The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian athletes collected a few gold medals at the inaugural Speed Capital International Championships. The three-day meet got underway on Friday and wrapped up on Father’s Day at the Thomas A Robinson. Speed Capital hosted 600 athletes between 72 clubs from seven countries outside of The Bahamas. Competitors from ages 5-18 put on a show for Grenada, Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Canada, United States of America, and Barbados.

Luke Robinson, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Speed Capital, said it was amazing to host the International Championships in The Bahamas for the first time.

“It’s been absolutely amazing one of the best things that we have gotten to see here is the pure excitement on the faces of the kids, I think the coaches are enjoying themselves and not so surprisingly I think the parents are having a blast seeing their kids enjoy themselves,” Robinson said.

Mr Robinson was also impressed with the level of competitiveness from the young and older athletes.

“They never cease to amaze me I think every Speed Capital event that we conduct athletes come and give everything that they have these kids look at it like their job and they come out here and give everything they have,” he said.

Among some of the athletes that gave it their all on the final day of competition was none other than Grand Bahama’s Keyezra Thomas.

The 13-year-old brought home the win for Speed Begins Track Club in the 13 year olds 200m dash. Zara Fraser of Fast Forward Athletics followed behind and third place finish went to Brion Ward of DTSP Wolf Pack Track Club.

Thomas talked about the comfortable win.

“The first 50m I knew I just had to get out and maintain my pace for the next 50m and then run as hard as I can on the last 100m,” she said.

The North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) qualifier said sprint races were not really warm ups for her but the long jump helped to prepare for the age group championships. Overall, she was proud about completing the season injury-free.

For the boys, Shawne Ferguson of Roadrunners Track Club capped of the event in first with 24.20. Swift Athletics Jireh Woodside placed second in 24.28. Meanwhile, Nathan King of Red-Line Athletics trailed behind for third.

Eagan Neely, winner of the 14 year old boys 200m dash, clocked 23.11 to finish first. Rohman Rolle of Fast Forward Athletics wrapped up second in 23.83. Red-Line Athletics’ Shavano Nixon ran 24.21 for third.

For the girls, Jasmine France from My Brother’s & Sister’s Keeper blitzed past the competition for first. Red-Line Athletics’ Caitlyn Smith claimed second position and Savannah Fraser of Fast Forward Athletics came third.

France traveled to the meet from Florida and said she felt confident coming into the event.

“It felt fine I felt pretty confident coming out here knowing that I had one of the fastest times so I felt pretty good and relaxed,” she said.

Jamiah Nabbie, continued her track momentum at this past weekend’s Speed Capital International Championships. Nabbie outran her competitors with a time of 24.99 in the 15 and 16 year olds 200m dash. Red-Line Athletics Darvinique Dean followed behind in 25.74 and K’Leigh Davis of Fast Forward Athletics claimed third.

Nabbie said it was not her best race but her focus now shifts to the junior nationals set for July 5-7.

“It was bad in my opinion because the wind is very powerful right now and same with the 100m but I just Thank God for a safe race and I still came out on top,” she said.

Nabbie added that she is looking to achieve a personal best in all events with 23.30 in the 200m and 11.50 in the 100m.

For the boys, Michael Merritt of My Brother’s & Sister’s Keeper notched first place after clocking 22.42. Second position was claimed by Andrew Brown who ran unattached in 22.70. Meanwhile, Jalen Cooper of Quiet Storm Track Association captured the bronze with 22.82.

Nia Richards, of Star Elite Athletics Bahamas, edged out her opponents with a time of 25.67 in the 17 and 18 year olds 200m race.Sage Connor of Heart and Soul Track Club finished second and Nya Wright of Red-Line Athletics finished third.

“It felt really good it is very windy right now I am just grateful it didn’t rain again I really wanted to run the 200m now I have two weeks until nationals,” Richards said.

Despite being unable to qualify for NACAC due to the windy conditions, she said it is her goal to use her final opportunity to qualify.

Richards also was grateful for a new experience than she was not accustomed to at the Speed Capital meet.

“It was a very different experience [that] I was exposed to a lot of new people and networking to form new friendships in the future…something I found particularly interesting is they have barcodes on our numbers and I have never experienced that anywhere else,” she said.

For the boys, Jeremiah Adderley of DTSP Wolf Pack Track Club claimed victory. Samalie Farrington of Swift Athletics followed behind for second and Taryll Thompson of Fast Forward came in third.

In the 200m open event, Brianique Strachan came first for the girls with 26.46.

For the boys, Adam Musgrove finished first with 21.95 for Bahamas Speed Dynamics. Stephen Newbold ran unattached for second place. Quinton Ellis of Phoenix Track Club wrapped up in third.

Musgrove said it felt good despite the weather not being the best. His main focus was to execute in the race. He said he enjoyed the Speed Capital meet because it was an efficient process that did not involve a lot of waiting.

In the long distance events, Edney Russell of Hurry Murray Athletics was the lone competitor in the boys 3000m race walk. He finished the technical race in 21:07.81.

After a long race, he talked about how it felt to compete.

“It was painful and hard and no one did it with me so it was even worse ….I was just trying to move my arms as much as possible because your arms carry your legs,” he said.

Track Results

1500m Run girls/boys 13-18

1500m 14 year old girls- Breyteisha Kemp (Hurry Murray), Ramonique Mclennon (Hurry Murray), Breynice Kemp (Hurry Murray)

1500m 15 and 16 year old girls-Erin Barr (GB Athletics Track Club) 5:11.23

1500m 14 year old boys- Jenico Gibson (GB Heats Athletics Track Club) 4:57.35, Rion Larrimore (Hurry Murray) 5:03.29, and Joel McPhee (Hurry Murray)

1500m 15 and 16 year old boys- Ross Martin (Hurry Murray) 4:19.11, Wyndel Beyde (Aruba) 4:20.45, Breck Kemp (Hurry Murray) 4:47.10

1500m 17 and 18 year olds- Christopher Saintus (Swift Athletics) 4:18.40, Raywind Winder (Hurry Murray) 4:20.80, Yeshua Dabian (Aruba) 4:21.32

100m girls/boys 6u-open

100m dash girls 6 and under - Tamorrah Manning (Honest Runners of North Miami) 18.11, Dillon Williams (Delray Track Club) 19.42, Keanna Smith (Roadrunners Track Club) 26.20

Boys - Devin Small (Cobb PAL) 16.98, Jakoby Williams (Running Fire Track Club) 17.85, and Kaden Bullard (Swift Athletics) 18.24

Girls 7 and under - Jazmyn Demeritte (Red-Line Athletics) 16.38, Ava McCall (NVA Track) 16.41, and Harmony Rolle (Andros Heats Athletics) 17.21

Boys - Claudius Burrows (unattached) 15.53, Daythan Ingraham (Swift Athletics) 15.54, and Jose Solano (Phantom Athletics Club) 15.85

Girls 9 year olds - Chrissi Love (Milwaukee Mustangs Track Club) 15.10, Tanaz Davis (Unique Athletics) 15.19, and Trinity Callis (unattached) 15.32

Boys - Judah Thomas (Honest Runners) 14.14, George Brown (Swift Athletics) 14.30, and Zyheir Darks (Austin Steelers Track Club) 14.57

• For remaining track and field results http://milesplit.live/meets/561623/events.