Category Archives: Bahamas

The Caribbean islands, especially the northern islands that include The Bahamas, are often hit hard by hurricanes and storms that can knock out power and cut off essential services. As a result, the region slammed by Hurricanes Doria, Maria and Irma is ripe for microgrid development.

By Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com

This is especially true since many of the islands rely on stand-alone diesel generators that can be costly, polluting and subject to fuel delivery disruptions due to storms.

Microgrids act as an alternative, incorporating cleaner fuel sources, such as solar, and cutting the costs of fuel from diesel.

Equally important, new microgrids are being designed to operate through the islands fierce, hurricane winds and heavy rains.

Such is the case with an off-grid microgrid, expected to be complete by mid-September, that is being installed at the Chub Cay Resort and Marina in The Bahamas.

Now powered by stand-alone diesel generation, the resort is subject to outages from hurricanes, said Justin Cunningham, general manager of Compass Group, which is based in The Bahamas and installing the microgrid. Often, when a storm is on its way, the company, which operates numerous fossil-fired generators in the Caribbean, shuts off power to protect equipment.

Funded entirely by the resort owners, the Chub Cay Microgrid was designed to withstand 180-mile-per-hour hurricane winds, includes 4 MW of solar and 10 MWh of battery storage and microgrid controls.

The resort is now served by two Tier 2 diesel generators with a total capacity of 2.7 MW. When the microgrid is operating, diesel will be used 5% to 10% of the time, rather than 100% of the time. The microgrids controls will allow for use of the diesel when there isnt enough solar plus storage available.

The goals of the project are to reduce diesel use, provide resilience and reduce the carbon footprint of the resort, said Cunningham.

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To ensure the microgrid can withstand hurricane force winds, Compass added elements that increased the overall cost of the microgrid by 5% to 7%.

For example, the design addresses the potential for damage from wind by increasing the number of bolt contact points between the panels and their backing, said Cunningham.

The company also installed 2,000 ground screws each 4 inches in diameter and 82 inches long to ensure that the solar system would resist being lifted during a hurricane.

The bifacial solar panels collect solar radiation from direct sunlight on the side facing the sun and from ground reflections on the side facing the ground. Because the region is characterized by a light-colored limestone ground cover, the ground is expected to provide reflection that will boost the solar systems output, said Cunningham.

The microgrid tests that idea, but the cost and calculations related to solar panel operation of the project are based solely on the radiation coming from the sky-facing portion of the panels.

We thought the bifacial panels were good for our client and beneficial to the project as a whole, said Cunningham.

Compass Solar team, courtesy Compass Solar

This isnt the first microgrid that aims to provide resilience in the storm-tossed region. In 2019, before Hurricane Dorian struck, microgrids were already on their way due to a collaboration between the Rocky Mountain Institute, The Bahamas government and Bahamas Power and Light, which services 21 of the islands. Those entities have been working since 2015 to reduce the islandsreliance on diesel.

The first project from that effort is being developed on Ragged Island, a community that had much of its energy infrastructure destroyed by Hurricane Irma. That project was the focus of a60 Minutes piece.

Chub Cay Microgrid, the latest microgrid project in The Bahamas, was developed over a two-year period.

The Compass Group, which launched in 2005, began its efforts with traditional power development, including diesel generators. In 2016, legislative changes created an opening for solar in The Bahamas, and the company moved into renewable energy.

More and more, the Compass Group is trying to add more renewable energy to existing diesel plants in the Caribbean, especially since hurricanes now strike nearly every year.

Were trying to help our clients reduce their carbon footprints and be more resilient with battery energy storage and microgrids, said Cunningham.

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Building a Microgrid that Stands its Ground in the Storm-tossed Caribbean - Microgrid Knowledge

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BEHIND the dominating performances from quarter-milers Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, The Bahamas 16-member team rode to a 12th place in athletics and was tied with Kosovo at 41st overall in the medal count with a 66 world ranking in what has been termed a successful Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

And as the curtains came down over the weekend on Team Bahamas appearance at the end of the 17 days of intense and intriguing competition at the games in swimming and track and field, chef de mission Cora Hepburn said it was quite a rewarding experience, despite the challenges they encountered.

The speedy 25-year-old Gardiner captured his first Olympic mens 400 metre title on Thursday and Miller-Uibo, the Bahamian Super woman came through on Friday, repeating as the womens champion at the Tokyo National Stadium. Their crowning feats came within an hour of hearing the Bahamas national anthem played twice during medal presentations.

