The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Under the theme “Battle of the Stars,” the BAAAs officially launched its campaign to rally the public behind the most important weekend on the local track and field calendar.

The BAAAs is scheduled to host its Junior Nationals June 22-23 at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium, followed by the Senior Nationals June 24-25 in the new TAR stadium. The weekend will culminate on June 26 with a gala awards ceremony at the British Colonial Hilton.

Billed as the ultimate track and field showdown of the year, Bahamians will get an opportunity to witness their future national team members compete on home soil as Team Bahamas athletics begins to take shape.

Rosamunde Carey, the president of the BAAAs, said the weekend will feature a number of intriguing matchups highlighted by the men’s 400m and women’s 200m. “It is going to be an exciting weekend full of activities. The theme ‘Battle of the Stars’ is most appropriate as we expect fierce competitions, duels and in some events even up to competitors who will take it to the wire. The competition will be so stiff in some events it will be impossible to predict the outcome in advance. You just have to be there to witness it for yourself. This trend follows through in both the junior and senior competitions. Every Bahamian who loves a good show should be present,” she said. “We are pleased that most of our elite and junior athletes are exhibiting good health and fitness as they compete. We continue to pray for them all, that they remain healthy and compete to their full potential for the rest of the season. The stage is set, the athletes are preparing at home and abroad. Let the countdown to this amazing week of activities begin.”

Tickets for both meets are available at a cost of $7 for adults, $5 for children and $15 for VIP seating. Starting times for the Junior Nationals will be 5:30pm on both afternoons while the Senior Nationals will have start times of 5:30pm on day one and 4:30pm on day two.

The BAAAs pledged to provide a family atmosphere for the meets.

“The competition will be fierce on and off the track as our entertainment with bands and junkanoo will have their time at centre stage. Moreover as we continue to establish relations, we have launched a healthy competition with service clubs. More details will be forthcoming with this exercise as we look at ways to swell crowd support, appeal with international cuisine, culture and more. In other words we are creating a family environment of clean, healthy and exciting entertainment, a festival of sorts. We are happy to work with the NSA to bring this all to fruition,” Carey said. “Events of this magnitude are very costly to the BAAAs and as we endeavour to be innovative and think outside of the box as it were. There are still corporate packages for partnership of the event that are available. As we scout for partners, you are also welcome to call the BAAA office to engage us if our programming sparks interest and aligns with your strategic plan as an organisation.”

Frank “Pancho” Rahming, chairman of the competitions committee, said each age group will receive adequate time in the spotlight as athletes showcase their skills and vie for roster spots on various national teams.

“This year the decision was made to combine the events, however, in combining them, we also continue to meet the IAAF recommendation that their member federations host separate nationals, providing each age group their spotlight during competition,” he said. “The Junior Nationals event has been rescheduled from the initial announced date of June 9-10. The change was made to assist the federation with planning and hosting other events which will impact both senior and junior athletes, assisting the Family Island athletes who will be able to participate in all events planned for the weekend without having to plan additional travelling.”

Athletes look forward to qualification in the IAAF World Junior Championships, the marquee junior competition of 2016.

“As in previous years, the Junior Nationals will provide the association with more information on the condition and preparedness of our athletes vying for a spot on teams for the various international junior events scheduled for this summer including the IAAF World Juniors, scheduled for July 19-24 in Poland and other various area competitions,” Rahming said. “Immediately after this competition, selectors will begin the process of putting the junior national team in place. You will understand the urgency of this, as there will only be three weeks between the Nationals and World Juniors, hence a short window for national coaches to work with selected athletes and organising relay teams.”

Of course the Senior Nationals takes on an additional level of fanfare and importance in an Olympic year. “The Senior Nationals will be, as in former years, the association’s final major local competition for the year. You will note that it coincides with senior nationals for the majority of the area federations as well as federations in other IAAF regions. The IAAF takes a break from its Diamond League and other major competitions between the third week in June and the first full week in July to allow for federations to host their nationals,” Rahming said.

“Our Senior Nationals will also allow the federation to note the fitness of athletes who have already qualified for the international events, and provide the opportunity for others who have not met standards. We all know that this is an Olympic year and all senior athletes’ focus is on achieving the Olympic standard. Other area international events include the NACAC U-23 Championships July 15-17 in San Salvador, El Salvador.”