Devynne 6th in final
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
TOKYO, Japan — Add another sixth-place finish in the world to the list of accomplishments for the Bahamian sensational hurdler Devynne Charlton.
As she got better and better through the rounds in her specialty in the women’s 100 metres hurdles, Charlton clinched sixth place in the final at the 20th World Championships last night at the Japan National Stadium with her season’s best performance of 12.49 seconds.
The time followed the previous SB of 12.51 that ran just an hour ahead to secure her ticket into her fifth consecutive final in a major global international meet over the past four years.
But once again, she was denied the opportunity to get on the podium to add to her résumé that includes back-to-back World Indoor Championship titles and four consecutive world indoor records.
She did, however, collect a pay cheque of $7,000 from World Athletics, the governing body of the sport, in what was on offer at the last edition of the world championships in Budapest two years ago.
The three medallists came from the middle of the pack with Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji shocking the field with a national record breaking performance in 12.24 for the gold and a hefty pay cheque of $70,000 for her efforts.
CHARLTON FOUNDATION GROWING
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
TOKYO, Japan — While she’s focusing on her performance on the track, her Devynne Charlton Barrier Breakers Foundation is making a huge difference in the lives of so many people off the track.
Officially launched in December last year, the Bahamian national indoor and outdoor record holder and world indoor two-time 60m champion and world record holder, has seen the impact made on the lives of the young athletes in The Bahamas.
Nigeria’s world record holder Tobi Amusan claimed the silver in 12.29 for $35,000 and the bronze went to American Grace Stark in 12.34 with a collection of $22,000.
Charlton’s American training partner and Olympic champion Masai Russell finished fourth in 12.44 for $6,000 and Jamaica’s defending champion Danielle Williams was seventh in 12.63 for $6,000.
The other two spots were occupied by Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland, who was 5th in 12.49, earning $11,000 and Nadine Visser of the Netherlands rounded out the field in eighth place in 12.56 for $5,000.
As she reflected on her performance as she came into the mixed zone to speak to the reporters, an emotional Charlton said she went out there and she gave it her best shot.
“All things considered, I’m proud of the way I
DEVYNNE CHARLTON, of The Bahamas, competes in a women’s 100 metres hurdles heat at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sunday, September 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
performed,” said Charlton, who tried to hold back the tears as she explained what she went through from the
2024 Olympics in Paris, France, to get to the World Championships in Tokyo in 2025.
“I feel like I’m capable of so much more, but I FINAL - See Page E8
During an interview with Tribune Sports at the 20th World Championships at the Japan National Stadium, Charlton said it’s her way of giving back to the sport that has been a blessing to her and her family.
“I’ve been blessed to be around track and field,” said Charlton after she completed the final of the women’s 100m hurdles where she placed sixth last night in a season’s best of 12.49.
“I think there’s something everybody can take away from sports and so I just want to give more people access to it that might not otherwise have access or might not have the necessities they need to go far in the sport.”
As one who has benefited tremendously through high school at St Augustine’s College, in college at Purdue University and now on the professional circuit with her Puma sponsorship, Charlton said she just wants to do her part to help out
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Kai Jones goes Euro
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net
KAI Jones has officially announced his signing with Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the Euro league for the 2025-2026 season. Standing at 6’11”, the Bahamian big man is moving to one of Europe’s premier clubs after several seasons in the NBA. Jones declared for the NBA draft in 2021 following his college career at the University of Texas, where he won the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year award. He was selected 19th overall by the New York Knicks but was immediately traded to the Charlotte Hornets. He spent two seasons with the Hornets during which he averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12 minutes per game. After being waived by the Hornets in late 2023,
Jones eventually found an opportunity when the LA Clippers signed him in the 2024-2025 regular season where he appeared in 28 games averaging 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. In March 2025, Jones was signed by the Dallas Mavericks on a two-way contract where he averaged 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. For his entire NBA career, Jones averaged 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.5 blocks with a field goal percentage of 67.1% in a total of 107 regular-season games. The move to Anadolu Efes gives Jones a chance to reset.
In the NBA, roster depth and competition for minutes often limited his opportunities. With Efes, he joins top Euro competition where he can earn significant playing time and possibly aim for an NBA return.
THE SPORTS CALENDAR
Sept
UPTOP ELITE TOURNAMENT THE Uptop Elite Basketball Club is scheduled to hold its second annual Season Tip-Off Basketball Tournament from September 24-28 at the DW Davis Gymnasium. The starting time is 4pm Wednesday to Friday, 10am on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday. The tournament is designed for junior and senior boys’ basketball teams. The registration fee is $250 per team. Prizes and giveaways will be presented. For more information, persons are asked to contact coach Lamont “Redhead” Armaly at 826-8306. BBSF BASKETBALL THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation’s 2025 Basketball Tournament is scheduled for the weekend of September
SEPT - See Page E5
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Charisma Taylor talks about her hair loss as a result of alopecia
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
TOKYO, Japan —
At one time, versatile Charisma Taylor would have been shy about exposing herself to the world about her hair loss condition as a result of alopecia.
Today, even as she gets stares from people concerned about her bald head, Taylor said she’s very comfortable about her wellbeing and is more willing to educate people about her medical condition.
As she competed this weekend at the 20th World Championships in the women’s 100 metres hurdles, Taylor said she found herself having to explain to a lot of people, especially athletes, about her condition.
“I was officially diagnosed with alopecia in 2022,” Taylor said. “I was at the University of Tennessee and I found some small black spots on the side of my head. “I went to the doctor and he looked at it and said it was alopecia. It started off as small spots.”
Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss from the scalp or body, which can be partial, patchy, or complete and temporary or permanent. For her, it eventually developed into the latter and so she had to deal with it. “It gets worse with stress and all kinds of things,” Taylor said. “I was going
through a period where I was really stressed. It’s life. My hair continued to start to fall out.