In keeping up with the Bahamas streak of winning at least one or more medals in track and field in every Olympiad since 1992 in Barcelona, Spain when Frank Rutherford broke the ceiling in securing the bronze in the mens triple jump, the Bahamas finished tied for 41st with Kosovo and a ranking of 66 in the world.

The Bahamas was among a record 83 teams that reached finals in Tokyo with 43 of them featured on the medal podium with 23 nations in total claiming gold, which highlighted the growth and success of the event.

Over the 10 days of athletic competition alone, three world records, 12 Olympic records, 28 area records and 151 national records were set in these history-making games.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe lauded the organisers and the people of Japan for allowing the dreams of the worlds athletes to come to life a year later in hosting the games, which was affected by the introduction of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, forcing the postponement from the original 2020 date.

To the people of Japan, we know the hardship you have endured and continue to endure in the face of this global pandemic, Coe said.

We owe you a massive debt of gratitude for your gracious hospitality, your professionalism and your friendship. You really have been simply the best and we thank you unreservedly.

Hepburn, who made history as the first Bahamian female chef de mission, said the games were held in a bubble with countless protocols, but it turned out to be better than she had imagined.

Firstly, I would like to thank the Tokyo Organising Committee and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) for their gallant efforts in delivering these games under extremely challenging conditions, she said.

I would also like to thank the Bahamas Olympic Committee, the Bahamas Government, the BAAA (Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations) and the (Bahamas) Aquatic Federation for all that they have provided and done to make Team Bahamas the successful team that delivered two gold medals.

Admitting that there were a number of challenges that they encountered, be it good or difficult, Hepburn said they all made her a better and stronger person in having the awesome responsibility of leading the Bahamian delegation in action.

For a small delegation, everything went perfectly, she stressed. I am so proud of the medical team headed by Dr Ricky Davis. They did a superb job every day testing, keeping Team Bahamas healthy.

Being part of this chapter for Team Bahamas, winning two gold medals in the same individual event, the 400m for men and women is unbelievable, a feeling I cant explain.

She congratulated Gardiner and Miller-Uibo for their stellar performances as well as Devynne Charlton, who emerged as a finalist in the womens 100m hurdles where she was seventh.

With a strong management team, comprising of Dawn Woodside-Johnson, Oria Wood-Knowles, Rudolph Ferguson, David Charlton, Rupert Gardiner, Sidney Cartwright and Rochelle Bastian, Hepburn said they were able to provide the support that was needed for the athletes.

Our team worked hard. We worked hard. I must say, she said. Im sure every official on this team will tell the story of what an awesome experience, although challenging, it was for all of us.

Our executive heads, Dorian Roach and Derron Donaldson have been very active as well, Hepburn added. They spent many hours in the Games Village, so they were quite helpful to the smooth operation that we had set up here in Tokyo.

Despite pulling through, Team Bahamas did have its share of controversies, including a drama between which of the four women qualified for the 200m would occupy the three spots in the competition, which led to the resignation of two team officials from the Bahamas Coaches Association and the accreditation of relay coordinator Rupert Gardiner being stripped, and he was subsequently sent home for insubordination.

While the games came to a close yesterday with a spectacular ceremony, Hepburn and the remainder of Team Bahamas management team will be leaving today and should be back home on Tuesday after stopping overnight in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Team Bahamas had competitors in the mens 100m (Samson Colebrooke), 400m (Alonzo Russell) and high jump (Donald Thomas and Jamal Wilson); womens 100m (Tynia Gaither), 200m (Anthonique Strachan), 100m hurdles (Pedrya Seymour) and 4 x 400m relay (Doneisha Anderson, Megan Moss, Brianne Bethel and Strachan), but none of them advanced to the finals.

Two swimmers Izaak Bastian (mens 100 and 200m breaststroke) and Joanna Evans (womens 200 and 400m freestyle), but neither of them made it to the final.

With the athletes already departed, team officials shared in the festivities of the closing ceremonies as the curtains came down on a fabulous Olympiad.

Athletes and officials from the 206 participating nations paraded inside the stadium one more time for the massive global spectacle.

The BOC and the athletes will now prepare for a three-year, instead of four, journey towards the 2024 edition of the games in Paris, France, July 26 to August 11.

