Valcourt settles for bronze
AN impressive pair of third-place fnishes enabled Javonya Valcourt to cap of her senior year at the University of Tennessee at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
On the fnal day of competition at the historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, Valcourt came back out in lane nine to run a lifetime-best of 50.16 seconds for third place in the women's 400 metres.
Her performance came two days after Bahamian national record holder Keyshawn Strachan shook of the disappointment of the past two seasons by clinching second place in the men's discus on Wednesday's opening day of the championship that was alternated with the men’s and women’s competition over the four days.
After the race, Valcourt said it was an "amazing feeling," considering she worked hard all season and was able to fnally put together a race like she did on the biggest stage that meant so much to her.
"Running in lane nine was defnitely challenging because you can't really see anyone around you, so you have to trust yourself and trust the race plan," Valcourt said.
"My focus was on getting out well, staying relaxed down the backstretch, and then being aggressive coming of the fnal curve. I just wanted to execute the race."
Valcourt, 21, produced the Lady Volunteers' best result in the quarter-mile at the championships since
2004 with her time being ranked second in programme history and second fastest in-season performance ever recorded by a Lady Vol over 400m.
Jamaica's Dejanea Oakley, a senior transfer from Texas to Georgia, won the event in a personal best of 48.79 for the championship lead and both a meet and championship record.
American Madison Whyte, a junior at the University of South Carolina, came in second in her personal best of 48.97.
"This performance gives me a lot of confdence moving forward. The collegiate season is now over, so I'm not completely sure what my postseason schedule will look like," Valcourt said.
"It depends on which team I'm selected for, but right now my focus is on competing at the Bahamas National Championships next week and continuing to build on this momentum."
Valcount ended up lowering her fourth best time of 50.26 from May 30 on the all-Bahamian list behind national record holder Shaunae Miller-Uibo (48.36), Tonique Williams (49.07) and Christine Amertil (50.09).
Valcourt, running 50.75 for the sixth fastest qualifying time in the semifnals of the 400m on Thursday, competed with three other Bahamians in the marquee one-mile race.
Abaco native Quincy Penn, a junior at Florida, was one spot shy of advancing to the fnal when she placed 10th overall in 51.33.
Lacarthea Cooper, a senior at Texas A&M, was 17th in 51.65 and Collinique Farrigton, a senior at Texas Tech, was 20th in 51.96.
SEE NCAA, Page 2
BGF names junior national team
THE Bahamas Golf Federation's Junior Division will be returning nine players from last year's second place squad as they seek to capture the 48th Annual Caribbean Junior Golf Championships title this year. The championship is scheduled for June 28 to July 3 at the Playa Dorada Golf Club in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, in announcing the team on Saturday at the Ocean Golf Club on Paradise
Island, said it features some of the country’s brightest young golfng talents, who have worked tirelessly to earn the opportunity to compete against the best junior golfers from across the Caribbean. The Bahamas will be competing against nine other countries and will be coached by Keno Turnquest, assisted by Frederick Taylor with the following players: Boys 18 & under - Aidan Gorospe, Kerrington Rolle and Luke Grimes. Girls 18 & under - Maddison Carroll and Chemari Pratt.
NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 14 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks to help the New York Liberty beat the Washington Mystics 86-64 yesterday and clinch a spot in the Commissioner's
Baha Mar Resort Foundation Golf Invite raises funds for charitable initiatives
junior tennis, junior paddleball and schools, et cetera, junior Junkanoo,” he said.
MORE than $300,000 was raised for charitable initiatives across The Bahamas during the fourth annual Baha Mar Resort Foundation Golf Invitational at Royal Blue Golf Course.
The event brought together more than 160 golfers and over 30 sponsors in support of the foundation’s community outreach eforts, with funds earmarked primarily for youth-focused programmes and charitable organisations throughout the country.
Sydney Stubbs, vice president of the Baha Mar Resort Foundation, said the event continues to grow and remains one of the country’s premier golf fundraising tournaments.
