The Tribune

AS Team Bahamas prepares to compete in the upcoming 42nd annual Carifta Games, 17 athletes from Grand Bahama are among their ranks as the Bahamas plays host to the region March 29 to April 1.

Several well-known Bahamian track and field standouts hail from Grand Bahama, and the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) is keen to do its part to ensure that a new generation of youngsters are able to receive the exposure and experience gained from competing on such an international level.

Geneva Rutherford, GBPA’s director of community relations, was pleased to meet with several of the athletes and coaches and offered words of encouragement along with much needed sponsorship funds.

Members of the Grand Bahama contingent were reminded to give their best. “May you make us all proud. This is CARIFTA, but there is another level and of course we’re hoping that your God-given talents will assist you in furthering your education after this, as well as being able to get scholarships and represent our nation for many years to come,” she said.

“First of all we want to congratulate each one of you who are representing the island of Grand Bahama. We wish to thank the coaches for their really hard work and we are looking forward to great things,” said Rutherford. “Carifta is something that our company is very pleased to support because we recognise that athletics develops discipline which is crucial for personal success.”

She further noted that GBPA was extremely pleased to see some seven schools on the island represented by the athletes, including Sunland Baptist Academy, Bishop Michael Eldon School, St Paul’s Methodist College, Jack Hayward High School, Eight Mile Rock High School, Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy and Grand Bahama Catholic High School.

In addition to these athletes, several local coaches have also been named to the national squad, including Sandra Laing, Audrick Lightbourne, and Frederick Bastian. Elva Davis will serve as assistant team manager.

Accepting the sponsorship funds, Wayne Smith, treasurer in the Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Athletic Association, said: “We wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the Port Authority for their generous donation in seeing the wisdom to identify their sponsorship in the development of our youth here on Grand Bahama.”