The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

She still probably has one of the greatest moments in the history of the Carifta Games, running down her Jamaican rival on the anchor leg of the girls’ under-20 4 x 400 metre relay for the gold medal here at home when she went on to earn the prestigious Austin Sealy award for the most outstanding athlete in 1984.

Pauline Davis-Thompson, who had gone on to produce a successful collegiate career as an NCAA 200m champion and record breaker for the Alabama Crimson Tide, took the time to look back in the mirror through the performances of one of the star athletes of the BTC Bahamas team, sprinter Devine Parker.

Davis-Thompson, who now coaches Parker, Lavardo Henfield and previously Alexis Sawyer, was able to scrutinise the 33-medal performance by the team at the 45th version of the top regional junior games in St George’s, Grenada, over the Easter holiday weekend.

“I consider myself a Carifta baby because I came up through this system and I must say this has always been a great competition to compete in,” said Davis-Thompson, who has won medals in both the then under-17 and under-20 categories. “This is also great for our region.

“So being here, it brings back a whole lot of memories for me. As a matter of fact, my favourite part of track and field now is watching these young athletes compete. To see them run their lil’ souls out is very encouraging. This is as pure as it gets in terms of track and field.”

As for Team Bahamas, Davis-Thompson said there was a lot of room for improvement.

“I don’t want to take anything away from the kids who performed well here this weekend, I don’t want to take anything away from them, but I know that as a country, we are so much better,” she stated. “We have proven it before. I just think we have to work more together to make the Bahamas so much better.

“We have to go to the islands and turn over every rock and find those diamonds in the rough. We have to work together and we have to change our system in Nassau and figure out how we are going to improve our performances, especially as we prepare for 2018 when we are hosting the games at home. The Bahamian people will expect nothing less.”

With some good old home cooking, Davis-Thompson said they might have the remedy to see some sterling performances because the athletes will be competing in front of the Bahamian crowd. 

“We have a system where our kids are so talented and gifted. I’m around them everyday and so I see the talent,” she pointed out. “I’m amazed at their gifted talent, but as a coach, you can’t coach heart. They have to come to you with heart. I think some of our athletes are lacking the desire to push hard.

“And as a country as a whole, I don’t think we are putting enough emphasis on sports and what sports can do for young people. We have to put the emphasis on it and what it does for young people. A lot of our athletes who go off to college are highly intelligent people and they are able to become more disciplined because of their involvement in sports.”

Using the famous quote from Luke 12 and verse 48 which states in part: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more,” Davis-Thompson said if only more athletes who have benefitted from the sport can come back and help at least one athlete, the Bahamas could be well on its way to the former glory days when they competed neck-and-neck with Jamaica.

Davis-Thompson, who is now in her second sting as an IAAF councilwoman and a member of the NACAC executive board, said she was simply pleased to be able to play a part in the development of Devine Parker, the toast of the girls’ under-18 team who won a silver in the 100m in 11.77 and a bronze in the 20 in 23.86 as well as anchor the 4 x 100m relay team of Kennedy Culmer, Sasha Wells and Megan Moss to the silver in 46.37.

“A lot of people say she’s alot like me. Sometimes I can see it and sometimes it’s a little scary,” Davis-Thompson said.

“I’m very pleased with her performances. I’m very pleased with the way she conducted herself on the track. “She’s a very highly educated person with a 3.70 GPA and she’s extremely intelligent and meticulous in her preparation in whatever she is doing. So I’m happy to be coaching her. She is just like my daughter. It’s just refreshing to see a young girl like her wanting to go places and make a name for herself.”

Despite her performances, Davis-Thompson said Parker wasn’t a happy camper because her goal was to win the gold.

“Her winning those two medals was not enough for her,” Davis-Thompson lamented.

“So I can tell you when we start practicing again, she will be gunning it out because she wants to be a top Bahamian athlete and become a patriotic Bahamian just like me. She’s just such a pleasure to coach.”

Davis-Thompson said she eagerly awaits for the games to return to the Bahamas in 2018.