“I hid it for a very long time with wigs. It wasn’t until last September when I decided to just free myself and not hide behind the wigs. So I shaved the rest of the hair I had off and I went out in public and I never turned back.”
Without any concern from the public and the support of her parents Patrice and Dewey Taylor, as well as the encouragement from her family and church members, Taylor said she was more concerned about herself as she developed more confidence in who she is.
“I know that the Lord allows things to happen for numerous reasons and he allowed this to happen to me just to build my confidence because I struggled with it for a long time,” Taylor stated. With a big smile on her face, Taylor said “yeah, I’m embracing my bald head as you can see and I love it.” Now, people give her a stare or they inquire about her new found look.
“I get a lot of stares, but I’m used to it now,” Taylor reflected. “I just smile because a lot of people don’t know what’s going on.”
There’s been times when she’s been confronted with the question or there’s some concern about her having
cancer, but Taylor said she just chalks it up to a learning experience. “Not a lot of people are educated about alopecia, so a lot of people ask me about it and I have to explain to them what it’s all about,” she summed up.
At the time she was speaking about her condition, Taylor was watching the monitor waiting to see if she had advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 100m hurdles on Sunday. Unfortunately, she didn’t get in, just missing the cut by one as she was the last alternate to be dropped from the list of contenders waiting for the completion of the six heats. She was sixth in her heat in 12.96 and was 24th overall. Although that spot would have been the final one, that position went to Sacha Alessandrini of France, who ran an automatic time of 12.99 in her heat.
Taylor, a graduate of Washington State University after she transferred in her senior year from the
University of Tennessee, competed in the event with fellow Bahamians Denisha Cartwright and Devynne Charlton.
All three athletes represented The Bahamas at the Olympic Games last year in Paris, France.
Like she did in Paris, Charlton was the only one to advance with her second place in her heat in an automatic time of 12.69 for ninth place overall.
Cartwright, 25, was seventh in her heat in 13.50 for 40th overall.
Taylor, competing full time on the professional circuit, is being trained by John Coghlan, the coach of Puerto Rico’s 100m hurdles specialist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.
In her transition to Jacksonville, Florida, to join
the training camp, even though she is still waiting on a major sponsor, Taylor decided to concentrate just on the hurdles this year in preparation for the World Championships. Naturally, she was quite disappointed when she got knocked out of the final spot, kneeling on the ground in the mixed zone to reflect on the official ending of her season.
But just as God has a plan for her life with alopecia, Taylor said she’s relying on him to get her to the next global international event with renewed enthusiasm. She is just 26 and believes that there are better days ahead of her.
Not just in track and field but life in general and she’s eager to embrace it without her hair.
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the Bahamian youth. Her foundation has been very active since its launch with Charlton making appearances to give away track gears, helping with scholarship funds and assistance to those athletes in need.
Her foundation is scheduled to hold the Legends Track and Field Devynne Charlton Invitational on January 24, 2026 at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
But this time, Charlton said she wants to have a hands-off approach and allow her management team to get the job done.
“I will give my impute in there, but my team is handling all of that,” she said.
“I hope to get more information now that the season is slowing down and I have more time to focus on it.
“I just want people to know that it’s going on. We’re going to have some prizes and surprises and
scholarships will be given away, so it’s going to be a good family outing and to get some CARIFTA qualifiers.”
The CARIFTA Games is scheduled for the Easter holiday weekend in Grenada and the meet will be one of the first on the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ calendar for 2025. But in addition to showing a lot of the local talent, Charlton said there’s expected to be an array of international talent that will be on display. “We’re looking to bring teams from the Caribbean and North America, US and Canada,” she revealed. “It might be tough because it’s the indoor season, but we will see how it works out. But yeah, definitely, we’re going to bring some good international competition in.”
The mission of the Devynne Charlton Barrier Breakers Foundation is to empower young athletes by providing them with the resources, mentorship, and
financial support they need to excel in their athletic pursuits and education. The foundation envisions a future where every young athlete, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to succeed in both sports and academics.
“Through our programmes, we aim to create an environment where youth athletes feel supported in their athletic journeys, inspired to pursue higher education, and motivated to lead in their communities.
The goal is to build a sustainable foundation that not only provides financial assistance but also equips athletes with the mental and physical tools to thrive in all aspects of life.
Persons interested in learning more about the foundation or to make a contribution can do so by emailing dcbarrierbreakers@gmail.com or visit the Lauren Ashley Plaza on East Street South to reach out to Devynne’s parents Laura and Dave Charlton.
CHARISMA TAYLOR, second from left, in action in the 100 metre hurdles at the 20th World Outdoor Championships in Tokyo.
Photo: Kermit Taylor
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Team Bahamas’ performances at Worlds
TOKYO, Japan — Here’s a look at how The Bahamas’ 15-member team has fared so far at the 20th World Championships over the first two days of competition.
Women’s 100m
Anthaya Charlton advanced to the semifinals with fifth in heat three in the heats in 11.18 seconds for 19th overall. She was sixth in heat two of the semifinals in 11.14 seconds for 14th overall.
Camille Rutherford was fifth in heat four of the heats in 11.40 seconds for 35th overall.
Women’s 100m hurdles
Devynne Charlton finished sixth in the final in a season’s best of 12.49 seconds.
Devynne Charlton advanced to the final with her third place
finish in a season’s best of 12.51 seconds.
Deynne Charlton advanced to the semifinals with second place in heat six in 12.69 for ninth overall.
Denisha Cartwright seventh in heat one in 13.50 for 40th overall.
Charisma Taylor sixth in heat four in 12.96 for 24th overall.
Women’s 400m
Printassia Johnson advanced to the semifinal with her fourth place in heat four in a personal best of 50.53 for 14th overall.
