Sports Festival celebrating Olympic Day

June 23, 2020 by

Date: Saturday, June 22, 2024

  • The BVI Olympic Committee in collaboration with its member National Federations and in partnership with the H Lavity Stoutt College will present its 5th annual free Sports Festival celebrating Olympic Day on Tortola with walks/runs on Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada on Saturday, June 22, 2024.The Olympic Day activities are open to the public of all ages and abilities.
  • The occasion will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of the VI’s first appearance at the Olympics when the territory was represented by speed skater, Erroll “Canute” Fraser, at the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympic Games and by a national team of 4 track & field athletes and 5 sailors at the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympic Games. The athletics team members were Lindel “Chef” Hodge, Guy Hill, Dean Greenaway, Jerry Molyneaux and the sailors were Robin Tattersall, Elvet Meyers, Keith Barker, Peter Barker+ and Keith Thomas. The past Olympians will be recognized on the day.

2024 Sports Festival plans – HLSCC campus grounds and Brandywine Bay beach 9:00am – 12:00pm

  • Interactive stations at the college campus grounds include archery, athletics, basketball, cycling, netball, softball and squash. The BVI Anti-Doping Commission and health and nutrition advisors will also be on site.
  • The Department of Culture will be showcasing an interactive maritime historical display with the Maritime Museum open for visits. The Heritage Dancers will continue to build on their participation with lessons in some of the VI’s traditional dance steps.
  • Additional activities will take place simultaniously at Brandywine Bay Beach with aquatic and marine sports including sailing, swimming, and triathlon stations, alongside beach sports hosted by the volleyball, rugby, and football federations.
Beach games

Walk/Runs on sister islands

  • Walk/runs will take place from 6:30am on Virgin Gorda starting at the VG Recreation Ground and on Anegada starting at the Claudia Creque Educational Centre. On Jost Van Dyke, the walk/run will start at 5:30am from the Albert Chinnery Admin Building, Great Harbour.

The free event encourages the public to move, learn and discover – regardless of age and ability – and find an activity to adopt in their lifestyle for fitness and health.

Olympic Year Celebrations

  • 2024 is an Olympic year where we have two athletes confirmed to compete at Paris 2024 – Kyron McMaster OBE OLY, 400m hurdles 2x Commonwealth Games champion and World Athletics Championship silver medalist and ILCA7 (laser) sailor Thad Lettsome. Chef de Mission Tahesia Harrigan-Scott will be in attendance with updates on the preparations for the Games with VI designer, Kristin Fraser unveiling the Opening Ceremony wear for the BVI team at Paris 2024.

Participants will receive a free tee shirts and Dasani Water and Powerade distributed by Road Town Wholesale on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Thank you for your support!

Check the Event page on Facebook

For more information contact (284) 541 7845 or email sofia@broadswordpr.com

Filed Under: Archery, Athletics, Basketball, BVI Anti-Doping Commission, BVI Olympic Committee, Cycling, Football, Milton McLean, Olympic Day, Paris 2024, Rugby, Sailing, Softball-Baseball, Squash, Swimming, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Thad Lettsome, Uncategorized, Volleyball

BVIOC organises community walks to mark Olympic Day

June 23, 2020 by
Simone Foster, an annual participant, celebrates the end of an Olympic Day walk in the Virgin Islands

The BVI Olympic Committee in collaboration with its National Federations and community groups will be hosting early morning community walks throughout the Virgin Islands on Saturday, June 27, 2020 to promote the Olympic Day message to #StayActive.

The community walks will take place in lieu of the annual interactive Sports Festival which officially have taken place since 2017 to mark Olympic Day.

“This year, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the BVIOC to rethink its programme of an interactive discussion session and mini sports clinics planned for the 2020 Sports Festival and to organize an activity that would be compliant with the current local health protocols and social distancing measures” said Ephraim Penn, President, BVIOC. “With our low rate of infection and no current active cases, the proposal to host regulated walks in communities throughout the Districts met with approval from the Chief Medical Officer. The walks will start as early in the morning as curfew restrictions allow to try and beat the heat and will follow easy routes so as to be manageable by all ages and abilities.”

Registration for the walks will start at 5:30am in all locations apart from in Sea Cow’s Bay which will start at 6:00am and Brewer’s Bay which will start at 5:15am. Registration locations are as follows:
Basketball court, West End; Myett’s car park, Cane Garden Bay; Nichol’s Beach Bar, Brewer’s Bay; Manuel Reef car park, Sea Cow’s Bay, Tortola Sports Club, Road Town; YEP in Long Look and Trellis Bay car park in East End. Walks also will take place in Jost Van Dyke, registration in front of the Government Administration buildings, Great Harbour and at the HLSCC in The Valley, Virgin Gorda.

Walk managers include volunteers from the VI Archery Association, BVI Athletics Association, BVI Rugby, Taekwondo, BVI Squash Federation, VI Softball/Baseball Association, YEP, TSC, Brewer’s Bay Action Committee, Jost Van Dyke Resilience Team led by Mr. Mark Morris, Mr. Milton McLean and Sister Island Coordinator, Ms Sasha Flax.