And hopefully without the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, which kept the fans out of the stands but glued to their television sets and social media.

The rest is here:

Bahamas 41st overall in medal count with 66 world ranking - Bahamas Tribune

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Virgin Atlantic has added a twice-weekly service from Londons Heathrow airport to The Bahamas beginning this winter, the airline has announced.

According to the airline, the new services are aimed at responding to the pent-up demand for Caribbean destinations.

The twice-weekly services from Heathrow to Nassau begin on November 20. Flights go on sale August 11.

Juha Jarvinen, chief commercial officer, said:We couldnt be more excited to add The Bahamas to our ever-expanding portfolio of Caribbean destinations. We are seeing a real demand from our customers for luxury holidays in the sun, with Brits keen to escape on their next adventure after a difficult year.

With 16 islands surrounded by the worlds clearest water, The Bahamas offers the perfect escape for those travelers looking to either simply relax or explore a new corner of the world.

Virgin is currently flying to Barbados, Antigua, Jamaica and Grenada and expects to restart its Tobago and Cuba services in the upcoming months. It also plans to introduce the first direct service from Europe to St Vincent and the Grenadines in October.

As we head into winter 2021, we look forward to expanding our Caribbean portfolio from six islands up to eight and we are incredibly excited to welcome customers onboard flying to our destinations both old and new, heading off on holiday or traveling to visit loved ones, said Jarvinen.

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MORE TRAVELERS INCOMING: Virgin Atlantic to introduce twice-weekly flights to Bahamas this winter - EyeWitness News

As travel restrictions around the world begin to relax, the new services aim to respond to the pent-up demand from consumers looking to head off on a relaxing holiday to a sunny Caribbean destination.

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented, We couldnt be more excited to add the Bahamas to our ever-expanding portfolio of Caribbean destinations. We are seeing a real demand from our customers for luxury holidays in the sun with Brits keen to escape on their next adventure after a difficult year. With 16 islands surrounded by the worlds clearest water, the Bahamas offers the perfect escape for those travellers looking to either simply relax or explore a new corner of the world.

Were currently flying to Barbados, Antigua, Jamaica and Grenada and expect to restart Tobago and Havana, Cuba in the upcoming months. We look forward to launching new services to the Bahamas as well as the first direct service from Europe to St Vincent and the Grenadines in October 2021.

As we head into winter 2021, we look forward to expanding our Caribbean portfolio from six islands up to eight and we are incredibly excited to welcome customers on board flying to our destinations both old and new, heading off on holiday or travelling to visit loved ones.

With 16 major islands surrounded by the worlds clearest waters, the Bahamas is an unrivalled destination boasting beautiful white sand beaches, sailing adventures, fishing and diving as well Exumas world-famous swimming pigs! Virgin Atlantic will launch twice-weekly services from London Heathrow to Nassau commencing on 20 November on the airlines Boeing 787-9 aircraft boasting 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats. Services will go on sale from 11 August 2021 with return Economy flights starting from 713 per person.

We are incredibly thrilled about Virgin Atlantics new, twice-weekly airlift services from Londons Heathrow Airport, which will allow travellers to opt for a direct flight to the capital of The Bahamas, said the Hon. Dionisio DAguilar, Bahamas Minister of Tourism & Aviation. There is a growing demand amongst UK travellers seeking a tropical, Bahamian escape. We look forward to welcoming them to our beautiful shores to experience what makes our country a unique Caribbean destination unlike any other.

In addition, from 31October, Virgin Atlantic looks forward to increasing its services to the much-loved island of Barbados. Flights from Manchester to Barbados will increase from three times a week to five times and from Heathrow, daily flights will increase to 11 times a week.

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Virgin Atlantic launches new twice-weekly service to the Bahamas and increases frequency to Barbados - Aviation24.be

Six maternal deaths since March 2020All delivery mothers on maternity ward confirmed COVID-positive

NASSAU, BAHAMAS As he underscored the challenges of pregnant women throughout the COVID-10 pandemic, former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said nearly 100 pregnant women contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.

While appearing as a guest on The Hitback with Nahaja Black on Monday, Sands said that on one of the major maternity wards in the country, every single delivering mother was COVID-positive.

If you look at the national maternal mortality statistics, The Bahamas was doing relatively well with no more than three to four maternal deaths per year, he said.

