The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH he’s sidelined with a medical procedure that he will be taking care of today at Doctor’s Hospital, veteran track and field coach Rupert Gardiner said he won’t let him keep him down.

With a lot of calls from concerned Bahamians, the 62-year-old Gardiner said he wants to assure the public that once he has the surgery to remove his kidney stones from blocking the flow of his kidneys, he will be okay.

“I have mixed emotions, but God is in control and everything is in his hands,” said Gardiner, who had to do dialysis on Sunday to prepare for the operation. “I know that I will be okay. It’s something that the doctors advised me that I will have to do so I might as well get it done and over with.”

The former distance runner turned coach and now a sports administrator in the office of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said he would like to advise all Bahamians that no matter who they are, to heed to the warning of the medical signs and get the help that they need before it’s too late.

“Over the years, I used to have pain and stuff and they gave me treatment and stuff,” Gardiner said. “But it’s gotten so severe that my doctor, Dr Cyprian Strachan recommended that I get the surgery now.”

In August, Gardiner was the relay coordinator on Team Bahamas at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. However, he was forced to return home before the games were completed in August after he had a heated verbal dispute with Team Doctor, Rickey Davis, over the decision on who should and should not be allowed to run in the women’s 200 metres.

The Bahamas had four competitors qualified to compete in the event – Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Tynia Gaither, Brianne Bethel and Anthonique Strachan - but the International Olympic Committee and the governing body for the sport, World Athletics’ only allow three competitors per country.

Eventually Miller-Uibo and Gaither earned the first two spots and Strachan clinched the final spot by beating Bethel in a run-off in Tokyo.

Gardiner and Davis argued over the procedure used to determine who will run and who didn’t. While he is still seeking legal advice for what happened to him, Gardiner said he has some more pressing issues to deal with and that is of his health.

“You have to take note of the warning advises,: he said. “I wasn’t drinking sufficient water and it affected my kidney. Now I have to get the stones removed, but I’m eager to get it over and done with so that I can resume my activities.”

Just a week ago, Gardiner could be seen at Haynes Oval where he began his off-season training with members of his Silver Lightning Track Club. Now that he’s sidelined for a bit, he said he will have to lean on his assistant coaches and the administrators of the club to continue the programme.

“I know this won’t keep me down. I will continue to do what I have to do,” he insisted. “But we have enough people in the club, who can keep things going until I get back on my feet again.”

There is no time limit to how long he will be out of circulation, but Gardiner said he’s grateful to God that he was able to catch it and have the procedure done before it got any worse.