BVI Olympic Committee

Behind the Scenes at Rio 2016 with Tahesia Harrigan-Scott

August 12, 2016 by Admin

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott taking stock of the track. Photo: BVIOC

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott is looking relaxed as the veteran Olympian of the British Virgin Islands’ team of four competing at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. She is on her way to the Maracana training ground, adjacent to the stadium where she will be competing on August 12.

Rio 2016 is Tahesia’s third Olympic Games and where she will run the 100m.

It’s an evening training session and the track is active with athletes from all nations, including Grenada’s 400m Gold medalist, Kirani James, running drills.

Tahesia sips her pre-work out drink before she starts her routine of waking up her muscles with stretching exercises.

“Tonight I’ll be keeping it light with some starts, block work, and sprints,” she says. “So I’ll be taking off from the blocks for 10 and 20 meters and also do a couple of 100m and 110m sprints.”

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott concentrates on the task ahead. Photo: BVIOC

She moves on to the track where she joins her training partners representing Haiti, Cayman, and Nigeria. Under the observant eye of coach and husband, Joey Scott, Tahesia goes through her sets of leg work – a series of fast, high-knee hops, skips and strides – which will fire up her muscles and trigger limb-placement memory for optimal results.

“At this point all the work is done,” says Coach Scott. “There’s nothing I can say to her or tell her now that’s going to have an impact. It’s all up to her and what we do at competition training is just fine tuning.”

The banter on the track is light and friendly but concentration on the tasks at hand is unwavering.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott measuring up the blocks. Photo: BVIOC

After measuring distance and adjusting the blocks to suit her leg position, Tahesia executes an impressive backward lunge to land both her feet precisely on the blocks. Lined up against fellow sprinters from elsewhere, Tahesia waits for the start signal before she explodes off the start, keeping up with the four men in the lanes next to her.

Her performance that session wins the nod of approval from Coach Scott. It’s time for a post work out treatment with Team BVI’s physiotherapist, Matt McGrath.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott at Maracana training grounds, Rio. Photo: BVIOC

“I’m feeling good,” says Tahesia as she comes off her last, fast sprint. “This is the first Games where I can say I don’t have any niggling worries, for example an injury that I might not have mentally shaken off. Everything seems aligned for me and I feel well balanced in body, soul and mind to give this my best shot.”

(l-r) at the Rio 2016 Maracana training grounds with Coach Joey Scott, Chris Huffins, former USA decathlete and bronze medalist, Sydney 2000, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Kirani James, 400m Gold medalist London 2012, Coach Harvey Glance, 4x100m Gold medalist Montreal 1976. Photo: BVIOC

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Rio News Tagged With: #teambvi, BVI Olympic Committee, Rio 2016, Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott

Behind the scenes at Rio 2016 with Elinah Phillip

August 11, 2016 by Admin

Elinah Phillip. Photo: BVIOC

Monday was a busy day for Elinah Phiilip, the BVI’s first swimmer in any Olympic Games. With four days to go before competition day, the 16-year old conducted a successful interview in the ESPN studios at the International Broadcasting Center before she headed out to one of the training pools for her midday session with her coach, Benoit Grattepanche.

The venue was busy with swimmers either getting ready for a race that day or working through their competition training routine. Starting off with warm up exercises pool side, Elinah found a lane and plunged into the water for a couple of laps to loosen her limbs.

Elinah, a year 11 student of Bishops Stortford College and a member of Bishops Stortford Swim Club, alternated her routine from swimming with training aids and resistance bands, to concentrating on form and a few pacing laps.

Elinah Phillip and coach Benoit Grattepanche at the training pool at Rio 2016. Photo: BVIOC

Benoit, a French national, is a former competitive swimmer who uses the same training methods he had been coached with to coach Elinah. “It’s a proven method and Elinah has improved on her time since we switched her training regime, on average, shaving off 1 second of her previous performance in the 50m.”

Elinah Phillip training at Rio 2016. Photo: BVIOC

The training programme is based on daily goals which are set on results generated by a swim app created by Benoit to help analyse form, style and speed. The carefully planned schedule of exercises will be rolled out over the next few days until competition time on the morning of Friday, August 12.

Elinah will be swimming in Heat 6 – an indication that she has moved up in the ranks. Her performance times set her in the middle range of speed for all the competitors in her category.

