The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DEMETRIUS Pinder and Chris 'Fireman' Brown admitted that, although they are rivals, they both had one mission and that was to win a medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

The duo returned home Saturday night as they were honoured by the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture for achieving the silver and bronze respectively in the men's 400 metres.

While they didn't get any money as the indoor championships is not on the list of incentives for athletes to be rewarded, they both got a plaque for their accomplishments.

For Pinder, who made his debut at the championships, he said he was delighted to be honoured in such a way.

"I appreciate everything that they have done for us tonight," he said.

The Grand Bahamian native had the support of his parents, Enamae and Gary Pinder, in the audience and he said it was encouraging because "they are always there, especially when you are down and out."

With little time left to bask in his glory, Pinder said he was leaving on Sunday morning to return to the United States where he was eager to resume his training for the 2012 London Olympics in August.

As for Brown who relinquished his title but still managed to come out with another medal, he said it's a great feeling to be honoured again.

"We are all coming together on one accord," he said. "To have the BAAA and the Ministry of Sports and everybody supporting us after such a performance at a major championships, it feels good," he said.

Brown, who was accompanied by his sister Rashan, said it would have been nice if they had gotten a little bonus for winning the medal, But he said it's not going to stop the show and it won't stop him from moving forward.

"I'm here to encourage the youth and to let them know that if they keep God first, anything is possible," he said. "I'm just glad that we have been able to pave the way for them to follow."

Brown was referring to the 70-member Carifta team that is preparing to head to Hamilton, Bermuda, on Thursday. He said he remembered when he had the opportunity to compete for the Bahamas.

But he noted that because of the achievements that the Bahamas has accomplished in recent years, the region knows that the team is coming and he just advised them to go out and perform their best.

Pinder told the story to the youngsters of how he had one opportunity to make the Carifta team. He said he came to Nassau with his bags packed and was ready to go but, unfortunately, he never made the team.

He said after being cut, it was a difficult time for him to return home so he stayed in Nassau as long as he could because he was too ashamed to face the ridicule of not making the team.

However, he told the youngsters that he was glad that he didn't make the team because it inspired him to go on to become an elite quarter-miler at Texas A&M and now he's an indoor championship silver medallist.

Pinder thanked Brown for paving the way for him and he noted that although they compete against each other, they have a "friendly rivalry" because they are going after the same goal.

Having been beaten by Pinder at last year's BAAA National Championships and again in Istanbul, Brown said he's not discouraged because it only motivates him to come back and he advised Pinder that he will be there again at this year's Olympics.

Both Pinder and Brown were supposed to be a part of the men's 4 x 400 relay team that featured Michael Mathieu, La'Sean Pickstock and Jameison Strachan.

But team manager Roosevelt Thompson said he had to consult team coach Keith Parker and prayed before they discussed the situation with the team members.

Finally, he said they decided that in the best interest of Pinder and Brown, they will allow them both to concentrate on the 400 final and so they decided to pull the relay team.

Parker, who has coached a number of national teams over the past two decades, said this was definitely one of the best that he has been a part of because there was very little that he had to do other than to make sure that they were ready to compete.

Demetrius Pinder's mother Enamae Pinder said there are "no words about the way I feel because Demetrius is a child that everything you talk to him, he said he believes in God and he keeps praying, something that I taught him from a child growing up," she said. "We are all looking forward now to London and we know that he's going to do very well. We are looking for him to bring home the gold."

His father Gary Pinder said growing up, he was behind his son 100 per cent from primary school and the time they spent together is finally paying off. "I'm looking forward to London, but me and my wife are finding it difficult to get there," he said. "We are praying to God that we will get the chance to make it there."

Rashan Brown, the sister of Chris Brown, said they are so proud of his achievement. "He always looks forward to that support from us," she said. "I know it's always tough to go out there and compete. So he looks for a call or text wherever he is."

Tonique Williams, who won a bronze medal at the 2004 World Indoors in Budapest before she went on to win the gold at both the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, and the 2005 World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, Finland, served as the co-MCs of the event with BAAA president Mike Sands.

Having done it before, Williams said while preparing for the night, she was impressed with each athlete's biography because they are "both doing so well."

"Chris is making history still. He has four indoor world medals, he has four outdoor world medals, but those indoor medals are more than anybody else in the world," she said. "We also have two Bahamians to win two medals in a single event at the same world championships, which is especially great because we have had people like Pauline Davis-Thompson, Chandra Sturrup and Sevatheda Fynes in a final, but never came out with two medals."

When asked if she misses competing, Williams said she does not because she's now enjoying her new role as a coach and mentor for the younger athletes following her.

At least one Bahamian fan attended the championships.

Dennis Marshall said "everybody did quite well. The bump in the relay was the relay, but the two quarter-milers did what they had to do. They did very well."

Note: BAAA first vice president Sherwin Stuart, Tim Munnings, director of Sports and former team-mate of Brown, along with Minister of Sports Charles Maynard, all spoke at the reception.

Julian Reid sang his song "I Believe" and there was a special appearance from legendary Peanuts Taylor.