By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN athletes left it all on the track at the BTC World Athletics Relays 2024 pre-game show “Showdown in Paradise” over the weekend.

Athletes from Special Olympics Bahamas, Kids Athletics, the various high schools as well as competitors from the CARIFTA Games turned in brilliant performances at the global Olympic-qualifying event hosted at the newly renovated Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Day Two

The St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine wrapped up day two of the pre-game show with two victories in relay action.

The quartet of Zaria Stapleton, Bayli Major, Nya Wright and Darvinique Dean managed to run a new personal best of 46.29 seconds in the high school girls’ 4x100m relay finals for the gold medal.

Bishop Michael Eldon School’s Aaliyah Evans, Rizpah Thompson, Janiyah Rolle and Keyezra Thomas clocked 48.48 seconds for second place.

Placing third was St John’s College with Ana Butler, Payton Knowles, Samiya Adderley and Kennedi Knowles, stopping the clock at 49.39 seconds.

Dean, who ran the anchor leg, was very pleased with the way the team competed for first place. “I am very excited with how we ran our race. I am proud of my teammates. We made a big PR. I hope that we will continue to do well in the future,” Dean said.

Nya Wright, who is competing for the last time with her SAC team, was happy to end things on a high note. “With this being my last time running with SAC, I feel like we executed well and we did really bring home a good PR for my last year,” Wright said.

The Big Red Machine 4x100m high school boys’ relay team of Khalon Christie, Trent Ford, Morgan Moss and Eagan Neely came up big with a time of 41.34 seconds. Tabernacle Baptist Academy’s Aiden Kelly, Levaughn Parker, Kevin Basden and Jamaal Deloach came in second with 41.93 seconds. The third position went to Sunland Baptist Academy’s Sonycko Ilet, Marco Carey, Denage Kelly and Foltair Robinson Jr. They clocked 42.16 seconds.

Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica won the 4x100m relay (invitational countries) boys’ and girls’ events respectively.

The CH Reeves Raptors prevailed in the under-15 girls’ sprint medley relay. Mariah Joseph, Janae Bain, Raniyah Smith and Samantha Gottshalk teamed up to nish with a time of 1:55.85 in the event.

The Roadrunners’ relay team of Gabrielle McLean, Shannon Edwards, Azalia Henderson and Chayanne Hepburn came second and the 3PA Stallions ended the event in the third spot.

Gottshalk, who brought the win home for the Raptors, said she was proud of the team’s performance.

“I found the race very light. I was struggling last year and I never thought I could have made it this far and come first but I thank the Lord for that. I pushed at the last 100m and I am proud of myself for that,” she said.

Smith ran the third leg and was glad to get the wins with her teammates.

“I am just glad I pushed myself through to make third place to give it to my teammate. It feels very good and I am proud I made it this far,” she said.

Team Velocity’s Isaiah WIlson, Neko Seymour, Kamron Henfield and Cordell Munroe turned in a winning performance with a time of 1:39.40. Roadrunners earned the second spot in the event and the 3PA Stallions settled for third overall.

Wilson was happy to get out strong for Team Velocity, running the first leg of the relay.

“I know I had to come out strong and fast. I almost fell but I had to pick it up. I couldn’t drop back for the team,” he said.

Henfield ran the third leg and said he just wanted to keep the lead for his team.

“I tried my best to keep the lead and bring it in strong for the team. It felt good to get the win,” he said.

Grand Bahama native and CARIFTA silver medallist Thomas kept up with her winning ways in the 400m youth girls open event. She bested her competitors with a time of 53.57 seconds. Daveigh Farrington trailed behind with a time of 59.00 for second place. Naveah Mackey wrapped up with a time of 1:00.05 for third.

Aiden Musgrove emerged as the champion of the 400m youth boys open event. He clocked 50.55 seconds. Shawn Ferguson held the second podium spot and Zion Bradford got the third position overall.

Day One

Team Bahamas won the 4x400m mixed event with the quartet of Javano Bridgewater, Thomas, Neely and Alexis Roberts. They collectively ran 3:26.36 to take home the win.

The United States of America’s Jaden Marchan, Keira Davis, Jaylin Santiago and Renna Rubenstein came out in the end with a second place nish. Trinidad and Tobago nished behind both teams with a time of 3:31.63. “When I got the baton, my only goal was to get out fast and keep it and hold it. The only thing on my mind was that I have to win this for my country. I just was patient behind the girl in front of me and when I was coming home I just was pushing and ended up getting a gold,” Roberts said.

Thomas said she felt like she ran an amazing race.

“I felt great. I feel like I ran amazing. I just knew when he gave it to me I had to go and give it to my team- mate in a good position and I am proud,” Thomas said.

SAC was once again involved in the winning action.

The team of Nixon, Farrington, Moss and Dean ran away with the victory in the 4x400m mixed high school relay event. SAC crossed the finish line with 3:36.56 on the clock.

The CV Bethel Stingrays completed the event in the second spot. Devon Alexander, Katranel Dean, Jayden Walkine and Marquelle Newbold secured the silver medal nish in 3:39.12. The Temple Christian Suns came out on the event with a bronze medal. They ran a time of 3:45.47.

Deron “King” Forbes got the bragging rights in the “Differently Able” boys 100m finals. He claimed his gold medal after running 12.71 seconds in the sprint event.

Pre-game show controversy

“Showdown in Paradise” was met with social media backlash after day one of action due to an oversight which involved one of the 4x400m relay invitational teams being named “Haiti-Bahamas All-Star team”.

In a statement released by the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) on Sunday, president Drumeco Archer explained the circumstances surrounding the controversial mishap.

“Team Haiti was invited to compete at the pre-game show, however, they could not attend. As a result, a club requested that members of his club make up a team to represent Haiti. This expression of interest was based on the club having sufficient athletes of Haitian descent,” the statement said.

According to the statement issued, the BAAAs approved the request under the conditions that all athletes be of Haitian nationality, the team seeked sanctioning from the Haitian Athletic Federation to be represented under the Haitian flag and that the failure to meet the requirement of an all Haitian team shall be named “unattached”.

“At no time did the federation agree to a team being named Haitian-Bahamas All-Star Team, as no such country exists. Unfortunately, this escaped the meet management personnel and, by extension, the broadcasting team, both of whom were responsible for team data entry.

“We wish to apologise for this gross oversight, which has caused grave national concerns for both coun- tries. We further wish to say that this unfortunate turn of events was not at the hands of the Government of The Bahamas and categorically not in the hands of the Honourable Minister Mario K Bowleg or Deputy Prime Minister I Chester Cooper,” the statement said.

The BAAAs issued an apology to the people of The Bahamas and people of the Republic of Haiti.

The BTC World Relays concluded yesterday.