The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Amateur Wrestling Federation has confirmed that Sean Wrinkle and Rashji Mackey will represent the Bahamas at the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia.

The games are scheduled for April 4-15 and wrestling will be among the list of disciplines that will represent the Bahamas 'Down Under' in Queensland. Wrestling and triathlon are the first two local sporting bodies to name their team.

Mackey, who has formerly trained at the US Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs through Olympic Solidarity, will compete in the 84-kilometre class, while collegian Wrinkle will wrestle in the 74K.

"We are excited about our chances as Rashji is a very experienced wrestler, having represented the Bahamas at CAC Games, Pan Am Championships and in Glasgow," said Clarence Rolle, the president of the federation.

"Sean is a former state wrestling champion in the 152-pound category for North Carolina. He accomplished this while he was a senior at Asheville School in 2015. Last year, Sean trained for four months in Denmark. He is now training in North Carolina, where he also attends university."

Rolle, who will also travel as the coach of the team, said they are elated that the federation has been given the opportunity to take the two competitors to the games.

"I think what the Bahamas Olympic Committee is doing with the smaller federations is something that is good for our country," said Rolle, who also serves as a vice president of the BOC.

"The BOC is expanding by giving a lot of the other sports the opportunity to develop their young athletes. They are getting exposed to the best talent in the world and it will only get them sharper. Whether it's for wrestling or triathlon, or handball, I think we are going to see an exposure of talent in this country."

Rolle said Mackey brings a wealth of experience to the team and he possesses the best chance of the two competitors to medal at the games.

"He's a mature wrestler and he's now into the final cycle for the Olympic Games and so we're hoping that he can actually qualify," Rolle projected. "He still has a career in wrestling and he's hoping to get into coaching, so we hope to utilise him in that area in the future. "But right now, he's concentrating on competing as an athlete and we're looking forward to him making a big impact for us as a competitor at the games."

As for Wrinkle, Rolle said he may not have had the international exposure as Mackey, but he's gained a lot of knowledge in the sport competing from the high school to the collegiate ranks.

"As a junior, he is continuing to make his presence felt," said Rolle, of Wrinkle, who won the State championship. "He has travelled across the country competing and he has done very well.

"He wanted to just concentrate on his academics, but from last year, he's been training extensively and last year spent five months in Denmark before he returned to High Point University in North Carolina. So he's training a lot."

Rolle said both competitors are looking forward to making the trip to the Gold Coast and he anticipates that wrestling should get a medal or two from this team.