Staggered start times will be managed to keep walking groups to a maximum of 20 persons with 6ft distance between participating households. Walkers are requested to cooperate with the walk managers in their efforts to keep the activity safe for everyone.

Participants will receive a free tee shirts and Dasani Water and Powerade distributed by Road Town Wholesale on a first-come-first-serve basis. Walkers are advised to also bring their own water to ensure proper hydration. Organisers are requesting the return of the empty plastic bottles so that they may be properly disposed of in the recycling bins.

In the interests of public health and safety, potential participants are advised to stay home if feeling unwell, running a temperature or living in the same household as quarantined persons.

About Olympic Day
June 23 is marked in the international sporting calendar as international Olympic Day. Originally observed by just 9 countries on that day in 1948, the IOC launched the symbolic run in 1987 which encouraged all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to celebrate Olympic Day and promote the practice of mass sport. From 45 participating NOCs in the first edition in 1987, the numbers have grown to more than 100 participating NOCs.

Today, Olympic Day is built on the three pillars “move”, “learn” and “discover” integrating sports, education and cultural aspects to broaden the community reach and appeal. and to motivate and encourage people of all ages and abilities to engage in healthy, physical activity.

In 2012, the BVIOC was one of the few NOCs to host a celebration of all sports on Olympic Day at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. The morning of activity started with a 2-mile run followed by a discussion panel featuring local sporting personalities and moderated by Mr. Rey O’Neal. The action continued with National Federations showcasing their sports and encouraging public participation and ended with a performance by the Lashing Dogs. This format of interactive engagement was adopted as the global template in 2017 at which time the BVIOC officially launched its annual Sports Festival to mark Olympic Day.

Filed Under: Archery, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Olympic Day, Rugby, Softball-Baseball, Squash, Taekwondo Tagged With: ,

BVIOC secures IOC approval for Territorial Song to be played at Olympic Games and other institutional events

May 28, 2020 by
British Virgin Islands Kyron Mcmaster won the men’s 400m hurdles final in a time of 48.25 seconds during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 12, 2018. It was the Virgin Islands’ first medal at a Commonwealth Games and was the impetus for the BVI Olympic Committee’s request to have the Territorial Song, “Oh Beautiful Virgin Islands” registered by the International Olympic Committee to be played at sporting events rather than the National Anthem, “God Save the Queen”. The IOC confirmed the change in May 2020. .Photo credit: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Marking another historic moment in sports for the Virgin Islands, the BVI Olympic Committee (BVIOC) received approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the Territorial Song, “Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands” to be played at future editions of the Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games and other institutional events and official activities of the IOC and its Affiliated Entities. The permission was confirmed by the IOC via email sent on May 7, 2020 after the BVIOC started the process for approval in 2018.

“The BVIOC is exceptionally proud to attain this milestone not just for our nation but for our athletes, their coaches, parents and supporters,” said Mr. Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “The motivation and emotion that is tied up in representing your country at a major competition can’t be underestimated. Hearing your national song playing as you enter an arena or when you stand on the podium enhances the sense of achievement and pride and underscores all the sacrifices, time and effort that athletes, teams and their support base put in to qualify and compete.”

Prior to this date, the national anthem, “God Save The Queen”, was played at major regional and international competitions and events during opening, closing and medal ceremonies to acknowledge the participation and podium finishes of the VI’s athletes and teams.

The BVIOC launched the process for approval at the urging of the former Minister for Education and Culture, Mr. Myron Walwyn who enquired about the possibility after Mr. Kyron McMaster’s historic gold medal win in the 400m Hurdles on April 12, 2018 at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia. The emotional occasion was made all the more poignant for it happening just 6 months after the devastation wreaked in the VI by Hurricane Irma and the tragic passing of McMaster’s mentor and national track and field coach, Mr. Xavier “Dag” Samuels. At that time, it became clear that the Territorial Song, which speaks to the VI’s national pride and identity, would have been the ideal accompaniment to the flag raising and medal ceremony.

Further noting that the VI was one of the few nations that did not have its national song approved to be played at major sporting events, Penn made the inquiries and acted on the requirements to change the anthem registered with the IOC from the National Anthem to the Territorial Song.

The initiative was closely followed and encouraged by Dr. The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, the current Minister for Education and Culture, and the BVIOC was able to secure the support required from the Government of the Virgin Islands to initiate the official request. The BVIOC worked with the Ministry of Education and Culture to “be duly authorized and/or licensed to use and to authorise and/or sublicense the use of the Territorial Song,” as set out in the IOC’s National Anthem Authorisation document.

“Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands” originally was composed in 2012 by Virgin Islanders, Ms. Ayana Hull and her brother, Mr. Kareem Nelson Hull in response to a competition for a Territorial Song launched by Walwyn, the then Minister for Education and Culture. The song, which was originally arranged by Mr. Howard John, was officially adopted as the Territorial Song by resolution of the House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands on July 24, 2012. As a British Overseas Territory “God Save the Queen” is the VI’s official national anthem.

