The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Let the International Judo Federation’s World Junior Championships begin.

Teams have been putting in their final practices yesterday in anticipation of the start of the four-day competition at 10am today in the Imperial Ballroom of the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.

The 492 registered judokas from 79 countries around the world are eagerly anticipating what should be an exciting competition.

The Bahamas Judo Association, headed by D’Arcy Rahming Sr, has selected a 14-member team that will carry the Bahamas’ banner. The team is comprised of the following:

Men - Jevon Bethel, -60kg; Desmond Bootle, -66kg; Davante Sweeting, -66kg; Andrew Munnings, -73kg; Dre Hall, -73kg; Desmondo Bootle, -81kg; Lyle Sherman, -81kg; Daleon Sweeting, -90kg and Larry Marshall, -100kg.

Women - Jasmine Russell, -44kg; Mya Beneby, -57kg; Breanna Major, -70kg; Raven Pennerman, -70kg and Sasha Ingraham, +78 kg.

James Millar is coaching a 15-member team here from Canada and it’s his expectations that they will return home with their share of the hardware.

“We are looking at winning one to two medals and a few other athletes who could surprise us and get some medals,” Millar said. “This is a major junior competition, so this is a great opportunity for them to do very well before they turn seniors.

“We have a couple of first-year juniors who have the potential but, for me, I’m not really focused on them. I just want them to go out there and give it their best shot. If they medal, they medal. If they don’t, I just want them to give it their best shot.”

While this is the first time that most of the Canadians will be appearing in the World Junior Championships, it’s their initial appearance in the Bahamas and Millar said they are enjoying every moment.

“For me, I think most tournaments should be ran like this with the training site and competition venue in the same location as the hotel,” he said.

“It eliminates the stress for coaches and athletes. “So to be in such a beautiful place as the Bahamas makes it even better.”

Shady Elnahas, a 20-year-old leading the Canadian team as he competes in the -100 kg class, is making his debut in the global competition. “First of all, this is an amazing place,” he said about Atlantis. “I’ve done competitions like the grand prix, but this is my first World Junior Championships and I’m loving it so much. I feel very confident. I’ve done all of my preparations and hopefully I can go out there and win a medal.”

Elnahas is coming off his gold medal performance at the Santo Domingo Panamerican Open on September 1.

As for Team Canada, Elnahas said it’s probably the strongest they have assembled for any junior competition and so the expectations is to get a couple of medals.

Vadimir Preradovic, here with just four girls from Croatia, said their mission is a simple one - to win. “We have big expectations, but we know that it’s a big competition,” he said.

“Maybe we can win one medal, but we will have to wait and see how well our girls respond to the challenge.”

Preradovic, who holds six international medals, including a gold, two silver and three bronze for Croatia as a competitor, said the Bahamas is “very nice, nice hotel and the food is great. But it is expensive. Here in the hotel and in this part of the town, it’s very expensive. We haven’t had a chance to go downtown, but we came here for judo and results. The other things don’t matter.

“I didn’t see the venue yet, but the training facilities here in the hotel is very nice. So we will see what we can expect. But so far everything has been going very good. We are looking forward to the competition. Then we can visit the island.”

Karla Prodan, a 20-year-old leader for Croatia in her first World Junior Championships as well as she contests the -78 kg class, said the trip here has been fabulous so far.

“It’s been great, the weather is great and this is a great location for competition and so I’m enjoying myself here,” she said. “I had a small injury, but I hope that I will give my best in all my fights and I win the gold medal.”

With three other competitors on the team, Prodan, who is coming off a third place finish at the European Junior Championships on September 13, said it makes their focus very good. “We have a small but powerful team of four girls,” she stated. “I think we can win some medals here.”

Competition is slated to be held from today, starting at 10am, through Sunday. And the daily award ceremonies are 4-6 pm. Tickets for each session is priced at $20 per person.