“We had over 160 golfers, we had over 32 sponsors and we’re hoping to raise over $300,000,” Stubbs said following the tournament.
“That will go back into the community.”
Stubbs said this year’s fundraising eforts will place a strong emphasis on supporting young Bahamians through sports, education and cultural programmes.
“Our emphasis this year, we’re going to support a lot of junior-type programmes, whether it be junior golf,
“We believe in sustainability as part of what the foundation is all about. But in addition to that, we’re also going to help a lot of worthwhile charities that fall under the community pillar of our foundation.”
The Baha Mar Resort Foundation operates under three pillars: community, culture and conservation.
Stubbs said the annual tournament continues to attract signifcant corporate support and community participation.
“This is the premier golf tournament in the country,” he said. “As you can see, the enthusiasm that it gets, the signifcant support, and we just want to thank our sponsors, thank the players and thank the volunteers for making this happen.”
The tournament concluded with David Bethel and Thomas Bethel of Bahamas Freight Logistics capturing frst place.
David Bethel said victory was secondary to the opportunity to spend the day competing alongside his brother.
“The frst instinct I had was to invite my brother Thomas Bethel over for a fun afternoon,” he said. “It turned into a little bit better than we expected.”
“We went out there to have a lot of fun and we both contributed a lot.”
The brothers kept their approach simple throughout the day.
“Have fun frst,” David Bethel said when asked about their strategy. “We grew up playing golf here in The Bahamas and the frst natural thing was come out, let’s each have a good time, support each other, not worry about the small things and see what we can do in the long run.”
The winning performance made the day even more memorable. “It’s phenomenal,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I won a tournament, but it’s even more special getting to hang
out here with my brother and getting to do these fun things.”
Bethel also praised the condition of Royal Blue Golf Course. “The best greens I’ve seen in a long time,” he said. “Baha Mar was playing absolutely gorgeous. The greenskeepers really put some things together. Stunning, stunning place today and we had a lot of fun.”
Thomas Bethel echoed those sentiments, saying the opportunity to support the foundation’s charitable work while competing alongside family made the day particularly rewarding.
“First and foremost, Baha Mar and the Baha Mar Foundation do an incredible job,” he said. “To be out here today to support the causes that they do is incredible.”
He also credited Baha Mar’s leadership team for the continued growth and success of the property and the tournament. “To be out here today and be a part of this, it was incredible,” he said.
Asked what it was like spending the day on the course with his brother, Thomas Bethel smiled.
“All day, we can do another one,” he said. “I
mean, it can’t be anything better, right? Two brothers winning a golf tournament and just being out here having fun. There’s nothing better.”
Thomas Bethel also highlighted the condition of the course, calling it some of the best he has seen in years.
“I’ve seen Baha Mar over the years and this is some of the best I’ve seen it,” he said.
“The greens were some of the best greens I’ve ever seen. The course is in great condition and it’s a beautiful place to be.” The tournament’s top fnishers were:
First Place: David Bethel and Thomas Bethel (Bahamas Freight Logistics)
Second Place: Felix Stubbs and Oswald Moore (New Providence Ecology Park)
Third Place: Lawrence Glinton and John Minns (Graham Thompson)
According to the foundation, funds raised from the event will support organisations and programmes focused on community development, education, youth advancement, cultural preservation and environmental stewardship throughout The Bahamas.
Since its inception, the Baha Mar Resort Foundation has donated more than $3.5 million to organisations and initiatives across the country.
Bahamas Golf Federation’s Junior Division seeking to capture 48th Annual Caribbean Junior Golf Championships title
Boys 15 & under - Na’kai Wilson, Rashawn Hanna and William Mahelis.
Girls 15 & under - Haley Hall and Anissa Robinson.
Boys 13 & under - Archie Michelmore and Connor Stevenson.
Girls 13 & under - Zion Poitier and Zaire Poitier.
The team will depart Nassau on June 28 and return on July 3, hopefully delivering a strong performance and bringing home a frst-place fnish for The Bahamas, according to Gonzalez-Rolle.