The rousing, 80-second, orchestral version of the Territorial Song, requested by the BVIOC and approved by the Ministry for use by the IOC, was arranged by Mr. Alton Bertie, an Elmore Stoutt High School alumnus who graduated in the field of Film Scoring and Song Writing from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA.

Click to listen to the score for the Territorial Song by Mr. Alton Bertie.

Filed Under: BVI Commonwealth Games Association, BVI Olympic Committee, IOC, Kyron McMaster, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , ,

Live Workshop on Sports Psychology –

May 13, 2020 by

The BVIOC Athletes’ Commission is proud to present its first workshop. The free, 60 – 90 minutes virtual zoom session on Sports Psychology: “The Mental Approach to On-Field Success” will take place at 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 featuring Dr. Margaret Ottley Ph.D., M.S., M.A., B.A.; CMPC, FELLOW-AASP, a Trinidadian Native, who is one of the most sought after sports performance psychologist.

Dr. Ottley worked at 4 Olympics, 1 with USA Track and Field (’08), 2 with Trinidad (’04, ’12) where Team Trinidad won its most Olympic Medals to date, and Rio ’16 where she worked with individual athletes including Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad (TTO only medalist in ‘Rio). The discussion will be moderated by Kyron McMaster, the VI’s Commonwealth Gold Medalist, and IAAF Diamond League Champion in the 400mH.

Topics in the discussion include Visualization, Goal-setting, Building Confidence (Self-Talk Techniques), and Overcoming Mental Block with additional material provided for athletes to apply to training and competition. The workshop is designed to be interactive and to provide practical tools to manage the mental aspect of performance. It will help athletes learn useful techniques to prepare mentally for training and competition.

The workshop is open to all athletes, parents, and coaches who should register through the following link:
https://bit.ly/MentalZoom or via email sent to athletescommission@bviolympics.org.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

New dates for Tokyo 2020 creates certainty, eases pressure

April 3, 2020 by

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the new dates for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on March 30 which now will be celebrated from July 23 to August 8, 2021 and the Paralympic Games will be celebrated from August 24 until September 5, 2021.

These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Olympic Committee along with National Olympic Committee representatives from around the world attended a video conference on March 27 and were solicited for any comments and concerns. The new dates – exactly one year after those originally planned for 2020 (Olympic Games: 24 July to 9 August 2020 and Paralympic Games: 25 August to 6 September 2020) – were decided based on three main considerations:

  1. To protect the health of the athletes and everyone involved, and to support the containment of the COVID-19 virus.
  2. To safeguard the interests of the athletes and of Olympic sport.
  3. The global international sports calendar.

The new dates for Tokyo 2020 will ease the pressure on organisers of qualification events and enable them to reschedule competitions once the COVID-19 impacts can be assessed and restrictions reduced without compromising athletes’ health. International Federations are also requested to only confirm upcoming qualification events in their respective calendars once they can guarantee fair access and fair and appropriate preparation for the competing athletes and teams. The IOC President, Thomas Bach hosted a conference call with the Global Network of Athletes’ Commission Representatives on Tuesday, March 31 to layout these decisions.

All athletes already qualified and quota places already assigned for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will remain unchanged. This is a result of the fact that these Olympic Games Tokyo, in agreement with Japan, will remain the Games of the XXXII Olympiad. The same heat mitigation measures as planned for 2020 will be implemented.

“The BVI Olympic Committee continues to stand by our qualified athletes and hopefuls for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games which now will be held in the Summer of 2021,” said Penn. “Extensions from Olympic Solidarity for financing programmes such as Olympic Scholarships for Athletes for Tokyo 2020 means that we will be able to keep up with the monthly payments to our athletes as well as top it up with the sponsorship money from iForex. Panam Sports has also reached out to us and we are in discussions on how they can support the BVI and our athletes on the road to the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games.”

“I am in direct communication with all of our athletes who have Tokyo 2020 in their sights and can help them with answering or flagging any issues relating to the preparations for the Games,” said Chef de Mission Tahesia Harrigan-Scott. “So far, we are on a positive trajectory and working on readjusting our preparation timelines for the new dates of the Summer Olympic Games.”

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Panam Sports, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: ,

Tokyo 2020 postponement sees spirit of resilience and cooperation dominate global response

March 24, 2020 by
The postponed 2020 Summer Olympic Games will remain in Tokyo – PHOTO: Yoshikazu Sekiguchi

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Abe Shinzo, held a conference call this morning to discuss the constantly changing environment with regard to COVID-19 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the COVID-19 pandemic is “accelerating”. There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour.

In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.

The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC said that while the postponement was an understandable outcome of the talks and the current pandemic, the focus of the BVIOC will turn to supporting the athletes and any impact the delay may have on their psyche and preparations.

“Moving the dates to an unknown time in the future is hard on the athletes but this is not the first time that our athletes have had to face adverse situations and we will be doing our utmost to support them and to ease the strain of preparing for the future,” said Mr. Penn. The BVIOC provides a monthly training scholarship and has also secured sponsorship from iForex to assist VI’s Tokyo 2020 athletes in their preparations for the Games.

