Track and Field athletes up next for Pan Am Games

July 20, 2015 by
Track and field athletes/coaches as they arrived at the Toronto 2015 village were met by Swimmer, Elinah Phillip and coach Tracy Bradshaw. Pictured L-R – Tracy Bradshaw, Winston Potter, Chantel Malone, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Elinah Phillip, Eldred Henry, Xavier Dag Samuels, Anthony Dougherty, and Karene King. Photo: Provided

Track and field athletes/coaches as they arrived at the Toronto 2015 village were met by
Swimmer, Elinah Phillip and coach Tracy Bradshaw.
Pictured L-R – Tracy Bradshaw, Winston Potter, Chantel Malone, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Elinah Phillip, Eldred Henry, Xavier Dag Samuels, Anthony Dougherty, and Karene King. Photo: Provided

BVI’s track and field athletes arrived in Canada last Wednesday, July 15 to prepare for the start of their competitions at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games.

On Tuesday, July 21 Tahesia Harrigan-Scott will be running in the 100m and Eldred Henry will be throwing for the territory in the Shot Put Finals. On Thursday, July 23 Karene King will take on the 200m and Chantel Malone will be competing in the Long Jump while Eldred Henry will compete in the Discus Finals.

Toronto 2015 kicked off on Friday, July 10 with the Opening Ceremony in which squash player, Joe Chapman led the VI delegation as the flag bearer. The following day, Joe marked the start of the territory’s participation in the Pan Am Games with his match in the Men’s Squash Singles against Alonso Escudero of Peru. The game was tough and Joe succumbed to Escudero in 3 sets,  11-7, 11-7, 11-2.

Next up was swimmer, Elinah Phillip who took part in the 100m Freestyle on July 14. She swam a time of 1:00.72 and finished 24th in the event but was unable to advance to finals. Elinah followed this performance with a race in her favoured event, the 50m Freestyle. While Elinah swam a season’s best of 27.37s and finished 21st overall in the event, her score was insufficient to advance her to the finals. Soaking up this experience, Elinah prepares for the World Championship in Russia in a few weeks.

These competitions serve as qualifiers for RIO 2016 Olympic Games.

Click here for the complete schedule of competitions and results.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Squash, Swimming, Toronto News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

BVI’s athletes to compete at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games

July 8, 2015 by

headerlogoThe British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee has announced the team to participate in the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada from July 10-26.

Six (6) athletes and four (4) officials are now confirmed to attend the games.

BVI will compete in three sporting disciplines including athletics, squash and swimming.

The Toronto 2015 competitors from track and field include sprinter, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott in the 100m, Karene King in the 200m, Chantel Malone in the Long Jump and Eldred Henry who competes in both the Discus and the Shot Put. The team coaches are Winston Potter and Anthony Dougherty.

Elinah Phillip will be representing the BVI in swimming with the 50m and 100m Freestyle as her chosen events and Tracy Bradshaw as her coach.

Joe Chapman starts the ball rolling for the BVI team in the Squash Men’s Singles on July 11, with Adam Murrills as his coach.

In charge of the delegation is Chef de Mission for Toronto 2015, Mr. Xavier Dag Samuels.

Ephraim Penn, President of the British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee stated: “I am pleased we have been able to get six athletes qualified to represent us in Toronto 2015. This is double the number from Guadalajara four years ago in 2011 and it is great to have more than one sport represented. I am hopeful of solid performances from the athletes, especially in track and field and hope we can build on the excellent results we had last year at the Commonwealth and CAC Games”.

BVI’s Welcome Ceremony at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games is scheduled at the Athletes Village on July 9th, 2015 at 7 p.m., with the Opening Ceremony due to commence on July 10th, 2015 at 8 p.m.

It is expected that live coverage will be shown on television on the ESPN-Caribbean channel, so fans at home can follow the BVI athletes in action.

Click to view the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games competition schedule.