“We feel very strong about the team. We feel
NCAA, from Page 1
“It’s also really special to have three other Bahamian athletes competing in the event. Even though they didn’t make the fnal, I think it says a lot about where Bahamian track and feld is headed,” Valcourt pointed out.
“To have that kind of representation at the NCAA Championships shows we’re moving in the right direction as a country.”
As for the rest of the season, Valcourt said her goal is to keep improving and take advantage of whatever opportunities come her way.
Before she was done at the championships, Valcourt also stormed back in a split of 49.48 on the anchor leg in the grand fnale in the
they will do very well,” Gonzalez-Rolle said. “They should be familiar with the course.
“It’s not as hilly as it was in Jamaica, so we feel they will do very well.”
Turnquest said they have put in a lot of work and the team has prepared both physically and mentally and have grown a lot over the last few weeks, having gone through their pressure tests.
“During our practices, we put them in real situations, made them uncomfortable, gave them the tools to see how they would react under pressure,” he said.
“We’ve done that to the best of our abilities and
women’s 4 x 400m relay to pull the Lady Vols team of Cydney Wright, Esther Joseph and Maira Scott from ffth to third place in 3:23.75.
Penn, with a split of 51.12, started for Florida with the combo of Sydney Sutton, Malia Campbell and Layla Haynes as they fnished sixth in 3:25.73. Arkansas, third place overall in the team standings, won in 3:18.88, followed by eventual team champions Georgia in 3:20.96.
Tennessee, 11th overall in the team standings, got their second top-three fnish in the NCAA 4x400-metre relay in the past three years, joining the runner-up result from 2024.
It was a memorable championship for The
the players have responded very well. We have made sure they have responded and they have done that.”
Once they believe in themselves and put in the extra work on their own, they should be able to perform very well, even though they could have used more time to prepare the team.
Grimes, the national high school champion from Queen’s College, will be making his debut, but he’s confdent that his contribution to the team will be felt.
“I put in a lot of work to make the team and the work doesn’t stop as I contribute to the team this year to help us win,” he said.
Bahamas with four other athletes representing their respective schools in feld events.
Two men in javelin Strachan second/ Cartwright 19th
On day one of the championships on Wednesday, national record holder Keyshawn Strachaan had a huge throw of 264-feet, 7-inches or 80.65 metres on his frst attempt.
The Nebraska junior’s only other legal mark was 244-7 (74.56m) on his ffth try.
“The meet went pretty well for me because last year and the year before, I didn’t compete at my best. I came ffth both times,” Strachan said.
“So to come out and throw over 80 metres is really special for me. I’m
He added that he’s excited about the makeup of Team Bahamas.
“I look ahead and I see a lot of great golfers, a lot of golfers who are willing to put in the work and make sure we bring the trophy home this year,” he said.
Wilson said he’s particularly pleased to be on the team as a Grand Bahamian.
But he noted that returning from last year, he expects to play better and contribute more to the success of Team Bahamas.
“Last year wasn’t a really good year for me because I didn’t have much time to practice,” he said. “But this year it should be good.”
pretty happy about my performance. I wanted to throw over 80 metres, but I can’t do anything about the outcome of it. I just have to practice and perfect my technique.”
Strachan, 22, will be returning home to defend his title at the BAAA Nationals. Hopefully, he would get to go to either the CAC or Commonwealth Games, while attending a few meets in Europe before the season his done.
Kaden Cartwright, in his debut as a freshman for Mississippi State, came in 19th with his best heave of 223-2 (68.02m) on his frst.
He also had a mark of 220-6 (67.21m) on his second, but scratched his third and fnal attempt to crack the fnal nine spots.
Wilson said he knows some of the players who played on the team last year so he’s comfortable. To the newcomers, he advised them to just play their best.
“The competition is going to be tough out there,” he insisted.
“The courses, sometimes, will be difcult, but just go out there and do your best,” he said. As one of the females on the team, Robinson said she feels she worked hard enough to earn her spot.