“While initially I was disappointed with the IOC’s decision to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games, on reflection I’m thankful that they are putting our health first,” said Chantel Malone, the Lima 2019 Pan American Games VI long jump gold medalist. “With everything going on, the restrictions definitely put a limitation on training with regards to what we can and can’t do so, all in all, postponing these Summer Olympics is for the greater good and will give us more time to be even more prepared to produce awesome results. Every cloud has it’s silver lining!” Tokyo 2020 will be Malone’s first Olympic Games.

“It’s unfortunate that these 2020 Summer Olympic Games have been postponed because we have been training so hard in preparation but we understand the decision to put our health and safety first and we’ll be making the most of the extra time available to get ready for this important competition,” said Eldred Henry, the VI’s shot putter whose first Olympic appearance was at Rio 2016.

“It’s disappointing after all this time training and competing in what few meets we had in the lead up to the Games in July but we will overcome this hurdle and look to the future as we continue with our preparations. We just hope that our sponsors, the VI government and our supporters continue to stand by our side during this extended period,” said Kyron McMaster, the VI’s Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles gold medalist who will make his Olympic debut at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020 in consultation with Mr. Penn remains in constant contact with the Virgin Islands’ athletes confirmed or hoping to attend the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and will continue to relay information received from the IOC and the organisers as they decide on the new dates and associated changes.

“I have an open line of communication with all our Tokyo 2020 confirmed and hopeful athletes and our real time conversation enables me to keep them up to date with correct information from the official channels. Right now, the news has been quite hard on them as they have been as focused as they can to compete in their best form in July. They are recalibrating but overall they are in a positive mindset and are determined to work with the outcome of the IOC’s decision to postpone and plan to make the most of the extended time to train hard. It is also really important that the support and encouragement behind them continues,” said Chef Harrigan-Scott.

The global community has rallied to the IOC’s news with three major Tokyo 2020 sponsors – Proctor & Gamble, Intel and Coca-Cola – all reaffirming their commitment to the Games. Organisers of major Games including the 2021 World Athletics Championships slated for August 6 – 15 in Eugene, Oregon and the Commonwealth Youth Games Trinbago 2021 scheduled for August 1 – 7 in Trinidad & Tobago have already communicated their willingness to shift their events to accommodate the new date for Tokyo 2020.

Panam Sports in a press release also stated that it will maintain all of its aid programs for athletes, coaches and National Olympic Committees. They also said that once the new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are defined, Panam Sports will work together with the IOC, the International Federations, the NOCs and the athletes to be able to adjust the schedules for the competitions that follow, in particular the Junior Pan American Games of Cali 2021 that were scheduled between June 5-20.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Commonwealth Games, Eldred Henry, Gold Coast 2018 News, Kyron McMaster, Lima 2019, Panam Sports, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , , , , , ,

IOC agrees to set up scenario-planning for the Olympic Games 2020

March 23, 2020 by

To safeguard the health of all involved and to contribute to the containment of COVID-19, the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Sunday, March 22 that the IOC will step up its scenario-planning for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games. This step will allow better visibility of the rapidly changing development of the health situation around the world and in Japan. It will serve as the basis for the best decision in the interest of the athletes and everyone else involved.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Chef de Mission Tokyo 2020 in consultation with Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC has remained in constant touch on the matter with Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster and Chantel Malone, the 3 Virgin Islands’ athletes confirmed to attend the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Japan.

“These indeed are uncertain times and while the outcome of the discussions between the IOC, Tokyo 2020 organisers and stake holders is an unknown and while meets and important competitions in the lead up to the Games have been impacted, our athletes are continuing with their training as best they can to be as ready as they can be. It’s not an ideal situation but at this time, we can only continue with the preparations and encourage our athletes to take the necessary precautions to safeguard their health while preparing as if the Games will go ahead until we are advised otherwise,” said Mrs. Harrigan-Scott.

“All NOCs and international federations are being notified of decisions as they are made and we in turn are working with our Chef de Mission to keep our stake holders informed. The local federations are also kept abreast of developments through their international governing bodies. We have spoken with the BVI Athletics Association and have noted that the biggest concern for our athletes for now is the potential medical risks but we are in agreement that we will await the outcome of the IOC’s decision and will address any of the athletes’ questions and concerns at that time,” said Mr. Penn.

On the one hand, there are significant improvements in Japan where the people are warmly welcoming the Olympic flame. This could strengthen the IOC’s confidence in the Japanese hosts that the IOC could, with certain safety restrictions, organise Olympic Games in the country whilst respecting its principle of safeguarding the health of everyone involved.

On the other hand, there is a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of COVID-19 in different countries on different continents. This led the EB to the conclusion that the IOC needs to take the next step in its scenario-planning.

A number of critical venues needed for the Games could potentially not be available anymore. The situations with millions of nights already booked in hotels is extremely difficult to handle, and the international sports calendar for at least 33 Olympic sports would have to be adapted. These are just a few of many, many more challenges.