For more information, please visit www.toronto2015.org.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Squash, Swimming, Toronto News Tagged With: , , ,

Fitness Challenge participants awarded

July 3, 2015 by
Presenters and award recipients of the 12-Week Fitness Challenge. organised by the Run/Walk for Life Committee. Photo:GIS

Presenters and award recipients of the 12-Week Fitness Challenge. organised by the Run/Walk for Life Committee. Photo:GIS

The Ministry of Health and Social Development wrapped up the 12-week fitness challenge in style as it recognized top performers during a grand finale on Friday, June 26, held at the Central Administrative Building.

The programme which sought to encourage widespread walking by adults between the ages of 25 and 64, saw participants from 32 groups and 141 individuals who accepted the fitness challenge.

The award ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of over 800 active participants. There was an interactive programme of live entertainment by the Razor Blades, video testimonials, and presentations from the BVI Olympic Committee, remarks from the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Irad Potter and the Chairperson for the Interdepartmental Working Group, Honourable Archibald Christian and award presentations.

Prizes for the top achievers were announced with Ms. Georgene Henry capturing the top three individual spots followed by Messers Alfanzo Richards and Joel Williams.  The top three groups were the Holiness Walkers followed by Trident and TMF BVI Ltd. The grand prize for the top group was a day sail complements Moorings and a couple’s massage from Peter Island Resort and Spa for the top individual.

The 12-week fitness challenge was one of the programmes that was coordinated as part of the BVI Health and Wellness Council three-year walk/run for health campaign. The campaign, which is a collaborative effort between the Ministry Health and Social Development, the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports and the BVI Olympic Committee, aims to inspire persons within the Territory to increase physical activity in an effort to reduce vulnerability to non-communicable diseases like heart diseases, diabetes and some cancers.

The BVIOC successfully applied for funding from the IOC Olympic Solidarity Sport for All Commission to contribute $35,000 over a three-year period towards the campaign.

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

Community invited to move, explore, and learn on Olympic Day

June 17, 2015 by

Olympic Day events will take place on Saturday, June 20 from 4.00pm – 6.00pm at the Tortola Sports Club and a run/walk at 6.30am from HLSCC, Virgin Gorda.

Join the BVI Olympic Committee for the announcement of the BVI’s athletes for the Toronto 2015 PanAm Games, information on the packages and tickets now on sale for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games and a symbolic 2-mile run/walk through Road Town to celebrate Olympic Day. There will be a run/walk starting from the HLSCC in Virgin Gorda at 6.30am (6.00am registration). Participants will receive a free tee shirt at registration.

OlympicDay_2015

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee

INTERPOL issues global alert for potentially lethal illicit diet drug

May 4, 2015 by

By World Anti-Doping Agency

World Anti-Doping Agency urges athletes to avoid dangerous DNP substance

2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). Photo: Steroid.com

2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). Photo: Steroid.com

A global alert has been issued by INTERPOL for 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), an illicit and potentially lethal drug used as a dieting and body-building aid.

The Orange Notice warning about DNP, which is also used as a raw material for explosives, was published after one woman died in the UK and a French man was left seriously ill after taking the substance.

Under its anti-doping project, INTERPOL collaborated with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and received additional information from the global anti-doping organization after one of the WADA-accredited laboratories received a sample of the drug following a seizure in Australia.

Issued at the request of the French Ministry of the Interior’s Central Office for the Protection of the Environment and Public Health (OCLAESP – Office central de lutte contre les atteintes à l’environnment et à la santé publique), the alert has been circulated to law enforcement in all 190 member countries, and a public version has also been made available to help raise awareness.

Although usually sold in yellow powder or capsule form, DNP is also available as a cream. Besides the intrinsic dangers of DNP, the risks associated with its use are magnified by illegal manufacturing conditions.

In addition to being produced in clandestine laboratories with no hygiene regulations, without specialist manufacturing knowledge the producers also expose consumers to an increased chance of overdose.

In the 1930s DNP was used to boost metabolism and encourage weight loss, but it was taken out of circulation because of several deaths.