And she said she’s looking forward to contributing to the success of Team Bahamas.
Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi, a senior at Texas A&M, beat out Strachan for the title with a massive heave of 269-10 (82.26m) on his frst attempt as well. Lone ranger in hurdles Smith 11th
Arizona’s Antone Smith, the only other Bahamian male to contest an individual event, was 11th in the triple jump on Friday with his leap of 52-5 1/2 (15.99m) on his frst attempt. He also did 52-3/4 (15.87m) and 43-2 1/2 (13.17m) in the second and third rounds.
Selva Prabhu, a sophomore at Kansas State, was the champion with his leap of 55-6 1/4 (16.92m) on his second try. Kevin Kemboi, a freshman at Oklahoma State, was second with 55-3 (16.84) with his
“I feel like we have some really good players and we should take the trophy home this year,” said Robinson, who is also returning from last year.
“I feel like I didn’t play well last year, but the frst year, I played and won in the 13U division, so I just need to worry about my game and not worry about the competition.”
Zaire Poitier, an alternate for last year’s team, said she’s delighted that she will get a chance to be a member of Team Bahamas this year.
“I’m just excited to play on the team this year and I just hope to do my best,” she summed up.
second try as well and Brandon Green Jr, a senior at Oklahoma, was third with 55-3/4 (16.78m) on his third. Only female feld competitor Jackson 22nd Miami Hurricanes’ junior Calea Jackson, the last of the Bahamian contingent to compete on Saturday, was 22nd in the women’s discus with her toss of 170-1 (51.84m) on her frst attempt for her only legal mark. Alida Van Daalen, a junior for the Florida Gators, won the event with 216-6 (65.98m) in the third round. Joyce Oguama, a junior at Alabama, was second with 196-9 (59.98m) in the fourth round and Ines Lopez, a senior at Arizona State, was third with 59.96m (196-9) in the frst round.
Jones and Liberty win seven straight
Liberty games with back soreness. Playing just her second game after she had an ankle injury to start the season, Ionescu checked in midway through the frst quarter and received a loud ovation from the crowd. She had a trio of stellar passes in the frst quarter, the third of which led to an open 3-pointer for Leonie Fiebich, which gave New York a 20-13 advantage. The Liberty were up 36-28 at the half as Stewart had 11 points, 10 rebounds and fve blocks in the opening 20 minutes. She’s only the second player to have at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and fve blocks in a half in WNBA history, joining Brittney Griner. With Ionescu healthy, the Liberty had their entire roster available for the frst time this season. After a sluggish start to the third quarter, coach Chris DeMarco called a timeout and Jones scored the next seven points for New York, which extended its lead to double-digits. Jones had 12 of her points in the period. Washington (5-7), which was coming into the game of a thrilling last-second victory over Toronto on Friday night, was only able to get within six points the rest of the way. Michaela Onyenwere scored 17 points to lead the Mystics.
GOLF, from Page 1
WNBA, from Page 1
Javonya Valcourt wins bronze in 400 metres at NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships
‘Jazz’ and AL East-leading Yankees beat Blue Jays 8-3
TORONTO (AP) — Ben Rice hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning, José Caballero added a threerun blast and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 yesterday for their sixth win in seven games.
The Yankees won for the seventh time when scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth inning or later.
Paul Goldschmidt hit an infeld single of Braydon Fisher (2-2) to begin the ninth and advanced on Fisher’s throwing error.
After Ryan McMahon ran for Goldschmidt, Rice drilled a 381-foot homer, his 19th.
Jasson Domínguez and Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr walked before Caballero connected of Tommy Nance for his sixth of the season. The AL East-leading Yankees won 3-1 Saturday when Goldschmidt hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth.
Camilo Doval (3-0) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the eighth for the win. Toronto’s Davis Schneider hit a solo home run, his second, but it wasn’t enough for the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Steven Jaschinski after a balk call against Jef Hofman put Chisholm
Jr at third base with one out in the eighth. After the argument, Hofman struck out Max Schuemann and Anthony Volpe to leave Chisholm Jr stranded.
