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: , ,

BVIOC donates equipment to schools for Physical Literacy pilot programme

November 19, 2019 by

The BVI Olympic Committee donated equipment to the 12 pre- and primary schools piloting the physical literacy project.

The equipment will provide support in building the physical literacy capacity of students in schools participating in the project.

As part of the assessments that were carried out last month by the team of physical literacy specialists visiting from Canada Sports for Life, one of the recommendations in the report was the need for equipment to introduce various activities to the children that will assist in building mastery, confidence and motivation to move in different ways.

President of the BVI Olympic Committee, Mr. Ephraim Penn said “This initiative is being sponsored by the Olympic Solidarity and therefore we want to ensure that this programme is a success. In order to do so we have to continue to invest in the physical development of the Territory’s children.”

Physical Education teachers, coaches and persons involved in sports along with parents are encouraged to support the initiative by learning about physical literacy and following the physical literacy campaign on BVIOC’s website – bviolympics.org – and page on Facebook.

“There is great information and tips that everyone can use to introduce physical literacy concepts to children in their care. I encourage parents, teachers, care givers and volunteers to support the concept of physical literacy and to lead by example by being active and encouraging your child or children to be active as well,” Mr. Penn said.

The equipment was handed over to the Ministry of Education and Culture and received by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Carolyn Stoutt-Igwe and Chief Education Officer Ms. Connie George on November 8 during a short ceremony.

“We recognize the importance of physical literacy in our community and the long term benefits of ingraining physical activity from an early age so that it becomes a lifetime habit,” said Ms. George. “Having the Physical Literacy project run in our schools is paramount and the Ministry of Education is very appreciative that the BVI Olympic Committee is ensuring its success through their ongoing support and donations with funding from Olympic Solidarity.”

The equipment, which includes a variety of training tools tailored for the needs of each recipient, will be distributed to the participating schools in the coming days.

Participating schools include Althea Scatliffe, Francis Lettsome, Leonora Delville and Jost Van Dyke Primary Schools, Bregado Flax Education Centre-Primary Division, Agape Total Life Academy and Pelican Gate School as well as New Life, Little Light House, New Testament, Visions and Jost Van Dyke preschools.

The mission to promote physical literacy locally is a multi-agency collaboration between the BVI Olympic Committee, Canada Sports for Life and the Ministries of Health and Social Development and Education and Culture.

Physical Literacy is the competence, confidence and motivation to enjoy a variety of sports and physical activities.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, LTAD, Physical Literacy Tagged With: , , ,

Lettsome fifth at US High School Sailing Nationals

November 13, 2019 by
Thad Lettsome placed 5th at the 2019 Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA) Cressy High School Singlehanded National Championship, Santa Barbara, CA 2019

The 2019 Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA) Cressy High School Singlehanded National Championship took place in Santa Barbara, California on 2-3 November. BVI national, Thad Lettsome qualified to compete for Tabor Academy when he won the NESSA Single Handed Championship for the Healy Trophy in October.

The first day of racing saw a slow build in the south south westerly wind ranging from 6 to 12 knots. Nine races were sailed on day one with Lettsome posting consistent finishes across the board.

The best races for Lettsome were in the breezier conditions where the combination of a clean start and excellent boat speed in hiking conditions resulted in posting three second place finishes on his score card. Throughout the day, Lettsome demonstrated excellent boat handling and solid tactical decision making to sit just six points off second place at the close of the day.

On day two, there were four more races which were sailed in light variable conditions. It was a day of mixed fortunes for Lettsome and despite an eighth and another second, an OCS in race 11 and a somewhat complicated protest situation, he slid back to finish sixth overall.

Whilst not the overall result he was hoping for, the regatta was a great opportunity to develop skills worked on at a recent training camp with Canadian Olympian Lee Parkhill. In particular, downwind skills and gybing technique were both areas where he regained positions in Santa Barbara.

Filed Under: Sailing Tagged With: , , ,

High jumping is in the air thanks to JOMA (Properties) Ltd

November 6, 2019 by
The BVI Athletics Association received High Jump equipment donated by JOMA (Properties) Ltd. during a brief handover ceremony at the A.O. Shirley Recreational Grounds on October 31. Photo: Cleave M Farrington/BVIAA

The BVI Athletics Association received High Jump equipment donated by JOMA (Properties) Ltd. during a brief handover ceremony at the A.O. Shirley Recreational Grounds on October 31.

