Sports

2025 International Fishing Tournament Launches

The Republic Bank 2025 Sir Charles Williams International Fishing Tournament was officially launched last Friday at the Pier One Restaurant, Port St. Charles, St. Peter.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector, Colin Jordan, said: “Government has shown its support for this activity over the years, and we continue to be very happy that we can facilitate and encourage activities like these…. Our ocean space is 430 times the size of our land space… That is a significant resource.”

Highlighting the contribution game fishing makes to the economy, he stated that it attracts “foreign participation, foreign investment” and increases “our international appeal”. He noted that Barbados is a location that “is desirable and a place that people want to visit, to spend time to recreate, and to enjoy”.

As the tournament is occurring just outside the tourism ‘high season’, Mr. Jordan said game fishing helps to take the ‘seasonality out of tourism’ offering opportunities for extended employment in the tourism sector with beneficial effects flowing to the fishing industry as well as communities in general.

Stressing the importance of conservation, Mr. Jordan added: “Exploiting natural resources has to be done sustainably. If it is not done sustainably, then one generation will benefit and those generations that come after will not benefit.”

He also explained that sustainable fishing speaks to ensuring small fish are not removed from the water and using advances in technology, such as Fish Aggregating Devices, which help to attract fish.

Meanwhile, Director of the Barbados Game Fishing Association and Tournament Administrator, Mike Parris, said this year’s fishing tournament will be “the biggest and best”.

Mr. Parris partly attributed this to the involvement of six government departments, a “record turnout of anglers and boats”, the support of the sponsors with special mention of this year’s title sponsor Republic Bank Limited, and the modern facilities available at Port St. Charles – the Tournament’s base of operation.

Additional enhancements to the tournament include an increase in prizes to over US$140,000; expanded fish meat categories; anglers being able to keep and sell the fish they catch; strengthened inclusiveness with the participation of youth and women; and greater focus on conservation with a catch and release approach to game fishing.

The Director noted that while previous tournaments had 20 local boats participating, this year there were only eight, due mainly to maintenance and repair challenges with some boats and the absence of anglers, some of whom are ill and/or travelling at this time.

Forty to 45 boats from regional and international competitors are expected to participate, as compared to 29 in 2024.

Tournament dates run from Tuesday, April 8, to Saturday, April 12, with April 9, 10, and 12 allocated for fishing. Registration is open to all interested anglers who must register on Tuesday, April 8, at the Control Tent, Pier One Restaurant, Port St. Charles, St. Peter. (PR/GIS)

Sports

REGIONAL TABLE TENNIS YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP ENDS

by David Harris

The curtain came down on the 28^th the Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Youth Championships at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex last weekend; the tournament was a pathway for players to qualify for the second edition of the Junior Pan American Games which will be held in Argentina from August 9 to 23.

With powerhouse teams from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba taking part in the Championships, the competition was dominated by the Spanish speaking countries. Out of 14 finals, only two featured competitors from the English-speaking Caribbean.

Barbados’ sole medal in the Championships, a bronze was won when the Boys’ Under-15 team of Maleeq Aimey, Mdjai Collymore, Ajani Gittens, and Scott Galbraith defeated St Vincent and the Grenadines 3-2 in a tense and exciting group-stage match; the podium finish earned the team a place at the Junior Pan American Games.

“The highlight of the Championship for Barbados was the bronze medal won by the Under-15 Boys team. In the singles and doubles events, several players advanced from their groups. That was very satisfying but it was disappointing that they did not come closer to winning at least a bronze medal in those events”, Philip Hackett manager of the team told Advo Magazine.

“We are in the process of launching a high- level program for our juniors as we committed to putting in the necessary work to lift the standard of the sport. Therefore, the inclusion of 10-year-old Scott Galbraith in the boy’s Under-15 team was an investment for the future. The selection of seven-year-old Jakaila Hoyte who competed in the Under-15 singles was also an investment in the future; she won the admiration of the fans for her fearless effort”, Hackett added.

Sports

BARBADOS WINS CWI RISING STARS UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP

by David Harris

Defending champions Barbados defeated Guyana by 44 runs to retain their title in Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars Under-19 Championship at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua on Wednesday.

Needing to avoid defeat in their fifth and final match of the tournament to clinch the title, the Barbadian lads scored 209 for eight wickets, before bowling out Guyana for 160 in 45.3 overs.

Barbados were wobbling at 71 for four wickets, after winning the toss and opting to bat. Captain Justin Parris made an attractive 38 runs from 40 balls, the left-handed batsman struck five fours, but his dismissal in the sixteenth over left Barbados in a precarious position. Seth Smith (47) and Rajeev Parsooram (21) repaired the early damage with a crucial fifth-wicket partnership of 61 runs, before Parsooram was dismissed by left-arm pacer Brandon Henry.

After Parsooram’s wicket fell; Smith added 40 vital runs for the sixth wicket with Yuvraj Persaud who made 19, Smith’s rearguard inning ended innings ended when he was dismissed by Henry in the 43rd over, the wicketkeeper/ batsman faced 75 balls and counted four boundaries. Asher Brandford 18 and Zarell Harding 15 not out ensured that Barbados posted a total over 200 runs.

Medium pacer Reyaz Laif took three wickets for 34 runs, he was supported by fast bowler Usain Fredericks two wickets for 53 runs,, and Henry who picked up two wickets for 24 runs.

Chasing 210 for victory, Guyana slumped to 55 for five wickets in the 17^th over as the Bajan bowlers took early wickets; but a defiant knock of 50 runs from Henry briefly give the Guyanese hope. Henry faced 88 balls and lead a lower resistance that saw Guyana to 156 for eight wickets before he was bowled by Parsooram. After Henry was dismissed Guyana’s innings ended quickly.

Brandford captured three wickets for 19 runs with his medium pace; he was supported by fellow medium pacers Joshua Thomas and Parsooram with two wickets for 35 runs and 19 runs respectively, while Parris picked up two wickets with his leg-spin.

Sports

JAYDEN WINS GOLD AT CARIFTA GAMES

by David Harris

Jayden Green captured Barbados’ lone gold medal at the 52nd CARIFTA Games which ended at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Mucrapo, Trinidad on Monday night. The 17-year-old student of the Christ Church Foundation School won the Under-20 Boys’ 200 metres at the three -day track and field meeting in 20,93 seconds ahead of Jamaicans Tyreece Foreman (20.95) and Junior Galimore (21.01); Green is the first Barbadian to win the event since Mario Burke in 2015.

The rest of team collected five silver and eight bronze medals with several athletes recording personal best. Barbados won 14 medals at the games, their best performance since the 2016 Games in Grenada where they won 20 medals.