By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN archers showed up and showed out at the World Archery Americas Caribbean Development Championships (CDC) in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, September 19-23.

The competitors were on target for an historic 15 medals with four gold, seven silver and four bronze. The medal haul represents the largest number of medals won by The Bahamas since the Caribbean Development Championships were started back in 2017.

David Rahming, president of the Bahamas Archery Federation, was very proud of the archers and their performances in Jamaica.

“I am very pleased with the performances of the athletes again this year. It was a struggle to get here because the tournament was postponed because of Hurricane Beryl damaging Jamaica and some athletes lost money as a result of not being able to get tickets refunded. 

“The performances on the field were outstanding given that every single athlete won at least one medal. The performances and the competition were very good this year and it continues to increase every year,” he said.

Bernard Almira nabbed two medals at the competition. He earned a gold medal finish in the barebow developmental senior men’s division, defeating Guyana’s Lall Teemahall 6-0 in the finals. He then teamed up with Jamaica’s Britney Hughes-Kow in the barebow developmental all ages mixed team event. The duo fell to Guyana’s Lall and Nataliya Pollard 0-6 for silver.

Grand Bahama coach Efrain Alonso got the victory over the host country’s Page Brown in the compound amateur senior men’s division. He won narrowly 119 to 112 in the finals for gold. Lincoln Knowles and Troy Laing teamed up for the compound beginner under 21/senior men doubles. They won gold by knocking off Jamaica’s Jordan Gordon and Leon Dwayne 134 to 129 in the finals.

The BAF president credited coach Alonso for the hard work put in with the archers ahead of competition.

“I am particularly pleased with the shooting performance of the athletes and I commend Coach Efrain Alonso of 242 Archery Grand Bahama and the Grand Bahama Archery Association. I also would like to acknowledge and thank the other athletes and coaches who would have come before and paved the way for this success. The programme is strong and only getting stronger,” he said. 

Jennifer Almira concluded the event with two silver medals and one bronze medal. 

Rudolph Thompson picked up silver in the compound beginner under-15 men event. Trinidad & Tobago’s Vivekand was first and his teammate Luca Young was third overall.

Thompson won his second silver medal of competition teamed up with Kasadiyah Baird of the British Virgin Islands in the compound beginner under 15/18 mixed team. 

Tanya Thompson formed a duo with Jamaica’s Gabriel Tickle in the recurve beginner senior mixed team. The team finished in second place. She also secured a bronze medal at the event. 

Stephen Stubbs racked up two medals in the barebow beginner senior men doubles and barebow beginner all ages (but under-15) mixed team events respectively.

Nicola Joffer also left the championship with a silver medal.

Rahming said the federation is now looking forward to 2025 where they are expected to host the seventh edition of the World Archery Americas Caribbean Development Championships at home.

“The Bahamas is scheduled to host this tournament next July In Nassau, Bahamas. That will be the main focus of the federation over the next few months to confirm that we will be hosting it and to make sure that we do as good a job as they did here in Jamaica and the other places where it has been held. This tournament was very well organised, very well run and it was a lot of fun,” he said. 

A special thanks was offered to supporters and sponsors including the Bahamas Olympic Committee, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Robin Hood Flour distributed by Asa H Pritchard, senator Reuben Rahming, Bahama Clear and everyone else that supported the archers on this journey.