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Block Start Session

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN anticipation of the finals trials this weekend and subsequently the CARIFTA Games over the Easter holiday weekend, the top sprinters eligible for Team Bahamas got a chance to go through a block start session.

As he has been for the past few years just before the trials, former national record holder and Olympian turned Swift Athletics’ head coach Andrew Tynes organised the event yesterday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Fabian Whymns, one of the country’s sprinters assisted Tynes. The session, however, was conducted by Courtney Wallace, the president of the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO). “It’s a simulation of what is going to happen on Friday and Saturday,” said Wallace about his role in getting the athletes to work on their techniques coming out of the blocks with the start of the gun as if they were in an actual race.

“We want to get the athletes mentally prepared so that they will be ready for the trials. And if they make the team, they will know what to expect when they go to CARIFTA, especially the new athletes, some of whom came in from the Family Islands.”

The sessions were set up by Tynes to allow Wallace to take the athletes through their straight for both the 100 and 200m, working on their mechanics on the straight away and coming off the court out of the blocks.

With the two-year break in the games because of COVID-19, Tynes said it was good to get the block start off and running again as the trials approach this weekend.

“This is motivation for the kids where we just have a combined block start for all of the clubs to attend,” he said. “We wanted to get the kids from all of the clubs to get in a good quality workout with their arch rivals before the competition.

“Most of the time, our clubs just practice by themselves, so this gives us a good chance to rub shoulders with the people you will be competing against at the trials. So this was good mental training for them to get ready for the trials.”

Tynes said he was pleased with the turnout because at least 80-90 percent of the athletes who would have attained either the A or B qualifying standards for CARIFTA were in attendance, with the exception of the athletes from Grand Bahama.

Once the trials are completed this weekend, the BAAA is expected to select, ratify and name the final team that will represent the country at the return of the games in Kingston, Jamaica, over the Easter holiday weekend.

One of those athletes who took part in the block start session was Andrew Brown, a 15-year-old ninth grader at St Augustine’s College, who will be vying for selection to the under- 17 boys’ sprints.

“I had some setbacks with a little bit of an injury, but I should be ready to go this weekend,” he said. “I actually got to train with my competition, so I had a chance to see what to expect for the trials.”

Brown will need to lower his personal best of 11.08 to 11.02 in order to qualify in the 100m and he will have to go 21.84 or better in the 200m. He’s confident that with “God on my side, I know I am capable of doing it.”

And Paige Archer, who has moved up from the under-17 girls’ division to under-20, is looking forward to making the team again. She was particularly pleased with the block start session.

“I got to work on my technique with my competition for the trials,” she said. “I got to work a little bit on my reaction. That was one of my biggest problems. So I’m extremely grateful that they allowed us to come out here and get in the session.”

The Queen’s College student and member of Fast Forward Track Club said her goal this weekend is to run 11.69 in the 200 and 23.95 in the 200m so that she can make the trip to Jamaica. “With God on my side and having the faith that I can do it, anything is possible,” she stated.

The trials are scheduled to begin 5pm Friday and conclude with the final session, starting at 2pm on Saturday.