Therefore, further to the study of different scenarios, it would need the full commitment and cooperation of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the Japanese authorities, and of all the International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs). It would also require commitment from, and collaboration with, the Rights-Holding Broadcasters (RHBs) and our TOP Partner sponsors, as part of their continued and valued support to the Olympic Movement, as well as cooperation from all the Games’ partners, suppliers and contractors. It is in this spirit of the Olympic stakeholders’ shared commitment to the Olympic Games, and in light of the worldwide deteriorating situation, that the IOC EB has initiated the next step in the IOC’s scenario-planning.

The IOC will, in full coordination and partnership with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japanese authorities and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, start detailed discussions to complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement. The IOC is confident that it will have finalised these discussions within the next four weeks, and greatly appreciates the solidarity and partnership of the NOCs and IFs in supporting the athletes and adapting Games planning.

The IOC EB emphasised that a cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody. Therefore, cancellation is not on the agenda.

After the EB meeting on Sunday, IOC President Thomas Bach wrote to the global athlete community to provide them with an explanation of the IOC’s approach. In the letter, Bach stated once more that safeguarding the health of everyone involved and contributing to contain the virus is the fundamental principle, and said: “Human lives take precedence over everything, including the staging of the Games. The IOC wants to be part of the solution. Therefore we have made it our leading principle to safeguard the health of everyone involved, and to contribute to containing the virus. I wish, and we all are working for this, that the hope so many athletes, NOCs and IFs from all five continents have expressed will be fulfilled: that at the end of this dark tunnel we are all going through together, not knowing how long it is, the Olympic flame will be a light at the end of this tunnel.”

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: ,

Chantel Malone, Thad Lettsome participate in inaugural Panam Sports Awards Gala

December 21, 2019 by
Lloyd Black, Secretary General, BVI Olympic Committee, Chantel Malone Lima 2019 long jump gold medalist, Thad Lettsome, Lima 2019 laser sailor, and Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC at the inaugural Panam Sports Awards Gala, Fort Lauderdale, Florida on December 13, 2019

A Virgin Islands delegation comprising two of the Territory’s sports history makers at Lima 2019, Chantel Malone and Thad Lettsome accompanied by Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Olympic Committee and Lloyd Black, Secretary General, BVIOC, attended the inaugural Panam Sports Awards Gala event held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on December 13, 2019.

Ms. Malone – who made history when she won the Virgin Islands’ first Panam Games medal with her gold winning leap of 6.68m in the long jump and Mr. Lettsome, the VI’s first sailor in the Games since the 1990s, joined more than 70 of the best athletes from the 41 nations of the Panam Sports family in walking the red carpet at an evening rivaling those seen in Hollywood.

Produced by Univision-TUDN and live-streamed throughout the globe by the Panam Sports Channel, ESPN Play, Claro TV and R7 of Brazil, the athletes were treated to the full gala experience.

The evening presentations included a feature on the Mondo track at the A.O. Shirley Grounds which was repaired with funds received from Panam Sports following the damage it sustained during Hurricane Irma.

“We were overwhelmed when the video clip was shown at the start of the Gala event,” said Mr. Penn. “A longer version of the video depicting the aftermath of our Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma and the recovery efforts had been shown earlier this year at the ANOC General Assembly in Doha but this time it was broadcast live across the Americas and beyond. We felt such pride as our nation was lauded for its resilience and a global audience was able to appreciate the support we received from Panam Sports to assist with getting sports back on track.”

After a month-long public competition that sparked fierce rivalries between some of the greatest athletes of the Americas, sports fans from across the continent voted for their favorite athletes and favorite moments of the Games and awards were made accordingly.

Bringing the VI back into the spotlight, Ms. Malone was invited to announce the winner of the NextGen Female (U20) award which went to Rhythmic Gymnast, Evita Griskenas (USA).

“It was definitely an amazing experience,” commented Ms. Malone on her social media post “Thank you Panam Sports for taking the time to recognize all the accomplishments of the athletes at the games. It was awesome to be surrounded and inspired by future and past legends!”

The full list of Panam Sports Awards recipients is as follows:

BEST MALE ATHLETE
FRANCISCO BARRETTO – BRAZIL – ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
Lima 2019: 3 Golds: Pommel Horse, Horizontal Bar, Team

Already a gold and silver medalist in the Team Event from Guadalajara 2011 and Toronto 2015, Francisco Barretto arrived in the Peruvian capital with dreams of individual greatness. And these dreams came true, as Francisco topped the podium in both the Pommel Horse and Horizontal Bar events. These two gold medals also helped propel Time Brasil to another gold medal in the Team event, giving Francisco Barretto three gold medals and tying him as the most decorated male athlete from Lima 2019. In recognition of these impressive feats, Francisco Barretto is honored as the Best Male Athlete at the Panam Sports Awards.

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRYCE – JAMAICA – ATHLETICS
Lima 2019: Gold: 200m & New Pan American Record (22.43 sec)

Consistently one of the fastest women in the world for over a decade, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the model of excellence and perseverance in Athletics. The Jamaican superstar and two-time Olympic Champion competed at her first Pan American Games at Lima 2019, showing off her world-class speed by setting a new Pan American Record of 22.43 seconds in the 200m. The blazing fast time broke the record that had survived for 40 years. In recognition of her incredible achievements, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is honored as the Best Female Athlete at the Panam Sports Awards.

