SPORTS SECTION E
TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2017
Minister makes his contribution to Budget Debate By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net SEVERAL significant initiatives took centre stage for Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard, as he addressed the impact his ministry will have on his administration’s budget. In his contribution to the 2017/18 Budget Debate yesterday, Pintard addressed several issues in the local sporting community which will be affected by the budget, most notably the improvement to infrastructure and seeking new revenue sources to assist the continued developments of sports tourism. He noted the government has invested millions in hosting marquee international events, however, he insisted that the current model must change and alternative funding sources must be utilised
to defray cost. “We have focus will be not merely over the course of the to provide government last year had two of the funding for internalargest sporting federational events as we are tions in the world come now expected to do and to the Bahamas to comwill continue. With the pete - the IAAF and of Commonwealth Youth course FIFA. We have Games what comes up contributed a tremenin a very short time, the dous amount of money government has comas a government to these mitted again, more than games - $7.6 million to $7 million to this enterthe IAAF and we beprise,” Pintard said. lieve that the World Re“The time has come lays was a magnificent for the Department of PINTARD event. Sports along with the “We also believe that Ministry of Tourism, the FIFA event was a wonderful to reach out both nationally and event, $5.8 million. At a later date, internationally and to work with we will offer deeper analysis and our federations so that we attract critique of those figures and what millions of dollars to help us to dewe got in return. While we cel- fray the cost of these international ebrate the fact that the country has events. We have not sufficiently, in this place on the global stage, we the Bahamas, taken advantage of know we can do better. This year television rights, of merchandising
rights. We have to move away from the government being the sole funder of these events, it is not a sustainable option for a country of this size with our budget. “The ministry with responsibility for staff understands it, the federations we have met with, we have shared this message as well, and so toward this end we expect over the course of this calendar year to work with persons of the financial services community, local and internationally, so that we are able to design a strategic plan to attract the millions of dollars we know are available and willing to come to the Bahamas if we are minded and ingenious enough, creative enough to reach out and make the case that this is a good place to invest.” With respect to the country’s sports tourism product, the Mem-
SEE PAGE 14
‘You can expect great things’ at the Nationals, says Katrina By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net all her a woman of destiny because it seems as if no matter how difficult the setbacks she encounters, Katrina Seymour is still able to accomplish her goals along the way. From East Tennessee State University in her senior year, Seymour was able to close out her brief career as a Buccaneer with an appearance in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She ended up eighth overall in the final of the women’s 400 metre hurdles. But while it may have been disappointing for some, it was a triumph for Seymour. “So far, it has been a season full of ups and downs. I’ve been dealing with injuries, but I am just grateful that I was able to compete at the places that I got to compete, especially my last one at the NCAAs,” said Seymour last week on her return home. “I was very pleased with my PR (personal best). At the time that I did it, I was about 70 per cent or 80 per cent. I knew I could run faster than my PR or 56. It was the national record of the Bahamas so I am very happy with that.” At the NCAA East Regional on May 26 in Lexington, Kentucky, Seymour managed to lower the Bahamas national record in the 400m hurdles to 56.32 seconds as she clinched her berth into the NCAA Championships. At the NCAA Championships earlier this month at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Seymour placed eighth in 59.68 in a race that she felt was just a “bad one.” “I received the All-American award, so I was very pleased with how everything worked out,” Seymour stressed. She considers her appearance
C
KATRINA SEYMOUR will have to surpass the qualifying standard of 56.10 in the 400m hurdles at the Nationals in Grand Bahama this weekend in order to book her ticket to London, England, for the IAAF World Championships August 5-13. at the NCAA Championships a blessing. She produced the highest finish by an ETSU track and field athlete since Heidi Dahl got sixth in the 1,500m at the 2009 championships. “I remember before I went to school, I gave you a quote in a story that I’m excited to go to this school because I’ve never had a college experience and I wanted to make it to the NCAA,” she reflected. “It’s just amazing that I was able to do those things that I had set out to do a year or two ago.” During the outdoor season, Seymour claimed four event victories, 13 top 10 finishes and set the ETSU school record in the 400mH four times. “Katrina has a future in the sport and we look forward to watching
her represent the Bahamas in future World Championships and Olympic Games. She will always be Buc,” said George Watts, the director of track and field/cross country at ETSU. While she was highly praised for her sting at ETSU, Seymour is now more eager to continue her life after college. It will begin this weekend in Grand Bahama when she competes in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Open Championships. “You can expect great things,” said Seymour of her expectations at the nationals. “My next race, I want to be able to qualify (for the IAAF World Championships) and compete to the best of my ability. I can definitely attain that.” In order to book her ticket to
London, England, for the IAAF World Championships August 5-13, Seymour will have to surpass the qualifying standard of 56.10. “I will always be a 400m runner and I would definitely like to help my teammates through the rounds,” she stated. “So I hope I can get a leg on the 4 x 400m relay. That’s all I want to do.” At age 24, Seymour’s eligibility for college is done, but she still has one more semester to go to secure her degree in criminal justice. Does that mean that in the meantime she will be turning pro? “Everything is pending right now. I don’t want to talk about it right now,” she said. “I just want everybody to keep watching and to see what is in store for Katrina Seymour.”
