The Tribune

OFFICIALS from the International Association of Athletics Federations have conducted a walk-through of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium where the IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2017 will be held April 22-23.

IAAF officials have established that IAAF “Established Practices and Approved Guidelines” are being adhered to.

The Local Organising Committee held a press conference recently to update the media and The Bahamas on preparations for IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2017.

Carlo de Angeli, IAAF head of event operations, said part of the official team who came to inspect preparations for the IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2017, makes it clear that The Bahamas is going in the right direction in preparing for the Relays.

“We are impressed with what we have seen so far,” noted de Angeli. “This event is now officially within the IAAF World Athletic Series and we have to give merit to The Bahamas for having organised it so well and having made it so successful. We know that there is a big demand to organise this event and also to participate in it. We have held meetings with the LOC where we have seen increased commitment to organise this to the best standard. Of course this has been a learning experience for them but also from our side.”

De Angeli went on further to give The Bahamas credit for its work on organising the event thus far.

“The practices and the guidelines that we have put in place since 2014 have been taken on board almost entirely by the LOC and we have to say we are really pleased with what we have seen so far. We are confident it will be a very organised event in April and we really look forward to that – Not only us, but all the member federations.”

This event qualifies athletes for the World Championships in London in the 4X100M men and women and in the 4X400M men and women. De Angeli said there is going to be a lot of demands to come here from all those federations that want to ensure a starting place in London and not go through the ranking and the qualification process.

“I think this is the best athletic event in the world, period,” boasted Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson, “This is a good time to demonstrate that this athletic series is a partnership where two global brands lend themselves to each other. We have a brand called, ‘It’s Better in The Bahamas’ and everywhere you go in the world people understand it, no matter what language you speak it in. We have the best of what the world has to offer. We have all the ingredients and this is the right place to do it in.

“I am happy to say that the IAAF, under then President Diack, was the first one to say, ‘That’s a great idea we should be in The Bahamas’. We know the first two events were really test events for all of us and I am very proud to know that we now have IAAF World Relays 2017 and we have signed on to 2019 and we are going after 2021. This event has also broke a glass ceiling for us as a country.

“Since we have now partnered with the greatest athletics federation in the world, we are now with the greatest football federation in the world, we had Tiger Woods return to golf in The Bahamas in December, we are the only country outside of the United States to have sanctioned NCAA sports, we have seen the Commonwealth Games Federation come here for the summer and the list goes on.”

Minister Johnson said The Bahamas is the greatest sports tourism country and destination on the planet in 2017.

Keith Parker, chairman of the Local Organising Committee, also spoke at the press conference and expressed great pride at The Bahamas being chosen for a third time to host the esteemed athletics series.

“It is a great honour for me, for a third time, to be the chairman of LOC. As in the past we continue to work together to make sure that the 2017 relays are at least as successful as the two previous ones. The Bahamas is a very small country and we are honoured that a new president and a new council of the IAAF, have seen fit to entrust the third relays event to our small country.

“I can assure everyone concerned and our local press, of course, will do everything in our power to fulfil that trust. As everyone knows, The Bahamas is crazy about Track and Field and many of our LOC members are steeped in Track and Field.