The 2006 Commonwealth Games will be held in Melbourne, Australia March 15-26 and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas of course will be represented. Athletes from four disciplines will perform under the banner of this country. It should really be an upbeat occasion, especially since this little country is the defending champion in three of the more glamourous events at games of this level.
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ARE WE AT THE END OF THE GLORIOUS WOMEN’S SPRINT RELAY ERA? -- Pauline Davis, Chandra Sturrup, Eldeece Clarke, Savatheda Fynes and Debbie Ferguson took sports in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and ultimately the country’s overall image to all-time heights with their accomplishments from 1996 through 2002 inclusive of Olympic gold and silver medals and success at World Championships and Commonwealth Games. We will not have a relay team in Melbourne next month to defend the gold medal of 2002. Above, the fabulous five are pictured from left: Fynes, Davis, Ferguson, Sturrup and Clarke. |
Indeed four years ago, the gold medals from the Women’s 100 Metres, 200 Metres and 4 X 100 Metres Relay all were won by The Bahamas.
Golden Girl Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie was the toast of Manchester after completing the fantastic sprint double. Later she teamed up with fellow Golden Girls Chandra Sturrup, Savatheda Fynes and newcomer Tamicka
Clarke to reign supreme in the sprint relay. The victory by The Bahamas in the relay climaxed one of the great runs by any country in our region particularly, in a track and field event.
That was in 2002.
Alas in 2006 The Bahamas has little or no chance at all to retain any of those titles.
Sturrup, Ferguson-McKenzie, Fynes, Phillipa Willie nor Shandria Brown are likely to be in Melbourne. Nothing has been heard from Fynes. Brown is opting to stick with her studies at school and it is understood
that Willie will not make the trip either. There goes of course any chance of putting together a relay team.
In fact, we could very well be in the closing chapter of the Golden Girls great run. It started in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics with the other two venerable track stars Pauline Davis and Eldeece Clarke and a relay silver medal. Ten years later while individually a couple of the Golden Girls (Sturrup and Ferguson-McKenzie), appear to have a few years left, as a relay power we could be at the end of an era.
As far as the short sprints this time in Melbourne are concerned, Clarke should be there for the 100 Metres and Christine Amertil the 400 Metres specialist is down to compete in the 200 Metres as well.
Clarke will have a real battle going all the way through the rounds to the final of the century. In the case of Amertil the view here is that she is the dark horse for the 400 Metres title and if anything happens
to Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell, Amertil could do something wonderful in the 200 Metres.
Tonique Williams-Darling will not be competing in Melbourne, so the 400 Metres is really a big opportunity for Amertil.
She might medal in the 200 even with Campbell performing at peak but the defense of the relay gold will not be made as there will not be a Bahamian team. Again, it would be quite an accomplishment for Clarke to just make it to the finals of the 100. But all is not lost by any means.
In the sprints, there are solid chances in Amertil as aforementioned and her male 400 Metres counterparts Chris Brown, Avard Moncur and Nathaniel McKinney. They along with the runners who help make up the 1660m
Men’s Relay Team, should be in the top three and could be favoured to win it all no matter who runs for Jamaica, Great Britain and Trinidad. Then, there is Leevan Sands in the Triple Jump and of course, the
vintage one Laverne Eve in the Javelin. Osbourne Moxey could come up with a big long jump and pleasantly surprise us all. The others in track and field are just mere hopefuls.
And so we lament the change of fortunes from being the strongest team in the overall female sprints to pinning our medal hopes on the slim shoulders of Amertil. But despite the disappointments of what will be the "missing in action" status of so many, the track and field segment of The Bahamas Olympic Association’s contingent still figures to be the country’s best picks for success.
There is serious doubt from this quarter that anything great can be expected from the Cyclers. As for the swimmers Jeremy Knowles, Chris Vythoulklas and Alana Delitte, we look for them to improve their personal best and move through the rounds. The boxers Taureano Johnson, Carl Heild and Lavar Stewart might surprise. Johnson won a Silver Medal at The Commonwealth level back in 2003. He is more seasoned and could finally rise to the occasion once again. Heild has the potential but whether he can drive himself to maximize his potential in the ring remains to be seen.
Stewart might be the one to watch. He is a smart cookie in the ring. He thinks and he has good well-rounded skills.
What we do know is that The Commonwealth Games has been in the past one of the more glorious sports stages for The Bahamas. Perhaps even with a depleted crew, the Bahamian representatives just might add to the positive legacy started by the great Tommie Robinson in 1958 at Cardiff, Wales.
Good Luck Team Bahamas!
- Austin DWI - New York DWI