Renward Wells

Renward Ricardo Wells (born Rendward Ricardo Wells on 23 February 1970) is a retired Bahamian sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres.

He competed at the Carifta Games in 1986 in Guadeloupe where he won a Bronze metal in the 400 meters. He also competed in Carifta Jamaica 1988 and in Barbados in 1989.

In May 1989 Wells helped the Boise State University Broncos to their first Track and field Big Sky Conference title in 22 years.

He competed at the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2000 as well at the World Championships in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001 without reaching the finals.

His personal best time was 10.18 seconds, achieved at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg. Wells also co-holds the Bahamian national record in the 4 x 100 metres relay, achieved with teammates Dominic Demeritte, Iram Lewis and Andrew Tynes. Wells in 1994 ran one of the fastest times ever recorded under any conditions in the 200 meters [http://www.gbrathletics.com/cm99.htm Commonwealth All-Time Lists (Men)]

He was suspended from August 2002 to August 2004 due to a doping offense though some in the media thought it was unjust.] [http://www.bahamasuncensored.com/october02.htm.] . He is rumored be a friend and a confidant of Victor Conte and Patrick Arnold who were the masterminds behind the Balco doping scandal. Wells' name, though, never came up in the grand jury trial where numerous professional athletes, including Barry Bonds and Marion Jones, testified.

Wells was coached From 1996 to 2001 by the famed coach Steven Riddick in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Early Life

Renward Ricardo Wells was born in Nassau, The Bahamas. His parents William Wells and Leoma Flowers were never married. In 1971 at age one, Wells went to live with his father's parents in Deadman's Cay on Long Island, Bahamas. He left in 1973 and was sent to live with his mother's parents on the Island of South Andros in the settlement of Driggs' Hill. At that time in the Bahamas, neither of those islands possessed electrical installations or modern sewage systems, so Wells grew up in spartan conditions assisting his grandfather, Bertram Flowers, fishing and grandmother, Natalee flowers with subsistence agriculture farming. In December 1979, he was reunited with his mother and her Husband-Yorick Smith in Freeport, Bahamas on the island of Grand Bahama.

Education

Wells attended Driggs Hill All Age School, Bartlette Hill Primary School, Eight Mile Rock High School and RM Bailey Senior High School. He was an active student leader, avid reader and athlete. He graduated at the top of his class in 1987 in the science stream and was elected by students and teachers to be school President.

With the aid of an athletic scholarships in 1988, Wells attended Boise State University in Idaho where he, under the infulence of his girlfriend Kimberly Markham, developed a love for music. Wells left Boise State in May of 1989 for an athletic scholarship to The University of California, Los Angeles, U.C.L.A. However, Boise State refused to sign his release letter required for transfer by the NCAA, so Wells had to sit out an entire year before he was able to attend UCLA. In June of 1992, Wells again made another university switch leaving UCLA to attend, on an athletic scholarship, Oral Roberts University. While at Oral Roberts, he began dating Sarah Adermann who was four years his junior. Sarah competed in the High Jump event for The Oral Roberts University's Track Team. Renward and Sarah married in June of 1993.

Wells graduated from Oral Roberts in 1995 with a Bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering with minors in chemistry and mathematics. While at Oral Roberts, Wells taught himself to play the guitar and has written a number of messianic
Christian worship songs.

In September 1998, Wells enrolled in Regent University Law School and Divinity School. He left Regent University in December 2000 and moved to his wife's hometown Coon Rapids, Minnesota, to concentrate on his growing family.

Post Athletic Career

In september 2003, Renward moved back to The Bahamas and began working for The Government of The Bahamas in the Ministry of Works and Transport as a mechanical engineer. He currently holds the post of engineer in the Ministry of Works and Transport.

Since returning home to The Bahamas, he has become politically active, discussing and debating many social issues though he has not officially joined one of the major political parties, The Progressive Liberal Party, (The PLP) or The Free National Movement, (The FNM).

Wells is still married to Sarah Cathleen Wells and the couple has four children; Sethren Josiah Wells, Sasha Cathlyn Wells, Sierra Saren Wells and Soren William Wells. Sarah is a stay-at-home mom and the Wells' children are all homeschooled.

References

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