“WADA urges athletes to avoid 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) at any cost. This substance is not only included as a non-approved substance on the WADA Prohibited List but is also quite clearly dangerous, and is not approved by any government regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use. . No athlete should even contemplate taking such a high-risk, illegal substance that can have fatal consequences,” said WADA Director General, David Howman.

“We are appreciative that INTERPOL has issued this global warning on DNP. This is a perfect example of how crucial it is that law enforcement and anti-doping organizations continue to forge closer ties so that dangerous, and potentially fatal, substances such as DNP do not reach the hands of athletes,” added Howman.

As part of its close ties with WADA, and in cooperation with specialised national police and customs officers, INTERPOL’s anti-doping unit deals with both doping of high-level athletes, and the production and supply of banned performance enhancing drugs on the black market.

Each year INTERPOL coordinates Operation Pangea, an international week of action tackling the online sale of counterfeit and illicit medicines and highlighting the dangers of buying medicines online.

Bringing together customs, health regulators, national police and the private sector from countries around the world, key activities target the principal components used by illegal websites to conduct their trade – the Internet Service Provider (ISP), payment systems and the delivery service.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee

FIFA V.P. tours new stadium site, discusses football development in BVI

April 22, 2015 by

By BVIFA

FIFA Vice President, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein sat down with BVIFA Executive members and staff Coaches to discuss his vision for football development, both within the region and worldwide. Photo: BVIFA

FIFA Vice President, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein sat down with BVIFA Executive members and staff Coaches to discuss his vision for football development, both within the region and worldwide. Photo: BVIFA

“Every Country should have the basics: fields, kit, balls, coaches and FIFA should be able to assist.”

Those were the words of FIFA Vice President and Presidential Candidate, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein as he addressed the BVIFA Executive and staff during a flying visit last Friday, April 17th, 2015.

On a tour of FIFA Member Countries ahead of the elections scheduled for May 29th, 2015, the Prince, in the company of BVIFA President, Andy Bickerton, BVIFA Vice President, Aubrey Liburd, Head of the Women’s Committee, Shereen Flax Charles, Youth Development Head, Avenell Morton, BVIFA Ag. General Secretary, Alfred Reid, Louie Oumeish and Pablo Mayorga, paid a visit to the site of the new football stadium in East End and also made a courtesy call on the Premier, Dr. Orlando D. Smith, before meeting with the FA Coaches back at the BVIFA Head Office.

In answering the many questions put to him about the way forward for football in the BVI and worldwide, the Prince noted that there were many areas that needed reform and clarification.

“Coaches should be from the country they coach, but it is not always possible to get them the necessary experience,” said the Prince. “So there needs to be a form of scholarship programme where foreign based coaches can be brought in to advise and mentor. Gaining a license is fine, but to learn better skills, a coach needs practical skills, to see how others work and to be more involved in practical development.”

He also commented on the need to look at decentralizing the funding process and creating a means test to ensure countries with greater need get the support when they need it. “We need to change the mentality of facilitating development,” noted the Prince. “Cricket in the Caribbean gets more support than football does and we need to change that. We need to build a regional structure to ensure a more localized focus and decentralization.”

Whilst supporting the notion that FIFA has to ensure support so that everyone has the chance to play football, the Prince cautioned that Associations also need to look at how to become self sustained. “There has to be a balance between the funding provided by FIFA and the levels of support from local governments and businesses,” said the Prince. “FIFA can’t give so much that everyone else feels they don’t have to support your initiatives.”

BVIFA President Andy Bickerton was thankful that the Prince had visited and had been able to see the efforts put into place by the FA to develop football.

