Donald Thomas of Bahamas celebrates winning gold in the men's High Jump (© Getty Images)
On Friday 28 December 2007 the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations named World High Jump champion Donald Thomas the winner of the 2007 Charlie Major Award. The honour is named after the Bahamian high jumper who was a prominent star in the United States some seventy years ago.
Thomas, who was named the Newcomer of the Year at the World Athletics Gala in Monaco in November, also captured the Senior Bahamian Male Athlete of the Year Award. He beat Derrick Atkins, 2007 World Championships 100m Silver medalist, and Pan Am Games 400m champion Chris Brown, who also anchored the Bahamas’ 4x400m relay team that won the silver medal in Osaka.
Sprinter Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie was chosen as the top Senior Bahamian Female of 2007.
Jamal Wilson who was the Pan Am Jr. Champion in the High Jump was earned the Junior Male Athlete Award having established a new Carifta Games record as well as a new Bahamian Junior record in 2007.
The Henry Crawford Award which recognizes the Coach of the Year was presented to Ronald Cartwright, the coach of Jamal Wilson.
Nivea Smith made history in 2007 when she won a bronze medal in the 200m at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Smith is the first Bahamian to win a medal at a World Youth Championships. Smith, from Grand Bahama, also won the 200m at the Carifta Games in the Turks and Caicos Islands in April and anchored the 400m relay to victory. For her accomplishments she was named Female Junior Athlete of 2007.
Special Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Coach Keith Parker, OBE, and Ronald Cartwright. Former Prime Minister Perry Christie who was the first Bahamian to win a field event for the Bahamas in international competition spoke on Parker’s behalf.
Angela Rolle received the Roderick Simms Award for Official of the Year.
The Year End Gala was held at Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort on Cable Beach. It was held under the patronage of former IAAF Council Member and former federation president Alpheus Finlayson and his wife Dawn Finlayson.
Kermit Taylor for the IAAF
