A Team BVI showcase at Glasgow 2014 Opening Ceremony

August 28, 2014 by

Team BVI at the Glasgow 2014 opening ceremony. Photo: (C) PA Images

Team BVI at the Glasgow 2014 opening ceremony. Photo: (C) PA Images

Team BVI brought a big splash of colour when athlete and flag bearer, Chantel Malone led the delegation into the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on July 23. The delegation of competitors in Athletics, Squash, and Swimming along with their coaches, the Chef de Mission and CGA chairman, opted to wear territorial dress, debuting the recently adopted emblem of the VI at a global sporting event.

Chantel, who competed in the Long Jump, leapt to the finals with her seasonal best of 6.55m (PB: 6.65m) in the qualifying rounds at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The mark ranked her 2nd overall in the qualifiers but the elements were not in her favour during the finals. Chantel’s best jump of 6.41m landed her in 4th place with just a narrow margin between her and the 3rd place jump of 6.49 by Canadian, Christabel Nettey. The event Gold medal winner was Ese Brume of Nigeria with a 6.56m jump and Silver was won by Jazmin Sawyers of England with 6.54m.

The fourth place finish in a finals is the highest spot held by a VI athlete in the territory’s Commonwealth Games history to date. The outcome replaces Tahesia Harrigan-Scott’s fifth place 100m finish during the 2006 Games in Melbourne, Australia, as the territory’s best performance.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Glasgow News, Squash, Swimming

Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games underway

August 19, 2014 by
Team BVI ready for the opening ceremony of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Photo: Provided

Team BVI ready for the opening ceremony of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Photo: Provided

The Youth Olympic Games officially began with the completion of the spectacular Opening Ceremony on Saturday, August 16. Sailing competitor Sam Morrell, the proud flag bearer and the rest of the BVI team, swimmer Amarah Phillip, and track and field athletes, Akeem Bradshaw, Deya Erickson, Kala Penn, Kyron McMaster, Lakeisha Warner, and Nelda Huggins are geared up for everything the Youth Olympic Games 2014 has in store for them.

With yoggers in hand and pins ready for exchanging, they are already enjoying the experience of this international sporting, educational and cultural festival for teenagers. First day of competition for team BVI kicked off on Monday 18th August, with the start of the Byte II sailing regatta and the 50m Women’s Butterfly.

In sailing, after Race 4 of a total of 11 races, Sam Morrell currently is ranked 24th. The regatta will continue with Race 5 on Tuesday, August 19 at 11.00pm BVI time (which is Wednesday, August 20 at 11.00am Nanjing, China time)

In swimming, Amarah Phillip came 6th in her 50m Butterfly heat with a time of 31.05 and an overall ranking of 29. Amarah’s next event, the 50m Freestyle, will take place on Wednesday, August 20 at 10.oopm BVI time (which is Thursday, August 21 at 10.00am Nanjing, China time).

Athletics will start on Wednesday, August 20 with the BVI featuring Deya Erickson in the Women’s 100m Hurdles at 7.20 am BVI time (7.20pm Nanjing, China time), Kala Penn in the Women’s Long Jump at 8.00am BVI time (8.00pm Nanjing, China time), and Lakeisha ‘Mimi’ Warner in the Women’s 800m at 9.15am BVI time (9.15pm Nanjing, China time).

The British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee (BVIOC) in collaboration with the Caribbean Broadcasting Inc (CBI) is pleased to confirm that live coverage of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games from Nanjing China can now be seen on Caribbean Broadcast Network (BVI) Limited (CBN) – Television (Channel 51).

CBN will offer 24 hours of coverage until the conclusion of the Games.

Click for the schedule of events of VI athletes competing.

The full Games schedule and results can be found on http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_sports/GamestimeResults.htm

 

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Nanjing News, Sailing, Swimming

NANJING 2014 YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES – Team BVI Competition Schedule

August 19, 2014 by
Nanjing 2014 Schedule

Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games – Team BVI Competition Schedule

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Nanjing News, Sailing, Swimming

Team BVI in Nanjing, China for 2nd edition of the Youth Olympic Games

August 15, 2014 by
Team BVI in Nanjing 2014. Photo: Provided

Team BVI in Nanjing 2014. Photo: Provided

The second Youth Olympic Games will kick off in Nanjing, China with the official opening ceremony which will take place on Saturday, August 16. Chef de Mission for Nanjing 2014, Stephanie Russ-Penn is settling in to the Athletes’ Village with the Virgin Islands’ young competitors from athletics, swimming, and sailing.

Team BVI includes the following athletes:
Sam Morrell, who has been selected as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony, will be sailing in the Men’s Byte CII (one person dinghy) starting on August 18.

Amarah Phillips will be competing in swimming in the Women’s 50m Butterfly on August 19, and in the Women’s 50m Freestyle on August 21.

