The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH IAAF World Junior Championships double sprint champion Anthonique Strachan as the poster girl, Puma unveiled the new uniforms for all the Bahamas national teams.

Puma, which is also responsible for the national team uniforms for a number of other regional countries, including Jamaica, have inked a four-year deal with the Bahamas that also calls for some cash incentives for athletes who medal at the major international meets organised by the IAAF and the International Olympic Committee.

The official launch was held Thursday night at the Sheraton British Colonial Hilton Hotel and attended by members of the Bahamas Olympic Committee and the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations.

“Puma is happy to launch Team Bahamas with the first set of uniforms being worn at the Carifta Games,” said coach Henry Rolle, the regional representative for the shoe and clothing company in the Caribbean. “Anthonique Strachan is the poster girl, not just for Carifta, but for all of the Bahamas.”

Strachan, who ended up being eligible for Carifta last year in Jamaica by winning both the 100 and 200 to secure the Austin Sealy Award as the most outstanding athlete, was shown on a poster wearing a sample of the Bahamian uniform while holding the national flag.

Also on display was the entire gear, including track suits and running and warm-up gears as well as running shoes, all draped in the colours of the Bahamian flag. There were also travelling bags with the Bahamas inscribed on them.

“The colours might be a little off, but they intend to eventually get it right as we wear through them,” Rolle said.

“Right now, track and field is all about fashion and Puma has tried to bring that out in the designs of our uniforms. And with our team being a young and vibrant one, we want them to look good and feel good and eventually they will perform very good.”

Additionally, there were at least four of the local track clubs that Puma sponsors on display with a selection of tennis shoes.

BOC president Wellington Miller said they are delighted with the quality of uniforms produced so far for the Bahamas team. “We think we have a good contract because it includes Special Olympics too,” Miller said. “It will also provide incentives for athletes who win gold, silver and bronze medals. So we are very pleased and we are confident that they will provide us with some good quality uniforms as we stand out wherever we go around the world.”

BAAA president Mike Sands said they made a business decision to go with Puma and they are impressed with the first set of uniforms that they have produced.

“Our programme is a very expensive programme and we feel they will work with us to make our programme an effective one,” he said. “I know there maybe some concerns about the colours, but they have done a great job in the short time that they had to work with. By the Penn Relays, we expect to be in full bloom.”

Sands, however, said Puma is going to be branching out where they will be assisting more of the grassroot athletes, which should be more beneficial to the Bahamas in the long run.

Just about everybody in attendance was in awe of what they saw.

“The uniforms look better than I expected,” said high jumper Ryan Ingraham, who has already signed a professional contract to compete for Nike on the international scene. “I can’t wait to wear my uniform.”

With his eligibility for Carifta ending last year, Ingraham said he’s a little peeved with his mother because “if she had kept me in for at least one more month, I would have still been eligible to compete for Carifta this year and I could have worn them at home when I compete.”

Ingraham, who has been assisting his coach James Rolle with the preparation of a number of jumpers for the games, said the uniforms look good and, as long as the athletes continue to perform the way they have been doing, they will feel good when they wear the uniforms at the games.

Ralf McKinney, a long-time manager of the senior national teams, said although there’s a slight adjustment to make to the colours, the uniforms are “nice” and he thinks the athletes will “really appreciate” wearing them.

IAAF councilwoman Pauline Davis-Thompson said she just wishes she was still competing. “I want to cry,” she said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to run in spikes with the Bahamian colours on them. These look so good. I was just telling Lavern Eve that I believe I could have done some damage to these back in the day.”

And coach Dianne Woodside, whose Club Monica is one of the clubs

sponsored by Puma, said the outfits look very nice. “I think it’s a very good display that Puma has offered for us. We have never had that many pieces to wear, so I think the kids will really appreciate them,” Woodside said. “The sprints are just awesome.”

Having been associated with Puma since 2011, Woodside said the company has been very good to work with and they have developed a great relationship that she hopes will be extended to the rest of the Bahamas through their new partnership.