Bahamas News
Caribbean is Sensational at Summer Olympics
#TheBahamas, August 4, 2021 – The Caribbean has 44 million people; together. The performances at the Tokyo Summer Olympics from Caribbean athletes, even those who have Caribbean heritage have been astounding to say the least. It was and continues to be thrilling to watch these fine athletes collect the valuable hardware from a ‘Games’ which is a year late and wrought with complexities as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
The Caribbean women have emerged as pioneering figures in these games, a fact not lost on another Caribbean woman of sports who has exemplified that ladies can not only prepare what is on the table, but join the feast as equal partner and leader at the table.
““It gives me great pride and honor as I reflect on the incredible accomplishments of the women participants of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. It is fair to say that not only are women breaking glass ceilings in leadership positions around the world but women are now dominating in sports arenas around the world. Congratulations to all the female achievers of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, in particular our Caribbean Sisters who continue to raise the bar. You are an inspiration to all of us and we are forever proud of you and your achievements,” said Sonia Fulford, President of the Turks and Caicos Island Football Association (TCIFA) and newly re-elected member of the FIFA Council.
Even as we prepare this issue of The Magnate; regional people celebrate the gold medal performance of Andre De Grasse of Canada who has secured first place in the Men’s 200m, with a career best time. De Grasse is the son of a Barbadian man and a Trinidadian woman.
And while we could be wiped out by the feats of the men and women who reflect our diversity as an English, French, Dutch and Spanish speaking region, we are not and the expectation for more, is high and will not go unquenched.
Jamaica is by far is rolling out the most headline grabbing show.
“Without having the crowds, you can actually feel the love and the comradery there. You can see that they have really bond together well because after coming off such a tough period we are really happy that Digicel has been able to carry the Games on Sports Max,” said Addison Stoddard, CEO of Digicel TCI which is not only offering expert commentary by Caribbean professional athletes, trainers and former Olympians but an mobile App to watch on the go.
“You have 15 channels you can scroll across and select any of the channels on the (Sports Max) App and watch any of the events.”
This is great news; the unencumbered access to the planet’s premier sporting event where Elaine Thompson-Herah would deliver the first huge and historic deed when she smashed the 33-year Olympic record of celebrated female US Champion – Florence Griffith-Joyner in the 100m. In a time of 10.61 Thompson-Herah is firmly cemented as the fastest woman ever in the Olympics and tidily raised the bar in her home country of Jamaica where the time is also now the national record.
Elaine wasn’t even born when Flo-Jo ran that race in 1988; Elaine at 29-years old would not only lead a one-two-three- sweep of the 100m event for Jamaica (ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce, second and Shericka Jackson, third) but would go on to power through in the 200m for another landmark victory.
In the race, filled with famous and accomplished female athletes from six other countries of the world, Thompson-Herah unequivocally earned another gold medal. The thing is, this was no ordinary gold. This triumph solidified Elaine as both the most captivating figure of health, strength, beauty and speed and the Queen of Sprints because no other female athlete has ever won both the 100m and 200m at two consecutive Olympics; those being Rio Games of 2016 and the current Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan.
“The Olympics have been absolutely amazing and we are so proud of the accomplishments of Elaine Thompson-Herah, breaking the Olympic record in the 100 and great performance by ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce also but Elaine is definitely the Queen at the Olympics in the sprints,” said Mr. Stoddard in commenting to The Magnate.
In the Women’s 400m hurdles we had another fantastic demonstration of sensational athleticism by several Caribbean women. Though Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas would not make the medal stand, one of the shortest (height-wise) in the field, it would be another ‘shorty’ who would prove very successful. Again, hailing from the Sprint Capital of the World: Jamaica, millions of television viewers were locked onto the race and eventually wowed by Megan Tapper.
Tapper, and her spirited personality won the individual bronze, becoming the first woman from the English Speaking Caribbean to medal in the event.
“I am happy to see the young lady in the 100m hurdles, Tapper. That was really a very good run. She defied all odds, she is barely 5’ 1” and had to jump over all of those high hurdles, while sprinting. And a really good event was Rai Benjamin, getting a silver medal in the 400m hurdles in record breaking time,” Stoddard, a sports enthusiast himself reminded, “Rai Benjamin, although he is an American, he is the son of a former West Indies medium base bowler from Antigua and Barbuda called Winston Benjamin; his father played cricket for the West Indies team.”
The gold medal show stopper in the same race as Megan was from the Camacho line. Hailing from Puerto Rico, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn during the heats set a new Olympic Record and then went on to secure the first individual gold medal for a Puerto Rican woman at any Games; only the second gold in the country’s history.
The results was a beautiful recompense for Jasmine who DQed out of the event at the 2016 Rio Games and missed a medal many said she would have surely won.
The other Latino-Caribbean countries are working spectacularly on the field and off. Cuba has 12 medals in the Games, the most of any Caribbean region country. The Dominican Republic has 3 medals, including one in female weightlifting.
Crismery Santana, 26 years old has earned a bronze and the DomRep is beaming with joy at her historic feat.
The Cuban long jumpers were almost gold and silver in the men’s event, until their Greek counterpart Miltiadis Tentoglou pulled off an upset in his final effort; snatching the gold. The men – Juan Miguel Echevarria and Maykel Masso – would walk away with a limp each and the silver and bronze for the Republic.
There is great expectation in the Women’s 400m on Thursday; it features Shaunae Miller-Uibo of The Bahamas; who has come to defend her Rio Games title in the event. Miller-Uibo has run well in these Games, but even veteran Olympic champion and compatriot Pauline Davis-Thompson is worried.
The Bahamian Golden Girl expressed, in her Sports Max interview on Wednesday that, she is a concerned about Miller-Uibo who showed some weakness in the 200m; Shaunae placed last in the event after three consecutive sessions of running the 200m and 400m heats and final.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to once again support Basketball Smiles for their 27th year.
Upholding its corporate pillar of community outreach, CBC proudly donated $2,000, over 75 cases of Dasani, Powerade and Sprite, reusable
Powerade water bottles and numerous marketing materials.
The annual sporting summer camp offers free basketball and life skills training to Junior and High School students.
Basketball Smiles’ mission of developing leadership qualities while fostering children’s academic achievement and self-esteem aligns perfectly with CBC’s commitment to supporting and empowering youth.
Jazmin Darling, Assistant Marketing Manager for Caribbean Bottling Company shared why the company continues to support this program each year.
“At CBC, we believe investing in our youth is one of the greatest ways to strengthen our communities. We’re proud to support Basketball Smiles each year because it goes beyond the game. This program champions healthy lifestyles, positive values and brighter futures. It’s a privilege to play a role in helping these young athletes reach their full potential each year,” she shared.
Sam Nicholls, Basketball Smiles Camp President and Founder expressed.
“Caribbean Bottling Company is an incredible partner. We are truly grateful for their generous support, which will go a long way in making a positive impact on the lives of our campers,” Nicholls expressed.
CBC is always ready to lend its support toward initiatives and programs that uplift young Bahamians. The impact Basketball Smiles makes on the community is undeniable and is why CBC remains a historic sponsor.
For more information on sponsorship, events and new products, visit www.cbcbahamas.com today.
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