There is just about a week remaining before the start of the inaugural International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) World Relay Championships, and the excitement around the island is increasing with each passing day. The work being done to the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium is almost complete, and a number of athletes will be arriving over the next few days to prepare themselves for the relays.
Currently, there are 43 IAAF member federations scheduled to take part in the relays, and the event will be viewed by millions around the world. The Local Organizing Committee of the IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2014 (LOC) along with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture are making sure that the product The Bahamas presents to the world is filled with various aspects of Bahamian culture.
"The junkanoo is in full force here, you got a taste of it last weekend (high school relays) but I can tell you that the size of the band will double, the excitement will triple and we are going to use them to really soak up the atmosphere and provide the energy that we want from this competition," said IAAF Competitions Director Paul Hardy yesterday.
Every large sporting event is judged not only by what takes place in the field of play, but also by the opening ceremony, and the organizers of the world relays opening ceremony are trying to produce something that has never been seen before. The opening ceremony is set for 4:40 p.m. next week Saturday.
"Working with Paul and the IAAF has been a wonderful experience because it has brought a level of discipline in operating an event like this. Everything operates to the second and that alone brings a level of excitement," said LOC Events Director with responsibility for the opening ceremony Fred Ferguson. "From the moment the opening ceremony begins, everything is going to run by the clock. We are going to have the flags and placards of the country brought in by members of both the police and defense force but they will be led by the junior athletes, and this is all coordinated by BAAA President Mike Sands.
"This whole thing is about inspiring the youth and they will be leading the parade, to bring in the placards that will all be very colorful representing the colors of The Bahamas with music supported by joint members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and defense force bands. It will all be very timed and precise event, precision will be first and foremost. Members of the Cadets and Rangers will all be involved because they will be responsible for bringing in the flags and the other things that go with that.
"As far as entertainment is concerned, young Bahamian artist Angelique Sabrina will be singing the national anthem and most importantly, we know that everything ends in junkanoo. We have a joint junkanoo group that is 100 members strong and they will be there for the duration of the relays."
Some of the fans and athletes coming to these shores will hail from all over the world, and the LOC is trying to not only put on a track event, but also a show, something that the visitors will remember long after they leave the island. The goal is to make the tourists remember the country for something other than sun, sand and sea.
"I have been to nine or 10 world championships, and the decoration of the stadiums have always been pleasing but not striking, and that's what was planned for our stadium. It was looking pretty good but it was certainly not Bahamian. Vice chairman Mike Sands, Grafton Ifill and myself got together and said that our stadium is going to be seen by millions of viewers, and we had to let them know that they were in The Bahamas. One of the best ways to get them to know that is to make the stadium Bahamian," said LOC Chairman Keith Parker.
"We engaged artist Stanley Burnside and Joanne Smith to create what we believe is fantastic pageantry for the stadium. Over the weekend, some of the pageantry was in place but now all of it is in place and I believe it is very striking, and there will be no doubt in anyone's mind in the sense of a television audience that they have been to The Bahamas. That's what we are after. It is going to be a fantastic sporting event and also great publicity for The Bahamas."
The Caribbean islands have always been potent when it comes to track and field, and that was one of the reasons for the IAAF choosing to host the event in this region.
"This is a Bahamian sports tourism model on the world stage, we are branding ourselves as the number one sports tourism destination in this hemisphere and it is 'Sports in Paradise'. It has to look that way, feel that way, and we have to perform that way. I think we will be great hosts," said Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson.
"What you are seeing going on around the country is a generational shift and the significance of these relays are just that - literally the passing of the baton from one generation to another, and we are demonstrating in a large way in track and field, but later in the year you will see it in other areas around the country."
Shaunae Miller will be one of the up-and-coming athletes that will be under the spotlight during the relays, and she too expressed content about the idea of making the relays not only a sporting event but a cultural experience as well.
"The LOC is doing a pretty good job here setting up for the world relays next weekend. Everything is intact for the games and the athletes are really excited to compete because it is going to be home. I can't wait to get out there and compete," she said.
LOC Vice Chairman Sands said that the color code for Bahamians for the two days of competition, Saturday and Sunday, are aqua and gold respectively.

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