In her last pace lap, Elinah puts in a strong performance that pleases both coach and swimmer. After a couple of cool down laps, Elinah exits the water for her post-training session with Team BVI’s physiotherapist, Matt McGrath.

Elinah Phillip at Rio 2016. Photo: BVIOC

Elinah Phillip with Team BVI physio, Matt McGrath at Rio 2016. Photo: BVIOC

“I feel good,” said Elinah. “I felt strong and comfortable in the last pace lap I did and I’m happy with how this afternoon’s session went. I won’t sleep when I get back because that interferes with my ability to fall asleep at night but I’m going to relax before this evening’s training.”

After three hours of rest, Elinah will return to the training pool where Benoit will be expecting her to put in some hard work before she gets back to Olympic Village for a good night’s sleep.

Elinah Phillip with physio, Matt McGrath and coach Benoit Grattepanche. Photo: BVIOC

Mom, Tracy Bradshaw is at Rio 2016 as Elinah’s chaperone and recalls the story of a four-year old Elinah who, when learning to swim with Kids And the Sea (KATS), would cling to the side wall and refuse to let go telling the instructor that she was “only small and the pool is too deep” for her to stand up in. It would take another year (and a little reverse psychology) before Elinah finally let go of her fear to end up swimming her way to the Olympics.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, Rio News, Swimming Tagged With: #teambvi, 50m Freestyle, Elinah Phillip, Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Team BVI

Ashley Kelly selected as Flag Bearer for Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony

August 2, 2016 by Admin

Chef de Mission Stephanie Russ Penn arrived in Brazil ahead of the athletes and delegation for final preparations prior to their arrival for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

The British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee today announced the selection of Ashley Kelly as the flag bearer for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Ashley, who qualified in April this year to compete in her first Olympic Games in the 200m, will lead Team BVI at the Opening Ceremony on August 5.

“It’s an honour to have been selected as the flag bearer and I am incredibly proud to have been given the opportunity to introduce the Virgin Islands and team BVI as we join the opening ceremony parade at the Maracana Stadium this Friday. This is my first Olympic Games and I feely doubly blessed to have qualified for an event I trained so long and hard for and to serve as ambassador for my country.”

Ashley is one of the VI’s four athletes who will be competing in Rio 2016. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott makes history as she competes in her third Olympic Games in the 100m dash, while Eldred Henry debuts in the Shot Put and 16-year old Elinah Phillip takes the title of being the first swimmer to represent the VI in the Olympics when she competes in the 50m Freestyle.

Chef de Mission, Stephanie Russ Penn arrived in Rio, Brazil on July 29 ahead of the VI delegation to tend to administrative tasks and ensure that all preparations are complete for the smooth transition of the athletes and coaches upon their arrival to the Athletes Village and training venues.

“It has been an extremely busy but exciting few days,” said Mrs. Russ Penn. “There have been challenges with accommodation but these should be resolved by the time the athletes arrive in the next couple of days. The organisers of the Games are working hard to bring things together and we have been assigned a very capable assistant, Elaine, to help us throughout our time here. The Olympic Aquatic Stadium seems to be in good order and the Olympic Stadium is ready for action.”

Chef de Mission Stephanie Russ Penn signed the Wall of Truce and exchanged gifts with Rio 2016 at the welcome ceremony held on August 1 for the VI, Afghanistan, Ireland, Rwanda, and Turkmenistan.

Chef de Mission Stephanie Russ Penn signed the Wall of Truce and exchanged gifts with Rio 2016 at the welcome ceremony held on August 1 for the Virgin Islands, Afghanistan, Ireland, Rwanda, and Turkmenistan.

Mrs. Russ Penn attended the flag raising ceremony on August 1 where the Territorial flag was hoisted at the Athletes Village as part of the opening ceremonies to symbolize the representation of all the nations attending the Games. Describing the occasion as pleasing and enjoyable, Mrs Russ Penn signed the Wall of Truce and received the gift to the territory from Rio 2016.

Live coverage of all Olympic events including the events in which the territory’s athletes are competing and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be broadcast on CBN Television Channel 51 and on CBN Radio 90.9FM. Events take place from 8.00am until 2.00pm EST and in the evenings from 7.00pm until 11.00pm EST.

