The Tribune

JUDO is a burgeoning discipline in the Bahamian athletic arena, and the skills of many competitors were on display in mega-fashion with the sport's entrance to the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG).

The international six-day event featured an historic week of firsts for judo: the first category that opened this year's games; the first introduction for many audience members to the sport (and an impressive one at that); and the first medals to be won by The Bahamas at the onset of the multinational competition.

Athletes showcased their hard work and discipline in great performances that captivated the arena. Among them was Mya Beneby, a judo athlete who was sponsored by the Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Limited (CWCO).

The young judoka, or judo practitioner, is relatively new to the sport, but has already exhibited undeniable talent in winning a bronze medal in the "minus 57 kilograms" division.

D'Arcy Rahming, president of the Bahamas Judo Federation (BJF) and one of the martial artist's coaches, praised 14-year-old Beneby's skills. "[The amazing thing is] she just started last summer. This type of development takes many, many years."

The performance of Beneby along with her fellow athletes was indeed something to be commended. Fellow judoka Karra Hanna also scored a bronze medal in the "plus 70 kilograms" division. Together, they gave The Bahamas their first medals ever at the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Such a feat could not be accomplished easily, which is why the BJF employed the expertise of 2003 judo world champion and three-time Olympic bronze medallist Amarilis Savon to help them make their grand entrance onto the international stage.

Savon was recruited as the female coach to train the federation's athletes heading into the Commonwealth Youth Games. At a time when the sport is just entering the national spotlight, no expense could be spared if a lasting impression was to be made. Rahming said sponsorships play a significant role in helping to prepare the athletes for this level of competition.

"It costs a certain amount to train and feed athletes for the year, and so people would offer scholarships in that regard. Athletes are fed every day and provided with expert instruction and many other elements, such as uniforms. Without sponsorship like this the program cannot exist, and so we're very grateful for these sponsors, like Consolidated Water, who step up."

According to the president the great thing about judo and sports in general is it puts children on the same playing field, or in this case mat. "Some of these kids are in disadvantaged positions - that is, they don't have parents that will put any funding into them and they're of an age now when people aren't really investing in them. That's not true of every child but it is true of many of the children at the centre. So sports like judo are a great equaliser in that it's a total meritocracy."

A meritocracy denotes a system where advancement is achieved through individual ability, as opposed to social position or wealth.

"We don't look at your economic circumstances or who your parents are or anything like that. You simply have to do the work. What it teaches is to make people very results-oriented, and also very community-minded. So we are delighted, always, when a sponsor steps forward with such a generous contribution."

Beneby was one of three children sponsored by Consolidated Water, and her success on the mat certainly exemplifies Rahming's principle of advancement based on merit, with personal effort being the greatest contribution to one's victory.

And if the Bahamas Judo Federation's athletes keep competing as they have been, then the Commonwealth Youth Games are just the first of many victories to expect for them and the sport they represent.