By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Prime Minister Philip Davis said Bahamas Aquatics can be assured of the Bahamas Government’s support as they continue to excel in the Goodwill Games as they have done in CARIFTA Swimming.

Davis’ comments came yesterday as he and other government officials welcomed home the 40-member team that won the Goodwill Games for the first time over the weekend in Kingston, Jamaica, following on the heels of the oisland nation’s fifth straight title at CARIFTA in April in Curacao. Team Bahamas, which made the trip on a chartered Bahamasair flight, collected a total of 129 medals, including 55 gold, 45 silver and 29 bronze, well ahead of Barbados, who was second with 23 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze for 57 medals.

Trinidad & Tobago followed with 21 gold, 18 silver and 19 bronze for 58 medals.

The Bahamas, which produced over 20 records, also accumulated the total amount of points with 1,418.50. Jamaica was second with 1,143.50 and Trinidad & Tobago came in third with 970.50.

The welcome home ceremony was held in the VIP Lounge of the Lynden Pindling International Airport and was hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. There was also a junkanoo rush-out for the swimmers as they greeted their family members, who were not on the flight that carried almost 200 persons to Jamaica.

“I’m so proud and I could not let this moment pass without coming to greet you on your arrival for your accomplishment each of you received,” said Davis, who remembered being a parent and now a grandparent of the sport and a former vice president of the federation.

He noted that in the former years, the federation never really embraced the Goodwill Games, but it was a few parents who took the interest in getting some exposure for their children.

“So, I’m so happy and elated to see that the federation is now fully behind these games and fully behind the participation of our swimmers, particularly recognizing that CARIFTA is 12 and above and these games go from seven and above. It gives those younger athletes what it is to compete in international competition.”

While the federation is going after its sixth straight title next year here in the Bahamas at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, Davis said he’s looking for the Bahamas to continue to excel as champions at the Goodwill Games.

Zane Lightbourne, the Acting Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture in the absence of Mario Bowleg, said the trip to Jamaica was a microcosm of what our country is all about.

“The community coming together to build something nice and to achieve greatness,” he said. “I think that because of our parents, the government support and these students with their coaches, who are supported to do and to push them to where they can reach their full potential, that’s the formula for success for our country.”

Lightbourne, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, said as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary, the team brought home the gold and he noted that the Olympic gold medal is on the way.

Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill thanked team manager Rochelle Butler and her assistants Yvette Ferguson and Patrick Ferguson, head coach Dellan Brown and his assistants Kadesha Culmer, Dwayne Davis and Davis Del Cueto and the medical team of Dr William Hamilton, Jenna Gibson and Jade McCartney.

Cargill also expressed his gratitude to Philice Davis-Albury, who headed the fund-raising team, which secured the sponsorship from KRC, RBC, Atlantis, Baha Mar Resorts Foundation, Titan Hospitality, Auto Mall, Lyford Cay Club and the Public Hospitals Authority.

“We’ve earned our first Goodwill title and now that number one is in the bag, there is no longer coming second, third or fourth,” said Cargill, as he also lauded the parents, who were apart of the contingent that traveled to Jamaica.

“Your parents and your federation will extend this level of support with our Bahamas Government partners and Corporate Bahamas. This is step one sand we will carry you to the end of your journey.”

Cargill said the swimmers demonstrated that the Bahamas clearly have the next Arianna Vanderpool Wallace, Joanna Evans, Allan Murray, Jeremy Knowles, examples of Bahamian swimmers who have excelled at the global level.

“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been asked what we are doing different in The Bahamas than the other Caribbean countries to dominate Goodwill and CARIFTA,” he said. “I’ve even been asked by a parent to have her child come to the Bahamas to train instead of training in their country.”

The team was led by divisional high point winners in Cailyn Sean in the girls 8-and-under; Nitayo Knowles in the boys 9-10; Siann Isaacs in the girls 11-12 and Tristen Ferguson in the boys15-17. All of the competitors talked about their experiences at the games.

Additionally, the four team captains Errington Moncur, Grace Farrington, Tristan Ferguson and Bianca Johnson also expressed their delight in leading the team in and out of the water.

Rochell Butler, the team manager, said the swimmers worked very hard during the three days of competition and many of them surpassed their own expectations. She said he was delighted to have been afforded the opportunity to manage the entire team of athletes and coaches at the games.

And Dellan Brown, the head coach said he was thrilled to have returned to his native homeland to produce the historic feat with records upon records.

Brown, the head coach of the Blue Waves Aquatic Swim Club, thanked coach Shirley Mireault for carrying the Bahamas banner with the teams to the games in the past. He noted that this year’s team just expanded on what she started, and they came home as champions for the first time.