Volpe and Ali Sánchez had back-to-back RBI hits in the second. The Blue Jays answered with two-out RBI hits by Kazuma Okamoto in the third and Nathan Lukes in the fourth.
Volpe’s two-out single restored New York’s lead in the top of the sixth, but Davis Schneider homered in the bottom half.
Blue Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez was scratched because of a sore left wrist. Toronto was without Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (back) for the second straight game.
Havertz sparks Germany’s 7-1 rout of Curaçao after underdogs’ historic 1st goal in World Cup
HOUSTON (AP) — Germany's seven-goal rout of Curaçao in its World Cup opener yesterday was the perfect outcome to overshadow a close frst half and boost the team after consecutive group-stage exits for the four-time champions. Kai Havertz scored two goals as Germany pulled away from World Cup
frst-timer Curaçao and piled it on in a 7-1 win in group play. The smallest country to ever appear in the tournament hung tight at 1-1 until the 38th minute.
“We really needed this convincing win,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “We needed this self-confdence. It was there but it defnitely grew.”
He said Sunday's display was important for the country's fans.
“We have to show them that we can perform and we have to have the confdence,” he said. “I think we’re in a better spot than we were entering this match.”
Livano Comenencia tied it at 1-1 with his left-footed shot through trafc from the centre of the box in the 21st minute.
This gave Curaçao its frst goal in the tournament and sent fans of the
tiny Caribbean nation into a frenzy. “Even though it wasn’t me, it felt like it was me, it was all of us, the whole island, everybody,” Curaçao's Jearl Margaritha said. “We screamed our lungs out. So we were happy.”
It was all Germany after that with the team regaining the lead on Nico Schlotterbeck’s header of Nathaniel Brown’s corner kick in the 38th.
Kamada’s late header gives Japan 2-2 draw with Netherlands in World Cup opener for both
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daichi Kamada and his Japanese teammates were minutes away from a World Cup-opening loss that wouldn't have been unexpected considering the opponent.
His tying goal will be remembered for a long time in his homeland, especially if the country with some soccer momentum reaches the round of 16 again. Kamada scored on a header of Koki Ogawa's corner kick in the 88th minute, sending the Samurai Blue fans into a
frenzy and giving Japan a 2-2 draw with the higher-ranked Netherlands yesterday.
While the Dutch extended their unbeaten streak to 17 games in group play, the orangeclad Oranje supporters were stunned by the late goal that left them at 21-2-11 in group play at the World Cup.
“Our players managed to be tenacious but at the same time be patient and just keep calm and fnding and seizing an opportunity,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said through an interpreter. His team reached the round of 16 for the fourth time in 2022 in Qatar.
Scotland marks 28-year World Cup absence with 1-0 victory over Haiti in Group C
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Coach Steve Clarke made it clear he didn't enjoy his frst two experiences leading Scotland during lackluster showings in the European Championship. So far the sport's biggest stage has brought him — and the Scots — a lot more luck. John McGinn defected a shot of an opposing defender and past goalkeeper Johny Placide in the 28th minute, and Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 in Group C of the World Cup on Saturday. “When it went into the back of the net, you could feel the Scotland fans,” McGinn said.
Scotland, making its frst appearance in the tournament since 1998, earned its frst World Cup victory since 1990, when it beat Sweden 2-1. “We came here to get three points. We did and now we move on,” Scotland midfelder Lewis Ferguson said. Getting those crucial points did a lot more than that.
Group favourites Brazil and Morocco played to a 1-1 draw earlier in the day, putting Scotland at the top of the group standings.
“We obviously have a little less pressure than everyone put on us in this game," Clarke said. “They deserve to be the team that fnally got in under their belt in the World Cup.”
JAZZ Chisholm Jr. safely dives back into first as Blue Jays first baseman Charles McAdoo tries to tag him out during the sixth inning.
BLUE Jays pitcher Spencer Miles (62) catches Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) in a rundown during the sixth inning yesterday.
