Events like the Commonwealth Games are not Sunday school picnics.
You simply have to come out to play or be whipped all over the park.
I think this was the general state of the game for Barbados in Glasgow.
In some instances you can view it as a chance for some teams to gain experience and part of the learning curve but even so I’m not totally sold on this because the days of participating and not competing at major games is a thing of the past.
It is just too costly to send out big teams if some haven’t really proved their worth at lesser meets because it would be as if they’re merely going to sightsee or on a shopping trip. And we can’t afford that.
The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA)?spent almost half-million dollars and the general results prompted treasurer Glyne Clarke to suggest the organisation will be reviewing how the money is spent in the future and I guess on whom.
The only problem here is that the association doesn’t select teams; so if a team qualifies for an event there isn’t much they can do about that but if there is an instance where pre-qualification wasn’t a factor then they have all rights not to support unless they’re satisfied that personnel won’t be travelling as mere passengers and idle bystanders.
I always felt that one of our hurdlers would get a medal because we are growing in strength in this event.
No surprise to me that Shane Brathwaite got our lone medal because he has been consistent this season.
He’s on track to gain more honour for self and country.
It was also very significant that there were three Bajans in the 110m hurdles final. Greggmar Swift is improving but we are concerned about the form of former world champion Ryan Brathwaite who seemed way below his best.
I would give honourable mention to Ramon Gittens for reaching the final of the 100 metres.
This lad is an honest, hardworking performer who always gives 100 per cent.
Kyle Maxwell wasn’t far from a place on the podium in judo and there may be a case for the athletes in this discipline to get more exposure at international meets.
Cobia Breedy was our best boxer but lest we forget there were separate occasions when Junior Greenidge and Anderson Emmanuel won our only medals at these games.
Swimming was always going to be tough with the presence of nations like Australia and England.
Some of our swimmers have ventured to high class meets and while recording personal bests weren’t serious challengers but maybe someone like Lani Cabrera can break barriers in the future.
I think the netballers were our biggest disappointments.
Of all the various contingents they can’t complain about not having a good run of preparatory matches.
They went to Northern Ireland, Trinidad and Jamaica and hosted St Lucia in an unprecedented attempt to bring them up to speed before the games.
They were in a tough group but some of the margins of defeat against the top teams were still surprising.
We have to do better than this.
They were guilty of turning over the ball frequently and this directly affects the number of attempts you create for your shoots. You may get away with that against weak opposition but the better teams will expose you and punish you.
It is noteworthy that our only victory was against St Lucia who we beat in a goodwill series prior to Glasgow but the yardstick to measure improvement would have been more convincing performances against heavyweights like England and South Africa.
The Commonwealth Games would have shown netballers and others they have to go back to the drawing board to be serious contenders for glory.
• Andi Thornhill is an experienced, award-winning sports journalist.