Since the start of COVID, in the public service, weve had just shy of 100 pregnant COVID-positive mothers, and in the private sector maybe 25 or so.

[There have been] six maternal deaths already.

Last month, Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams confirmed that a nurse from the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) maternity ward died of COVID.

At the time, Williams said: We cant say where she contracted it from, but most likely the area where she worked had an outbreak and thats the maternity ward.

Sands noted yesterday that as cases continue to rise, health officials are monitoring the situation closely and urging residents to get vaccinated.

We are watching hospitalizations, he said.

We are watching death of older people. We are now watching death of pregnant women. We are watching death of children.

Sands noted that in this third wave, there have been children who have been critically ill and in the Intensive Care Unit from COVID-19.

That is how bad this is and the message is get vaccinated and understand the role you need to play in terms of social distancing, mask-wearing and sanitization.

There were 121 new COVID-19 cases confirmed on Monday, taking the number of cases in the country to 15,915, with 2,546 active and 134 hospitalized.

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MATERNITY CHALLENGES: More than 100 pregnant women infected with COVID-19 since start of pandemic - EyeWitness News

By FELICITY DARVILLE

IN a world where more and more people are getting sick and the cost of imports are steadily rising, the chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC), Bishop Gregory Anthony Collie, is calling on Bahamians to invest in farming as one of the keys to a healthier, wealthier future for the country.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many effects, among them, a rise in cottage industry, as more people are becoming entrepreneurs and coming up with innovative ways to provide goods and services necessary for the new normal.

In this way, BAIC should be considered one of the vital government agencies for people to connect with. It is mandated to stimulate, facilitate and encourage the development of agriculture in The Bahamas; to process the produce of agriculture; and to market the produce of agriculture within or outside the country. Bahamians seem to be responding well to the times. The produce exchange located at BAIC Headquarters on Old Trail Road, and the Farmers Market of Gladstone Road have seen a good increase in patrons looking for fresh, home grown produce.

The next step, according to Bishop Collie, is for a major increase in Bahamians adopting the farming lifestyle as a means of self-sustenance. As for him, agriculture is in the blood. His maternal grandparents, Earnest Brice of Long Island and Beatrice Brice of Exuma. made their home in Mount Thompson, Exuma where they created a thriving onion farm. The young Gregory grew up with opportunities to spend time in Exuma with his grandparents, learning how to farm and appreciating the value of what can come from the ground.

In those days, he said, Exuma was the onion capital of The Bahamas, and many families grew onions on a scale large enough for export to the United States and other parts of the region. Back then, he said, different Bahamian islands would specialize in a specific agricultural product for export. Eleuthera was known for pineapples, for example, and Cat Island for tomatoes. He recalls learning that Sir Sidney Poitiers parents, farmers from Cat Island, gained exposure to the United States because they were not only exporting tomatoes there, but visiting there as well.

Many opportunities abound from investing in agriculture, he said, and it would be good to see even more Bahamians take on the challenge to farm on a commercial level.

Today, you dont even have to spend all day in the sun to farm, Bishop Collie urged.

There are new, innovative and technologically advanced ways of farming including greenhouses, container farming and so much more. This allows you to provide more produce locally and even provide them outside of their regular season.

As current chairman of BAIC, he said: I love the challenge of helping to reduce The Bahamas import bill. There are so many things that we import that we can grow. In the past, we have paid a disservice to agriculture, but the recent pandemic has brought it home. It has given us all the time to reflect, and to consider how we would sustain ourselves in the event we could not import.

He also has heritage from Acklins Island and there, a thriving cascarilla project The Pine Islands Project stands as a beacon of the kind of agricultural industry and commerce that can be repeated throughout the country.

His grandfather Theo Collie, and grandmother Anita Heastie, relied on the land and sea, enjoying the quintessential Bahamian lifestyle. His father, Henry Collie, was born in Morant Bay, Acklins, where he lived before moving to Nassau where he met Lean Brice, Gregorys mother. Even though he grew up on Quintine Alley just off East Street, the values of his grandparents on both sides and their love for the land have inspired him to promote agriculture, which he continues to do today. His cousin Anita is one of those leading the charge for the Pine Islands Project in Acklins. He pointed out that major global companies like Campari and Mary Kay cosmetics rely on the cascarilla plant as one of the raw materials for their products. With the implementation of the project, Bishop Collie says Acklins Islanders will have an opportunity to create by-products instead of just selling the raw material, which they have done for decades.

