Discussions with the Mr Iram Lewis, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Mr Eugene Poitier – Permanent Secretary and Mr Timothy Munnings, Director of Sports, of the same Ministry, another with Mr Drumeco Archer, President, BAAA, and yet another with Mrs Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, were deemed as being particularly positive, according to NACAC President, Mike Sands. One of the major outcomes of the discussions was the preparation of a proposal for a MoU involving the four entities – NACAC, Government, BAAA and the Chamber – that would locate NACAC in the mainstream of the development of a viable and sustainable sport tourism policy and programme built around the historic achievements of Bahamian athletes in the global sport environment.

Minister Lewis highlighted his government’s continues commitment to sport in general but acknowledged the pivotal role that athletics has played in cementing the country’s status in the world. For his part, Archer committed his organisation to supporting what he has described as the ‘revolutionary transformation of the Area’ over the past several months since the change in administration. The BAAA is willing to be fully engaged in the aforementioned MoU. Speaking on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, Rutherford-Ferguson committed to raising the idea of an MoU with the membership who, she was sure, will take an interest in engaging in the proposed sport tourism strategy that would be of immense value to the multi-island nation.

Long-term athlete well-being a central focus of NACAC

NACAC is being encouraged to immediately begin work on a programme that would assist athletes in ensuring that they are secure following their competitive careers in sport. This is one of the matters arising out of the discussions in The Bahamas last week.

Minister Lewis raised his own concerns in respect of seeing former athletes who once helped bring global recognition to the nation through their sporting achievements, struggling to survive in their later years. His concerns were echoed by BAAA President, Drumeco Archer, who made mention of creating a fund for athletes that would allow them access to financial resources in their later years.

NACAC President, Michael Sands and Chamber Chairman, Rutherford-Ferguson, also agreed the need for such an institution and noted the work that would be required to bring it to fruition. Keith Joseph, NACAC General Secretary, in supporting the idea, called for a broadening of the approach, noting that once the template is designed, consideration should be given to engaging the governments and sporting organisations of the wider Caribbean and indeed, to all of NACAC, in the undertaking since it is relevant to all.

The Bahamas to aid in NACAC Brand development and recognition

Being located in The Bahamas will see significant enhancement of the NACAC Brand. Discussions have already begun to have the government of the nation leverage the Brand in its sport tourism promotion, in addition to facilitating Brad recognition in the multi-island nation itself.

NACAC’s leadership has called for the NACAC Brand to be highly visible in strategic locations in The Bahamas, building awareness of the institution, its work and the contribution that it makes to the development of the athletes and through them and the member federations, to their respective countries.

Addressing meetings in Nassau during the past week, General Secretary, Keith Joseph, highlighted the benefits of having NACAC’s headquarters located in The Bahamas: Global recognition of The Bahamas

Branding opportunities for The Bahamas:

Hosting NACAC activities – Championships, Training Camps, Congresses, Course and meetings of Commissions and Working Groups.

Joseph called for the same recognition to be paid to NACAC, an international sports entity, as is usually given to institutions like the United Nations, Pan American Health Organisation and others, wherever their units and/or sub-units are located around the world.

Planning for New Life Invitational 2022 and beyond has begun

NACAC’s collaboration with the Miramar City Council regarding use of the ANSIN Sports Facility for the Inaugural NACAC New Life Invitational that yielded a fantastic 9.77secs. 100m performance by Trayvon Brumell, on 5 June, has already begun to yield results.

City authorities have already reached out to NACAC to lend its support and especially its organisational expertise for the planning and execution of an International Youth competition to be organised around the New Life Invitational, beginning in 2022.

If all goes well, this can become a major track and field festival celebrated annually in Miramar, Fort Lauderdale, a city with a vision of becoming one of the major venues for hosting track and field athletics in the Americas, well beyond the confines of the US.

Developments between NACAC and the Miramar City officials are taking place with much speed. In the coming week NACAC will reach out to Panam Sports regarding the start of discussions to become the third party to an MoU in respect of the planning of activities at Miramar going forward.

Around NACAC

ARU

Members of the Aruba Atletiek Bond (AAB) will on Tuesday 15 June, engage in an elective General Assembly organised and overseen by NACAC.

NACAC Competition Director, Michael Serralta, will be the Supervisor of the Assembly.

Over the past several weeks NACAC has been preparing the AAB membership for the elective General Assembly.