BEST MEN’S TEAM
ARGENTINA BASKETBALL
Lima 2019: Gold

When an Olympic and NBA legend is on your team, you’ve always got a shot. Captaining Argentina’s Basketball team at his first ever Pan Am Games, Luis Scola proved to the world that Argentina’s Golden Generation is still a force to be reckoned with. From the very first game, Scola and his experienced Argentinean teammates such as Facunda Campuzzo and Gabriel Deck outmatched their competition on their way to a 4-1 record and a gold medal. In recognition of their success, Argentina’s Men’s Basketball team is honored as the Best Men’s Team at the Panam Sports Awards.

BEST WOMEN’S TEAM
ARGENTINA HOCKEY
Lima 2019: Gold

Excellence has often been synonymous with the Las Leonas Hockey team from Argentina, and this reputation held true at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. After earning silver medals at each of the last two Pan Am Games, the Argentina women’s hockey team came back with a vengeance to go undefeated in six games to reclaim the gold medal. Lead by captain Julieta Jankunas, the dominance was truly spectacular as Argentina only allowed three total goals in six games while scoring a total of 47. In recognition of this unprecedented performance, Argentina’s Women’s Hockey team is honored as the Best Women’s Team at the Panam Sports Awards.

NEXTGEN MALE (U-20)
PATRICIO FONT – MEXICO – WATERSKI
Lima 2019: Gold: Tricks

At just 17-years old, Patricio Font is already changing the sport of Waterskiing. The young star from Mexico consistently put together great runs on his way to earning the gold medal in the Tricks discipline. His victory made him the youngest gold medalist in Mexico’s history at the Pan Am Games. In recognition of this outstanding achievement and his bright future, Patricio Font is honored as the NextGen Male at the Panam Sports Awards.

NEXTGEN FEMALE (U-20)
EVITA GRISKENAS – USA – RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS
Lima 2019: 4 Gold: 1 Bronze: All-Around, Ball, Hoop, Ribbon, Clubs

At just 18-years old, Evita Griskenas has proved she belongs on the world stage of gymnastics. The talented Rhythmic Gymnastics star repeatedly impressed the crowd at Lima 2019, dominating her competition on the way to winning four gold medals and one bronze, the most by any athlete at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. In recognition of these outstanding achievements and her bright future, Evita Griskenas is honored as the NextGen Female at the Panam Sports Awards.

PANAM SPORTS VALUES
JULIO CASTILLO – ECUADOR – BOXING 91 KG
Lima 2019: Silver

Julio Castillo gave his all in the boxing ring at Lima 2019, fighting hard to bring a medal back home to his beloved Ecuador. Although Julio lost in the gold medal bout, he showed the Americas the value of sportsmanship and showing grace in defeat. Many at the Miguel Grau Coliseum believed Castillo had defeated his Cuban opponent and booed loudly in disapproval of the judges. However, Castillo made sure the crowd respected the decision and cheered for Cuba’s Erislandy Savon who won the gold medal. In recognition of this incredible display of Excellence, Innovation, Integrity, Solidarity and Inclusion, Julio Castillo is honored with the Panam Sports Values Award at the Panam Sports Awards.

CHANGEMAKER
MARIANA PAJON – COLOMBIA – BMX
Lima 2019: Gold – BMX Race

Not only is Mariana Pajon a two-time Olympic gold medalist, six-time World Champion and two-time Pan American Games Champion, she is also committed to helping her community. Mariana founded “Pedaleando Por Un Sueño” in 2013, a non-profit entity with the intention of bringing alternatives and clear opportunities to the children and youth of Colombia to see sport as a real option in their lives. For her incredible athletic and humanitarian efforts, Mariana Pajon is honored as the Changemaker at the Panam Sports Awards.

BEST COACH
DEYSIANA MENA – COSTA RICA – ATHLETICS
Lima 2019: Gold: Race

Training an athlete to reach the top of the podium at the Pan American Games is one of the toughest challenges in sport, especially when it comes to Athletics. Although she had no previous training as a coach, Deysiana realized the potential that her daughters Andrea and Noelia Vargas had in Athletics. Her greatest achievement came at Lima 2019, when Andrea broke 13 seconds for the first time in the 100m Hurdles to win the gold medal. Noelia also competed well at Lima 2019, finishing 6th with a Personal Best in the 20km Race Walk. Andrea and Noelia often credit their mom for learning how to become a coach that can help them reach the highest levels of success. For her incredible story and dedication to helping her daughters succeed, Deysiana Mena is honored as the Best Coach at the Panam Sports Awards.

PANAM SPORTS LEGEND
CARL LEWIS – USA – ATHLETICS

From competing as the youngest member of Team USA at San Juan 1979 to dominating the competition at Indianapolis 1987 and delivering gold medals to athletes at Lima 2019, the Pan American Games will always have a special place in the heart of Carl Lewis. For his dedication and passion for the Pan Am Games, Carl Lewis is honored as the Panam Sports Legend at the Panam Sports Awards.