Javonya Valcourt was seventh in heat three in the preliminaries in 52.00 for seventh place for 36th overall.
Men’s 100m
Terrence Jones advanced to the semifinals with third in heat three in 10.16 for 19th overall.
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Terrence Jones was sixth in heat two of the semifinals in 10.10 for 16th overall.
Men’s high jump
Donald Thomas, competing in Group A, was tied for 10th at 7-feet, 3-inches (2.21m) for 19th place overall.
UP NEXT Tuesday night at 9:15pm (8:15am EST).
Printassia Johnson in lane three in heat two of the women’s 400m semifinals. The first two finishers and the next two fastest losers will advance to the final on Thursday at 10.24pm (9:24am EST).
Wednesday Men’s Triple jump qualification at 7:05pm (6:05am EST).
Kaiwan Culmer - no start list available yet.
Men’s Javelin throw qualification at 7:10pm (6:10am EST).
Keyshawn Strachan - no start list available yet.
Women’s 200m heats at 7:30pm (6:30am EST).
Anthonique Strachan - no start list available yet.
Men’s 200m heats at 8:15pm (7:15am EST). Ian Kerr - no start list available yet.
Thursday Men’s Javelin final at 7:23pm (6:23am EST).
Men’s 200m semifinal at 9:02pm (8:02am EST).
Women’s 200m semifinal at 9:24pm (8:24am EST).
Women’s 400m final at 10:24pm (9:24am EST).
Friday Women’s javelin throw qualifying rounds at 7:30pm (6:30am EST) or 9pm (8am EST) Rhema Otabor, depending on which group she is placed in.
Men’s triple jump final 8:50pm (7am
OLYMPIC CHAMPION HOCKER
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer
KENYA’s Reynold Cheruiyot competes with United States’ Cole Hocker, Spain’s Adrian Ben and other
September 15, 2025.
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Aubrey hits 64-yard FG and OT winner to help Cowboys knock off Giants, 40-37
By The Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brandon Aubrey kicked a 46-yard field goal on the final play of overtime after a tying 64-yarder to end regulation, and the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants 40-37 in a thrilling duel between star quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson on Sunday.
The Cowboys extended their winning streak against the NFC East rivals to nine games — the longest active streak in the NFL among division opponents — and Prescott beat the Giants for the 14th consecutive time since losing both starts against them as a rookie in 2016.
Overtime was on the verge of going scoreless after the teams combined for five go-ahead TDs in the final 12 minutes of the fourth quarter.
That included a go-ahead TD apiece for Prescott and Wilson in the final minute before Prescott got the Cowboys just far enough for Aubrey’s tying kick on the last play of regulation.
Wilson, who threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns, connected with Malik Nabors on a 48-yard TD for a 37-34 New York lead with 25 seconds remaining after Prescott threw a 6-yarder to George Pickens with 52 seconds to go.
The Giants just needed a field goal to win when Wilson threw an ill-advised deep ball with pressure, and Donovan Wilson intercepted at the Dallas 30 with 2 minutes left in OT. Prescott put Aubrey in chip-shot range with a 14-yard scramble.
SEAHAWKS 31, STEELERS 17
PITTSBURGH (AP) — George Holani pounced on a live ball in the end zone for an improbable touchdown, and Seattle took advantage of sloppy play by Pittsburgh to pull off a surprise victory.
The Seahawks had taken a 3-point lead early in the fourth quarter on Jason Myers’ 54-yard field goal when the ensuing kickoff bounced over the hands of Steelers rookie Kaleb Johnson and into the end zone.
While Johnson turned his back and walked toward the bench, Holani raced to the end zone and fell on the ball just before it rolled out of bounds to give the Seahawks (1-1) a 24-14 lead. That was enough on a day Aaron Rodgers and the rest of Pittsburgh’s offense delivered a dud in the Steelers’ home opener.
Sam Darnold passed for 295 yards and two touchdowns, overcoming a pair of first-half interceptions. Kenneth Walker III ran for 105 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown with 3:41 to go that secured Seattle’s third-ever victory in Pittsburgh.
RAVENS 41, BROWNS 17
BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes and Baltimore’s defence harassed Joe Flacco throughout his return to Charm City as the Ravens dispatched Cleveland.
After holding Cincinnati to 141 yards in a one-point loss to the Bengals last week, the Cleveland defence limited Derrick Henry to just 24 yards on 11 rushing attempts and forced the Ravens to work.
But the Browns (0-2) were mostly inept on offence. Flacco, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Ravens playing his first game in Baltimore as an opposing player, went 25 for 45 for 199 yards and a touchdown, with an interception and a lost fumble.
The Ravens (1-1) led 10-3 at halftime despite having just four first downs and 81 yards of offence. A 41-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins set Baltimore up with firstand-goal from the 1, but an incompletion, a false start, another incompletion and a sack forced the Ravens to settle for a field goal.
Then Flacco forced a pass that was intercepted by Nate Wiggins and returned
61 yards to the 5. Cleveland made Baltimore use all four downs from there, but Jackson finally found Devontez Walker for a 2-yard touchdown that made it 20-3.
BILLS 30, JETS 10
EAST RUTHERFORD,
N.J. (AP) — Josh Allen shook off a bloody nose that sidelined him for two plays, James Cook ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns and Buffalo cruised to a victory over New York. Buffalo, coming off a 41-40 comeback win over Baltimore, needed no late rally in this one as the Bills (2-0) shut down Justin Fields and the Jets’ offence from the start.
With the Bills (2-0) leading 10-0, Allen left late in the first quarter after getting hit in the face when he scrambled and was stopped for no gain. Micheal Clemons appeared to get a hand under the quarterback’s facemask.
Allen, with blood flowing from his nose, ran to the sideline and was examined by trainers. Mitchell Trubisky came in and immediately completed a 32-yard pass to Joshua Palmer for a first down. Trubisky then handed off to Ty Johnson as Allen continued to be looked at.
