GB track athletes leave today for Youth World Games in Italy

By Andrew Coakley

FN Sports Editor

Six athletes from Grand Bahama will help to make up the 13-member national track and field team headed for the Youth World Games in Italy.

The athletes from Grand Bahama left for Fort Lauderdale today, where they will meet up with the other athletes from Nassau, including two other coaches, a doctor and two chaperones, before continuing their journey to Italy.

Head coach from Grand Bahama is Wayne Smith.

The Grand Bahama based athletes include Demetrius Knowles, Geno Jones, Rashan Brown, Jonathan Farquharson and Devard Baillou.

For these young athletes, being a part of this team is an experience in itself, but having an opportunity to go to Italy is like the icing on the cake. None have ever been to the European before.

"I don't know what to expect, but I know I'm gonna go out there and give it my best," said Katarina Smith, who will be competing in the 400m race.

Other coaches and managers for the entire team include, Greg Cash, Kermit Taylor (Team manager), Debbie Smith (Assistant manager), Kem Smith is the team's doctor.

This is Geno Jones' first time making a World Youth team, and having bounced back strong from an injury earlier in the year, high expectations are being placed upon Jones.

"I know that all I can do is go out there, focus on my event and give it my all," said Jones.

"I have a strong supporting cast in the other members of this team, so I feel confident that we can do well."

Rashan Brown on the other hand, is no stranger to this level of competition, having competed at the CARIFTA and other International meets of this level. For her, this may be her first time to Italy, but she's competed with some of the best the world has to offer during the Commonwealth Games in India.

"I have some idea of the kind of competition to expect, but I'm not taking anything for granted.

"I want to give this my best and hopefully come back home with a medal."

Rashan admits that the past few weeks her training was not all she would have liked it to be, however, since the season started, she has been improving her times.

Needless to say that having to travel so far to compete has been costly for the team. While the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Associ-ation and the Government of The Bahamas provided some funding, the Freeport athletes were granted a gift from Bahamasair, as the national airline provided free tickets for the athletes and coach to Fort Lauderdale (round trip).

"We are very, very grateful to Bahamasair for this kind gesture," said coach Wayne Smith.

"For them to provide us with tax tickets only is a blessing for us and it has gone a long way in helping to defray some of our travelling expenses.

"Bahamasair does not fly to Europe, but they took the initiative to help us out on the first leg of our journey to Italy.

"So we want to say thank you to the management and staff and the local persons here in Grand Bahama attached to Bahamasair. From the BAAAs and all of the executive members we say 'thank you' to Bahamasair."

Smith said he was grateful to all of the coaches who worked in helping to prepare these athletes for the World Games. For these athletes, this is their Olympic Games on the junior level, because they will be competing with the best junior athletes from around the world.

"This is no run of the mill competition, because you're talking about competing against the world," said Coach Smith.

"So, these athletes know that once they get to Italy, they have to go there prepared to give it their best each time they go on the track.

"That's the kind of championship this is. But I have every confidence that these athletes will go out there and make The Bahamas proud. We have to make sure that they stay focused on what it is they're going there to do."

Last year, Grand Bahama's Nivea Smith picked up a silver medal at the world games, the first for The Bahamas.

This year's team is the biggest that has ever been put together to compete in the World Youth games. Smith says the reason for that is the fact that they have a sprint medley relay team which will compete at the Games.

Five of the Grand Bahama athletes are members of the Subway Hawks, which is coached by Audrick Lightbourne, who has been silently producing outstanding athletes over the past few years.

"I'm very confident in this team, because I've seen some great things from these athletes," said Coach Light-bourne.

"I think that I've prepared them pretty good and now it's up to them to go out there and put into practice what they have learned. Once they can stay focused, they can accomplish much.

"I think that we will hear some great things from this team once they get in Italy."

Coach Lightbourne said that over the past few weeks, he's been trying to prepare the athletes mentally for their trip to Italy. He said that he's been letting them know just how big the Youth World Games are and that they should be mentally as well as physically prepared.

"Now, it's up to them."

Katarina Smith admits that she's a bit nervous because she's not sure what to expect. However, competing in the 400m, her plan is simple "to go out there and do my best."

Another first timer to this level of competition is Devard Baillou, but he's already hoping to make the finals in his individual event. Baillou has been impressive locally as well as nationally, having clocked some great times in the 400m.

"My training has been intense and I believe that Coach Lightbourne has really prepared me for this and I hope that comes through once I get into Italy," said Baillou.

Jonathan Farquharson is another of those up-and-coming track athletes, who has proven himself in the sprint, clocking 10.60 in the 100m in his last outing.

For Johnny, his training over the past few weeks has been limited, but he's been competing a lot during that time.

"Competition has been my training," said Johnny.