The Bahamas Olympic Association through Olympic Solidarity has provided
$12,000 in funding to the Bahamas Judo Federation to take two athletes to
the World Cadet Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Fifteen year olds
Cynthia Rahming and Alex Martinborough will be the elite athletes to attend
this event. They will be coached by 2004 Olympian Rhadi Ferguson who
designed the teams training regime.

“Judo is a fast growing sport with an aggressive administration,” Says BOA
President Wellington Miller, “We are fulfilling our mandate by finding
resources for athletes to participate in key competitions.” D’Arcy Rahming,
President of the Bahamas Judo Federation was delighted with the level of
support. “We have worked very hard to build this sport and we deeply respect
the hard work of the BOA. President Miller and his administration has been
completely supportive of our efforts. The same is true for our Minister of
Sport Desmond Bannister and his administrative team, they have helped to
position the Bahamas to be the leader for Judo in the region.”

The athletes have undergone intensive training which culminated in the
Caribbean Cup this past weekend at Loyola Hall. This Championship and the
seminars leading to it were sponsored by a grant from the Ministry of Youth
and Sports and the International Judo Federation. Over the past two weeks
the Bahamas experienced five visiting Judo Olympians who taught athletes,
referees, coaches and Administrators.  ”The Bahamas has created the
prototype development model for the region. It is a model that the rest of
the Caribbean will be imitating.” says Caribbean Judo Association General
Secretary Hoskins Caddle who was in town to watch his athletes from Barbados
compete.

At the Caribbean Cup, the Bahamas won two of five exhibition matches against
top level competition from Barbados and Puerto Rico. “It really shows how
our level is rising. All of the matches were competitive. This result would
have been very different even 6 months ago,” says Bahamas Judo President
Rahming.

Anyone wishing to help Judo in the Bahamas can contact the Bahamas Judo
Federation at 364-6773 or through the official website at
www.bahamasjudo.com.

Other photos from Bahamas Judo Federation File