Allen, with his left nostril packed with gauze, then jogged back onto the field on the next play to start the second quarter. The drive ended with a 52-yard field goal by Matt Prater that gave the Bills a 13-0 lead. With the game well in hand and the Bills leading 30-3 with 8:23 left, Allen
came out and Trubisky finished. Allen was 14 of 25 for 148 yards and ran for 59 yards on six carries.
BENGALS 31, JAGUARS 27
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jake Browning passed for 241 yards in relief of the injured Joe Burrow and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard sneak with 18 seconds remaining as Cincinnati rallied for a victory over Jacksonville. Burrow suffered a left toe injury in the first half and did not return, an ominous sign for the Bengals and their franchise quarterback.
The Bengals — 2-0 for the first time since 2018 — took over at their own 8 with 3:42 remaining after the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence couldn’t connect with Brian Thomas Jr. on fourthand-5. Browning directed a 15-play, 92-yard drive on which he completed 9 of 12 passes for 65 yards, including a 13-yard strike to Chase Brown on fourthand-3 at the 15. Cincinnati also benefited from a pass-interference penalty on Jacksonville twoway rookie Travis Hunter on a fourth-down play at the Bengals 33.
Ja’Marr Chase had 14 receptions for 165 yards. The fifth-year Bengals wide receiver, who reached 400 career receptions during the first quarter, hauled in his first touchdown of the season on a 4-yard quick slant in the first quarter. Burrow was 7 of 13 for 76 yards and a touchdown before being injured. The sixth-year quarterback left after he was sacked by Arik
Denver (1-1). Troy Franklin had a touchdown catch and finished with career bests of eight catches for 89 yards. J.K. Dobbins rushed 14 times for 76 yards and a score.
CARDINALS
27,
22
PANTHERS
Armstead with 9:02 remaining in the second quarter. It was the Jaguars’ second sack of Burrow.
49ERS 26, SAINTS 21
NEW ORLEANS (AP)
— Mac Jones threw for 279 yards and a career-hightying three touchdowns, and banged-up San Francisco defeated New Orleans. Pressed into service this week because of a toe injury to Brock Purdy, Jones had his best game since Week 1 of the 2023 season, when the former Alabama star played for New England and threw for 316 yards and three TDs against Philadelphia. It was Jones’ second career game with as many as three touchdowns and more than 250 yards passing.
Jones’ scoring passes went for 11 yards to Luke Farrell, 7 yards to Christian McCaffrey and 42 yards to Jauan Jennings — the last giving the Niners a 26-14 lead in the fourth quarter.
For the fourth time since 2019, the 49ers (2-0) have begun a regular season with two straight road victories. In two of those seasons (2019 and 2023), they made the Super Bowl. In the other (2021), they advanced to the NFC title game.
The Saints (0-2), meanwhile, are still looking for their first victory under rookie coach Kellen Moore after losing their first two of this season at home by a touchdown or less.
COLTS 29, BRONCOS 28
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)
— Spencer Shrader made a 45-yard field goal with no time left after the Broncos were penalised for leverage on his missed 60-yard try, and Indianapolis beat Denver for their first 2-0 start since 2009.
Trailing by two with 3:15 left, the Colts played conservatively on their final drive, with Jonathan Taylor running the ball seven times and Daniel Jones throwing only one pass.
Those plays netted 26 yards and set up Shrader’s attempt from the Colts logo at midfield that missed short and right.
But Dondrea Tillman was flagged for leverage — using a teammate to vault himself into the air to try to block the kick.
The 15-yard personalfoul penalty put Indy well within Shrader’s range, and he easily converted his fifth field goal of the game. Jones went 23 of 34 for 316 yards and a touchdown. He also scored on a 1-yard run in his second start with the Colts. It was his first 300-yard game since throwing for 321 yards on Sept. 17, 2023, for the New York Giants.
Taylor finished with 25 carries for 165 yards, caught a TD pass and posted the 25th 100-yard game of his career, breaking a tie for second in franchise history with Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.
Bo Nix finished 22 of 30 for 206 yards with three TDs — all in the first half — and one interception for
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Josh Sweat had a strip-sack that led to an early defensive touchdown, Calais Campbell had a sack with 26 seconds left in the game to turn back a frantic Carolina rally and Arizona beat the Panthers. Carolina trailed 27-3 with 9:23 left in the third quarter, but Bryce Young threw three touchdown passes in the second half to lead a comeback attempt. The third touchdown, a 1-yard throw to Hunter Renfrow, cut the margin to 27-22 with 1:58 left. The Panthers then converted the onside kick, getting the ball at midfield and setting up a final offensive drive. Young was sacked on fourth down by the 39-year-old Campbell to end the threat.
Arizona (2-0) controlled the game until the final few minutes, taking advantage of two Panthers turnovers on the first two drives to take a 10-0 lead. The Cardinals pushed their advantage to 27-3 with 9:23 left in the third quarter after James Conner ran for a 2-yard touchdown.
Young finished with a career-high 328 yards passing, completing 35 of 55 passes, but he missed on all seven of his throws on the final drive.
Kyler Murray completed 17 of 25 passes for 220 yards and added a spectacular 30-yard scramble in the fourth quarter. Tight end Trey McBride caught six passes for 78 yards.
FALCONS 22, VIKINGS 6
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Bijan Robinson rushed for 143 yards and Parker Romo made all five of his field-goal tries in his debut for Atlanta, who smothered J.J. McCarthy for six sacks and three turnovers in a victory over Minnesota.
Tyler Allgeier added 13 carries for 67 yards and a late touchdown run against a Vikings defence that didn’t have much left after it admirably kept the game close all night while the offence crossed midfield just three times and only once got inside the 20-yard line.
