THE Bahamas has lost one of the most brilliant minds and avid supporters of track and field in the passing of Winston Marshall.

Marshall, 72, passed away on Saturday around 11:08pm in hospital in the presence of family and friends. He leaves behind three children and three brothers - Richard, Lincoln and Dennis Marshall.

The St. John’s College 1969 graduate was a Bahamian creative writer, director, producer and executive consultant who founded the media consulting company Marshall & Associates Management Consultants in The Bahamas.

As an avid sportsman with a strong knowledge of records and history in the track and field area, Marshall was instrumental in organising and managing the election to office leading sports figures in the country to the IAAF namely; Pauline Davis, Mike Sands and the late Alpheus Hawk Finlayson.

Before he passed away, Marshall worked closely with Finlayson to bring a jet full of junkanoo performers to the World Championships in Edmonton in 2001, exposing the Bahamian culture to the world.

Davis, who utilised the services of Marshall to secure her two consecutive terms as a Councilwoman of the IAAF, was too taken aback to make any comments.

“Winston Marshall was so good to me. He was like my second father. He was always a shoulder I could lean on,” said a distraught Davis as she sobbed in disbelief. 

Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Drumeco Archer said they will miss the great scholar of the sport.

“You were a missionary of the sport, known far and wide,” Archer said. “You were a real trooper who helped place Bahamian track and field on the global stage. 

“Winston, we will miss you at global competitions; we will miss you in the stands at local track meets and we will miss your profound words of wisdom.”

One of Marshall’s last contributions came following the CARIFTA Games in Trinidad & Tobago over the Easter holiday. He wrote an article voicing his displeasure in the outcome of this year’s Austin Sealy winner.

He felt that the most outstanding athlete should have been either Bahamian Eagan Neely or Jahcario Wilson. 

Neely who won both the under-17 boys 200 and 400m and Wilson took the 110 and 400m hurdles. They both also ran on the Bahamas’ winning 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relay teams. 

The award was presented to Kamari Kennedy of Jamaica, who established a pair of record-breaking performances in the under-17 boys’ shot put and discus.

In his article, published on the NACAC website, Marshall called for a change in the election process, claiming that it was unfair to the athletes who captured four medals.

May your soul rest in peace.