The broadcast contracted to ESPN Caribbean by CANOC Broadcasting Inc (CBI), will focus on Caribbean sports and will include interviews of Caribbean athletes prior to the events. Rey O’Neal will be in the studio for live commentary and analysis of the VI’s athletes during their events.

The VI’s athletes first round of events are scheduled to take place on August 12 with Tahesia Harrigan-Scott in the Women’s 100m Preliminary Round / Round 1. The Women’s 100m semi finals and final will take place on August 13.

Also on August 12, Elinah Phillip will compete in the Women’s 50m Freestyle Heats with the semi finals taking place later that day. The final for the 50m Freestyle takes place on August 13.

On August 15 Ashley Kelly will compete in Round 1 of the 200M. The semi finals will take place on August 16 and the final on August 17.

On August 18, Eldred Henry will be throwing the Shot Put.

Updates on the VI’s athletes at Rio 2016 will be posted on the BVIOC accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and can be found on these platforms under BVI Olympic Committee. Fans are encouraged to use the handle #GoTeamBVI in their social media posts to show their support.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Rio News, Swimming Tagged With: Ashley Kelly, BVI Flag Bearer, Rio 2016, Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games

Olympic Channel to launch on 21 August 2016

July 28, 2016 by Admin

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced the launch date for its ground-breaking new media destination, the Olympic Channel, where fans can experience the power of sport and the Olympic Movement all year round.

Starting Sunday 21 August, after the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the Olympic Channel platform will be available worldwide via a mobile app for Android and iOS devices and at olympicchannel.com.

In addition, athletes and fans can follow the Olympic Channel on its newly launched social media handles on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, and sign up for Olympic Channel updates at olympicchannel.com.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The launch of the Olympic Channel on 21st August is the start of an exciting new journey to connect the worldwide audience with the Olympic Movement all year round. Fans will be able to follow sports, athletes and the stories behind the Olympic Games. The Olympic Channel will inspire us all and reach out to new generations of athletes and fans.”

With the goal of providing a new way to engage young people, fans and new audiences in the Olympic Movement, the Olympic Channel is a free platform that will present original programming, live sports events, news and highlights offering additional exposure for sports and athletes all year round. Olympic Channel original programming will include both short-form and long-form content, focusing on elite athletes, their quest for success and sport around the world.

Designed for a global audience, the Olympic Channel digital platform will showcase content from around the world, and will initially be offered in English. Additional features at launch will include fantastic content as video on demand, as well as individual sport pages within a user-friendly and mobile-responsive interface, subtitled in nine different languages.

The Olympic Channel includes an option to register for a richer and more personalised experience, where users can follow their favourite athletes, teams, sports and countries to receive an individually-tailored content selection. The dynamic environment also allows videos to be easily shared across social media, and encourages users to regularly interact with the Olympic Movement.

After the launch of the global digital product in August, the Olympic Channel intends to foster partnerships with other Olympic stakeholders, including rights-holding broadcasters and National Olympic Committees to develop localised versions of the Olympic Channel. Localised versions will offer language-specific user experiences on digital platforms, and will also include linear television programming options.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee Tagged With: IOC, Olympic Channel

Live broadcast of VI’s four athletes competing in Rio 2016 Olympics

July 20, 2016 by Admin

Rio 2016 #TeamBVI – Live action on CBN Channel 51

Four athletes will represent the Virgin Islands at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games which take place in Brazil from August 5 – 21. The BVI Olympic Committee confirmed that the VI’s qualified track runners, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott (100m) and Ashley Kelly (200m) will be joined by young swimmer, Elinah Phillip (50m Freestyle) and field athlete, Eldred Henry (Shot Put) competing through the universality invitation.

CANOC Broadcasting Inc (CBI) acquired the broadcast rights for the Rio 2016 Olympics and the local scheduling of live broadcasts of events in which Caribbean national athletes will compete. Events take place from 8.00am until 2.00pm and in the evenings from 7.00pm until 11.00pm.

The broadcast on ESPN Caribbean will cover all Olympic events including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies but will focus on Caribbean sports as well as interviews of Caribbean athletes prior to the events. The live coverage can be seen on CBN Television Channel 51 and listened to on the radio by tuning into CBN Radio 90.9FM.

Furthermore, the BVI Olympic Committee has invested in a decoder to be used by CBN to ensure that fans in the VI can follow the live broadcast of all the events in which the VI’s athletes will be competing.