On June 18 Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard announced that the Government had approved the grant of 105 acres of land to the Acklins Islanders Cooperative Society to be used to grow cascarilla trees and to construct a processing plant for the extraction of essential cascarilla oil.

One hundred acres of the land is in Hard Hill and another five acres is located in Spring Point. This land acquisition is part of the component of the Pine Islands Project which is focused on Sustainable Livelihoods for cascarilla bark cultivation and processing of cascarilla oil in Acklins and Crooked Islands.

This is one of six activities in the cultivation and processing of the cascarilla bark in the Development and Promotion of Sustainable harvesting of cascarilla The Pine Islands Project is funded through the Global Environment Facility of the United Nations along with the Government of the Bahamas and in-kind contributions from various agencies.

In addition to agriculture, industry is also a vital part of the BAIC mandate. The corporation seeks to assist in the creation and development of commerce and industry in The Bahamas; and to expand and create opportunities for Bahamians to participate in the economic development of the country. BAIC is a one-stop-shop agency, ready to assist small business persons with business plans, research, sourcing funding, business advice/counseling, implementation and follow-up. As an encouragement for the development of business in the Family Islands, start-up capital through small business window loans from The Bahamas Development Bank (BDB), The Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund, and the grant of Crown Land are available to Bahamians.

Bishop Collie is encouraged by the Blue Project, presented by BAIC General Manager Rocky Nesbitt. The BLUE Project stands for: Building a Lean Uniformed Economic Network. The plan, amongst other things, includes the introduction of KPI software to ensure the corporation is able to track, analyze and create timely reports within the Agri-business and Industrial sectors. This part of the project is already underway.

The increase in entrepreneurship in The Bahamas is also encouraging for Bishop Collie, who took the same path in his youth and maintained a successful business for some time. After graduating from Highbury High, the young Gregory got a job in a company then known as the House of Sales.

He started out cleaning the floors at that company, and worked his way up to management. For some, that would have been good enough, but his ambitious drive and entrepreneurial spirit made him push all the way to owning one of their retail outlets.

You have to be focused and know what you want out of life, he advised.

Decide your goals and set your plan. As a young person, I did my best to stay out of bad company and away from negative influences. Your circumstances do not have to define your level of success. Look at where I grew up. Choose to stay focused on your dreams, and attach yourself to the right people. As a young person you have to be willing to take good advice from those who have made it where you want to go.

Be teachable, be trainable, be diligent and stay focused.

All while climbing up the ranks of the House of Sales, Gregory sought higher education. He earned an Associate of Arts in History, but he also took up studies in education as he was training to be a teacher.

After earning his degree at the College of The Bahamas, he eventually went on to earn a certificate of higher learning in Law from the University of Huddersfield, a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Windsor, Canada, as well as a certificate in Paralegal Legal Studies from the Institute of Legal Executives.

With this experience, Bishop Collie served as President and Secretary of The Public Managers Union. He is also a former Assistant General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, a member of the Bahamas Real Estate Association and he is a licensed Broker/ Appraiser. He is most notably the former Senior Manager of Compliance at the National Insurance Board, where he was employed for 26 years.

Bishop Collie is also a singer/songwriter and former lead vocalist of the Soulmakers group. Although now defunct, the Soulmakers were once a hit, having travelled not only through The Bahamas, but also throughout the United States with a steady following.

Today, Bishop Collie, a husband, father and Justice of the Peace, is the Senior Pastor and Bishop of First Holiness Church of God, located in Bamboo Town and Young Husband Avenue, Freeport Grand Bahama.

This, he considers his highest calling, and one which allows him to inspire, encourage, and uplift lives through the word of God.

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FACE TO FACE: Striving for a healthier future in our own back yard - Bahamas Tribune

The IU basketball program has announced the tip-times for their two foreign tour games in the Bahamas next month.

The Hoosiers will battle BC Mega, a professional basketball club based in Belgrade, Serbia, in two contests in the Bahamas on Friday, August 13 and Sunday, August 15. The contests will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Imperial Ballroom at Atlantis Paradise Island. Neither game will be televised.

Indiana will be seriously tested against a high-end European professional team that includes NBA-bound talent.

