Track and Field in The Bahamas has grown by leaps and bounds since the federation became a member of the International Amateur Athletic Association, now International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), about 62 years ago.
The 1976 CARIFTA Games
It took 24 years before the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association, now Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) held a regional meet, the CARIFTA Games, in 1976. At that time, many naysayers said that it could not be done. They said we did not have the athletes, the facilities or the money to put on that type of event.
On an Easter Monday evening in 1976, there was no standing room at the track at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre. Not only were the athletes developed, the money was found and the facilities were upgraded to a satisfactory level.
The BAAA, under the presidency of Winston "Gus" Cooper, and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the event took the CARIFTA Games in its fifth year to another level. They organized an opening ceremony, and Cooper designed a CARIFTA banner and flag.
Numerous regional and area meets hosted
Since then, the BAAA has hosted numerous events including six more CARIFTA Games, three Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Age Group Championships, one of which was hosted in Grand Bahama, two CAC Junior Championships, two CAC Senior Championships, one Pan American Track and Field Junior Championships, and one CAC Cross Country Championships.
A world event/top level facility
The only event missing was one of the IAAF events.
This could not have been achieved without a top level facility. In 2003 with Neville Wisdom as the minister of youth, sports and culture, the government of Prime Minister Perry Christie began looking at the possibility of building such a facility. Thomas Robinson was made chairman of the committee which included current BAAA President Mike Sands, Harrison Petty, Kendal Munnings, Michael Foster, Alpheus Finlayson and Arnold Bain.
Winston Cooper was then the director of sports. Subsequently, a new committee was established, still headed by Robinson, and the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium was opened on February 25, 2012. Although the facility was opened, much more work needed to be done. Robinson died in November of 2012 and in March of 2013 the BAAA hosted the CARIFTA Games.
Bid for IAAF event
Prior to the opening of the facility, the BAAA considered making a bid for the world junior championships and the world youth championships. The committee decided not to go ahead with the world junior bid but spent much time on the world youth bid. The government did not offer its support, a requirement by the IAAF of bidding cities.
The IAAF World Relays
The IAAF introduced the world relay championships concept in 2011 and both the Hubert Ingraham government in 2012 and the new Perry Christie government gave their support.
On August 10, the day that the 'Golden Knights' captured the 4x400 meters (m) relay at the London Olympic Games, the IAAF announced that the inaugural IAAF World Relay Championships was going to be held in The Bahamas. Much has happened since the event was awarded to The Bahamas.
This has certainly been a giant step! The Local Organizing Committee of the event (LOC) chaired by Keith Parker, Lionel Haven as managing director, and the first minister of sports, Kendal Nottage as the patron, has done much. The new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium has been transformed such that Robinson would be quite happy now.
The work has been challenging and we are now ready to receive the fruits of our labor. Many thanks go out to the organizers, laborers and numerous volunteers. All over Nassau there are posters and paraphernalia reminding us of the event. Then there are the commercials on television and radio, and advertisements in the newspapers.
Athletes are coming from about 42 countries around the globe with a total of 575 athletes and many team officials, competition officials, media, television officials, family, friends and fans. The city will be filled to capacity this Memorial Day weekend, and many of the visitors will see a new city from their arrival at the Lynden Pindling International Airport to their departure.
The person on the street can feel the buzz and excitement expected this weekend. Many countries around the world will receive the IAAF television feed with some carrying the signal live, providing The Bahamas with positive exposure. The competition that they will see at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium will be remembered for quite a long time. We used to be considered Bahamian track and field, small country, great athletes. It is imperative that the Bahamian team show that this weekend.
The world is watching. With the hosting of the inaugural IAAF World Relays this weekend, we can say "Bahamian track and field, you've come a long way, baby!"

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