The first rounds for these events are scheduled to take place on August 12 with Tahesia Harrigan-Scott in the Women’s 100m Preliminary Round / Round 1. The Women’s 100m semi finals and final will take place on August 13. Also on August 12, Elinah Phillip will compete in the Women’s 50m Freestyle Heats with the semi finals taking place later that day. The final for the 50m Freestyle takes place on August 13.

On August 15 Ashley Kelly will compete in Round 1 of the 200M. The semi finals will take place on August 16 and the final on August 17. On August 18, Eldred Henry will be throwing the Shot Put.

Mr. Rey O’Neal will be in the studio during the competitions with commentary and analysis of athlete performances.

“This will be the first time that we will have live broadcasting of our athletes in competition at the Olympic Games,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “We invested in the decoder because we really want viewers and supporters to be able to watch the action for which our athletes have trained so hard. The Olympic Games are the pinnacle and goal of every athlete and it is no mean feat to have gained a spot in this global event. There are flexible, affordable advertising opportunities during the Olympic Games broadcasts on CBN Channel 51 and any interested persons should contact the BVIOC on (284) 494 6920 or by email at cmfarrington@bviolympics.org.”

CBN will also be broadcasting the semi finals and finals for the VI’s other national federation sports of Archery, Basketball, Cycling, Football, Rugby, Tennis, Taekwondo, and Volleyball. FLOW customers will also be able to watch alternative live feeds through the FLOW ID app.

Updates on the VI’s athletes at Rio 2016 will be posted on the BVIOC accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and can be found on these platforms under BVI Olympic Committee.

Chef de Mission for Rio 2016, Stephanie Russ Penn will be traveling to Rio one week in advance of the August 5 Opening Ceremony to prepare for the arrival of the athletes.

In addition to Mrs. Russ Penn, the official delegation to Rio 2016 includes Winston Potter, Athletics Coach, Omar Jones, Athletics Coach, Benoit Grattepanche, Swimming Coach, Tracy Bradshaw, Swimming Chaperone, Matthew McGrath, Physiotherapist, Dr. Harlan Vanterpool, Doctor, Mark Chapman, Olympic Attache, Ephraim Penn, President, BVIOC and Lloyd Black, Secretary General.

Filed Under: Athletics, Buy Tickets for Rio 2016, BVI Olympic Committee, Rio News, Swimming Tagged With: #teambvi, Ashley Kelly, Eldred Henry, Elinah Phillip, Rio 2016, Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott

Olympic Day celebrated with National Federations and a focus on Rio 2016

June 29, 2016 by Admin

Runners on BVI Olympic Day 2016. Photo: BVIOC

Adults and children kicked off Olympic Day in the VI with an early morning run in Virgin Gorda on Saturday, June 25. In Tortola, a mix of all ages came out in the afternoon to celebrate the occasion at the Tortola Sports Club by watching demonstrations in rugby, archery, taekwondo, squash and having a go at each of the sports in advance of the symbolic 2-mile run through Road Town.

Representatives for the national federations for Rugby, Archery, Taekwondo and Squash also shared information on the sports and encouraged attendees to sign up and get moving with a new activity.

Rio 2016 sailing hopeful, Chris Brockbank joined the Royal BVI Yacht Club to speak about the efforts he and his teammate, Alec Anderson had undertaken in their quest to qualify for this Summer Olympic Games. Whilst they did not meet the Rio 2016 qualification, Chris reiterated their commitment to pursuing qualification for Tokyo 2020. Club manager Tamsin Rand also spoke about the youth sailing programme.

The VI Swimming Federation represented by the president and members of the youth swimming team were also in attendance.

Ephraim Penn, president of the BVIOC gave a brief history of the BVI Olympic Committee and presented one of the founding members, Reynold ‘Rey’ O’Neal, OBE with a commemorative photo book of the tribute evening hosted for him by the BVIOC earlier in the year.

In keeping with the goal of Olympic Day to get the young involved and engaged in sports, Penn also spoke about the Long Term Athletes Development programme hosted by the BVIOC. The series of LTAD workshops will equip coaches with the resources to identify and develop promising youth athletes with a view to training them for major games such as the Olympics.