BC Mega plays in the ABA League First Division which is the 1st-tier regional mens professional basketball league that originally featured clubs from the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia). They were 18-15 last year.

I think this opportunity will be extremely beneficial to the young men in our program, said IU Coach Mike Woodson in a release by the school. Theyve worked extremely hard this summer and to have the chance to test yourselves against professional basketball players is invaluable. Well be able to learn a lot about ourselves and well use that to our advantage as we prepare for our official practices to start in late September and games in early November.

BC Mega shooting guard Nikola Jovic is a projected lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He is 6-10, just turned 18 and averaged 15.8 points last season.

BC Mega point guard Dayshon Scoochie Smith played at Dayton from 2013-17 under former IU head coach Archie Miller. Smith averaged 13.8 points as a senior and had 498 career assists for the Flyers.

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IU basketball announces start times for August games in the Bahamas - The Daily Hoosier

Good morning, Coug fans!

I know Im fast forwarding and leaping beyond seasons with this one, but the momentum keeps pushing forward for your Washington State Womens Basketball team. It was announced that our Cougs will be getting some work done in a typical vacation spot, Ill let you guess...

Thats right- WSU Womens Hoops are headed to the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship in the beautiful Bahamas. Lets take a peak into what that tournament will look like, just to get you geared up.

The event will take place in Nassau, and runs from November 22nd through the 27th. I know football will still hold focus during that time, but if its looking like another ignore the Apple Cup season, at least well all have something to look forward to! (She says in jest, we all make those jokes).

Washington State will face off against The University of Miami on November 25th, and while I did just limit football mention, whenever there is mention of UMiami, I am reminded of another face off from 2015- Sun Bowl turned Snow Bowl, anybody? Cougs beat Miami 20-14, and my dad and I happened to be there. Perhaps an omen that he and I should head to the Bahamas? Wishful thinking perhaps.

Saturday November 27th the Cougs and the North Carolina State wolfpack will square up. And we know biologically speaking, a cougar always beats a wolf.

For more information about the tournament, click here! This tournament will be the largest early season event for college basketball, which will be an honor.

Im looking forward to seeing what our Cougs can do down in the Bahamas, and forever glad I can root for both WBB and football in tandem this year. After the past week, we could all use a sports win right about now.

I hope everyone is staying safe and hydrated. Keep your eyes out for more WSU WBB updates, go Cougs!

Washington State receiver/returner Travell Harris named to watch list for Hornung Award | Washington State University | nbcrightnow.comWashington State's top offensive weapon from last season has once again been named to the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, which is presented annually to the most versatile

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A Grip on Sports: Today will be a big day for a couple Zags and maybe a couple more | The Spokesman-ReviewA GRIP ON SPORTS Today is a day that will change a life or two. Either for better or worse. Which is an appropriate term considering a couple of former Gonzaga standouts are about to be married to an NBA franchise.

WSU alum wins gold at Olympics - KXLY

What Makes the Delta Variant of Covid-19 So Dangerous for Unvaccinated People - WSJA unique combination of mutations has led to this more infectious version of the coronavirus, prompting revised mask guidelines.

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WSU Womens Basketball headed to the Bahamas - CougCenter

TOKYO (AP) The scrapes on her knee, stomach and forearms have long since healed. Well worth the price for that 400-meter gold medal.

The last time everyone saw Shaunae Miller-Uibo on the Olympic stage, the sprinter from the Bahamas was diving across the finish line.

It was a memorable moment from Rio.

In Tokyo, shes trying to make her mark in another way with the possibility of a difficult double. Miller-Uibo is chasing after the 200 gold and depending on how shes feeling defending her 400 crown. That would require four races spread over two days, including the first round of the 400 meters and the 200 final 12 hours apart on Tuesday.

Thats a lot of work. But shes game.

Whats a little pain for gold, right? After all, she flew over the line with her arms spread out to edge Allyson Felix by 0.07 seconds in Rio.

Miller-Uibo felt those aches for days and days after the race.

But it was all worth it, Miller-Uibo told The Associated Press. I wouldnt trade those moments nor the aches and pains that came with it for the world.

That stumble across the line, Miller-Uibo maintained, wasnt on purpose. She was just so exhausted and with about 50 meters left, my engine lights went on, she explained.

I couldnt really feel my legs anymore, Miller-Uibo added. I just remember wanting it so bad that I started leaning early for the line. I felt my legs go from under me and next being on the ground with a win to my name.

