By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

As Marathon Bahamas returned to the local calendar after a three-year hiatus, Yusheng Ni, Yunelis Lightbourn, Kemar Leslie, Tracey Eckert, Lisa Bostwick-Dean and Matthew McGuire all inked their names in the 14th edition of the event yesterday.

Ni, who resides in Western Washington, took the gruelling 26.2-mile race in the full marathon in two hours, 52 minutes and 26 seconds. Chris Calimano out of Staten Island, New York, was second in 3:05.23 and Ralph Peterson from Roslyn, New York, was third in 3:16.40.

Speaking very little English, Chinese native Ni said while this was his first time in the Bahamas, he will also cherish the trip here because he won the marathon. It was the 359th marathon that he had run in his 74th country he visited to compete, but there was nothing like the Bahamas.

“The course was very beautiful, running along the shores of the sea,” said Ni through his telephone interpreter. “It was very cool here and the spectators on both sides of the course were very enthusiastic, shouting and cheering.”

Against that backdrop, Ni said he was hoping to eclipse his personal best time of 2:43, but he fell short in the race that started and finished at Long Wharf after taking a trail out on the western side of the island.

Lightbourn, the first Bahamian to cross the finish line in fourth place overall, won the women’s category in 3:22.32.

The second female finisher was Agnieszka Bubolz out of St Louis, New Orleans, in 3:55.56 and Kristina Klein from Dulles, Virginia was third in 4:19.06.

An exhausted Lightbourn said the pain was worth the thrill of victory.

“The weather wasn’t too bad, although it’s been humid. The sun is out and it was a little cool, so it wasn’t that bad. I’m happy with my results too,” she said. “It’s definitely better in the Bahamas because it was my best time ever and I qualified again for the Boston Marathon, I did it in 2021. I may go back. I will see. It’s always an amazing experience. It’s a challenge.”

In the half-marathon, Leslie emerged as the overall champion, taking the men’s title in 1:22.38. Matthew Johnson out of Ontario, Canada was second in 1:31.49 and Grand Bahamian Keitrell Hanna was the first Bahamian, placing third in 1:31.59.

Eckert, eighth overall, took the bragging rights as she took the women’s title with her to Fort Lauderdale, Florida with her winning time of 1:44.08.

Amal Mheddebi of Angers, France, 13th overall, was the second finisher in 1:51.12 and Sara Schaefer of Boise, Idaho, 17th overall, was third in 1:54.29. The first Bahamian finisher was Barbara Kiraly, who was 32nd overall in 2:02.40.

The 5-kilometre race was won by a female as Bostwick-Dean took the tape in 20.31.

Second place went to McGuire out of Plattsburgh, New York in 20.32 and Jimmy Semes from Toronto, Canada was third in 20.39.

Behind Bostwick-Dean in the women’s category were fellow Bahamians Elliana and Maria Roper in 22.47 and 22.52 for 17th and 19th respectively.

The third male finisher was Jack Abel Smith of Ocho Rios, Jamaica in 20.51 with fourth place overall.

There was also a relay component with GBPA Sprinters out-distancing the rest of the field with their victory in 3:53.55. The team called Run Now, Wine Later got second in 3:55.12 and Snooze Control came in third in 4:09.20.

Persons from all walks of life participated in the event, which this time around, combined all of the races to be staged on Sunday. One of those persons who participated and finished second in her age group in the 5k race was tennis coach and fitness guru Marion Bain.

“I always wanted to do the run, but it’s usually cold and so this year I felt I could tolerate the cold a lot better and so I sucked it up and went for it,” Bain said. “It was great for the first time. I went out with the younger kids and then I let them go and I det my own pace. I can’t wait for the next 5K.”

After putting the event on the back burner for the two years of Covid-19 in 2020 and 2022 and still uncertain about the efforts of the pandemic in 2023, Sunshine Insurance founder and race organizer Sir Franklyn Wilson said they were just happy to bring the e3vent back for its 14th edition.

“It was nothing short of amazing,” Wilson said. “When we started the planning, it was very difficult to plan. Today, the standard of the event has been nothing short of phenomenal. The spirit here and the comradery that we experienced gives us the incentive to continue to put on the event.”

A large group of guests from Sandals attended the event. Also in attendance were Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell as well as Janet Bostwick, the first female Member of Parliament and the first female Acting Prime Minister under the Free National Movement government.

The event was held to honor the lives of the cancer survivors and Garrette Bowe was recognized for one month.

“It’s a great experience. It’s an honor to be around cancer survivors who have been in this fight longer than I have,” Bowe said. “I am really grateful to see how they are living through this experience and I hope to one day be able to tell others about how I have survived.”

On the flip side of the coin, Willie Musgrove-Moss, the honorary chairperson and patron, has been a 30-year survivor, having been diagnosed in December, 1993, said she was overwhelmed, not only for the survivors, but persons in general, who come out and offer their support to those who are going through their ordeal.

“The support is so important because there’s nothing like sitting inside a doctor’s office and being told that you have breast cancer,” Musgrove-Moss said. “The whole world seemed to just drop out. A lot of people feel that it is a death sentence, but I’m here 30 years later to refute that notion.

“What is important is an early detection. We tell people all the time to listen to your bodies. Cancer is not exclusive to women, so we encourage men to also do the same. So you must listen to your bodies and try to make sure you go and get your checkups, particularly as the black race. We have to go sooner than later because by the time you go, it could be stage three or four and there’s really nothing much you can do about it.”

Musgrove-Moss, however, said there are so many modern facilities and tests that can be done to help persons diagnosed with cancer to get the pro[per treatment, once it’s done in time. But it’s also key to have the support from family members and support groups like Cancer Society and Sisters Sisters who persons can reach out to.