Photos: Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP
Brunson scores 45, Knicks top Spurs for title
SAN ANTONIO (AP)
— Jalen Brunson and the Comeback Knicks did it again. And now they're the Champion Knicks.
For the frst time in 53 years, New York rules the NBA. Brunson scored 45 points, including 13 straight for New York in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night.
The Knicks won the series 4-1, rallying from double-digit defcits in all four of those victories. The defcit was 16 on Saturday night. Brunson and the Knicks were never fazed.
“I have no words,” Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP, said during the on-court celebration. “It's everything I ever dreamed of.”
Brunson, fttingly, closed with a fourish. He set a Knicks record for points in a fnals game; it had been 38 by Willis Reed against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the 1970 series.
It now belongs to the lefthanded point guard who changed the franchise’s fortunes when he arrived four years ago.
“It's surreal,” Knicks coach Mike Brown, who was hired a year ago — making him the franchise's 24th coach since the franchise's last championship in 1973. “I still can't believe it's happened.”
Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart — the other two parts of the “Nova Knicks” trio that also includes Brunson, three players who were NCAA champions at Villanova and teamed up in New York to try to do the same — combined to score 27 points. Bridges had 14, Hart 13.
“I don't know what I'm feeling,” Brunson said. “I'm in awe. Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it.”
Dylan Harper scored 25 for the Spurs, who got 19 points, 14 rebounds and fve blocked shots from Victor Wembanyama.
“This is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest
learning moment,” Wembanyama said. “I can't tell exactly what the lesson is, but we're learning.”
The Knicks improved to 4-0 in closeout opportunities this season, winning them all on the road. It didn't feel like the road, though — not with thousands of New York faithful having made the trip to
Texas to see a moment 53 years in the making.
And back home, on the streets of the Big Apple, celebrations broke out everywhere. Fireworks lit up the night sky, people honked horns on jampacked streets and frefghters — from their trucks — slapped high-fves with delirious fans.
“HISTORY,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media, then added that the Knicks' championship parade will be Thursday.
New York got to the brink of this title by rallying from 29 points down in Game 4 to win 107-106 on OG Anunoby's tip-in with 1.2 seconds left on Wednesday night. It was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history and the biggest comeback in any game this season, regular season or playofs.
By comparison, then, a 16-point rally in this one seemed easy. And San Antonio had to shufe of into the ofseason, listening to Knicks fans celebrating in their building.
“We weren’t ready to win an NBA championship,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “The better team won. We did a lot of good things, and we didn’t fnish the job. That’s what it is.”
The game followed the same script in the opening minutes as all the others in the series, with the Spurs taking a double-digit lead in the frst quarter and then frittering most of it away in the second quarter.
The Spurs became the frst team in the play-byplay era, which started in the 1996-97 season, to lead fve fnals games by 10 points or more in frst quarters.
The Knicks simply could not make a shot, missing on 16 of their frst 18 tries and each of their frst 11 twopoint attempts. There even was a point in the second quarter when Wembanyama had more blocked shots (fve) than the Knicks had made shots (four).
San Antonio’s lead was as many as 10 in the frst quarter, as many as 16 in the second. Of course, none of it mattered much. As
THE WEATHER REPORT
always, the Knicks came back.
A 22-9 run in the second quarter got New York within three, before Devin Vassell scored just before the halftime buzzer to give San Antonio a 42-37 edge at the break.
And that capped an opening 24 minutes of either ofensive ineptitude or defensive prowess, depending on perspective.
The 79 combined points in the frst half were the lowest in a fnals game since Game 7 of Lakers-Celtics in 2010, and the combined 31.8% feld goals shooting by the Knicks and Spurs was the lowest in the frst half of a fnals game in the play-byplay era. Brunson won NCAA crowns twice with Villanova — both in Texas, the 2016 one in Houston and the 2018 one in San Antonio, just a few miles away from the arena that the Spurs call home.
A Texas three-step of titles, and this one was surely the sweetest of all.
“It's why I came to New York,” Brunson said.
