The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

VETERAN track and field coach Vogal Williams continues to work in the trenches, providing the youngsters in Abaco a chance to compete in their own cross country championships.

Through his Green Arrow Track and Field Club, the championships will take place on Saturday, starting at 10am in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. The registration fee is priced at $5 per person. Registration will be conducted up until race day.

“I am just trying to do something in Abaco because track and field in Abaco is not at the high level that it should be at,” Williams said.

“Coaching track and field is all I know. I’ve been coaching all my life.

“Before, I used to do a marathon relay, but after I came out of the school system, it died. I still have my club, so I decided to have Abaco seen, so that is why I’m doing the cross country.”

Competitors in the boys’ and girls’ division will get a chance to compete in the under-9, under-11, under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-20 categories.

“We don’t have that many adult runners around in Abaco, who can come out there and run, so I decided to go with the high school age groups,” Williams said.

The under-9s will run a half mile, under-11s will do a mile, under-13s will do a mile and a half, under-15s will have two miles and under-17s and under-20s will cover 5 kilometres or 3.5 miles.

The first place finisher in each category will get a trophy and medals will be distributed to the second and third places. Fourth through sixth places will get ribbons.

“We hope to have some competitors come in from Grand Bahama,” Williams said. “We wanted to get some of the competitors from New Providence.

“But it’s so difficult to travel in our country. It’s too expensive. Just to bring one child in from New Providence cost about $150 round trip. So if the schools want to bring in about 10 athletes, that’s over a thousand dollars they have to spend.”

Williams, who was in town over the weekend for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations election of officers on Saturday, said they are still hoping that some athletes from New Providence will still make the trek to Abaco.

Even if they just come in Saturday morning, compete and head out that evening, which he said is more economical, but more taxing on the body with the jetlag.