The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SINCE the launch of the ticket sales, managing director Lionel Haven said patrons have been taking full advantage of the online purchases for the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s inaugural World Relays, scheduled for May 24-25 at the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Haven, who oversees the entire local organising committee, headed by veteran coach Keith Parker and assisted by Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) president Mike Sands, gave an update on the latest developments during a press conference Monday at the stadium where four more sponsors were introduced to the media.

“Up to today, we are at about 3,300 tickets that have been sold so far,” said Haven, advising Bahamians that they can stop in at the ticket office at the 15,000 seat arena from 10am to 6pm to secure their tickets, which range from $5 general admission to $50 for gold seats in front of the finish line.

And for those who are wondering, the price of each ticket will include the junior segment of the championships that will precede the actual championship. The high school and the one island, one lane competitions will run from 3:30-4:30pm, while the championship will start at 4:45pm each day.

“It’s important for patrons to understand that if you’re an hour late, you will miss a hour of competition,” said Jeff Beckles, the senior facility manager. “So get here on time. The gates will open on time and the event will start on time if we have 1,000 people in the stands or the stands are full.”

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

On Saturday at the Mall at Marathon, the LOC hosted a drive for the estimated 800 volunteers needed for the two-day global meet.

“There will be a need for technical skills and there will be a need for people with a lot of energy,” Haven said. “So anybody interested in being a part of this wonderful event can feel free to register online at bahamasworldrelays.org. This will be an exciting event. It will be the first time that this event has been held, not just in the Bahamas, but anywhere. This inaugural World Relays is the first of its kind and the Bahamas as a host is an exciting participant of this event. So we’re looking forward to this.”

Haven said they are trying to encourage Bahamians to come out in droves, not just to participate as a volunteer, but to ensure that they get their tickets purchased.

“Let’s show what the Bahamian colours and ambience is all about,” Haven said.

All volunteers were invited to register for two tickets for the championships. The drawing was done by Haven, who pulled the name of Gabrielle Young as the winner. Earl Thompson, who heads the communication department for the championships, said Young was actually the last person to register, so he was pleased to call her name as the winner.

PRESS ACCOMMODATIONS

With more than 100 journalists from around the world already expressing an interest in covering the relays, Beckles said they have made some adjustments to the stands and the surrounding area of the stadium to facilitate the media.

“We are making preparations to accommodate 140 members of the press, a combination of international and domestic press houses,” he said. “In the stadium in the grand stand in the area of the finish line, which we call section 5 west, we are preparing an entire tribune, complete with work stations, computers and internet access so that the media will have a full working station accessible to them.”

During his presentation, Beckles displayed the accessibility of the media to the main press centre, the working station, the mixed zone and the media broadcast centre, which will be located at the southern side of the stadium.

“The press is not only here to cover the event. The press is our unmentioned international marketing arm,” he said. “The way they explain their experience and write about their experience tells a lot about the Bahamas, our capacity to host a lot of events of this nature, so it is important for us to ensure that the press is properly accommodated.”

Beckles advised the local members to submit their request for their press credentials from March 15 when the applications will be made available on line at bahamasworldrelays.org.

HOME ADVANTAGE

While the general public has always been able to follow the performances of the Bahamian athletes against their rivals on television, online and in the newspapers, former quartermile relay team member Timothy Munnings said this will be a unique opportunity to see the top competitors from around the world live in person.

Munnings, now the director of sports in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said the Bahamas has produced a number of heralded performances in the two exciting events at any track and field meet - the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metre relays for men and women and he anticipates that the feat will continue here.

“We got started in 1996 when the girls won the first medal, a silver at the Olympics and then went on in 1999 to win the silver medal at the World Championships in Seville, Spain and then the men started to come on board,” said Munnings, who has ran on a few of the men’s medal-winning teams.

“Time after time, we’ve had success after success and now these relays are going to be held here in our backyard and the enthusiasm and excitement that everybody gets from watching on TV, they can actually come to the stadium and see these men and women and boys and girls perform with the world’s best athletes.”

With the IAAF bringing the first World Relays to the Bahamas, Munnings said the local athletes will definitely be at their best and he’s even going to be on the warm-up track just waiting in case he is needed to lace up his sprints to rejoin his former team-mates in the 4 x 400m. “I really hope they don’t need me.”