The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITHOUT as many sporting activities in their various disciplines to rely on coming into the sixth Bahamas Games, Grand Bahama Sports Council chairman Churchill Tener-Knowles said he was extremely proud of the way the Lucayans performed.

The Lucayans came to New Providence and captured the most medals over arch rivals New Providence Buccaneers, who trailed in second ahead of the Andros Chickcharnies. New Providence, however, earned the most medals, but it was the gold that counts in multiple competition.

International and national softball Hall of Famer Tener-Knowles said unlike the past five games, with the last one taking place in 2001, Grand Bahama was not as fully prepared, but they still managed to prevail.

Considering what they went through to get ready for these games over the past nine days, Tener-Knowles said it was worth every bit of obstacles that they had to overcome.

“We don’t have a competitive fastpitch men’s or ladies’ league, but we were able to put together these teams for the Bahamas Games,” Tener-Knowles said. “The same applies to volleyball and other sports. Before the Bahamas Games, we normally have the Grand Bahama Constituency Games and from that, we have a pretty good view of all the athletes and we select from that.”

Unfortunately, financial constraints prevented these games from taking place, due to the effects of Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19 pandemic.

Nonetheless, Tener-Knowles commended Team Grand Bahama for their stellar performance in the games.

“On the whole, I think we did exceptionally well considering the shortfalls and the conditions of the athletes here in Grand Bahama, just as they did in Abaco, Eleuthera and some of the other Family Islands. “I think all of the islands performed very well and everybody can now see what they need to do to get ready for the next Bahamas Games in 2026. I know here in Grand Bahama, for the athletes and the associations, we will try to harness what we experienced and try to get ready to compete like we did in the past.”

Tener-Knowles also took the time to commend the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and Minister Mario Bowleg and the Games Secretariat, led by Harrison Thompson and Romell Knowles.

“Not because he’s my nephew, but I think Romell did a tremendous job in ensuring that what needed to be done to make a games a success was done,” Tener-Knowles said.

“He brought a wealth of experience to the table and during our meetings every morning at 7am, he and the rest of the team, including Harrison, Mynez Sherman and Renee Davis, made sure that what needed to be done was done.

“There were many people who felt that the games were not going to come off and should not have even been held after Martin Lundy and Sharon Storr left office. But I watched as everybody came together and made it work for us.”

As for Team Bahamas, Tener-Knowles said he was particularly pleased with both the women’s and men’s softball teams, especially their 13-year-old pitcher LaBrea Sands, who was named the most outstanding female player after she pitched a stellar game in to secure the gold for Grand Bahama. She is related to legendary Basil ‘the Kid’ Sands. “I commend all of the athletes in all of the sports for coming out and out their best foot forward,’ Tener-Knowles said. “We didn’t have any place for our boxers to perform and they also did exceptionally well.” New Providence chairman Roy Colebrooke said while the Chickcharnies fell short in the gold rush, he was still elated with the overall accomplishment of the team in winning the most medals.

“This was the first time that we relaxed the draft and so everyone had an opportunity to compete for the team of their choice,” Colebrooke said “So there were no unfair practices for any of the athletes during the games.

“I want to congratulate all of the athletes from New Providence. We did it and we did it well. We had some close encounters where we came so close to winning like in women’s softball and men’s basketball, but that’s what relaxing the draft did for us.

“It provided quality competition across the board and so now everyone is looking forward to competing in the next games in 2026. I can assure you that New Providence will be ready.”

Aside from the women’s softball and men’s basketball, Colebrooke said he was impressed with the track team and all of the other sports, even the ones that they didn’t win.

“We await the next Bahamas Games,” he stressed.

No doubt, the Chickcharnies had so much to say about these games and nobody was more elated than Andros chairman Brian Cleare.

:”I feel very good about the way Andros performed in all of the disciplines that we participated in,” he pointed out. “Our athletes gave it their best Because they gave it their best, we were victorious in a lot of the disciplines that we competed in.”

He noted how focused the athletes and coaches were as they captured the tennis and golf gold medals and how they feared in the other sports, including cycling, baseball and softball.

“I was very proud of our athletes and I want to thank all of our sponsors, including Great Sturrup Cay, who sponsored the Chickcharnies uniforms for the track and field team.

“There were some hiccups here and there, but the Bahamas Games Secretariat was able to smooth them out. Every morning during our meetings at 7 am, we talked about our problems and Romell Knowles and his team was able to sort them out.”

Cleare said he was hoping that the games will move to 2025, which would allow the younger athletes to build on their momentum. But he said with the games now pushed to to 2026, it gives them a little more time to properly prepare to compete at this high level of national prominence.

If there was anything else that he would take away from the games, Tener-Knowles said it would have been watching so many young athletes from the various Family Islands come to New Providence and enjoyed themselves in the hotel as they made some friendship that they can count on for life as he did so many years ago.