The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE second Youth Olympic Games is currently underway in Nanjing, China, with the Bahamas’ 14-member team all geared up and ready to compete in four disciplines over the 12 days of competition.

Heading the Bahamian delegation at the meet is chef de mission Iram Lewis, a vice president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee. The Youth Olympics is for athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 years. The games conclude on Thursday, August 28.

Opening ceremonies

Paul de Souza, the lone Bahamian competing in sailing, was given the honour of carrying the flag during the opening ceremonies on Saturday in honour of the 50th anniversary of Sir Durward ‘Sea Wolf’ Knowles and the late Cecil Cooke winning the Bahamas’ first ever Olympic gold medal.

Prior to the ceremony, de Souza, who had met Knowles in a private send-off at the Nassau Yacht Club, said he was just thrilled to have been selected for such a prestigious feat.

“I couldn’t be any happier about it,” said de Souza prior to the ceremony. “I’m almost speechless and I’m really proud of myself and my country that we all made it to this event. We’re all from a small country and there are so many people here who come from countries with millions and we’re a country of thousands. I’m pretty proud to be able to carry the flag and represent my country.”

De Souza, 15, is preparing to compete in the Byte CII Men’s One Person Dinghy that starts today at the Jinniu Lake Sailing Venue.

Record breaker in pool

It was only the first day of competition and the preliminaries of his first event, but already Dustin Tynes made a splash at the Nanjing OSC Natatorium on Sunday.

Winning the second of five heats of the men’s 100 metres breaststroke, Tynes broke his national record of one minute and 05.37 seconds that he had set at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, last month by lowering it to 1:02.97 seconds. With splits of 29.16 and 33.81, his time placed him seventh overall as he advanced to the semifinal.

However, in his bid to become the first Bahamian swimmer to reach a World Junior Final, Tynes fell short in the semis as his time of 1:03.46 was not fast enough to get in the top eight. The final qualifier, Andreas de Queiroz Mickosz of Brazil, did 1:02.89.

Prior to competing on the first day of swimming, Tynes had indicated that he felt good going into the competition and really didn’t feel any pressure.

“I am really excited about swimming against the best swimmers of my age in the world. CG have prepared me well mentally,” Tynes said. “I feel I know my potential as a swimmer moving forward and I am definitely more confident after my CG experience. I feel more comfortable with the YOG and hope I can swim better than I have ever done before.”

Tynes still has the 50m breast left. He is seeded No. 13.

Also at the pool on Sunday, Laura Morley was seventh in the third of five heats as she finished 24th overall in the women’s 50m breaststroke heats in a time of 33.47. The 16th and final spot for the semifinal went to Samantha Louisa Ginn Yeo of Singapore in 32.69.

“She was very nervous going in, but I got by the call room to keep reassuring her and she swam very well,” Loveitt said. “She is very pleased with her first performance on the world stage.”

Morley, who is also entered in the 200m breast, said she’s very excited about making her debut at a major international meet.

“I am very excited to be a part of the team alongside Jo and Dustin. They have just returned from the CG and they are showing me how to prepare for this higher level of competition,” she said. “I am nervous of the competition and it makes it a lot easier to have my Jo and Dustin around me.

“I am at the YOG to perform at my very best and regardless of my final results I will remember this meet for the rest of my life and look back at the great experiences that came with it.”

Still waiting to compete in her first event is Joanna Evans, who like Tynes is hoping to build on the experience she gained at the Commonwealth Games.

“I am trying to break two of my national records in the 400 and 800 free. I feel like it is time for me to make a good improvement on the 400 free. I will swim my best and see where it puts me,” she said. “There is no added pressure after Glasgow. I have learnt a lot in Glasgow and I now have to use that knowledge to perform even better here.”

Evans, who will be competing in the both the 400m free and the 800 free where she is seeded at No.10 and 16 respectively, said she’s excited to have two more Bahamians, especially another female, competing at the meet.

It is great that there are more swimmers going to the big meets,” she said. “It shows that the level of swimming in the Bahamas is improving when more swimmers can compete on the world stage.”

Tennis

At the Tennis Academy of China in Nanjing, it wasn’t a good outing for the pair of male singles players. In their opening rounds on Sunday, Justin Roberts fell victim to No.4 seed Lee Duckhee of Korea in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, while Grand Bahamian Rasheed Carey went the distance before he got eliminated in three sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The good news is that Roberts and Carey will get a chance to redeem themselves when they team up to play doubles.

Athletics in two days

The Bahamas will also have an eight-member team, comprising of four boys and four girls, competing in the track and field competition that starts on Wednesday at the Nanjing OSC Stadium.

Tylar Bowe is entered in the boys’ 100m, Tavonte Mott is in the 110m hurdles, Javan Martin in the 200m and Henry Delauze in the 400m. On the girls’ side, Janae Ambrose will run in the 100m, Shaquania Dorsett in the 400m, Dreshannae Rolle in the 400m hurdles and Serena Brown in the discus.