In athletics the following athletes will be taking part in the qualification rounds: Deya Erickson in the Women’s 100m Hurdles on August 20; Kala Penn in the Women’s Long Jump on August 20; Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner in the Women’s 800m on August 20; Nelda Huggins in the Women’s 100m on August 21; Kyron McMaster in the Men’s 400m Intermediate Hurdles on August 22; and Akeem Bradshaw, Men’s Triple Jump on August 22.

“At the last Youth Olympic Games in 2011 we were represented just in Athletics and it is very pleasing to have athletes from three sports representing the Virgin Islands for the second edition of the Games,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Olympic Committee. “The athletes qualified for Nanjing 2014, hitting the required marks through hard work and dedication. Despite acclimating to a new culture, weather and most importantly, overcoming jet lag bearing in mind that Nanjing is 12 hours ahead of the BVI, we know that they are in good hands with Chef de Mission, Mrs. Stephanie Russ-Penn and we look forward to their performances in the upcoming competitions.”

The full schedule can be found on http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_sports/GamestimeResults.htm

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Nanjing News, Sailing, Swimming

Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Update – Monday, July 28, 2014

July 28, 2014 by
Amarah Phillip takes the dive in lane 2 for the 50m Butterfly

Amarah Phillip takes the dive in lane 2 for the 50m Butterfly

Swimming wrapped up for the BVI team on Sunday with some very credible performances all round.

Amarah Phillip had personal bests in all her 3 three races. In the 50m Freestyle, Amarah placed 42nd overall with a time of 28.95 improving on her previous personal best which was 29.18. In the 50m Butterfly, she placed 38th overall with a time of 30.94 shaving a couple of seconds off her previous Personal Best of 32.10. In the 100m Butterfly, she placed 26th overall with a time of 1.09.16, a remarkable improvement on her previous Personal Best of 1.16.35.

Elinah Phillip was right on her personal bests in both her races placing 30th overall in the 50m Freestyle with a time of 27.57 (Personal Best – 27.54), and placing 31st in the 100m Freestyle with a time of 1.00.82 (Personal Best – 1.00.72).

Both girls exhibited talented performances in the field of strong competitors and show promise for Gold Coast 2018.

Joe Chapman bows out of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games after reaching the Men's Squash Semi-Finals

Joe Chapman bows out of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games after reaching the Men’s Squash Semi-Finals

In squash, Joe Chapman won his match in Round of 64 in three straight sets to play in Round of 32 which he lost 1-3. Joe won his match in the Men’s Classic Plate Quarter Finals, 3 -1 and went on to play in semi-finals on Sunday but lost by 1-3 against Scotland’s Kevin Moran to bring his 2014 Commonwealth Games to a close.  This latter was a good match and Joe had the honour of playing on the show court in front of 3,000 fervent Scottish squash fans and on live TV.

The all round good performances from Joe secure him a top 20 squash finish and and credit him as the highest- ranking finisher of all players from the Caribbean.

Karene King in the 100m heats

Karene King in the 100m heats

Athletics kicked off in the Commonwealth Games with Karene King finishing the 100m to place 5th in her heat and 27th overall – just three places out of qualifying in a time of 11.93.  Karene will run again on Wednesday, July 30th in the 200m.

 

 

 

Ashley Kelly makes it to the 400m semi finals

Ashley Kelly makes it to the 400m semi finals

Ashley Kelly flew out the blocks determined to qualify for the semi-finals and came in 4th with a time of 54.26 (Personal Best – 52.71) qualifying 20th overall. She went on to finish 8th in her 400m semi final with a time of 54.35. With 24 competitors in the semis, Ashley ranked 22nd overall.

 

 

Eldred Henry throws the Shot Put a distance of 17.08

Eldred Henry throws the Shot Put a distance of 17.08

Eldred Henry threw the Shot Put 17.08 and was just four places away from making the final.  Eldred will compete in the Discus Throw on Wednesday, July 30.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott withdrew from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games for personal reasons which arose at the last minute.

Official results and schedules of the XX Commonwealth Games are posted on the Glasgow 2014 website and can be found on http://results.glasgow2014.com/. Photos of the athletes in action and updates are also posted on the BVI Olympic Committee page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BVIOlympicCommittee.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Glasgow News, Squash, Swimming

800m runner Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner joins the 2014 Youth Olympic Team

July 15, 2014 by
Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner. Photo: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner. Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner has been awarded a Universality place and joins the 7 athletes previously announced by the BVI Olympic Committee as competitors for the Virgin Islands at the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

The VI’s athletes for Nanjing 2014 will compete in Athletics, Sailing and Swimming. The Athletics team includes 100m sprinter, Nelda Huggins; 100m hurdler, Deya Erickson; long jumper, Kala Penn; 400m intermediate hurdler, Kyron McMaster; triple jumper, Akeem Bradshaw, and 800m runner, Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner.

Sam Morrell will be representing the Virgin Islands in sailing following his success in the 2014 Byte CII North American Championships to become the first VI sailor to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games.

In another first for the VI, Amarah Phillips will be representing the Virgin Island in swimming and she will be competing in the 50m Butterfly and the 50m Freestyle.

