A delegation returned from the Latin American Little League Baseball Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico over the weekend, after compiling a 1-3 mark in their inaugural appearance in the 11-12 age division. The team beat St. Maarten in its opening game 4-2, then lost to the Dominican Republic 10-0, before being eliminated by Puerto Rico 11-0. In that game, Joel Hernandez fired a one-hitter, striking out nine. Losing pitcher Jareem Fahie who struck out five but walked five and gave up three hits, had the BVI’s lone hit in the last inning.

Hoops Xplosion tournament on Tortola and Summer Jam on Virgin Gorda, will take a break from action in observance of August Festival activities. Play resumes next weekend.

Game two of the BVI Amateur Softball Association women’s championship series between the Quails and defending champions Lady Braves, resumes on August 10. The Quails lead the best of five series 1-0. The men’s best of seven championships between the Byrds/Blue Chips winner and the Blue Wings-seeking their 9th championship in 17 appearances-will follow the women’s game.

The BVI Amateur Volleyball Association organizes a ‘Sizzling Volleyball Tournament’ series, beginning on August 14-15. Admission is $10 per player. Great prizes will be won. Interested persons can contact Erica Smith-Penn at 494-3701 ext. 2602.

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

The BVI will be making its sixth successive appearance in the Pan American Games which opens on Friday, August 1 in the Dominican Republic.

The team of two athletes-considerably smaller than originally planned-is comprised of sprinter Keita Cline who will compete in the 100 and 200 meters and Discus Thrower Eric Mathias. The athletes will compete from August 5-9.

“Unfortunately, two of our key athletes-Dion Crabbe and Tahesia Harrigan-were injured for much of the year and some of the other athletes sort of downgraded their level of participation,” BVI Olympic Committee President Rey O’Neal noted, adding that Steve Augustine who attended last year’s Commonwealth Games and ran on the relay for example, hasn’t competed this year. “With the lack of depth that we have, it’s not that easy to replace two athletes on a relay very quickly,” O’Neal contends.
“Last year, we certainly thought the Pan Am Games would follow the Central American and Caribbean Games as the meet where we would start putting things in place for this year’s World Championships and the Olympic Games next year.”

O’Neal explained that junior athlete Aliston ‘Al’ Potter who also made the Commonwealth Games 4 x 100 meter relay team would have been a participant at the Pan Am Games if a relay team was going. He said that in the absence of Crabbe and a few others who might have gotten to that level, only Mathias and Cline will represent the territory. “We are hoping for good performances from them,” O’Neal said. “We hope that this is the year when the injury bug bit us and that next year everyone will be firing on all cylinders.”

Harrigan would have been the second woman to participate in the Pan Am Games-the first in track and field-after Tennis player Joanne Romney represented the territory in at the last games. Based on her performances last season, O’Neal said she would have been in contention at the CAC Games in December. “But injuries are a part of the game,” he noted. “She’s young and there’ll be another CAC and Pan Am Games. There’s that to look forward too. Next year is the Olympics and there’s the North American, Caribbean and Central American under 23 championships which will help her get sharpened. Certainly Mathias, in his last year as a junior will come into the picture there too.”

O’Neal says Cline who competes in the 100 and 200 meters-suffers from a lack of competition-the same problems as a number of athletes who have completed their collegiate careers and remained in the United States. “There’s not a very active club system and he has competed in the Caribbean this year as much as he has competed in the United States.”