BEST ATHLETES OF THE PARAPAN AMERICAN GAMES
SARA VARGAS – COLOMBIA – SWIMMING
Never in her wildest dreams did Sara Vargas think possible enjoying such a successful Parapan American Games debut. The youngest athlete at Lima 2019 was also one of the most decorated ones, leaving the Peruvian capital city with four gold and one silver medals, setting four Games records along the way. In recognition of her outstanding performance at the Parapan, Sara Vargas is honored as the Best Female Para Athlete.

HERBERT ACEITUNO – EL SALVADOR – POWERLIFTING
Twenty years had passed until El Salvador finally returned to the top of the Parapan American Games podium. It was powerlifter Herbert Aceituno who broke the curse and became a national hero by claiming the men’s up to 65kg title with a Parapan record lift of 182kg. For making history for his country, Herbert Aceituno is recognized as the Best Male Para Athlete.

BEST NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
UNITED STATES OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE
Gold: 120; Silver: 88; Bronze: 55

The biggest athlete delegation from the United States in history competed at Lima 2019, as more than 640 athletes helped Team USA top the medal standings at the Pan American Games for the 16th time in history.

From Brady Ellison setting a new World Record in Men’s Archery to Evita Griskenas winning four gold medals to become the most decorated athlete of the Games, Nathan Adrian’s triumphant comeback winning two gold and five total medals, and future WNBA #1 pick Sabrina Ionescu taking home the first 3×3 Basketball gold medal, the memorable moments are nearly too many to count.

For their undisputed and unmatched dominance, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee was recognized as the Best NOC at the first Panam Sports Awards.

MOST IMPROVED NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
PERUVIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
Gold: 11; Silver: 7; Bronze: 21

With their nation behind them, Peru’s athletes performed at their absolute best to win more gold medals than ever before in history. Led by stars such as #TeamPanamSports Ambassador Alexandra Grande and surfing legend Piccolo Clemente, the Peruvian team did not disappoint their passionate fans. Before Lima 2019, Peru had never won more than 14 medals at any single Games in history and had won a grand total of eight golds through 18 editions.

With Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra often in attendance, Peru’s athletes stepped up to the challenge to honor their country and protect their home turf at the Pan Am Games. For their unprecedented improvement in just four years, the Peruvian Olympic Committee was recognized as the Most Improved NOC at the first Panam Sports Awards.

BEST NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (POPULATION UNDER 1M)
GRENADA OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
Gold: 1; Silver: 1; Bronze: 0

After 30 years and nine editions of the Pan American Games, the national anthem of Grenada finally rang proudly at the Pan Am Games for the first time in history at Lima 2019. The small island nation won its first ever gold medal at the most important sporting event of the Americas in the Peruvian capital, as Anderson Peters absolutely dominated the Men’s Javelin competition.

As the eight smallest country of the Panam Sports family by population with just over 100,000 people, placing 21st on the overall Medal Table is an unforgettable accomplishment that will forever be written in the sports history of the nation.

For their unprecedented success as one of the smallest nations by population at the Pan Am Games, the Grenada Olympic Committee was recognized as the Best NOC (Pop. <1M) at the first Panam Sports Awards.

BEST PHOTO OF THE GAMES
Manuel Jimenez – Dominican Republic – Hoy y Nacional

In a competition where sports fans across the world cast votes to choose the best photographs of the Pan American Games through the social media accounts of Panam Sports, the winner was the outstanding professional Manuel Jimenez. The winning photograph shows the water skier Roberto Pigozzi in the Slalom discipline in an incredibly emotional scene depicting a gold medal-winning moment, the first for the Dominican Republic at Lima 2019. For this incredible scene and fan support, Manuel Jimenez receives the honor of taking the Best Photo of the Games.

BEST MEDIA PARTNER
Record TV

Every four years, sport fans across the Americas tune-in to watch the greatest athletes of the continent battle to be crowned the best of the best and to earn qualification to the Olympic Games. But this would not be possible without the incredible support and dedication to the Games shown by our valued media partners. As a partner of Panam Sports for more than xx years, Record TV of Brazil has ensured the successful delivery of the Pan American Games to televisions across the globe. In recognition of this incredible support, Record TV is honored as the Best Media Partner at the Panam Sports Awards.

The next edition of the Pan American Games will take place in Santiago, Chile in 2023.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Malone, Lettsome to attend inaugural Panam Sports Awards Gala

December 12, 2019 by

With the aim of recognizing the effort, passion and dedication of the athletes of the Americas, for the first time in history, Panam Sports is bringing together athletes, media, sport and government leaders to an awards ceremony on December 13 honoring the best of the best in sport in 2019, with the highlight being the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

Chantel Malone – who made history when she won the Virgin Islands’ first Panam Games medal with her gold winning leap of 6.68m in the long jump – and Thad Lettsome, the VI’s first sailor in the Games since the 1990s – will join Olympians, World Champions, historical sporting icons and those who shined brightest in the Peruvian capital at the inaugural Panam Sports Awards in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Olympic Committee and Lloyd Black, Secretary General, BVIOC will also be in attendance.