CEO of JOMA (Properties) Ltd., Mr. Colin O’Neal was very pleased to purchase this high jump equipment when being approached since the previous equipment was destroyed two years ago post Hurricane Irma.

Mr. O’Neal commented, “we are happy that we were in a position to help the Association to replace the equipment that was lost through the effects of Hurricane Irma and our hope that this equipment will serve the community especially the young people for many years to come.”

Mr. O’Neal further stated “The aims and objectives of the BVI Athletics Association align with those of JOMA in our commitment to supporting useful community activities particularly for young people and especially in the sports such as track and field where there is a demonstrated level of organization and commitment and a record of success in regional and international competition.”

BVIAA President Steve Augustine in his remarks was extremely grateful and happy for the kind gesture of JOMA (Properties) Ltd. and the O’Neal family in donating a new High Jump Bed to the BVIAA. “We have been without the high jump bed since 2017 and now 2 years after, we have what we lost thanks to JOMA,” stated Mr. Augustine. “I trust and I hope that others will follow along the same trend in helping to shape and build lives in the field of sports as JOMA have done today,” Mr. Augustine further commented.

Mr. Augustine made mention of Mr. Karl Scatliffe and Chantel Malone who hold long outstanding records in high jump and challenged the young athletes to break those records.

Past BVIAA President Mr. Rey O’Neal provided further statistics of previous high jump athletes before handing over the equipment to the Association which was witnessed by the athletes and coaches.

Filed Under: Athletics Tagged With:

BVI sees largest participation in World Squash Day in 2 years

October 24, 2019 by
A record number of players participated in World Squash Day 2019 in the BVI

The BVI Squash Rackets Association saw a record turnout of players for World Squash Day on October 12.

The event, which is celebrated internationally each year, was open to players of all ages and abilities. 36 players participated in a big team competition at the Tortola Sports Club, the largest number to take part in the BVI in 2 years.

The winning team comprised Joe Chapman, Jonathan Addo, Alex Lower, Neville Wyllie, Decoy Mactavious, Jake Hallet, Darci Reich, Lisa Adamson and Ksenia Shvalova.

“There were fantastic matches between the federation’s top players which was inspiring for the new comers, and I definitely saw some great squash being played by all who joined in,” said Adam Murrills, Squash coach and organizer of the event

“The increase in interest and the progress of squash players in the BVI over the last 12 months has been very encouraging for the continued development of the sport,” said Mark Chapman, President, BVI Squash Rackets Association. “While we want to appeal to the wider community to give squash a go, we’re specifically targeting young potential players by engaging with organisations such as YEP and schools.”

Coach Murrills runs after school clubs during the week as well as group sessions on Saturdays. The squash pro currently has a roster of 35 young players from Elmore Stoutt High School, YEP, First impressions, Cedar, Francis Lettsome, Joyce Samuels, and Ebenezer Thomas Primary Schools – the majority of players are new to squash. Coach Murrills continues to meet with principals and PE teachers to raise awareness of the sport and to invite youngster to learn.

“Coach Murrills is doing an excellent job of introducing squash at a grassroots level and the BVISRA is hopeful that these continued efforts will result in a pool of future contenders for the big international competitions such as the Pan American Games and the Commonwealth Games,” said Chapman.

A BBQ and baked treats for sale at World Squash Day helped to raise funds for the federation’s junior players who will compete in the Barbados Junior Open, November 28 – December 1, 2019.

The federation acknowledged the donations made by Conyers, Dill and Pearman and Capriccios and Jonathan Addo.

Filed Under: Squash Tagged With: ,

Victoria Rowlette Wins & Ladies Celebrate 100 | Willy T Race & Virgins Cup

October 23, 2019 by
Victoria Rowlette, driving Whoop Whoop took the multihull class and the overall win in the 29th Willy T Race and Virgin’s Cup. Photo: © RBVIYC / Clair Burke

The 29th Willy T Race and Virgin’s Cup took place on Saturday, October 19 with 14 boats racing from Nanny Cay across to the Willy T.

From a start line set off Nanny Cay, the race took sailors up to Hog Valley Green marker buoy off Road Town and across the channel to pass between Norman and Peter Island, down to Pelican and the Indians and up to finish in the Bight. Four dinghies took a more direct route to round Pelican and the Indians before entering the Bight.

There were two dinghy classes, the Laser 4.7 and RSFeva. Samuel Allen and Max Reshetiloff duked it out in the Laser 4.7 with Allen taking a commanding lead to the Indians. Reshetiloff made a comeback in the final leg to the finish but not quite enough to take the win from Allen.