Chef de Mission for Rio 2016, Stephanie Russ-Penn followed with an update on the preparations for Rio 2016 confirming that the VI’s qualified track runners, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott (100m) and Ashley Kelly (200m) will be joined by young swimmer, Elinah Phillip (50m Freestyle) who will compete as part of the universality invitation.

Russ-Penn then went on to reveal the outerwear for the Team BVi athletes participating in major games highlighting the integration of the Vigilante in the design.

Rounding off with information on attending the summer Games, Mark Chapman, Treasurer, BVIOC said, “Rio 2016 promises to be an exciting occasion and it’s not too late to get event tickets and support Team BVI in Brazil. The BVIOC has tickets for residents and anyone else who has a connection to the territory. Recent research also shows airfare via Panama is available starting at $1006 so anyone interested in getting tickets can complete an online request on bviolympics.org or contact the BVIOC office on 494 6920. The summer Games take place August 5 – 21.”

The afternoon set up at the sports club included tips and massages by La Ambiance Spa and an information booth run by the VI branch of the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO).

The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, and Red Cross volunteers were on hand to ensure the safety of the runners and walkers. Roadtown Wholesale distributed Dasani water and Powerade to participants along the route and at the sports club.

Olympic Day was established in 1948 as an annual occasion where everyone everywhere can get together in their communities to celebrate the Olympic values of Respect, Excellence and Friendship and also celebrate the Olympic Day pillars: Move. Learn. Discover.

In his Olympic Day message to people around the world, IOC President, Thomas Bach said, “Olympic Day is for everyone, regardless of age or athletic ability. The important thing is to get the couch potatoes off the couch. Although Olympic Day commemorates an historic event, its goals are aimed at the future and particularly at young people. Olympic Day is an opportunity to remind people that sport is not just for watching. We want to inspire all people to get active and to have fun. Thank you for doing your part by getting off the couch. Please encourage others to do the same — not just on Olympic Day, but as part of a healthier and happier life. Enjoy the day, and please keep the spirit of Olympic Day alive throughout the year.”

Filed Under: Buy Tickets for Rio 2016, BVI Olympic Committee, Rio News, Rugby, Sailing, Squash, Swimming, Taekwondo Tagged With: #olympicday, BVI Olympic Committee, BVI Olympic Day, Rio 2016, Rio 2016 tickets

Olympic day activities celebrate the countdown to Rio 2016

June 21, 2016 by Admin

The BVI Olympic Committee (BVIOC) will be celebrating its annual Olympic Day event with multi-sport activities hosted at the Tortola Sports Club on Saturday, June 25th, 2016 from 2:30 pm – 6pm.

Based on the Olympic Day pillars of ‘Discover’, ‘Learn’, ‘Move’, activities kick off at 2:30pm with an opportunity for the public to discover a new sport and learn about Archery, Rugby, Taekwondo, Squash, and Sailing from the representative national federations and by taking part in the interactive demonstrations.

Other highlights include the announcement of confirmed athletes to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the Rio 2016 athletes’ slideshow, the unveiling of major Games uniforms, Rio ticketing information, tips and massages from Professionals for La Ambience Spa, the reading of the Olympic Day Message, and concluding with movement with the symbolic Olympic Day 2 mile run/walk through Road Town at 4:45pm.

The Virgin Gorda community will celebrate by assembling at the College grounds, Enid Pickering Building at the HLSCC Virgin Gorda Centre at 6:30am for the Olympic Day Run/Walk. Interested persons may contact Gloria L. Geoge at leolafoye@gmail.com and by mobile ‘phone on (284) 547 7404.

Free Olympic Day T-Shirts and Dasani water and Powerade, compliments of Road Town Wholesale (1975) Ltd., will be distributed to all participants.

Activities are open to adults and children of all ages and ability levels. Come out, take part and together let’s support the Olympic Movement!

For more information, please contact Cleave Farrigton, Executive Director, BVIOC by email at cmfarrington@bviolympics.org or by telephone on (284) 494 6920.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, Rio News Tagged With: BVI Olympic Committee, BVI Olympic Day, Olympic Day, Rio 2016, Rio 2016 tickets

Coaches attend 2nd Long Term Athlete Development workshop

June 8, 2016 by Admin

The second BVI Olympic Committee Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Workshop was held at the Olympic Committee office May 27 – 28, 2016.

