The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MARK the date down: Saturday, April 13. The event: the Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational. The venue: The new Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Brown, the men’s national 400 metres record holder, has indicated that he has no intentions to retire just yet, although he is venturing on the business side of the sport as the promoter of the $500,000 meet that is expected to attract a number of world class athletes, including new arch-rival Kirani James of Grenada, American sprinter Justin Gatlin and Jamaican sensation Veronica Campbell-Brown.

Grafton Ifill Jr, whose GVI & Associates are the lead consultants, said the meet will come right on the heels of the BTC Carifta Games that will be held over the Easter holiday weekend. But already they have more than 100 athletes confirmed to compete in what is expected to become an annual event.

Home to officially launch the meet, Brown said he is thankful to God for blessing him with talent, the Bahamas Government, including the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and BTC, who are assisting him in the promotion and sponsorship of the meet.

“This is totally different from me being an athlete putting on the spikes,” he said. “I’m not retired. This event is a great event. The athletes will be looking at this event to open up their season. We are hoping to have some first class performances in a first class venue.

“This will give the public, who normally don’t get to go to the Olympic Games, to see some performances from the top athletes in the world. We will have some of our own Bahamians competing against the world’s best athletes and we are looking forward to some of the international media coming here to cover the event.”

Proceeds from the event, according to Brown, will go towards the promotion of the grass root athletes, particularly from the Family Islands.

A number of dignitaries were on hand to congratulate and throw their financial and moral support behind Brown and his committee which includes meet director Dianne Woodside, marketing and public relations consultant Kathy Davis-Maciel of Capital City Marketing and Fred Sturrup as public relations officer.

From humble beginnings as a youngster in Wemyss Bight, Eleuthera, to an elite world-class athlete, Minister of Youth, Sports and Education Dr Daniel Johnson said Brown has gained access through the highest echelon of the sport and through his commitment of the three Ds - discipline, dedication and desire - so aptly coined by the late Tommy Robinson - Brown has survived.

“There was a time, let’s not forget, when a lot of people were talking bad about Chris Brown,” Johnson said. “It’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how you get up. Chris Brown, I am proud of you. You keep getting up every time you get knocked down.”

Johnson said his ministry is extremely proud to join hands with Brown as he takes the giant leap from seeking the subvention from the government as an athlete to becoming a promoter, to being an employer rather than an employee.

Tyrone Sawyer, the sports director in the Ministry of Tourism, said that while they are on board as the principal sponsor, he is delighted to see Brown stepping out as an elite athlete to take up the initiative of being a promoter.

“I salute you Chris on behalf of my minister and everybody who works in the Ministry of Tourism and we will do some very specific things while working with Chris to ensure that the work gets out,” Sawyer said. “We just don’t want to see this as a one-time event, but an annual event.”

Jerome Sawyer, the senior manager of marketing and public relations at BTC, said from the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, when the ‘Golden Knights’ won the gold in the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay and they signed them on to a contract, they were in negotiations with Brown to put on the meet.

He noted that they are delighted that the event is now going to become a reality and as a part of their commitment to the team, they are proud to be able to assist Brown. He noted that they are excited about what will happen when the meet is held and they will be providing a number of incentives to help get people to come out and fill the 15,000 seat arena.

As for the stadium, National Sports Authority chairman Leroy Archer said they intend to make sure that they put their best foot forward in making the event a first class one for all in attendance.

The meet has also gained the support of both the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations and the Bahamas Olympic Committee, represented by president Wellington Miller.

BAAA president Mike Sands said as an IAAF Permit Meet, it will afford athletes the opportunity to compete in an event that will be of a high calibre. He noted that Brown, as an elite athlete, should be commended for taking on such an initiative and they are looking forward to providing whatever assistance is necessary.

Former sprinter Iram Lewis, now the BAAA first vice president, took it a step further when he said Brown could have taken the meet to any other part of the world, but he chose to bring it home and they hope that it will gain the international prominence that is synonymous with his name.

Ifill Jr noted that the meet has received an IAAF Area Permit certification and will be the first major international meet and will be divided into two sections with the juniors from under-15 to under-20 competing from 2-4:50 pm with the elite athletes competing from 5-9:30 pm.

The meet, directed by Dianne Woodside, will feature the customary events including the 100, 200 and 400 metres, hurdles, long, triple, and high jumps and both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metre relays for male and female athletes.

Tickets are expected to go on sale next week at the National Sports Authority’s box office in the new TAR stadium and on line at www.bahamasinvitational.com.

The Sheraton Cable Beach Hotel is expected to serve as the host hotel.