NASSAU, BAHAMAS – In honor of International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture hosted the Women’s Sports Symposium at the Andre Rodger’s Baseball Stadium under the theme “Accelerating Action: Bahamian Women Leading the Charge in Sports.”
Eyewitness Sports spoke with panelists who were featured at the event; including Sports Director Kelsie Johnson-Sills, former swimmer and Olympian Nikia Deveaux-Christie, and Athletic Director at the University of The Bahamas, Kimberly Rolle, who shared their thoughts on what it means to be a Bahamian women in sports.
Johnson-Sills, a former sportscaster and national volleyball team player, described it as a tremendous feeling to be a woman in sports, adding that no country in the world has better female athletes.
Deveaux-Christie, who made history as the first Bahamian female swimmer to compete in the Olympics, spoke about how much it meant to her to represent The Bahamas on the global stage. She proudly stated that wearing the Bahamian flag reminds the world of the strength and potential of Bahamian women.
Rolle, who represented The Bahamas for many years as a basketball player before leading the University of The Bahamas’ (UB) sports program, expressed that being a Bahamian woman in sports means being bold and unapologetic. She emphasized that women in sports are rewriting the narrative and paving the way for future generations.
Other panelists included Golden Girl, Pauline, Davis-Thompson, Olympian, Tonique Williams and National team player and long-time softball federation, president, Jennifer Isaac-Dotson.
Female student-athletes from various public and private schools across the capital attended the event. According to ministry officials, the goal of the symposium is to inspire the next generation of female athletes.
