The St. Andrew’s International School student said a change in approach helped fuel his breakout performance after a slow start to the tournament. “It feels amazing,” Rolle said. “I started off the tournament slow. I came today with a new approach, moving up in the box and getting a hit.”
Castle finished with 23 points as the Spurs got started in their quest to become the first team to win the NBA Finals after losing the first two at home.
Jalen Brunson scored 32 points and OG Anunoby had 28 for the Knicks, who lost for the first time since April 23 in Game 3 of their first-round series against Atlanta.
Fans who endured long lines to get in with the extra security measures in
“It was important to us that Jonquel’s legacy be permanently recognised,” Sun president Jen Rizzotti said. “Raising her number into the rafters is a tribute to one of the greatest players in franchise history and a lasting reminder of everything she has meant to this organisation and to our fans.” Connecticut will also honour former players Jasmine Thomas, Alyssa Thomas, Tina Charles as well as coaches Curt Miller and Mike Thibault. Jones joined other Connecticut greats Margo Dydek, Katie Douglas, Nykesha Sales, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Lindsay Whalen and Asjha Jones in the rafters at the arena.
Rolle said his focus in the late innings was simple. “Just doing anything to help the team win,” he said.
“Just not being ready man,” he said. “When you’re up by a lot of runs sometimes the kids get flatfooted. They came back and they did the job.”
As the errors mounted and Venezuela surged back into contention, Cox said the message in the dugout remained simple.
“Basically just settle down the team,” he said. “The guys know that they
“Just hit and cut down on the errors,” he said. “Once we do that, no team can beat us.” Cox echoed that confidence heading into the knockout round.
“The expectation is to win man,” he said. “We come to win. We come to protect the homeland and show up for the Bahamian people.”
After Monday’s dramatic comeback, the Bahamians will carry plenty of momentum into the playoffs.
place — and some who paid five-figure sums for the chance to do so — were treated to a back-and-forth game in the NBA Finals’ first trip to Madison Square Garden since 1999.
Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 Frenchman whose turnover late in Game 2 ended the Spurs’ hopes, didn’t make many mistakes Monday. He had 10 points in the final quarter, helping the Spurs build just enough of a cushion to withstand another Brunson comeback
attempt. Minutes after Trump was loudly booed while shown during the national anthem, the Spurs got off to an ideal start.
Wembanyama dunked for their first two baskets and they had a double-digit lead 4 1/2 minutes into the game.
San Antonio made nine of its first 11 shots, with the Knicks and their fans frustrated by the referees and the home team’s sloppy play, and led 33-22 after one. The Garden crowd didn’t really start to rock
until Anunoby’s 3-pointer capped an 11-2 surge that cut it to 40-38. The Knicks got their first lead of the night on Brunson's 26-footer as part of a big burst to finish the half. New York led 64-57 at the break. But the Spurs went back ahead in the third quarter and led 111-104 on Castle's 3-pointer with 1:53 to play. Castle then closed the scoring with two free throws with 6.8 seconds left after Anunoby's 3-pointer cut it to two.
Serena breaks her own national record
DISCUS, from Page 16
decent throwing series. It was my first time throwing in that type of wind in a very long time. So I was just happy that I was able to get my feet underneath me. But there’s definitely room for improvement throwing in those conditions again.” Brown, who is currently training in Pennsylvania with coach Dean Miller, will be heading home for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships next weekend at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium. “They
named the Commonwealth Games team from March and I wasn’t on it, so I’m hoping that I get to go to the CAC Games,” Brown said. “I was hoping to go to the Commonwealth and medal, but I just have to concentrate on CAC and hopefully do it there. If not, I will just work on qualifying for the World Championships next year.” Brown, a 2016 graduate of St Augustine’s College, completed her collegiate eligibility at Iowa in 2021 because she graduated from the University of Florida with her undergrad in business and technology
and a masters of science in construction management in 2023. “I was at rock bottom and I was tired of being there and I really didn’t want to be there anymore,” Brown reflected. “I knew that there was hope in there being room for a lot of improvement and a lot to change. “I have so many people around me going through so many things like cancer, lost their homes and stuff like that and they bounced back on their feet. Seeing stories like theirs made me realise that this was not the end of the world and I could get back to this level again.”