Robinson and Allgeier helped the Falcons (1-1) rush 38 times for 219 yards to keep the pressure off Michael Penix Jr. and keep the crowd noise from being a factor after the first quarter. Penix, who went 13 for 21 for 135 yards, has yet to commit a turnover this season.
RAMS 33, TITANS 19 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Matthew Stafford threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns and Los Angeles spoiled rookie Cam Ward’s NFL home opener, scoring 20 straight points to beat Tennessee. Wide receiver Puka Nacua also ran 45 yards for a touchdown. Davante Adams had 106 yards receiving and a touchdown catch. Joshua Karty also kicked two field goals.
The Rams (2-0) sacked the No. 1 overall draft pick five times.
Linebacker Byron Young had two, and he also stripped Ward of the ball at the Titans 21 on his second sack.
Tennessee, which led 13-10 at halftime, was up 16-13 when the Rams made their almost perfunctory comeback.
Stafford put the Rams ahead to stay with an 8-yard TD pass to Davis Allen late in the third quarter. After Ward’s fumble, Stafford needed three plays to put the Rams up 27-16 with 9:40 left on a 16-yard TD pass to Davante Adams. Blake Corum added a 1-yard TD run with 6:45 left.
The Titans (0-2) now have lost eight straight going back to last season.
DALLAS Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) gives place kicker Brandon Aubrey, right, a kiss on the head after the team’s overtime win in an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, September 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
GDBA PLAYOFFS: CYBORGS, BALLERS AND CRIMESTOPPERS IN WIN COLUMN
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net
THE Government Departmental Basketball Association playoff action continued this past weekend at the AF Adderley Gymnasium with three action-packed games.
The first matchup of the weekend was the number one-seeded Police Crimestoppers’ 97-88 victory over the number eight-seeded Real Deal Rangers to ensure the 2-0 sweep on Friday. Kirklyn Farrington led the way for the Crimestoppers with
25 points, hitting 10 of his 16 field goals, and had six rebounds.
For the Rangers, Craig Smith Jr led the team with 22 points, shooting 5-11 from three and a lacklustre 5-21 for the entire game.
Mark Hanna contributed a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
The second matchup of the night was the fifthseeded Bain and Grants Town Cyborgs completing the 2-0 sweep over the Police Staff Association Royals with the demanding 96-82 win.
Eugene Bain led the way for the Cyborgs with 20
points, followed by Jeremy Neely with 19.
Jonathan Cox led the Royals in scoring with 22 points. On Saturday, the thirdseeded Nassau Flight Services Ballers evened the series 1-1 with the blowout 81-56 win over the sixth-seeded BDOCS Challengers.
Abel Joseph stuffed the stat sheet with 38 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 5-15 from three, mirroring his performance in the first match-up against the Challengers in the upset loss.
For the Challengers, Rashad Woodside led the
team in scoring with 18 points. Starting point guard for the Ballers, LaMont “LJ” McPhee, talked about what changes the team made from the game one loss and remained hopeful that the Ballers would win their next matchup against the Challengers to secure the first-round victory and a second-round birth.
“We played better on defence and crashed the rebounds a little bit more because they outrebounded us the last game, and I felt like we came to play with the best of our abilities this game, especially with the
offensive rebounds, and we came to play as a team,” said McPhee. The Ballers will head to game three, where they hope to close out the series.
With big wins for the Crimestoppers, Cyborgs, and Ballers, the first round of the BGDBA playoffs has been nothing but competitive.
With the Crimestoppers and Cyborgs winning their series and heading to the next round, the Ballers and Challengers are left with one more game to decide who goes to the second round to continue the fight for the championship.
BUCS RALLY TO 20-19 WIN OVER TEXANS
By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) —
Two years ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Houston Texans on a touchdown in the final seconds.
Last night, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs were the ones to deliver a knockout blow as the clock neared zero.
Mayfield led an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped by Rachaad White’s 2-yard touchdown run with 6 seconds left, and Tampa Bay rallied past the Houston Texans 20-19.
In the Bucs’ last visit to Houston in 2023, C.J. Stroud connected with Tank Dell for a TD with 6 seconds to go to give the Texans a 39-37 win.
“We expected a hardfought battle, but it’s nice to be on this side of it this time,” Mayfield said.
Receiver Mike Evans, who grew up about an hour from NRG Stadium in Galveston, Texas, called that defeat heartbreaking earlier this week and said the Bucs were looking for payback.
“We got the muchneeded win in a hostile environment,” Evans said.
“Everybody was calm. We practice two-minute situations religiously, and it was great for our preparation to come full circle tonight.”
Mayfield threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns for the Bucs (2-0), and his 15-yard scramble on fourth-and-10 kept the game-winning drive going.
“That was a heck of a job of situational football,” coach Todd Bowles said.
“Baker on the fourthand-10, using his legs to get the first down. That kind of
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26-27 at the CI Gibson Gymnasium for the 12-and under and open divisions. Each team will consist of 12 players. Trophies sponsored by AID will be distributed to the champions and runners-up in each category as well as medals for the thirdplace teams. Interested persons can contact Sean Bastian at seanbasbastian@gmail.com or call 826-8535 or Brent Stubbs at stubbobs@gmail. com or call 426-7265 for more information.
NPACBO REFEREES
IF you are interested in becoming a basketball referee, the New Providence Association of Certified Basketball Officials is looking for you. The NPACBO is inviting all interested persons to sign up to become a certified basketball referee and a certified table official. All you have to do is call 242-808-6839 or 242-423-0328 for email npcobahamas@gmail.com for more information.
TRACK & FIELD
CLASSIC
THE Baptist Sports Federation is slated to hold its 2025 Track and Field Classic during the Baptist
catapulted everything from there. They did a heck of a job finishing.”