The Prince was equally impressed with what he had seen and having heard the challenges and seen the enthusiasm first hand, pledged support to help further develop the game within the territory, to assist with the issue of player eligibility and even set up an interchange of ideas between National Associations, especially since many of the issues the Caribbean faces have been experienced in Asia and solutions may already exist.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, Football

FIFA Vice-President to visit BVI

April 15, 2015 by

By BVIFA

FIFA Vice-President and candidate for the Presidency, Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, will be arriving in the BVI on Thursday 16th April, 2015. Photo: Provided

FIFA Vice-President and candidate for the Presidency, Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, will be arriving in the BVI on Thursday 16th April, 2015. Photo: Provided

FIFA Vice-President and candidate for the Presidency, Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, will be arriving in the Territory on Thursday 16th April, 2015, to make a courtesy call on the Premier, visit the site of the new stadium in East End and to meet with members of the BVIFA Executive and Officials.

Prince Ali, who back in January announced intentions to challenge long-tenured President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter at the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 29, will visit the $3M project site on Friday morning and then, following a meeting with the Premier, Dr. Orlando D Smith, will spend some time at the BVIFA Head Office, talking with Executives, Officials and Coaches.

According to 1st Vice President, Aubrey Liburd, “This is a very important visit for the BVIFA as we are in the process of building the new stadium, and also for him to see what we are doing for football as an association and for the youths in the Territory. Also we are looking forward to hearing his vision for football in general and his plans or initiatives for the smaller FIFA Members such as ourselves.”

The BVIFA was finally given approval for the project, part of the FIFA Goal Programme, by the Development Committee at a meeting chaired by FIFA Vice-President, Issa Hayatou in the presence of the Chairman of the FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee, Domenico Scala, back in March 2014.

The project includes a 400 meter track field, regulation-sized football field with associated facilities, netball court/volleyball court, concession stands and over 200 parking spaces. There will also be the construction of an access road between the parking lot and stadium by Andy’s Car Wash.

In relation to contributions for the project, the BVIOC is expected to contribute $250,000 for the running track and the BVIFA will be funding $1M-$1.5M along with assistance in maintenance and profitability of the facility (football events, sponsorship/commercial activities).

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, Football Tagged With: , , , ,

VI to send squad of 13 to 2015 Carifta Games

March 31, 2015 by

By BVIAA

Home based BVI Carifta Games athletes along with officials, BVI Athletics Association Executive Committee members and BVI Olympic Committee President, Ephraim Penn. Five athletes will join those at home to make up the 13 for competition. Photo: BVIOC

Home based BVI Carifta Games athletes along with officials, BVI Athletics Association Executive Committee members and BVI Olympic Committee President, Ephraim Penn. Five athletes will join those at home to make up the 13 for competition. Photo: BVIOC

A squad of 13 — including 11 females — will participate in the 44th annual Carifta Games to be held at Silver Jubilee Stadium in the twin islands federation of St, Kitts-Nevis from April 3-6, 2015.

Considered one of the strongest teams ever assembled, the bulk of the squad— which doesn’t include any U18 Male athletes for the first time in years — is in the U20 division with 11 athletes, eight of them female. Additionally, 11 of the 13 athletes have recorded a personal best performance this season with eight of the marks being a national record.

Athletes comprising the team with their season’s bests are:

U18 Girls: L’Tisha Fahie, 100/200m  (12.01/25.19); Arianna Hayde, Long Jump, Javelin Throw (5.42m/39.59m); and Kala Penn, Long Jump, Triple Jump (5.58/11.47m).

U20 Girls: Tarikah Moses, 800m (2:12.46); Tynelle Gumbs, Javelin Throw, Discus Throw, and Shot Put (36.95/42.16/12.98}; Treivia Gumbs, Shot Put and Discus Throw (14.59/37.77m); Nelda Huggins, 100/200m (11.85/24.95 seconds); Taylor Hill, 100/200m (12.02/24.38 seconds); Jonel Lacey, 400m Hurdles (1:02:61); Deya Erickson, 100m Hurdles (14.09 seconds); Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, 400m Hurdles (1:04.71).

U20 Boys: Akeem Bradshaw, Long Jump/Triple Jump (7.25/14.78m); Kyron McMaster, 400m Hurdles (51.83 seconds).

