The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@trivbunemedia.net

With an impressive showing, Carl Hield moved into the medal round of boxing at the XXII Central American and Caribbean Games last night in Veracruz, Mexico.

It was a mixed reaction for the team as the Bahamas missed out on its first shot for a medal in athletics with another competitor getting into a final, while it was a rough day for tennis as the second and final week of the two-week games swings into high gear.

Also, the sailors are still in the hunt as the Bahamas is still looking to add to the historic six-member haul by the swimming team last week when Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace collected a record four gold medals and Joanna Evans added two silver.

BOXING

Returning to the same position that he was in last year where he ended up with a bronze medal, Hield earned his berth in the medal round of the men’s 69 kilogram welterweight division to highlight Team Bahamas’ performance on Monday.

The lone member of the three-man team left to compete at the World Trade Center, the 28-year-old Hield easily won his second match 3-0 against John Sanchez of Colombia. He opened his quest for another medal on Saturday with an identical 3-0 win over Lester Martinez of Guatemala.

Hield will now prepare for his semi-final match on Wednesday when he takes on Nicklaus Flaz of Puerto Rico. Flaz, 19, has reeled off two consecutive technical knockout victories to get into the semi-final. The loser will settle for the bronze and the winner goes into the final.

Sunday night, Godfrey Strachan was eliminated when he lost 3-0 to Raul Sanchez of the Dominican Republic in the 75 kg or middleweight division and Rashield Williams was ousted 3-0 by Danielito Zorrilla of Puerto Rico on Saturday night in the 64kg or junior welterweight division.

ATHLETICS

Sprinter Adrian Griffith won his heat in 10.41 seconds to post the sixth fastest qualifying time to advance to the final that will be ran tonight. The fastest qualifying time was 10.26 by Cruz Palacios of Honduras.

Griffith, 30, will run out of lane three as he represents the second Bahamian to go after a medal in athletics at the Heriberto Jara Athletic Stadium.

Yesterday, Delroy Innis was the first to compete in a final. The 26-year-old contested the men’s discus where he placed last in the field of eight competitors with a best throw of 41.24 metres, the only mark he recorded.

Jorge Fernandez of Cuba took the gold with a heave of 63.27m with the silver going to Mauricio Ortega of Colombia with 60.60 on his second attempt and Mario Cota of Mexico picked up the bronze with 58.21 on his sixth and final throw.

The other competitor in action was Katrina Seymour, who ran 59.89 for fourth place in her heat and last overall in the eight-woman field in the two heats combined. Seymour, 21, missed making the final as she was ninth overall. The eighth and final qualifier was Dianar Taylor of the Dominican Republic in 59.20.

Jamial Rolle, Wesley Neymour, Ryan Ingraham, Jamal Wilson, Raymond Higgs, Alfredo Smith, Lathone Collie-Minns and Petra McDonald are still waiting to compete.

TENNIS

It was a busy day but a disappointing one for Team Bahamas at the Palmas Racquet Club as all of the players were in action.

On the men’s side, Justin Lunn won his first round match 6-3, 6-4 over Shern Alexis from Grenada, but he got ousted in the second round as he fell to No.8 seed Daniel Espinoza from Panama, while Philip Major got knocked out in the first round, losing 6-2, 7-5 to Ignaci Roca of Croatia.

On the ladies’ side, Cartwright opened up with a bye, but won her first match on the court before she got knocked out with a 6-2, 6-0 decision to No.3 seed Andrea Gamiz of Venezuela. Danielle Thompson also got a bye, but was eliminated in her first match on the court 6-1, 6-3 to Daniela Scippers.

In the mixed doubles, the team of co-captains Larikah Russell and Marvin Rolle fell short in their opening match as they got eliminated by the Cuban team of Yusleydis and Omar Henandez 3-6, 6-1, 10-5.

Still left to compete are the doubles teams. The men’s team of Major and Rolle are scheduled to take on the team of Elvin Shakir and Kyle Joseph from Antigua and the ladies’ team of Cartwright and Russell will take on Glenny Cepeda and Karla Portaltin of the Dominican Republic.

SAILING

Paul de Souza is tied with two others for fifth place after the first five races in the Sunfish class. He collected eight, four, eight, five and four points respectively to accumulate a total of 29 points. He still has five more races to go. And in the Snipe Class, the team of skipper Robert Dunkley and crew member Michelle Hope are sitting in sixth place with six points after their first four races. Two races today were postponed, leaving six more on the schedule.

VOLLEYBALL

The men’s national team will begin their quest for a medal when they play Cuba in their first match in the men’s pool B. On Wednesday, they will be back to play Puerto, followed by Venezuela on Thursday before they get ready for the quarter-final on Friday. The semi-final is Saturday and the medal round is Sunday.

Representing the Bahamas are Prince Wilson, Glen Rolle, Byron Ferguson, Jamaal Ferguson, Lorenzo Williams, Endierich Rahming, Renaldo Knowles, Shedrick Forbes, Je’Vaughn Saunders, Romel Lightbourn, Gaege Smith and Shonari Hepburn.

The team is being coached by DeVince Smith and Lloyd Davis.

• Today in bowling, the men and women singles will get started with Leonardo Davis, Sonith Lockhart, Byron McClain, Johann Pyfrom, David Slatter, Xynea Johnson, Jonice Lockhart, Marina McClain, Camille Rolle, Driskell Rolle representing the Bahamas.

There’s no date yet for the start of rowing, featuring the team of Lex Fountain and Jason Williams. Along with swimming, the cycling team of Anthony ‘Biggie’ Colebrook and D’Angelo Sturrup as well as the judo team of siblings Cynthia and D’Arcy Rahming Jr are already done with competition.