Multi-sport games around the region, and the wider world, are back, and The Bahamas is certainly doing its part to ensure the participation of its athletes.
The Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) will facilitate two multi-sport games this summer – the inaugural Caribbean Games from June 29 to July 3 in Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe; and the 22nd Commonwealth Games, commonly known as Birmingham 2022, from July 28 to August 8, in Birmingham, England.
The Bahamas will be represented at both events – by a nine-member team in Guadeloupe and a 28-member team in Birmingham.
Named to the Caribbean Games team are Adrian Curry, Camille Rutherford, Megan Moss, Corey Sherrod, Oscar Smith and Rhema Otabor in athletics, Danielle Strachan and Jasmine Russell in judo, and Felix Neely Jr. in cycling. The athletics coach is Kennord Mackey and the judo coach is Onesi Portorreal-Pons. Dorian Roach is the Chef de Mission of the team, Dr. Rickey Davis is the team doctor and Jenna Gibson is the physiotherapist.
Named to the Commonwealth Games team for The Bahamas are Devynne
Charlton, Anthonique Strachan, Steven Gardiner, LaQuan Nairn, Jahmaal Wilson, Terrence Jones, TyNia Gaither, Ken Mullings, Kendrick Thompson, Shaun Miller Jr. and Charisma Taylor for athletics, Izaak Bastian, Davante Carey, Lamar Taylor, Luke-Kennedy Thompson, Lilly Higgs, Katelyn Cabral, Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson and Rhanishka Gibbs in swimming, Felix Neely Jr. and Lorin Sawyer in cycling, Rashji Mackey and Thorn Demeritte in wrestling, Cynthia Rahming and Andrew Munnings in judo; Carl Hield and Rashield Williams in boxing, and triathlete Armando Moss. Andy Loveitt and Travano McPhee are the coaches for swimming, Kenton Roker is the cycling coach, Clinton Burke is the wrestling coach, Willard McKenzie Jr. is the coach for judo, Vincent Strachan is the boxing coach, and Cameron Roach is the coach of the country’s sole triathlete. No coach has been named for the athletics team as yet and noticeably absent from the list is Bahamian two-time Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo who BOC President Romell “Fish” Knowles said could be added later depending on availability. The Chef de Mission of the Commonwealth Games team for The Bahamas is Roy Colebrooke.
The Caribbean Games team is made up of athletes 23 years of age or younger while the Commonwealth Games team is a more senior team but the number of athletes is restricted to just 28 this time because of a quota put in place by the Commonwealth Games Federation due to budgetary restraints.
The Commonwealth Games trip is expected to cost the BOC approximately $200,000 while the Caribbean Games encounter will run the BOC into about $100,000, as according to Knowles.
“What we will see happening is that around the world, countries are cutting back in terms of what is being spent on these multi-sport games,” said Knowles. “For Birmingham, there is a limit on the number of athletes, coaches and officials. International sporting bodies are trying to make it more attractive to governments and sponsors, but in cases where facilities would have to be built, you would find that no one is doing that anymore. It’s too expensive. International bodies are exploring ways to make multi-sport games more economical. On our end, we are going to continue to give our athletes exposure to international competition, especially for the smaller sports. We want it to serve as an impetus for them to get their sports going so that athletes in general could have something to look forward to. We believe that in 10 years, we will begin to see the fruits of our labor.”
Chef Colebrooke said he is very excited about the choice of athletes for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. There are over 70 nations in the Commonwealth and there will be 283 medal events in 20 sporting disciplines in Birmingham.
“We are very excited. It’s always good when major events do not clash on the calendar so that we have the availability of elite athletes and that is the case this time around,” said Colebrooke. “We are elated to have this high caliber of athletes going to the Commonwealth Games. This one will be like no other games we have taken part in before. It’s very complex because COVID is still out there and there are protocols in place that must be followed. There will be three different villages for the athletes so as to comply with COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines. We have to ensure that all protocols are adhered to. We want to ensure that our athletes are comfortable. We want to create an environment where athletes and coaches need not worry about anything other than preparing themselves for competition.”
Chef Roach said that Caribbean Games team is a small one but added that in small things there is great power. He’s optimistic that the athletes will represent the country well in Guadeloupe. The games will be contested by countries in the Caribbean, Central American country Belize and South American countries Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Along with athletics, judo and cycling, other sporting disciplines contested will be swimming, 3-on-3 basketball, netball and futsal. Esports is being held on a trial basis.
“For a number of years, we have been trying to put on this event so we’re excited to bring that dream to reality. We’re really excited,” said Roach. “We hope that this will continue beyond 2022. This is for athletes 23 years of age or younger so it is like a career builder for them – preparing them for the larger games in the future. It’s a small team but it’s a good starting point for these inaugural games. We’ll make the best of this trip with who we have available.”
Knowles said in addition to having some sort of representation for The Bahamas, they felt compelled to show support for Guadeloupe who is staging these inaugural games at a most difficult time.
“We understand that COVID is still out there but we have a responsibility to showcase our athletes,” said Knowles. “Governments are finding it more difficult to sponsor these events and we have to find a way to help our athletes. Funding is not the same as it was in the past. We need
Corporate Bahamas to rise to the occasion and assist us.”
Partners of the BOC include athletics giant Puma, Olympic Solidarity, the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) and the Government of The Bahamas.
Bahamian athletes granted scholarships through Olympic Solidarity for this current cycle include Devynne Charlton, Wendell Miller, Davante Carey, Samson Colebrooke, Kendrick Thompson, Rashji Mackey and Justin Roberts. They will receive $1,000 per month, or $3,000 per quarter, over a 24-month period. Athletes are chosen based on talent, financial need and potential to qualify for the next Olympic Games in their respective sporting disciplines. Once the scholarships are approved, there are quarterly reports to monitor the development and progress of the athletes, The program can be be stopped at any point over the 24-month period by the BOC.
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