Representatives from the Football, Rugby, Tennis, Sailing, Basketball, Athletics and Archery federations attended the 2-day sessions which were facilitated by Mr. Istvan Balyi from Canada Sport for Life Society (CS4L), one of the initiative’s three co-sponsors.

The first session covered the key factors pertinent to athlete development and the 5 basic ‘S’s of training and performance – Stamina (Endurance), Strength, Speed, Skill, and Suppleness (Flexibility).

Coaches were also taken through the process and measurements required to manage athletic development. They were instructed on how to optimise training and output based on the distinct capacities of male and female athletes according to their individual physical, mental and cognitive, and emotional development. By applying the appropriate ‘periodisation’ model, coaches can identify periods of optimal trainability throughout the life of an athlete to help them reach their full genetic potential.

The second session focused on discussing the project outlines in the areas of Sport, Health and Education that were submitted for further development following on from the first workshop.

All the sporting organizations that were in attendance will now begin to work on the LTAD for their sport beginning with an assessment of “where we are now” to be followed by “where we want to be”.

The premise of the LTAD program is that it will pave the way for a healthier and more productive life and prepare the territory’s athletes for podium finishes at regional and international competitions.

“I was impressed with the workshop. I now see how Physical Literacy, the number 1 key factor of LTAD, is very important to the health of the nation, the development of sport and the concept of ‘Active for Life’,” commented Mr. Rhennie Phipps, a national Junior Basketball coach.

Other co-sponsors of the workshop include the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) with full endorsement from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The next workshop is set for September of this year and will cover Physical Literacy as a key factor for sport development.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee Tagged With: Canadian Olympic Committee, CANOC, CS4L, Long-Term Athlete Development, LTAD

Long Term Athlete Development and Physical Literacy

May 5, 2016 by Admin

Front row (l-r): Hon Myron V. Walwyn, Richard Way, BVIOC President, Ephraim Penn, LTAD Coordinator, Angeleta Bernard and 68 participants including physical education teachers, doctors from the BVI Health Services Authority, nurses, chairpersons and members of national sporting federations and personnel from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare attended a two-day workshop on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) and Physical Literacy from February 29 – March 1, 2016.

Two-day workshop on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) and Physical Literacy from February 29 – March 1, 2016.

The British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee (BVIOC), in collaboration with Canada Sport for Life (CS4L), the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) and, with full endorsement from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare conducted a successful two day workshop on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) and Physical Literacy at the Fort Burt Hotel conference room on February 29 and March 1, 2016. Mr. Richard Way, CEO of Sport for Life Society, Canada was the facilitator.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee

Olympic flame arrives in Brazil

May 3, 2016 by Admin

The Olympic flame has arrived in Brazil. A special flight operated by LATAM Airlines landed in the capital Brasília early on the morning of Tuesday 3 May, carrying the flame from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland to its new home in Brazil.

Over the course of the following 95 days, the Olympic torch will visit more than 300 towns and cities all over Brazil, before arriving in the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on 5 August. The flame was taken to a welcoming ceremony at the Pálacio do Planalto, the official workplace of the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff.

President Rousseff used the flame to light the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch before passing it to double Olympic volleyball champion. Fabiana Claudino to start the Brazilian phase of the torch. relay.

“Brazil is now the country of the Games. We will remember this day and it will go down in history,” President Rousseff said, before using the flame to light the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch and pass it to double Olympic volleyball champion Fabiana Claudino to start the Brazilian phase of the torch relay.

Ephraim Penn, president of the BVIOC along with presidents of all other NOC’s, was in attendance at the welcoming ceremony.

The flame was lit at at traditional ceremony in the Temple of Hera in Olympia in Greece, on 21 April. Following ancient custom, a parabolic mirror was used to light the flame with the sun’s rays.The same day, a torch relay began that took the flame all over Greece, before visiting the United Nations in Geneva and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. On 5 August, the torch will be used to light the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony.When it travels by air, the flame is preserved inside special lanterns which sit on a dedicated seat inside the aircraft. Security forces guard the flame at all times to make sure it travels safely and never goes out.

Want to go to Rio? Click here to book your tickets and packages.

Filed Under: Buy Tickets for Rio 2016, BVI Olympic Committee, Rio News Tagged With: Olympic flame, Olympic torch, Rio 2016, Rio 2016 tickets