In the RSFeva class, 9 year old Darcy Lilleyman and her dad Tom showed off the skills she’s learned in the RBVIYC after school program to take the win. Up against them were Julia Campbell and Dave Allen who were forced to retire after taking on water.

There were five entries in the cruising class, all but one with lady helms. Sharon Barber steered Wicked Winch to the overall victory in her class by just over 2.5 minutes on corrected time. In second place was Odyssey, helmed by Lisa Sutherland-Pilch, who had an eventful race including an unexpected dunking for owner, Miles!

Barbara Bailey on Second Nature claimed third ahead of Monica Geppert on Moonshadow in fourth. Flying in for line honors in the class was Bruce Fletcher’s Ginger but they took fifth with an RTD as it’s not quite the done thing to use the engine!

Three boats in the race division had a very close race but the IC24 ElAmanda, helmed by Amanda Plaxton and Leslie Cramer clinched the win, despite a late start. In second place was Dee Bowden with Firewater and Sam Brown at the helm of The Black Pig came in third.

In the multihull division, Lucky 7 with Linda Phillips at the helm got off to a flying start but unfortunately rudder failure half way around the course forced them to retire. This left Victoria Rowlette, driving Whoop Whoop, with a clean shot. A fantastic performance from 12 year old Rowlette saw her take the multihull class and the overall win.

At a colourful prize giving hosted by the Willy T’s very own Ewan Anderson, thanks we’re given to the race committee and local supporters who donated prizes; the Willy T, Captain Mulligans, Village Cay and Nanny Cay Beach Bar.

Special awards were given to the oldest and youngest skippers, Barbara Bailey (91) and Darcy Lilleyman (9), whose combined age reached a whopping 100 years. Flora Lilleyman was also acknowledged for her assistance to the race committee.

Click here for photos on RBVIYC Facebook page.

Click here for high res pictures on RBVIYC Flickr page.

All images: © RBVIYC / Clair Burke

Results
Laser 4.7

  1. Samuel Allen
  2. Max Reshetiloff

RSFeva

  1. Darcy and Tom Lilleyman
  2. Julia Campbell and Dave Allen (RTD)

Cruising

  1. Wicked Winch (Hunter 30.2) – Sharon Barber
  2. Odyssey (Beneteau 44.7) – Lisa Sutherland-Pilch
  3. Second Nature (Hughes38) – Barbara Bailey
  4. Moonshadow (Tayana/V42) – Monica Geppert
  5. Ginger (Morgan46) – Bruce Fletcher (RTD)

Racing

  1. ElAmanda (IC24) – Amanda Plaxton & Leslie Cramer
  2. Firewater (Melges24) – Dee Bowden
  3. Black Pig (Tartan10) – Sam Brown

Multihull

  1. Whoop Whoop (Corsair27) – Victoria Rowlette
  2. Lucky 7 (Corsair750) – Linda Phillips (RTD)
Filed Under: Sailing Tagged With: , , ,

BVIOC free sports clinic stepping stone to promote grass roots development in the community

October 18, 2019 by

The BVI Olympic Committee organized and ran a free sports clinic for the community at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds on Saturday, October 12 as part of celebratory activities to mark Chantel Malone’s historic gold medal win in long jump at the Lima 2019.

The clinic took place the day after a ceremony recognizing Chantel’s achievement of becoming the British Virgin Islands’ first Pan American Games medalist. The interactive session was presented by Tahesia Harrigan-Scott and Joey Scott of Tru Fit Athletics, Miami and featured the BVI’s elite track and field athletes, Chantel Malone, Kyron McMaster (400m hurdles), Eldred Henry (shot put) and Ashley Kelly (400m) and Dr. Harlan Vanterpool, NHI Medical Director.

“This clinic was a great launch pad for executing grass roots engagement and bringing to life the practical elements of the long term athlete development programme,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “The four BVI professional track and field athletes worked with a captivated audience for the whole morning, interacting with the youngsters in the community, advising and inspiring them to work towards developing their athletic potential.”

The panel of professional athletes are all beneficiaries of the BVIOC Elite Athlete Programme which provides financial support to help them prepare throughout the year for major games. Each of the panelists shared their personal experiences, insights and practical tips on a wide range of topics during the indoor discussion forum and out on the track and field. Attendees heard what it takes to make it in a selected sports and learned more about the dual purpose of college attendance with recommendations to focus primarily on the academics followed by sports as an avenue to excel in a particular discipline.