In the Bucs’ opener, Mayfield threw a touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka with 59 seconds left to give his team a 23-20 win over Atlanta. He joins Doug Williams (1980) as the only Tampa Bay quarterbacks to open a season with two consecutive game-winning drives.
The Texans (0-2) took a 19-14 lead on a 25-yard TD run by Nick Chubb with 2:10 left. Houston went for 2 but Stroud was sacked.
Trailing by one, the Texans got a quick stop thanks to a sack by Will
month of activities on Saturday, October 25 at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
Odd distance events will be staged for competitors in the under-7, under-11, under-15, under-17, under20, under-40, under-60 and 60-and over categories for men and women. There will also be a Pastors/Ministers category. And trophies will be presented to the divisional champions and medals to the top three finishers in each event.
Interested persons can contact Ann Thompson at ann87609@gmail. com or call 425-3667 or Brent Stubbs at stubbobs@ gmail,com or call 426-7265 for more information.
LEGENDS TRACK INVITE
THE Devynne Charlton Barrier Breakers Foundation is scheduled to hold the Legends Track and Field Devynne Charlton Invitational on January 24, 2026 at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The event, which is expected to bring in a number of top athletes from around the world, will be held in honour of Charlton for her achievement as the world indoor two-time 60 metre hurdles champion and world record holder.
Anderson on third down.
Rookie Jaylin Noel returned the punt 53 yards to get Houston inside the 30.
Two plays later, Chubb slipped through the line and dashed into the end zone untouched for his first touchdown as a Texan after spending his first seven seasons with the Browns.
Stroud threw for 207 yards and a touchdown but failed to move the offence effectively for much of the second half.
“You can make a bunch of excuses but we’re just
not getting it done and at the end of the day that’s all that matters,” he said.
Houston trailed by four and hadn’t scored in the second half when Riley Dixon’s punt was blocked by Jakob Johnson and the Texans recovered on the Tampa Bay 35 with about 6 1/2 minutes to go. The Texans failed to move the ball and settled for Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 53-yard field goal that cut the lead to 14-13 with just over five minutes left.
Tampa Bay had a chance to pad the lead late in the
third period after both teams struggled offensively after halftime. But Chase McLaughlin’s 38-yard field-goal attempt bounced off the right upright.
Houston had first-andgoal at the 8 early in the fourth quarter and Nico Collins was stopped a yard short of the goal line on a first-down catch. Chubb was stuffed for no gain and Stroud threw incompletions intended for Collins on the next two plays to leave the Texans empty-handed.
THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) has announced that its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections, which were scheduled for September 13, 2025, have been postponed. In a statement to its membership dated September 13, the BLTA explained that the injunction was obtained “at the instance of Mr. Kenwood Kerr and Mr. Bjorn Ferguson.”
This latest development extends a legal matter that has been ongoing since January 2022, when disputes first arose before the Association’s scheduled AGM and elections that year.
“We had multiple opportunities to win that game and we didn’t make the plays we needed to make,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.
Houston took an early lead on Collins’ 29-yard TD catch. That score was set up when Stroud connected with Chubb for a 27-yard gain on a screen pass the play before.
The Bucs tied it at 7-all when Mayfield threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Miller on their first possession.
Egbuka had a 15-yard TD catch with about 10 minutes left in the first half to put Tampa Bay up 14-10. Egbuka, a rookie first-round draft pick, became the sixth player since the merger with three TD catches in his first two games.
Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter forced a fumble and had two sacks to give him 101 1/2 in his 10-year career.
Running wild
The Buccaneers finished with 169 yards rushing to just 84 by the Texans. Bucky Irving led the way with 71 yards and White added 65. Mayfield had 33 yards rushing, with 31 coming in the fourth quarter.
Injuries Tampa Bay OT Luke Goedeke left in the first quarter with a foot injury. … DE Calijah Kancey injured a pectoral muscle in the first half and didn’t return.
Up next The Buccaneers host the New York Jets and the Texans visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
TAMPA Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Charlie Heck (77) celebrates a touchdown run by running back Rachaad White (1) as Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) and others look on in the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Germany tops Turkey 88-83 for EuroBasket gold. Greece, Giannis win bronze
RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Dennis Schröder simply took over to deliver more gold for Germany.
Schröder had the game’s final six points, Isaac Bonga scored a team-best 20 points and Germany topped Turkey 88-83 on Sunday in the gold medal game at the European championship.
It was Germany’s first EuroBasket title since 1993 and comes two years after the team — largely with the same core — won the World Cup title in 2023.
“We never shy away from the big moments. ... Everybody is so confident,” Schröder said. “Just bigtime plays from big-time character people.”
Franz Wagner scored 18 points and Schröder finished with 16 points and 12 assists for Germany, which finished the tournament 9-0. The game had 15 lead changes and 11 ties, with the final lead change coming when Schröder scored on a drive to put Germany up by one with 1:15 left.
He added a jumper with 18.7 seconds remaining and after Turkey’s Alperen Sengun missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it, Schröder sealed gold with a pair of free throws.
“To be a World Cup winner and a European champion, that’s big time,” Schröder said.
Sengun had 28 points for Turkey, which got 23 from Cedi Osman and a 13-point, nine-assist, six-rebound game from Shane Larkin.
Bronze: Greece 92, Finland 89
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and
grabbed 17 rebounds, leading Greece past Finland for the bronze medal earlier Sunday. It was Greece’s first EuroBasket medal since winning bronze in 2009.
“We did it.
“This is probably one of the biggest accomplishments that I’ve ever
accomplished as an athlete,” said Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks star and a past NBA champion and MVP.
“I know I’ve won an NBA championship, but there’s no feeling like representing your national team and representing 12 million people that breathe
and live this national team. This is probably the greatest accomplishment so far in my life.”
It was the sixth time that Greece finished on the podium at the EuroBasket, with two golds, one silver and three bronze medals.