THOMPSON
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
SAN Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama lies on the court after a shot during second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D Franklin)
Sherman ‘The Caribbean Tank’ Williams inducted into Florida Boxing Hall of Fame
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
EVEN though he's not officially retired, Sherman 'The Caribbean Tank' Williams said he was honoured to be the latest Bahamian to be inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
The Grand Bahamian native now residing in Florida was among a list of more than 20 persons inducted into the Class of 2026 during the ceremonies held this weekend in St Petersburg, Florida.
At 53 years of age, Williams went in as one of seven fighters enshrined, along with Zab Judiah, Kenny Gould, Michael Rush, Allan Vester, China Smith and Vitaliy Kopytko.
Among the others inducted were the late trainer/manager Emanuel Steward and promoters Bob Arum and Lou Dibella. Other areas honoured were the media, participants and officials/commission.
There were also two special achievement awards and one for the Walter A Flansburg Lifetime Award, which was presented to Sakura Armstrong.
In accepting his recognition, Williams said he was especially thrilled to follow in the footsteps of the late Elisha ‘Yama Bahama’ Isaacs and Gomeo Brennen, both inducted in 2010, the late world champion Everette ‘Elisha Obed’ Ferguson, who was inducted in 2011 and Freeman ‘The Natural’ Barr in 2016.
"It feels great. It was an awesome feeling to be given such a high recognition of being inducted with the Class of 2026 was amazing," said Williams, who now resides between Vero Beach and Port St Lucie with his wife Kimberly and his son.
"I was able to speak and share the stories with Emmanuel Steward's daughter. Emmanuel Steward was a legendary trainer and promoter who passed on, but I had my moments with him fighting on some of his cards."
Over the past 35 years in the sport after he turned pro in June, 1997 after he fell short with a silver medal at the Olympic Games qualification tournament in 1996, Williams said it was good to see that his name was still appreciated for his contribution in the ring.
"My ring name was the "Conch Punch," which was made famous with my overhand right shot," he recalled. "I left an impression, not only in Florida, but in boxing throughout the United States."
During his pro career, Williams posted a 42-15-2 win-loss-draw record with the highlight of his career coming in January, 2011 in West Virginia where he
fought former world heavyweight champion Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield to a no-contest over a severe left eye cut to Holyfield on an accidental headbutt in the third round at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs.
Despite the fact that his last official fight came in April, 2019 with a victory over Stacy Frazier at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, Williams said he is still in "great shape" and if the opportunity presents itself, he is willing and ready to step back into the ring.
Admitting that as he's done, Williams said he wants to continue doing what he did during his career, promoting a few fights in his hometown of Grand Bahama and in New Providence through his Bahamian Sons Promotions group.
He feels he still has a lot more to offer to the local boxing community to get the sport back to its glory days when there were at least two to three pro cards on the local sporting calendar each year.
"I would love to be utilised a lot more," said Williams, who is currently engaged in a number of projects in Florida after he spent some considerable time in Denmark and in Europe promoting the sport.
"During the political campaign, I heard some candidates throwing some things out there, but this has always been a passion of mine. Migration is one of the things that is killing us and not having people ready home, but I am willing and ready to work with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to make my contribution."
He is currently balancing his career as a hospital security captain at the Orlando Health Sebastian
Hospital in Sebastian, Florida, where he was recently honoured for his service.
The Florida Boxing Hall of Fame is being ran by president Steven Canton, a long-time trainer and promoter of Freeman Barr in Fort Myers, Florida. Bob Alexander is his vice president.
Rival
FITTING HONOUR: Sherman ‘The Caribbean Tank’ Williams and other Hall of Famers during their induction into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
HALL of Famer Sherman ‘The Caribbean Tank’ Williams.
SHERMAN Williams signs an autograph.
SHERMAN Williams receiving his Hall of Fame award from Bob Alexander and Steve Canton.