Miller-Uibos success that day was a tough blow over a difficult 2016 Olympic season for Felix. The International Olympic Committee had arranged the track schedule to give her an opportunity to run the 200-400 double that year without any overlap. But Felix didnt qualify in the shorter race, then settled for silver in the 400.

Miller-Uibo didnt receive that sort of treatment for her endeavor. Shes giving it a go.

Thats the plan as of now, anyway. It could change depending on fatigue.

The 200 remains the priority, simply because its her first race on the schedule. She has the first round and the semis on Monday.

The difficult day will be Tuesday, with round one of the 400 at 9:45 a.m. local time and the 200 final shes among the favorites at 9:50 p.m.

Im feeling great, 27-year-old Miller-Uibo said.

The most memorable 200-400 double was turned in by Michael Johnson, who put on quite a show while winning both races at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

On the womens side, its been attempted a few times. Olympic historian Bill Mallon said one of the more notable tries was from Cathy Freeman, the Australian sprinter who won the the 400 meters and made the final of the 200 taking sixth at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Miller-Uibos not the only member of her family going for gold in Tokyo. Theres also her husband, Estonian decathlete Maicel Uibo. The two met as freshmen at the University of Georgia when they had a few classes together. They also trained at the same time.

We would always see each other, Miller-Uibo said. We became really good friends and the story goes on from there.

It was a silver showing for the couple at the 2019 world championships in Doha. They are hoping to upgrade in Tokyo.

Miller-Uibo finished runner-up in the 400 that night in Doha behind Bahrain sprinter Salwa Eid Naser, who won in a time of 48.14 seconds the fastest time since 1985.

Naser wont be in Tokyo.

She recently had a two-year ban upheld following three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period.

The 200-meter field is stacked. Heading the list is Gabby Thomas, the Harvard grad who went 21.61 to become the second-fastest woman ever behind the late Florence Griffith Joyner (21.34). Theres also the Jamaican trio of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah.

Thats only a few.

Just as loaded is the 400, where theres the 35-year-old Felix, who qualified for her fifth Olympics. Felix was second at the U.S. trials behind Quanera Hayes. The other top contender is Stephenie-Ann McPherson of Jamaica.

Miller-Uibo has the top time in the world this season at 49.08, which she ran in April.

One things for sure: She will be easy to spot on the track. She likes to mix up her hair color.

Growing up Ive always had a love for colors, and I always loved seeing women be bold and rock whatever color they wanted while not caring about how others felt about it, Miller-Uibo said. One of those women (is) my mom. Every time she did her hair she would put a streak of color through it and it always put a smile on my face. I couldnt wait until I got to the age to do the same with my hair and now its a part of who I am.

Any particular color choice in Tokyo?

Just expect a variety, Miller-Uibo said.

___

More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/2020-tokyo-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Diving in: Miller-Uibo will run 200, may defend 400 title - Associated Press

With the July 30 release of season two of Outer Banks on Netflix, we can't blame you for wanting to join the Pogues and the Kooks on their adventures. Although the series centers on a group of teens in North Carolina, filming for the first and second seasons primarily took place in Charleston, SC. This was due to North Carolina's anti-LGBTQ bathroom bill, which was passed in March 2016. While filming for the second season also took place in Charleston, because of the first season cliffhanger ending for John B and Sarah Cameron, the Outer Banks cast also got to spend some time in the Caribbean. Although John B and Sarah end up in the Bahamas at the end of season one, those scenes were actually shot in Barbados.

Following COVID protocols, season two began filming in Charleston in September 2020 before wrapping in January 2021 and moving on to Barbados. Filming in Barbados wrapped in April 2021, with the cast and crew sharing photos from the shoot. "Goodbye Barbados," Jonathan Daviss, who plays Pope Heyward, captioned a photo of the sunset on April 3. "That's a wrap on @obx season 2!!! I've absolutely fallen in love with this beautiful country. Can't wait for you guys to see the amazing work our entire cast and crew did this season." It's unclear why Outer Banks used Barbados as a stand-in for the Bahamas, but this isn't their first time making one location look like another. You can see the locations in action for yourself as Outer Banks is currently streaming on Netflix.

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The Pogues Might Be Going to the Bahamas, but Outer Banks Season 2 Wasn't Filmed There - POPSUGAR