Keith Joseph, General Secretary of NACAC, has been garnering all materials pertinent to the General Assembly and will on Monday 14 June, join with Serralta in availing themselves for one-on-one meetings with member clubs of the AAB to clarify any contentious issues.

DOM

Luguelin Santos, 400m Olympic Medallist of the Dominican Republic had a successful return to the track after an absence of two years when he won the event at the Felix Sanchez Invitational held in his country on Saturday 12 June 2021. Santos’ victory came in a time of 46.19, ahead of Ferdy Agramonte (46.49) and Wilbert Encarnación (46.60), all outside the Tokyo qualifying time of 44.90.

In the women’s 400m, Fiordaliza Cofil (53.61) won, with Mariana Pérez (55.10) and Lilian Reyes 57.91) in second and third respectively.

Liranyi Tejada (11.95) won the women’s 100m while Marileidy Paulino won the 200m (22.85).

Yancarlos Martínez (10.32) headed the field in the men’s 100m ahead of José González (10.34) and Melbin Marcelino (10.41) respectively.

The Invitational saw participation from several of NACAC’s member federations whose athletes are also seeking competition in an effort to make the standards for the Tokyo Olympics.

ESA

Andrea Michelle Velasco, national record holder of the Pole Vault, finished a creditable second at the National Open Athletics Championships held in the city of Querétaro, Mexico.

Velasco completed the competition with a height of 3.80m, falling short of breaking her own national record of 3.90m.

El Salvador’s 100m/200m champion, José Andrés Salazar Mijangos, finished second in the 200m (21.24) at the same Mexican National Championships.

Both athletes will continue with their preparation for the Central American Senior Championships scheduled for Costa Rica at the end of June.

JAM

Jamaica’s Omar McLeod, reigning 110mH Olympic Champion, set a new season best and world leading time of 13.01, at the Pietro Mennea Golden Gala Wanda Diamond League, Florence, Italy. His outstanding performance equalled the meet record set by Allen Johnson 22 years ago, 1999.

Jamaica will convene its National Championships 24 – 27 June 2021, when all athletes hoping to make it through to the Tokyo Olympics will compete.

TTO

Trinidad and Tobago’s Tyra Gittens made good on her form when she won the Heptathlon at the prestigious NCAA Finals on Sunday 13 June.

Gittens, a student athlete at Texas A & M, amassed a total of 6285 points in taking the title, having established herself as the firm favourite earlier in the season.

The multitalented athlete also contested the long jump in which she won the silver medal and the high jump in which she placed third.

The NAAA, governing body for the sport of athletics in Trinidad and Tobago, was high in its praise for Gittens who already holds the record for the three events in which she competed at the NCAA.

VIN

Team Athletics St Vincent and the Grenadines convened a major competition on Saturday 12 June at the national stadium.

Kyle Lawrence of IT DAT Academy took on the senior athletes even though he is still U18. He won the 100m ahead of Josh Hamilton in a time of 10.98.

Also in winner’s row was Nellie Ambriton of Excel. He won the 800m U18 in 1:57.95.

Desroy Jordan of Xcel won the 800 U23 in 1:56.03.

One of the day’s highlights was the return of Pamenos Ballantyne to the track even as he coaches his teams, Chatoyers and the St Martin’s Secondary School. He won the 5000m.

TASVG is in preparation for teams to the NACAC U-18/U23 scheduled for San Jose, Costa Rica, and the World U20 Championships.

Since the NACAC Age Group, the Pan Am Juniors and the Pan American Junior Games have all been re-scheduled to later this year.

Shafiqua Maloney (Arkansas) and Mikeisha Welcome (Oklahoma), were unfortunate not to be among the medals at this year’s NCAA Div. 1 Finals during the past week.

Maloney finished 9th in the finals of the 800m in a time of 2:04.09, while Welcome finished 11th in the triple jump with a leap of 13.38m. Maloney was on the Arkansas women’s 4 x 400m relay team, running the third leg, which finished 9th.

Weekly Meetings

Monday 14 June

4.00-m – 7.00pm – Meetings with clubs and individual Executive members of the AAB in Aruba.

Tuesday 15 June

7.00pm – Elective General Assembly, ARU.

Wednesday 16 June

10.00am ECT – Weekly Meeting – Mike Sands, Michael Serralta and Keith Joseph

Friday 18 June

Commencement of the USATF Olympic Trials, Eugene, Oregon