Four athletes who have competed at the Carifta Games before —two of them with individual medals— will be debuting in five different events. Moses, a 2013 U17 Girls 400m silver medalist who missed the event last year because of injuries, will contest the 800m. Warner —who won U17 Girls 800m bronze medals in 2012 and 2013 but missed the podium last year— will see action in the 400m Intermediate Hurdles along with Jonel Lacey, who ran the 100, 200m and 300m Hurdles before, but wasn’t on last year’s squad. It also marks the first time that the BVI will field female 400m Hurdlers.

Arianna Hayde, at 15 the team’s youngest member who established a National Jr. Record in making her Heptathlon debut last year, will compete in the Long Jump and Javelin Throw.

An U20 4×100 and 4x400m Relay squad has also been entered for the first time since the territory began participating in the event in 1976. Last year’s squad earned four bronze medals.

BVI Athletics Association General Secretary Delva Thomas will manage the team, which will be coached by Erwin “Reds” Telemaque, Winston Potter, Karene King and Bianca Dougan. Marie Lumley and Christine Jackson will provide medical services.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee Tagged With: , ,

VI in on strategies to optimize World Anti-Doping Code practice at WADA Symposium

March 31, 2015 by
Director General of the WADA, David Howman speaks during the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tuesday, March 24, 2015. Photo: AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott.

Director General of the WADA, David Howman speaks during the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tuesday, March 24, 2015. Photo: AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott

Ephraim Penn, representing the VI National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) attended the 11th edition of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) annual Symposium for Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) from March 24-26 in Lausanne, Switzerland. More than 470 anti-doping experts from regions across the world met for the largest annual gathering of anti-doping practitioners.

Representatives from International Sport Federations (IFs), NADOs, Regional Anti-Doping Organizations (RADOs), Major Games Organizers, WADA’s Athlete Committee and, for the first time, from WADA accredited laboratories and the media, discussed concrete ways and means of ‘Optimizing the Practice of the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code’ – the theme of this year’s Symposium.

This year’s edition of the Symposium provided participants with a number of new features. This included a full day of practical workshops and training sessions related to education, testing, intelligence and investigations, the Athlete Biological Passport, results management, therapeutic use exemptions, ADAMS, and other key areas of the fight for clean sport.

“This symposium is extremely helpful in terms of our on-the-ground activity in the Virgin Islands,” said Penn, is a RADO board member and also sits as president of the BVIOC. “We’ve been pursuing the anti-doping education of our athletes and support community since we were officially signed on as a NADO in 2012.

“Our Doping Control Officers have conducted in- and out-of competition testing of athletes representing the VI in athletics, squash, swimming, skiing, and power lifting as required by their respective international governing bodies. Now it’s time to focus on education beyond advising and testing athletes.”

A number of discussion panels on the first day addressed topics such as the influence of the athletes, their entourage and the media on the fight against doping in sport. These sessions provided participants with the opportunity to interact with the members of WADA’s Athlete Committee, as well as a number of high-profile whistleblowers and specialized reporters.

“What was discussed over the couple of days ties in well with our plans in the VI to expand our reach deeper into the community with value-based education,” said Penn.” We have put it in an application for a local project grant from UNESCO which will help with our efforts.”

“We have entered into a new era of anti-doping,” said WADA Director General David Howman, who delivered an introductory presentation on ADOs’ responsibility following the opening address of WADA Vice President, Rev. Dr. Makhenkesi A. Stofile. “With the new Code in place, the world anti-doping community has a renewed responsibility to preserve the integrity of sport. That was the purpose of this Symposium: to get into the details of ADOs’ responsibilities and provide them with additional tools to deliver our collective promise of protecting the rights of all those who reject doping. WADA looks forward to continuing to work with all of its stakeholders in the pursuit of this mission.”

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, Regional Anti-Doping Organization Tagged With: , , ,

Launch of National 12-Week 10,000 Steps a Day Challenge

March 25, 2015 by

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee
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