The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ATHLETES such as Denika Gittens and Ashley Demeritte were rewarded for their efforts at the Roadrunners Track and Field Club's 25th annual awards presentation banquet.

The duo were among the list of athletes who took home the Harrison Petty Award for the Athletes of the Year in their various age groups on Saturday night. 

The other top awardees during the awards presentation banquet, held under the theme "Phantom of the Opera - The Athlete's Aria" in a packed ballroom at the Sandals Royal Bahamian ballroom, were:

Males - U-20 Ethan Stuart; U-15  Dukari Fulford; U-13 Kieon Butler; U-11 Liam Thompson; U-9  Noah Micklewhite and U-7 Kendrick Adderley Females -  U-20 Akaree Roberts; U-17 Jasmine Thompson; U-15 Ariel Thompson; U-13 Keeshan Rolle; U-11 Laveah Johnson;  U-9 Symai Stubbs and U-7 Shalom Leary.

Most outstanding athletes:Males. U-20 Trent Ford and Hakeem Forbes; U-17 Shawne Ferguson and Dane Braynen; U-15 T'von Armbrister; U-13 Parnildo Patton; U 11-Levi Thompson; U-9 Leon Fernander and U-7 Kyrie Butcher.Females - U-17 Denika Gitten; U-15 Kari Goffe; U-11 Shaneka Sands and Christovia Moss, and U-9 Chadinae Farrington.

Winners of the Dominique Higgins award were Daria Cooper with a 4.00 average; Trent Ford, 3.98; Mryon Pierre, 3.95 and Shaneka Sands, 3.96.

The club, founded by the late Dianne-Lynn Thompson 1989 and taken over by her protégé Dexter Bodie in 1999, hosted this year's event in honour of Dr Shantell Missick, who was also one of the motivational speakers.

Missick, along with immediate past president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, Rosamunde Carey, tied in the story of the Phantom of the Opera by encouraging the athletes to excel above all odds to be the best that they can be.

BAAA chief executive officer Mabelene Miller and Rev Dr Diana Francis, pastor of First Baptist Church, where the Roadrunners gather every year for their church service, further endorsed the achievements of the club and the athletes, wishing them every success moving forward.

Jasmine Thompson, one of the top athletes in the club, gave a wonderful charge to her fellow team-mates, advising them that hard work and dedication does pay off in the success that they will achieve at the end of the road.

And Wayne Smith, who flew in from Grand Bahama, brought a historical background on the club as he gave the opening remarks to get the show underway under the direction of mistress of ceremonies Sherell Brown.

Two of the club's top sponsors, Harrison Petty of the Colony Club and Philip Smith of the D'Albenas Agency Limited, were also on hand to show their support to the club.

All of the dignitaries, including soloist Patrice Fisher, Patrice Adderley, Aramentha Adderley and David Higgins, the father of former outstanding athlete Dominique Higgins, participated in the awards presentation.

Gittens, a 12th grade student at Temple Christian, embodied the essence of hard work and she was extremely proud to collect her award as one of the most outstanding athletes for 2025. 

"It feels good. I was very proud of myself because I felt like I deserved it," said Gittens, who will be entering her first season as an under-20 competitor.

"It was a good season. I was able to make the CARIFTA team and represent our country. I hope to do the same thing next year. I want to go extra hard and make my teammates, my club, my school and my family very proud."

And versatile Demeritte, now at St John's College where he also participates on the basketball team, said he had a good year, but there's still room for improvement.

"I felt my performance was good, but it could have been better if I didn't tear my ligament in my ankle," he stressed. "I could have improved even more in my times in the 400 and 800 metres.

"But it was a very good season and I plan to come back even harder and make the CARIFTA team and bring home a medal for my country."

Demeritte expressed the sentiments of so many attending. He gave kudos to coach Bodie and his coaching staff that includes Alia Elliott, Stephsnie Stubbs, Shawn Lockhart, Edvania Missick and Kristen Black.

"Last night was an awesome night of fellowship and good times," Bodie said. "I just want to thank our honouree Dr Shantell Missick for being a part of the Roadrunners track and field family life.

"Persons who invest in the Roadrunners Track and Field Club, persons to invest in our athletes, we use them as honourees to give back to them. We know we cannot pay them, but we find a way to contribute back to them for what they have invested in the club."

Bodie said the parents were excited and the athletes were surprised because we had a few athletes who most outstanding athletes and some of them didn't know that they would have won it.

"We just give God thanks and praise for what he's doing in Roadrunners and what he continues to do in the lives of our athletes and parents as they continue to strive for excellence," Bodie stated.

Bodie said they have challenged their athletes to set goals and to go after them and he encourages them to bring in their report cards so the coaches can see how best they can motivate them.

"We encourage each other, we lift up each other, we encourage each other and we are there for each other," he pointed out. 

Known as the pacesetters, Bodie said the Roadrunners will continue that trend as they host the most anticipated event in the country because nobody does it the way they do in their club.

Bodie expressed special thanks to Phil Smith and D'Albenas Agency; Harrison Petty and the Colony Club Resorts; Aramentha Farquharson and Bahama Bulk Materials Limited; David and Dominique Higgins; Patrice Fisher; Rev. Dr. Diana Francis; Patrice Adderley and We Buy You Sell; Ellis Major and Budget Food Stores; Summit Insurance; Dynamic Healing Wellness Center and Wayne Smith.