The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BARRY Ramsey clearly remembers his days as a former athlete who represented the Bahamas in three Carifta Games as a sprinter and jumper. Today, however, he’s hoping to allow others to keep their memories of the BTC Carifta Games alive through the products he is selling.

Through his company Impact Images, Ramsey has been selling everything from t-shirts, caps, tote bags, towels, sports bottles and flags at various sites for the past two weeks with a major spot near the ticket booth in front of the new Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

“The Carifta Secretariat contracted us to do all of the promotional items and souvenir items for the Carifta Games,” Ramsey said. “So we just took the contract to market and all of the official memorabilia for the games.”

Persons can purchase t-shirts and embroidered golf shirts in white, black, gold and aquamarine from $10 to $35. The caps are priced at $20, while the tote bags are $15, bottles $8 and flags $3. All items are listed on the website www.carifta2013.com under the heading ‘buy souvenirs.’

“We are going to be here every day up to the games (from March 29 to April 1), we are also in Rawson Square on Fridays and Saturdays and the post office on Thursdays and Fridays,” Ramsey said. “We also have items in our main office on Shirley Street in the Fred Ramsey insurance building.”

As for sales, Ramsey said they have been pleased so far, but he anticipates that as the games draw closer, the sales will skyrocket.

“I know the Minister (of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr Daniel Johnson), has declared March 22 as T-shirt Day for the schools and the following Thursday will be a National T-shirt Day for the Carifta Games,” Ramsey said. “So we are looking at all of the schools participating.”

Barry represented the Bahamas at the Carifta Games in 1981, 82 and 83, winning a silver medal each trip in the 4 x 100 metre relays.

“Back then I was a triple jumper. In fact, whenever I see (national record holder and Olympic bronze medallist) Frank (Rutherford), I always told him that the only reason he didn’t compete at Carifta was because I did the triple jump and I could also sprint,” Barry said. “So they used to leave him home all the time.”

As a former athlete, Barry said he’s honoured to still be around to make a contribution on the other side of the games.

“It has brought back a lot of memories,” he said. “The sport has evolved so much from when we were athletes,” he said. “I was at the track the other day and watched them run on chevron. Even with times, when I looked back when I was running 10.4s on the old track, the athletes today just don’t seem to have that natural ability.

“If the times we were running back then under the conditions that we were running under, I think we would have been so much further ahead under the conditions that they are running right now. It’s a big difference. But I’m just glad to be able to come back and still make a contribution to the sport today through my business.”