SPORTS SECTION E
‘King James’
Naughty, Page 3
TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016
Alanna to carry our flag at Fencing Championships By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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lanna Cleare will carry the Bahamian flag at the Pan American Fencing Championships in Panama City, Panama, this week. Cleare, along with her coach Maestro Andy D Lewis, her mother Judy, and younger brother Alexio, are scheduled to leave town on Wednesday for the championships, which also serves as a qualifier for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “We are happy and elated with work that Alanna has put in,” said Wellington Miller, president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee. “To make it this far where she has been given an invitation to compete in the tournament is just remarkable. “We’re hoping that her performance will be good enough for her to get a universal invitation to compete in the Olympic Games, as was done for Emily Morley in rowing. If she gets the invitation, it will be another non-traditional sport that the Bahamas will be participating in at the Olympics.” Although the sport has been around since 1970, it’s slowly gaining some national recognition and Miller is hoping that this trip
ALANNA CLEARE with her coach Andy D Lewis. The Pan American Fencing Championships in Panama City, Panama, this week also serves as a qualifier for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. to Panama by Cleare will help to improve its international prominence as well. Cleare, a 21-year-old bio-chem
student at the College of the Bahamas, said she’s looking forward to the trip because the last time she travelled, she didn’t get to
compete because of some mix up with her entry. “I’m looking forward to competing in the tournament this year and I’m looking forward to winning a medal for my country,” said Cleare, who hails from Inagua where she attended the All-Age School. “If it’s anything like the competition that I saw when I went away before, I expect that it will be very stiff, but I am confident that I will do very well.” Cleare’s weapon of choice is foil, the most popular, commonly used by those starting to learn the art of the sport’s weapons. With a flexible, light blade, it allows for a lighter touch. During duels, points are scored by touching the point of the blade on the adversary’s torso. Sabre, which has the most flexible blade of the three weapons and so demands impeccable rapidity and reflexes, is another choice. Fencers may land a touch using the point or edge, a characteristic heavily inspired by the weapons used by cavalry soldiers during wars. And the final one is épée, the more rigid, heavier weapon, ideal for competitors who are taller and stronger, and with a longer range. This weapon best represents the duels that gave rise to the sport
Big blow out
VICTORY SWEET: Our men’s national basketball team rebounded from an opening day loss, dominating for a lopsided 82-58 win over Costa Rica in their second game of the tournament being hosted at the Roberto Duran Arena in Panama. SEE THE FULL STORY AND MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 8 Photo by 10thYearSeniors.com
of fencing centuries ago. Touches may be landed on the adversary’s whole body, although only hits with the point of the épée score points. Lewis said through Cleare’s attendance at the last international event in 2014, she was granted permission to compete in this tournament. “She has been performing very well and we expect that she will go to Panama and I expect that she will perform exceptionally well there as well,” said Lewis, who has worked on and off with Cleare for the past three years. Three years ago when the sport started to gain some national prominence, it was held at the Judo Centre in Joe Farrington Road. The group had an interest of 25 competitors at Akhepran International Academy on Bernard Road and Lewis said they had more than 100 to be considered at the Carmichael Road Community Centre. Cleare’s mother, Judy, said she’s looking forward to watching her daughter compete. “I’ve only had a chance to watch her compete once before,” she said. “She’s improved quite a bit from the time I watched her, so I’m looking forward to travelling with her on this trip. I know that she will do very well.”
JUNIOR ATHLETES GET IN GEAR FOR ‘THE BATTLE OF THE STARS’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will stage its National Junior Championships from Wednesday to Thursday at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. Then from Friday to Saturday, the National Open Track and Field Championships will take place at the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. The Nationals are dubbed “The Battle of the Stars” and will showcase some interesting match-ups in the majority of the events being contested over the four days of competition. The Junior Nationals will be divided into the under-18 and under-20 categories for male and female and will be highly prescribed in events from the 100 to the 400 metres. • Here’s a look at some of the match-ups anticipated, based on the leading performances turned in so far this year and released by Trevor Moss: Under-18 girls 100m – Top two contenders- Divine Parker and Sasha Wells. Others included are Megan Moss, Kendesha Ingraham, Rashan Darling, Onnieka Rolle, Tylar Lightbourne, Gayneil Sands, Kennedy Culmer and Robyn Burrows. 200m – Two top contend-
ers – Divine Parker and Doneisha Anderson. Others included are Megan Moss, Chanice Forbes, Rashan Darling, Kendisha Ingraham, Alexya Sawyer, Dejanique Turnquest, Tavia Bullard, D’Nia Freeman, Kennedy Culmer, Robyn Burrows and Tylar Lightbourne. 400m – Top two contenders – Britni Fountain and Doneisha Anderson. Other included are Chanice Forbes, Alexya Sawyer, Krista Collie, Dejanique Turnquest, Tavia Bullard, Deejha Moss, D’Nia Freeman, Marissa White, Quanisha Marshall and Latevia Adderley. 800m – Top two contenders - Melina Andora and Tavia Bullard. Others included are Marissa White and Quanisha Marshall. 1500m – Top contender – Melina Andora. 100m hurdles – Top two contenders – Sasha Wells and Charisma Taylor. 400m hurdles – Top two contenders – Robyn Burrows and Amina Forbes. Long jump – Top two contenders – Charisma Taylor and Deejha Moss. Others included are Kendesha Ingraham and Dejanique Turnquest. Triple jump – Top two contenders – Charisma Taylor and Deejha Moss. Shot put – Top two contenders – Carnitra Mackey ad Tiffany Hanna.
SEE PAGE 6
‘I could have won but happy to be playing at a good level again’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AS he continues his comeback from an injury that hampered him from completing his sophomore collegiate season in May, Justin Roberts played in his third Futures Tournament, but fell short of getting into the main draw for the third time this year. Coming off his second round main draw loss last week at the USA F19 Futures in Buffalo, New York, Roberts participated in the USA F20 Futures in Rochester, New York, where he suffered a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 loss to Evan Zhu of the United States in the third round of the qualifying segment. “I think I played well for the most part,” Robert told The Trib-
une after the match. “It was a battle with only one break a set. This was the best I’ve played these three weeks.” Roberts, the No.7 seed, won his first round match, beating Justin Ghavami from Canada 6-1, 6-3. He then pulled off a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over American Drew Van Orderlain. Despite the loss, Roberts feels he can take some consolation into his next tournament. “I played pretty well,” he said. “I could have won but happy to be playing at a good level again. This was a really positive first three weeks for me.” Roberts, a member of the University of South Florida, is not done yet. He and partner Jody Maginley from Antigua & Barbuda will
be playing doubles today against the team of William Bushamuka and Nathan Pasha, both from the United States. Roberts, 19, won his first round main draw event at the USA F19 Futures in Buffalo, New York with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Juan Manuel Matute from Argentina before he lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to Hans Hach from Mexico. Prior to that, Roberts qualified for the main draw of the USA F17 Futures in Charlottesville, Virginia where he lost 6-4, 6-2 to Takanyl Garanganga from Zimbabwe during the week of June 7-12. Roberts, who began playing tennis at the age of seven, is currently ranked at 1402 on the ATP list with a total of four points. He’s the only Bahamian with any ATP points.
JUSTIN ROBERTS in action in this file photo.