Utah Jazz forward
Greece — which never trailed and led by 17 at one point — had an 11-point lead with less than two minutes remaining, but Finland rallied.
Elias Valtonen had a chance to tie the game with three free throws with five
Lauri Markkanen had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Finland.
seconds left but missed the third.
Antetokounmpo eventually controlled the rebound for Greece and sealed the game with a pair of free throws.
Greece was routed by Turkey in the semifinals, with Germany defeating Finland.
GERMANY players celebrate after winning the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship final match between Turkey and Germany at the Riga Arena in Riga, Latvia on Sunday. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
GERMANY’s Dennis Schroder holds the trophy after winning the Eurobasket, European Basketball Championship final match between Turkey and Germany at the Riga Arena in Riga, Latvia, on Sunday, September 14, 2025.
(AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Duplantis gives Japanese fans what they came for - another world record in pole vault
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer
TOKYO (AP) — Armand “Mondo” Duplantis traded handshakes and hugs with the pole vaulters he’d just beaten to capture his third world championship.
He took a leisurely walk toward the stands to talk to his parents, his brother, his fiancée.
Then, like any great performer in a jam-packed stadium, he turned around, walked back onstage and delivered the encore the people had been waiting for.
It was another world record — the 14th time he’s set it — by clearing the bar at 6.30 metres.
Duplantis cleared it on his third and final attempt. It came more than a half hour after the racing on Day 3 of the championships was wrapped up for the evening. But nobody in the crowd of 53,000 would dare walk out on Mondo.
And Mondo made a point of wringing every drop of drama out of an experience few in that crowd will soon forget.
“To be able to enjoy this world record with them and give them that is super special,” Duplantis said.
“Especially considering the last time I was in this stadium, we didn’t have any spectators. It was spooky and eerie and super weird, and not very fun, honestly.”
The night of his last performance at Japan National Stadium was during the COVID Olympics, held a year late in 2021 and without any fans. Duplantis settled for “only” the gold medal that time and missed the world record. The difference, he suspects, was the energy missing during those silent Games.
This time, there was noise and fun — the people clapping in rhythm every time Duplantis lined up — and like any great artist Mondo knew how to play to the crowd.
After clearing 6.10, he imitated Japanese baseball Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki’s pre-bat sleeve-tugging routine.
“My brother was in the crowd and he plays baseball, so I was trying to fire him up,” Duplantis said. “And the Japanese people, if they understood it, it was just something fun.”
The Louisiana-born phenom who competes for his mother’s native Sweden collected $70,000 for the win — his 49th straight dating to September 2022 — along with the $100,000 bonus that goes to record breakers at world championships.
The money isn’t the main motivation for a champion who has won every major title — worlds and Olympics — since the Tokyo Games.
“It’s doing what I know I’m capable of,” Duplantis said. “Motivation-wise, it’s not that much of a problem. I know the level I can compete at, and I kind of demand that out of myself.”
It’s hard to blame the crowd for expecting it, too. Duplantis started breaking records on February 8, 2020, and has broken them on three continents and in nine counties. This latest feat puts the height at an even 6.30.
“Six-three sounds really nice, really clean, a new barrier for our sport,” he said. “It sounds better than 6.29, for sure.”
But maybe not as good as 6.31.
Duplantis has, in fact, wondered if 6.5 might be in his future.
At this rate, it would take another few years. The good news is, he’s 25 and, for comparison, the great Sergey Bubka, who won six straight world titles through the 1980s and ’90s, was 31 when he broke the record for the 17th and final time.
Bubka’s final record was 6.14, and after France’s Renaud Lavillenie topped that once Duplantis took over. He has improved the record by one centimetre every time, giving him maximum opportunities to pocket bonuses like the one he’ll receive from World Athletics for this one.
“What Mondo has in spades is what every pole vaulter is trying to achieve,” said Sam Kendricks, the fourth-place finisher who is the last man not named
MARATHON AT WORLDS TAKES
WEIRD TWISTS: A FALSE START, A NEAR WRONG TURN AND, FINALLY, A PHOTO FINISH
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer
TOKYO (AP) — They ran for more than two hours and needed a photo finish to determine the winner.
Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania edged out Amanal Petros in a wild men’s marathon at world championships Monday.
It was a 26.2-mile (42.195-kilometre) race through the streets of Tokyo that began with a false start and ended with a sprint down the homestretch of the track — but only after Simbu nearly missed the turn into the stadium.
“I have never seen something like this in a marathon,” said Petros, after getting nudged out despite lunging and tumbling over the finish line.
“It’s like the 100 metres.” Closer, in fact.
The difference in the men’s marathon was 0.03 seconds. The differences in the men’s and women’s 100metre races Sunday night: .05 and .15 seconds. It marked the second straight day a marathon was decided with an all-out sprint to the line. The day before, Peres Jepchirchir won the women’s race by .2 seconds. This men’s race included a jump of the gun by Vincent Ngetich of Kenya that forced race officials to call the runners back after about 100 metres.
Nobody gets eliminated for a false start in a distance race. Simbu said he was confused as he rounded the last curve on the way into the stadium to finish the race.
“I saw some people pointing one way, and the motorcycles going the other,” he said.
It was Petros and thirdplace finisher Iliass Aouani who pointed Simbu in the right direction, but the slipup cost him the lead.
Once he got back on track, “my mind was saying, you’ve got to do whatever it takes to get into the stadium and finish this up.”
This marked the closest marathon in world championships history.
Both men were officially clocked at 2 hours, 9 minutes, 48 seconds, with the photo showing Simbu crossing the line a fraction sooner before Petros tumbled to the deck.
“It was just try, try, try, and I finished” barely ahead, Simbu said.
“It is amazing to me. I made history today,” he added.