NPSA
Highlights, Page 12
PINTARD PLEDGES TO REFINE SUBVENTION FOR ELITE ATHLETES By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard pledged a more comprehensive approach as his ministry seeks to address the needs of each segment of the sporting community, ranging from elite athletes to the underserved youth of the inner cities. One of the focal points for the aforementioned elite athletes will be a refinement of the government’s subvention programme. “During the course of the next calendar year, we intend to do a variety of things that continue to build a strong infrastructure in sports throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. I have had the opportunity and great pleasure to meet a number of the federations both here in New Providence and in Grand Bahama. “There are so many amazing iconic figures who have dedicated their lives to sports in the Bahamas. Some have been recognised and celebrated and many have been overlooked. This is also true about our athletes,” Pintard said. “We have many elite athletes, some who are benefitting from subvention while others are languishing, wondering when their subvention will come through. In much of the same way I commit myself to respecting every staff member within the ministry to ensure that everyone feels valued and that their opinion matters, this is the same attitude I wish to engender among all senior staff members when interacting with federations, associations and athletes. “It is a tragic thing when an athlete who is preparing to compete with the best from around the world has to be preoccupied wondering that if he or she does not perform well at this one particular meet, are they likely to be at risk of losing their subvention.” In its current form, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, through the Department of Sports, offers assistance to developing, intermediate and elite athletes to assist with the development of sport. Its website states: “As an athlete progresses, the status is changed from developing to intermediate, and
SEE PAGE 14
Coach says high jumpers Moss, Alcine ‘will only get better’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net CLAYTON Pritchard came to town and he liked what he saw from high jumpers Kyle Alcine and Daehja Moss as they competed in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Aliv Junior Nationals at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium over the weekend. Pritchard, an assistant coach responsible for jumps at NDSU, will be welcoming the duo in August when they begin their freshmen years as members of the Bison track and field programme. “I saw them compete very well,” said Pritchard, who also serves as the recruiter
for NDSU. “Their performances weren’t what they expected this weekend, but they competed very well. “They will only get better as time goes on. They are very young athletes and they are very talented young athletes with a lot of potential, so we are pretty excited to have them at North Dakota.” Pritchard, however, said he’s not sure who is more excited as he and the rest of the coaching staff, headed by Don Larson, welcome the two or whether the pair are more eager to become Bison competitors. “We’ll see what happens when they come to North Dakota,” Pritchard said. “We want them to come there and compete hard. We know that they will
HIGHER HEIGHTS: Kyle Alcine and Daehja Moss with Clayton Pritchard (centre), an assistant coach at North Dakota State University.
train hard and our goal for them is not just to become conference champions, but we want them to compete in the national meets and perform very well at the NCAAs. “I think we both have the same expectations for them and if they do what they are capable of, they can achieve those goals.” The two jumpers will take over from Olympian Trevor Barry, who not only competed for NDSU as a high jumper, but he was also on their Bison athletic staff for a short period of time as an assistant coach. Both athletes indicated that while they had the eyes of Pritchard in the stands, they knew they had to still perform. “My performance wasn’t that good today,”
said Moss, who cleared 1.65 metres or 5-feet, 5-inches to win the under-20 girls’ high jump. “It’s been a long season but it was a successful season, so I’m okay with my performance.” Moss, who is now preparing for the Junior Pan American/NACAC Championships in Lima, Peru July 21-23, said it was nerve wrecking for her, knowing that Prichard was in the stands watching. “I think that contributed to my performance,” she said. For Alcine, a 2.15m (7-0 1/2) was all he could muster to win the under-20 boys’ high jump. And while it was a qualifier for Jr Pan Am, Alcine said he was able to impress his new coach.
SEE PAGE 14