The most important takeaway for many was the advice to set a personal goal and identify the support base to help achieve the goals. Out on the track and field, attendees loved the ‘form and technique’ sessions provided by the professional athletes – with each participant coming away with something new to apply to their execution.

Dr. Harlan Vanterpool’s engaging explanation about what anti-doping actually means and his conversation on testing and reveal of the testing kit used helped to deliver a better understanding among the young athletes on the reasons, rules and regulations as promoted by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

“The BVIOC sees this clinic as just the start of another way of promoting sport for all and pushing the LTAD program in the community,” said Mr. Penn. “The BVIOC has 16 National Federation members, several of whom have athletes and teams who are on the professional circuit and who can help to build our pool of athletes through similar engagement. We have held two named Sports Festivals on Olympic Day with interactive sports stations set up by the National Federations but we now want to evolve these stations into actual clinics within the Sports Festival as a means of educating and enthusing the public of all ages. We also hope that it becomes an opportunity for the coaches to spot potential talent from within the community and open up a pathway for the development of such talent.”

The Olympic Day Sports Festival is slated to take place on Saturday, June 27, 2020.

View the BVIOC free sports clinic photo album on Facebook

Filed Under: Ashley Kelly, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Caribbean RADO, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Kyron McMaster, Lima 2019, LTAD, Olympic Day, PanAM Games, Regional Anti-Doping Organization, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

BVIOC to host free sports clinic presented by Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of Tru Fit Athletics and featuring Chantel Malone, Kyron McMaster, Eldred Henry, & Ashley Kelly

October 4, 2019 by
Free interactive BVIOC Sports Clinic presented by Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of Tru Fit Athletics featuring Chantel Malone, Kyron McMaster, Eldred Henry and Ashley Kelly will take place at A. O. Shirley Recreation Ground on Saturday, October 12. Image credits: Todd VanSickle, CM Farrington, Tru Fit Athletics

The BVI Olympic Committee has organized a free sports clinic which will take place on Saturday, October 12th from 9.00am – 1.00pm at the Multipurpose Complex and A.O. Shirley Recreation Grounds.

The clinic has been organised as part of special activities which will be held in recognition of Chantel Malone’s historic achievement at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games when she won a gold medal in the long jump with a mark of 6.68m to secure the Territory’s first ever medal in a Pan Am Games.

The clinic is open to the public and will be conducted by Mrs. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of Tru Fit Athletics, Florida and will feature Chantel Malone and her co elite athletes, Kyron McMaster (400m hurldes), Eldred Henry (shot put, discus) and Ashley Kelly (400m).

“We have a cadre of remarkable athletes who currently are ranked among the world’s top athletes and who are putting the BVI on the map with their performances at major international meets,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “We are excited to have Mrs. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott the Territory’s recently retired, first senior professional female athlete and Chef de Mission, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games join us with coach Joey Scott of Tru Fit Athletics, Miami in organizing a free clinic for the community.

“This is a unique event which will bring our elite athletes back home for one weekend to celebrate the latest historic achievement by Chantel Malone at the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games by sharing their experiences with the community, giving us an insight into their lives as professional athletes, provide tips and pointers for aspiring athletes and serve as an inspiration to us all.”

The clinic, which supports the BVIOC’s Long Term Athlete Development programme, will include an educational section and a practical section. The educational section in the Multi sports Complex will be an open session discussion between the professional athletes and attendees focusing on the trials and tribulation of sports and provide insights on strategies and experiences that athletes have to work through in order to become successful and accomplish their goals.  

Dr. Harlan Vanterpool will conduct anti-doping breakout sessions which will aim to equip athletes and their parents as well as coaches and volunteers with practical and useful information on how to be aware of substances banned by the World Anti Doping Association (WADA) and identify ‘safe’ over-the-counter and prescription medicines.

The practical section will be held at the A.O Shirley Recreation Ground.  Attendees will be divided into age groups and cover sprints, jumps, throws, and hurdles.  Each section will be led by one of the professional athletes. 

The clinic will take place the day after a motorcade and recognition ceremony for Chantel hosted by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The motorcade which starts at 3.00pm on Friday, October 11th, will travel from the Queen Elizabeth II Park and route through Waterfront Drive, Botanic Station and turn west at the traffic lights to end at the Central Administration Complex where the ceremony is scheduled to start at 4.30pm.

Click here for information on the Chantel Malone commemorative t-shirt.

Filed Under: Ashley Kelly, Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Lima 2019, PanAM Games, Regional Anti-Doping Organization, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott Tagged With:
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