The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MOSCOW, Russia — Team Bahamas manager Ralf McKinney said all 24 members have settled in at the Games Village and are working out daily in preparation for the start of the nine intense days of competition in the 14th IAAF World Track & Field Championships on Saturday.

“Our main problem, like it was at CARIFTA, is the internet connection,” McKinney said. “A lot of the athletes have been complaining because it’s difficult for them to communicate with their families by telephone or cell phone, so they are trying to do it through the internet. But we are having a very difficult time over here with the internet services.”

Other than that, McKinney said the coaching staff has been taking the athletes through their final series of workouts, including all four relay teams as they go through their baton exchanges.

“We are satisfied with the level of cooperation we have been getting from everybody,” McKinney said. “The athletes have been trying to get acclimatised to the time difference here. But they are all adjusting.”

Competing out of the blocks first for the Bahamas will be Shavez Hart in the qualifying rounds of the men’s 100 metres on Saturday. On Sunday, if he advances, Hart will get to run in the semifinal and final.

Also on Sunday, Cache Armbrister and Sheniqua ‘Q’ Ferguson are slated to run in the women’s 100 qualifying rounds and Bianca Stuart in the women’s long jump. Additionally, Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown and Ramon Miller will contest the first round of the men’s 400 metres.

While Hart will have to wait for the completion of the men’s preliminary rounds earlier in the day to determine which heat and lane he will be competing in, the start list for the other events have not yet been posted.

‘Golden Girl’ Pauline Davis-

Thompson receives veteran pin

THE International Amateur Athletic Federation concluded its 49th edition of the IAAF Congress in the Crowne Plaza at Moscow’s World Trade Center on Wednesday night.

The congress, which serves as the highest decision-making body of the 208-member affiliated organisation, had some significance for the Bahamas over the two-day session as IAAF president Lamine Diack presented ‘Golden Girl’ and IAAF council member Pauline Davis-Thompson with an IAAF veteran pin for her dedicated service.

Additionally, the Bahamas was given a thumbs up for the hosting of the inaugural IAAF World Relays to be held at the new Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium next year.

Thompson-Davis, a member of the women’s 4 x 100 metre relay team that won the gold in the 7th IAAF World Championships in Seville, Spain, in 1999 and the 2000 Olympic Games, was among a distinguished class that received pins from Diack.

The other 18 honourees were Aziz Daouda (MAR), Solomon Ogba (NGR), Fatou Sissoko (SEN), Claire Chehab (LIB), Man Cuong Hoang (VIE), Akira Kazama (JPN), Franco Arese (ITA), Laszlo Gal (HUN), Maria Mracnova (SVK), Alain Jean-Pierre (HAI), Anna Timmons (USA), Geoff Gardner (NFI), IAAF Council Member, Albert Miller (FIJ), Robert Snow (AUS), Jorge Julian Castro (PER), Francisco Rojas Soto (PAR), Miguel Angel Paredes (PAR) and Lino Ramiro Varela Marmojelo (COL).

BAAA president Mike Sands, treasurer Philippa Arnett-Willie and Drumeco Archer, who all represented the Bahamas at the congress, were on hand to witness Davis-Thompson being presented with her pin. “It was a very special moment for all of us,” Arnett-Willie said. “We were very proud of her achievement.”

Arnett-Willie further noted that during the congress, which comes just before the start of the athletic competition on Saturday, throughout the two days the meeting was held, the Bahamas was highly praised in advance for hosting the World Relays, scheduled for May 24-25, 2014.

“Much excitement was shared and all countries were encouraged to participate,” Arnett-Willie said.

One of the changes made by the IAAF during the congress that will take effect as of November 1, 2013, and will be demonstrated at the relays in the Bahamas, will be the medley relay which is currently made up of the 100, 200, 300 and 400 metres and could now be run with the legs in a different order.

Athletes’ incentives

ONE of the things that the Bahamian athletes who are a part of the record-breaking 1,974 athletes (1,106 men and 868 women) from 206 countries participating in Moscow are the cash prizes being offered.

Athletes achieving a world record will be eligible for US$100,000 that is offered by Toyota and TDK. There will also be over seven million dollars paid by the IAAF as follows:

Individual Events

Gold: US$60,000

Silver: US$30,000

Bronze: US$20,000

Fourth place: US$15,000

Fifth place: US$10,000

Sixth place: US$6,000

Seventh place: US$5,000

Eighth place: US$4,000

Relays (per team)

Gold: US$80,000

Silver: US$40,000

Bronze: US$20,000

Fourth place: US$16,000

Fifth place: US$12,000

Sixth place: US$8,000

Seventh place: US$6,000

Eighth place: US$4,000