The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CONGRATULATIONS to the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation. With only 12 athletes in Mexico City for the 23rd Central American and Caribbean Games, the Bahamas collected nine medals, including three gold.

That eventually resulted in the Bahamas finishing in second place in the team standings with 169 points. They trailed host Mexico, who had 532 points and was ahead of Puerto Rico, who came in third with 148.

It only shows the level of participation the Bahamas is at and what can be accomplished for the 242 as it appears that every competition the success continues to pour in.

While we highlight the performances of Paul ‘Mighty Mouse’ Wilson, Wellington Wallace and Raynor Ferguson in ascending to the top of the podium, the other members of the team, including silver medallists Rashield Edgecombe and James Bain as well as Jeremy Misiewicz, Lyndsay Curry and Shakira Ferguson, the bronze medallists.

And even though they didn’t get a gold, silver or bronze, Gemo Smith and Tashara Seymour, both of whom finished in the top 10, along with Alberto Armbrister, should all be credited for assisting in the team’s overall accomplishment.

Federation president Joel Stubbs best summed it up when he said it “was really, really beyond measure, an awesome performance. It was really great to see Team Bahamas performing out there this weekend in Mexico City.”

But team manager Leonard ‘Nardo’ Dean said it was quite disappointing that on their arrival home, there were no dignitaries on hand at the Lynden Pindling International Airport to greet them.

It’s a cry for so many teams and athletes who have sacrificed themselves to perform at their best to secure victories and medals for the Bahamas, yet to come home and it seems as if their efforts were not appreciated.

There was a time when no matter what the accomplishment was, when teams returned home, they were greeted by the dignitaries, fans and junkanoo music. In most cases, there was a float parade.

But nowadays, it’s as if there isn’t much recognition for performances, especially when there are medals won. We have to find a way to show our athletes that their performances were not in vain or just for their personal gratification, but for the edification of a grateful nation.

Gardiner finally cleared

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, in a press release this week, revealed that quarter-miler Steven Gardiner has been cleared of any wrong doing from the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, England.

Apparently, the BAAA had convened a tribunal to investigate why Gardiner refused to run in the heats of the men’s 4 x 400m relay after he was asked to do so by head coach Dianne Woodside-Johnson.

In the heats, the team of Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu, Ojay Ferguson and Ramon Miller failed to advance to the final after getting seventh for 11th overall.

In his defence, Gardiner had indicated that he was prepared to run in the final if the team had qualified. Gardiner was still recuperating from his silver medal performance in the final and an impressive national record-breaking feat in the semi-final. Having interviewed Gardiner prior to the start of the competition in London, he indicated that he would be ready for relay duties, but his primary focus was on the men’s 400m.

I still maintain that if there were five guys waiting in the relay pool to run for the first time at the championships, they should have been even more fired up and rearing to go with or without Gardiner.

With Gardiner still under investigation by the tribunal, the same quartet added Stephen Newbold and Teray Smith to the mix and they went on to claim the silver at the Commonwealth Games in April in the Gold Coast, Australia.

So I wonder why there was so much fuss over Gardiner not competing in London and with him not appearing in the Gold Coast, they didn’t have any problems putting the pieces together and getting on the podium.

I just think that better guidelines must be produced by the Bahamas Olympic Committee and the BAAA for both coaches and athletes to adhere to whenever they are selected to represent the country at the various international meets.

Speedy recovery Jeff

I would like to wish Jeff ‘August’ Williams a speedy recovery as he rests comfortably at Doctor’s Hospital. Williams was transported from Haiti where he was employed by the Bahamas Government.

Williams was one of the founders of the now defunct Bahamas Baseball Federation and he was a regular and popular newspaper columnist who shared his informative picks on the teams during the American Football League’s regular season.