“This is a momentous occasion for the Virgin Islands,” said Mr. Penn. “We are exceptionally proud of Chantel and Thad who were selected from thousands of athletes to be invited to attend this special, historic event.”

The evening is expected to rival those seen in Hollywood, complete with Red Carpet, bright lights, artistic performances, glamor and emotion.

Featuring the great athletes of the Americas, the Panam Sports family and VIP guests, the historic ceremony honouring the greatest moments and performances from the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games will be broadcast live for the world to see who will be crowned the Best Athletes of the Americas.

The Panam Sports Awards will officially begin at 7:00 pm EST and will conclude at 8:15pm EST.

Univisión is producing and transmitting the event that will be shown free-to-air on their television network on Saturday, December 14 at 11:00 pm EST, 10:00 pm CST and 8:00 pm PST. The special program will feature the best moments and highlights from the inaugural Panam Sports Awards called “Gala del Deporte de las Américas”.

Sports fans across the globe will also be able to watch the Panam Sports Awards ceremony live through multiple streaming platforms. ESPN PLAY will stream the event throughout Latin America and the Caribbean; the R7 channel owned by Record TV in Brazil will also live-stream; and of course, the new and improved Panam Sports Channel will begin the live-stream at 5:00 pm EST from the Red Carpet.

ABOUT PANAM SPORTS

The Pan American Sports Organization (Panam Sports) is the leader of sport and the Olympic Movement in the Americas. We propel the development of sport and support our 41 member National Olympic Committees to inspire more participation in international competitions as well as participation of the youth to prepare the generation to come in our region.

Panam Sports works closely with athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOC), Organizing Committees of all regional games, Pan American Sport Confederations, International Federations (IF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to secure the success and celebration of our main event, the Pan American Games.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, PanAM Games, Panam Sports, Sailing, Thad Lettsome Tagged With: , , , ,

First Come First Serve Tokyo 2020 online ticket sales to launch on December 9

December 5, 2019 by

Online ticket sales for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games will go live in the early hours of Monday, December 9, 2019. The Games will take place in Japan from July 24 to August 9, 2020.

Tickets for Tokyo 2020 are only available to BVI residents through the Territory’s approved retailer, Kingdom Sports Group via online application on www.kingdomsg.com.

Ticket sales are strictly controlled by the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG) and the BVI Olympic Committee will not have any tickets for sale.

“With record demand and not enough tickets, we have to manage client expectations,” said Daniel Beniston, Managing Director, Kingdom Sports Group. “We will launch First Come First Serve ticket sales on 9th December in conjunction with TOCOG approval.

“Traffic flow suggests we will have a few thousand people from all the countries we are serving all coming at the same time. Anyone interested in attending the Games who doesn’t wish to purchase a package, this is the date to come onto our site.”

The launch of the ticket sale will take place at 2.00 in the morning and will feature a queue-it system where prospective clients will wait in an online queue.

Ticket and accommodation packages will also go on sale on December 9. Prospective attendees should note that airfare is not included in all of the packages.

“At this stage the majority of 5 Star accommodation is close to selling out, with limited 4 Star accommodation remaining but we have a good stock of 3 Star accommodation,” said Beniston.

Anyone wishing to attend the Games is warned not to attempt to buy tickets outside of the designated official sales channels. A notice on the Tokyo 2020 website sets out the following advice:

“To avoid involvement in any criminal activities such as fraud, you are strongly advised not to purchase tickets from any source other than official ticket sales channels (i.e. Official Ticket Website, Official Ticket Box Offices, or Authorised Ticket Reseller). It is possible that tickets sold on unofficial channels such as auction websites may be invalid or counterfeit tickets. The Terms and Conditions for the Purchase and Use of Tokyo 2020 Tickets specifies that entry to venues will be denied to individuals in possession of a ticket purchased from unofficial channels. Please take the utmost caution to ensure that you do not fall victim to illegal ticket reselling, acts of fraud, etc.”

Eldred Henry Photo: Todd VanSickel

Two of the VI’s senior athletes have already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Games. Eldred Henry was the first VI athlete to secure a spot at upcoming Summer Olympics with his throw of 21.47 in the shot put on May 25, 2019 at the NCAA Division II Championships in Kingsville, Texas. The throw, which is Henry’s personal best achievement to date, exceeded the Tokyo 2020 qualifying mark of 21.10 and set a new NCAA and national record.

Kyron McMaster

Kyron McMaster surpassed the qualifying mark of 48.9 in the 400m hurdles when he crossed the line with a time of 48.33 at the Paris Diamond League 2019 on August 24.

Other Tokyo 2020 Olympic hopefuls including Chantel Malone (long jump) and Ashely Kelly (400m) have until June 29, 2020 to qualify for the Games. The qualifying mark for women’s long jump is 6.82 and the qualifying time for the women’s 400m is 51.35.

Filed Under: Ashley Kelly, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , ,
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