The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FIFTY years ago making history, Dr Timothy Barrett got to relive his record-setting gold medal performance at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Historian Alpheus ‘Hawk’ Finlayson highlighted the June 19, 1966 Golden Anniversary feat during a press conference yesterday at Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium that was attended by one of Barrett’s teammates, Derrick ‘Cambo’ Cambridge, and legendary coach Keith Parker.

Also addressing the media were Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson, along with Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller and Philip Gray, public relations officer for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations.

Finlayson, a former rival of Barrett, said because of a bruised heel, he was able to snap Barrett’s unbeaten winning streak at the first All Bahamas Schools Championships.

But he recalled how Barrett regained his form a month later at the CAC Games, jumping 51 feet, 8 inches for a new record in securing the gold medal.

On his return home, Finlayson said The Tribune’s Sports Reporter coined the nickname ‘Golden Boy’ for Barrett, who travelled with teammates Cambridge, who along with Frank ‘Pancho’ Rahming, competed in the middle distance events and sprinter George Collie.

Father’s Day (Sunday, June 19) will mark the 50th anniversary of Barrett’s performance and Finlayson said he thought it would be a fitting time to recognise the achievement.

“It’s an emotional moment. First of all, I want to thank God for being here 50 years after the event,” said Barrett, indicating that he was appreciative of his 15 minutes of fame.

He recalled those days when he got started while at work on the sidewalk at his father’s shoe-making store on Blue Hill Road, one block south of St Agnes Church. He remembered when he spaced out the pebbles and he practiced his “hop, step and jump” phases.

To cut a long story short, he said he met Parker while he was attending Government High School when he jumped about 48 feet and Parker was so meticulous in his training that he kept encouraging him that he had the potential to jump 50 feet or more and that inspired him.

“At the games, I was leading after the first few rounds. But my fifth jump was the best jump, so it tells you of the genius of the preparation,” he said. “I thank Keith so much for the discipline and the preparation that came with that.”

He also publicly thanked Roy Hollingsworth from Trinidad & Tobago, who was competing in the discus and shot put. Barrett said he remembered how Hollingsworth informed him that he was about six-inches behind the board.

“The Cuban jumper, on his fourth jump, jumped 51-61/2 and he’s now leading by about eight inches,” Barrett said. “I never jumped over 50 feet, much less 51. My fourth jump, I jumped 51-4 and I remember putting everything I had into this fifth jump and as I was landing, I came out with this big jump of 51-8 ?.”

While he clearly remember the entire competition, Barrett said the only disappointment that he got was the fact that he couldn’t hear the Bahamian national anthem played because it wasn’t played at the games at the time.

When he went on to the University of Southern California, Barrett said his focus shifted to education and his studies to becoming a doctor. Even though he excelled in both basketball and volleyball, he always had a love for track and field and the triple jump specifically and is willing to do whatever is necessary to help with the further development of the sport.

When he came to the Bahamas in 1959 as a teacher, Parker said he was surprised to see the mount of talent available here in the field events in athletics.

He demonstrated how he was able to help some of the athletes at the time, including Barrett, to develop their skills in the event.

He hailed Barrett as one of the greatest athletes to emerge out of a list of competitors in the field events, including the high jump, which he has helped to train a number of competitors to compete in.

As a middle distance runner on the team, Cambridge said the sport have not had the kind of coaches, who did what they did from their heart as they trained their athletes.

Although he was at the games competing as an athlete, Cambridge said he remembered watching Barrett in the triple jump when he advised him to change his approach to the board. Once he did, Cambridge said Barrett went on to become the champion.

“There have been other Bahamian athletes who have put us on the map,” Cambridge stated. “I appreciate my brother. Every day I say him, he’s still the same.”

Johnson said the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, through the National Sports Authority, is looking at the establishment of the National Sports Museum where they hope to create space to have the stories like Barrett told.

“Everyone wants their stories to be told and when you examine the sports history of the Bahamas, the greatest stories are yet untold,” said Johnson, who commended Finlayson for taking the initial in producing the story and the achievement of Barrett.

Speaking on behalf of Rosaumde Carey, the president of the BAAA who was unable to attend because of another pressing matter, Gray said he remembered attending a medical forum where somebody approached Barrett and told him “you sure look good in that suit.

But Gray said Barrett corrected the person and said: “I made this suit look good.”

Using that comment in terms of athletics, Gray said in his early days, “Dr Barrett has made track and field, athletics, our sport, look good.”

And as the BAAA prepare to send their teams of to compete at the IAAF World Youth Championships and the Olympic Games that they honor and recognize persons like Barrett, who paved the way.