Simbu gave Tanzania its first Olympic or world championship gold in any event.
Duplantis to win a world title (in 2019). “He’s got a jump, he’s got the jets. He’s got a family that really supports him, and then he’s got a field of guys that’s really pushing him up there.”
A Swiss surprise in the hurdles
Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland held off the world record-holder and reigning Olympic champion to win a surprise gold in the 100 hurdles.
After crossing the finish line, Kambundji stared up at the scoreboard waiting to see where her name would wind up. When she saw she was in first, her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth in shock.
Kambundji finished in a personal-best 12.24 seconds to hold off world
record-holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria by .05 seconds. American Grace Stark took bronze while Masai Russell, who won gold at the Paris Olympics last summer, was fourth.
“You could see on my face how happy I was when I realised I won,” Kambundji said. Heads up (or down) in steeplechase The most heartbreaking scene on Monday was steeplechaser Soufiane El Bakkali kneeling with his head on the track and his teammate trying to console him.
The two-time world and Olympic champion was outraced to the line by New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish and finished second by .07 seconds.
“Congratulations for a good race today but, for me, I’m coming here for a different reason,” El Bakkali said.
Despite his heartbreak, El Bakkali took a traditional steeplechase dip in the water pit with Beamish. Beamish celebrated a gold medal some 48 hours after another memorable scene. He tripped during qualifying and an oncoming runner stepped on his face. But Beamish got up and made the final. “It might have been a blessing in disguise,” Beamish said. “That gave me a lot of confidence, just being able to get back up off the ground and qualify pretty easily still. It gave me confidence that my shape was better than what I thought it is.”
TANZANIA’s Alphonce Felix Simbu, left, crosses the finish line ahead of Germany’s Amanal Petros to win the men’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/ Bernat Armangue)
SWEDEN’s Armand Duplantis poses after setting a new men’s pole vault world record of 6.30 metres on Monday at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Devynne Charlton sixth in the 100 metres hurdles final
went for it. I gave it my all. I’m pleased with myself.”
During the race, Charlton cleared the first two of the 10 flights of hurdles clearly in the lead.
But Stark made a push to take over on the third as Charlton started to drop off the pace.
Charlton managed to surge back over the final four, but it was a bit too late as Kambundji had already taken control and pulled the other top finishers behind her in the middle of the field.
As dominant as she has been indoors with her quick start, Charlton admitted that there are some things she needs to work on during her final phase of the race where the medallists have been decided outdoors for the past few years.
While she also indicated that she enjoys running on the outside, Charlton said she gets to stay away from all the chaotic things that take place in the middle of the field. “I felt in the race I got a good start,” said Charlton, who did the same thing in the semis when she exploded out of the blocks to surge ahead of the pack.
“I hit some hurdles along the way and I thought I was making up some grounds at the end, which was something that I’ve been working on, so obviously I have to go with it. Lane nine, I’m loving it now.”
Considered the most consistent female hurdler on the scene right now, making five straight global finals, Charlton said it speaks volumes to what she has accomplished, even though the medal has still eluded her.
“I think that’s huge. I want to be consistent,” she stressed with a smile. “I am consistent. I want to be consistent, but I want to get on that podium.”
September 15, 2025.
Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
And without a medal to show for the effort she’s been putting forth outdoors, the 29-year-old Charlton said she will continue to get out and make everybody catch her.
Hopefully one day they won’t.
“The last four hurdles. I mean I have to do something about that,” said Charlton, who is normally in control of the race over the first six flights of hurdles before the rest of the field starts to reel her in over the last four.
“I’m going to work on that over the next couple of weeks and all next season, that’s going to be the goal. I think I know what to do now, so the whole season, I’m going to be working on that to get much better.”
Unlike the Olympics in Paris where she was nursing an injury, Charlton said she came to Tokyo and was injury-free, but she declared that she had a whole lot to deal with in between that time to get to where she is now. What’s also significant is the fact that while Charlton hasn’t won a single race
this season, she was able to withstand it all and put her best foot forward at the championships.
So despite not mounting the podium at the World outdoors as she’s done indoors, maintaining her sixth position in the world is a feat in itself for her to cherish.
Her season is not over yet as she’s made a commitment through her management team and her sponsor, Puma, to compete in one last meet on October 10 at the Athlos meet in New York.
“That’s my last one. We’re about three anda-half weeks out,” she pointed out. “This will be the last one for the season, so I’m just looking forward to finishing strong there.”
In preparation for the season finale, Charlton said she will go back in the lab and refine the last part of her race and see where it takes her.
Like she did at the Olympics last year, Charlton led the Bahamian trio of hurdlers in competition here in Tokyo. She was the only one to make the final, while both Charisma Taylor and Denisha Cartwright bowed out in the heats.
Charlton also produced another historic feat as she and her little sister, Anthaya Charlton, became the first Bahamian combo to compete in the same global international event on the senior circuit.
Coming off their initial appearance at the World Indoors in Nanjing, China where Devynne reigned supreme with her backto-back title and world record in the 60m hurdles, Anthaya ended up sixth in the long jump final.
Here at the Worlds outdoor championship, Devynne fell short of getting a medal with her sixth place, while Anthaya just missed advancing to the final of the women’s 100m.
Brought to you by Brent Stubbs...
UNITED States’ Masai Russell, right, hugs Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton after competing in the women’s 100 metres hurdles semifinal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday,
(AP
MASAI Russell crosses the finish line as she competes with Devynne Charlton and Danielle Williams in a 100 metres hurdles semifinal. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
DEVYNNE Charlton competes in a women’s 100 metres hurdles semifinal on Monday. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
MASAI RUSSELL, right, and Devynne Charlton compete in a 100 metres hurdles semifinal. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
UNITED States’ Masai Russell, right, and Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton, centre, compete in the women’s 100 metres hurdles semifinal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday, September 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)