The Tribune

FREEPORT, Bahamas — As part of their mandate to support organisations that focus on youth and sports, the GBPA Conchman Triathlon began their donations with the Grand Bahama Amateur Athletic Association (GBAAA).

The GBAAA uses all its donations to help purchase track and field equipment as well as cover the athletes’ travel expenses to Nassau and other islands for competitions.

Said Christopher Baker, chairman of the Conchman Committee: “We are very pleased to be able to assist the Grand Bahama Amateur Athletic Association. The funds were used to purchase new starting blocks, a high jump bar and other equipment. Many of these young athletes also participate in the Conchman Triathlon, so it’s great to give back to them.”

Committee member Ravanno Ferguson accepted the donation on behalf of the GBAAA.

“We appreciate the financial contribution given to the GBAAA by the Conchman committee. The much-needed funds have been used to purchase equipment for the sporting complex,” he said.

“In the past, we’ve had to borrow equipment from Nassau, but now we have our own, and we were able to use it at the recent High School Championships.”

The Conchman committee unanimously agreed that it was important for the athletes to have the proper equipment to train for competitions.

Donna Idol, Conchman committee member, noted: “We were pleased to see the new equipment being used at the recent Grand Bahama High School Championships and the Fletcher Lewis Invitational. The GBAAA volunteers provide great support to the Conchman triathlon every year, and we are thankful for their assistance and pleased to help them.”

The GBPA Conchman IronKids Competition is a mini version of the full triathlon. The event is held in November during the Conchman triathlon and many GBAAA distance runners use the competition to prepare for race season.

The IronKids is open to young athletes up to 12 years of age, and the Secondary School Challenge is open to all high schools on the island.

Registration for the 2019 IronKids, Secondary School Challenge and Conchman triathlon is now open.

For more information about the competitions, visit www.conchmantriathlon.com.

• The annual Conchman triathlon, now in its 33rd year, is always scheduled each year for the first Saturday in November. The event was launched by founders Ambrose Gouthro, Bert Bell and Craig Stewart in 1986. They believed in the potential of having a Bahamian triathlon on Grand Bahama island after seeing the success of Iron Man triathlons in Bermuda and Hawaii. The Conchman triathlon is an exciting, challenging and fun race for persons of all ages to enjoy and has become one of The Bahamas’ most respected and well-liked sports.