"Mommy, you would not believe who was just on the phone motivating me!" Those were the words of a shocked and awed Athalia 'Tally' Swann on a hot summer day in July 2012. The call was from one of Swann's sports heroes, Bahamian Olympic sprinter Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, and it intensified her internal fire to qualify for the Olympics. Ferguson-McKenzie had seen Swann's interview on television describing her goals in the sport of gymnastics. After her attention was drawn to the passion she saw in the young gymnast's eyes, Ferguson-McKenzie telephoned young Swann to share her own amazing journey en route to Olympic glory as an inspiration to the next generation. Swann graduated from Xavier's Lower School in June 2012 and earned the award for Most Outstanding Female Athlete.
Her mother, Dorothy Swann, recounts that many track and field coaches have sought 'Tally' to join their program but 'Tally' feels "destined" to crack the ceiling in Women's Artistic Gymnastics for The Bahamas at the world class level. Her own track record in the sport proves that her vision is lining up with reality. At the 2011 Atlantis Crown Gymnastics Invitational, Swann captured medals in all events for Level 6 inclusive of first place in Vault with a score of 9.275 against a field of 15 competitors. Swann medaled in all local and overseas competitions during the 2011-2012 competitive season. Now a seventh grade student at Queen's College, Swann is balancing the rigors of training with the demands of high school academics.
Swann along with her teammate, Kianna Dean, will carry the flag for The Bahamas in Level 7 at the 2012 Atlantis Crown Gymnastics Invitational. Dean is an 11th grade student at Aquinas College and has a renewed focus in the sport. She trains part-time at Park Avenue Gymnastics in Miami, Florida, where she gets to spend time with her grandparents on school breaks. Both gymnasts are regularly under the instruction of Bahamas Star Gymnastics' Head Coach, Alexander Mayet. Both Swann and Dean credit Mayet for their promotion to Level 7 in the sport and for improving their chances to reach world class status.
This time around, all local gymnasts will not only have to face off against the United States but will face competition from Caribbean countries Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago as well. All Caribbean countries will receive duel awards for both the Caribbean Commonwealth Gymnastics League (CCGL) and the Atlantis Crown Gymnastics Invitational. The CCGL was formed under the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago's Gymnastics Federation President, Ricardo Lu Shue, who envisioned a qualifying meet for gymnasts residing in English-speaking countries who have limited access to competitive meets within the region.
The regional body was created within the past year to serve the same purpose as CARIFTA Track & Field and CARIFTA Swimming. Bahamians are encouraged to display their support for all teams participating in the event. This year, Georgia's School of Dance from Freeport, Grand Bahama, has joined the roster with Nassau-based clubs, Bahamas Star Gymnastics and Nassau 'Nastics.
Together, the three clubs are expected to capture top awards for the country. The opening ceremony will be held on Thursday December 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Atlantis Convention Centre on Paradise Island. Competition sessions begin at noon on Friday December 14, and continue on Saturday December 15. This year's 2012 Atlantis Crown Gymnastics Invitational is anticipated to break last year's draw. The Ministry of Tourism dubbed the 2011 event as the "most successful sports tourism event". This year's event is expected to be a showdown that the Bahamian public would not want to miss.
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