The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Olympic Committee (BOC) secretary general Rommel Knowles has confirmed that sprinter Trevorvano Mackey has been added to the Bahamas team heading to the 2012 Olympic Games, just making it in the “nick of time,” as he pushes the total to 24 athletes.

Mackey, the 20-year-old former Doris Johnson High School standout who just completed his sophomore year at South Plains College, clocked 20.52 seconds for fourth place at the NACAC Under-23 Championships in Guanajuato, Mexico, over the weekend.

It was a personal best time for Mackey, who also dipped under the A qualifying mark of 20.55 for the Olympics, joining Grand Bahamian Michael Mathieu as the first two qualifiers to compete at the same time for the Bahamas in the same event when the Games are held July 27 to August 12 in London, England.

Knowles said Mackey’s time came within the final window of qualifying as the final roster had to be submitted to the organising committee of the International Olympic Committee before July 8.

“He made it just in the nick of time,” Knowles said. “He made it before July 8, so he will be included on the team.”

Originally, the BOC had named a 23-member team, comprising of one female swimmer and 22 athletes for track and field - 9 females and 13 males. Mackey’s addition now gives the Bahamas four sprinters as Derrick Atkins and Warren Fraser will both contest the 100.

The unfortunate part is that with four sprinters qualified, the Bahamas still doesn’t have a men’s 4 x 100 relay team. The Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association failed in its bid to assemble all of the top sprinters at the same time in order to produce one of the top 16 times in order to qualify for a spot at the Games.

Nonetheless, Knowles said it’s still a fantastic feat for Mackey to be added to the team for an individual event.

“As a young qualifier, the future for athletics looks great,” Knowles said. “He’s a welcome addition to the team and we look forward to him gaining the experience. If he can get to the final, it will be an added bonus for Team Bahamas.”

Mackey, nor BAAA president Mike Sands or Olympic men’s head coach David Charlton, were available for comments up to press time last night.

Mackey is now expected to join the Bahamian team when they head to London for a training camp on July 16.