The delegation will also include Chef de Mission for Nanjing 2014, Mrs. Stephanie Russ Penn; Tracy Bradshaw (Swimming coach), Ralston “Grandfather” Henry (Athletics coach) and Christopher Watters (Sailing coach).

The team departs the territory on August 10 and will return on August 30. The official opening ceremony will take place on August 16 and will celebrate with a closing ceremony on August 28.

The full schedule of events can be found on the official Youth Olympic Games web site, http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_sports/scheduleResults.htm.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Nanjing News, Sailing, Swimming

Ten VI athletes confirmed for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

July 8, 2014 by
(l-r) BVIOC Secretary General, Lloyd Black, athletics coaches, Winston Potter, and Karl Scatliffe, Shot Put and Discus throw athlete, Eldred Henry, 100m and 200m sprinter Shaquoy Stephens, BVIOC President, Ephraim Penn, Assistant Director Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Paul Hewlett, Chef de Mission Xx Commonwealth Games, Mark Chapman.

(l-r) BVIOC Secretary General, Lloyd Black, athletics coaches, Winston Potter, and Karl Scatliffe, Shot Put and Discus throw athlete, Eldred Henry, 100m and 200m sprinter Shaquoy Stephens, BVIOC President, Ephraim Penn, Assistant Director Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Paul Hewlett, Chef de Mission Xx Commonwealth Games, Mark Chapman.

10 athletes who will represent the Virgin Islands at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games were announced by Chef de Mission for the XX Commonwealth Games, Mark Chapman, at a press briefing held on July 3. The athletes for Athletics, Squash, and Swimming were selected based on meeting the necessary qualifications to compete in the Games.

In Athletics, the quartet of Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Ashley Kelly, Karene King, and Chantel Malone will make up the women’s 4 x 100m relay team. Individually, Tahesia and Karene will run in the Women’s 100m dash. Karene and Ashley will compete in the Women’s 200m sprint while Ashely will also run in the Women’s 400m. Chantel will compete in the Women’s Long Jump.

Keron Stoute will compete in the Men’s Decathlon. Eldred Henry will be competing in the Men’s Shot Put and Men’s Discus Throw. Shaquoy Stephens will run in the Men’s 100m and 200m sprints.

Joseph Chapman will be representing the VI in squash for the third time in the Commonwealth Games.

For the first time in its Commonwealth Games history, the VI will be represented in swimming. Sisters, Amarah and Elinah Phillip will both compete in the Women’s 50m Freestyle, and the 50m and 100m Butterfly. Elinah, who captured four medals for the territory at the 2014 Carifta Swimming Championships in Aruba in April this year, will also compete in the Women’s 100m Freestyle.

The team will be arriving in Glasgow on the July 20 with the opening ceremony taking place on the July 23. Athletes in Squash and Swimming will start competing on July 24 and the competitions in Athletics will start on July 27.

The athletes will be accompanied by coaches Winston Potter and Karl Scatliffe for athletics and Joseph Kneipp, Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Gold medalist, will attend as the squash coach. The Phillip sisters will be attended by their swimming coach, Amed Samir.

The BVIOC, in its capacity as the local Commonwealth Games Association takes on the responsibility for all the administration, accreditation, and arrangements including travel and accommodation for the competitors and coaches. It also serves as the body to whom National Federations present their qualified athletes to undergo the selection process.

“These young men and woman have been identified and selected by the relevant national federations based on their performance in the national and international arena,” said Penn. “We are exceptionally proud of their achievements and applaud them for their hard work and perseverance.”

Mr Paul Hewlett, representing the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports and the Department of Youth Affairs and sports congratulated the named athletes and wished them success as they represented the territory as its ambassadors.

The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving 71 teams of athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. It will feature 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 261 medal events on show. The Games will play host to four thousand five hundred athletes and sell one million tickets.

To date, the Virgin Islands has participated in 6 Games, the first being in athletics in Auckland, New Zealand in 1990. Glasgow will be the VI’s 7th appearance.

The press briefing was followed by a special screening of the BBC coverage of the Queen’s Baton Relay through the VI and the Caribbean. The Queen’s Baton Relay, which is the pre-cursor to the Commonwealth Games, was accompanied by the international traveling crew and BBC documentary crew who visited the territory from April 2 -5 as part of the baton’s tour of the 71 Commonwealth member countries.

 

Filed Under: Athletics, Glasgow News, Squash, Swimming

VI’s Nanjing 2014 athletes announced at Olympic Day celebrations

June 24, 2014 by
Olympic Day celebrations at Tortola Sports Club

Olympic Day celebrations at Tortola Sports Club. Photo: BVIOC

The BVI Olympic Committee (BVIOC) announced the 7 athletes who will be representing the Virgin Islands at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in swimming, sailing, and athletics. The announcement and a special presentation of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games Participant’s Pin were part of Olympic Day celebrations hosted at the Tortola Sports Club on Saturday, June 21.

In his remarks Mr. Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC, said, “2014 is a busy year for the BVIOC. In addition to the Sochi 2014 Winter Games that took place in February, there are no less than 4 global games and competitions coming up in which the Virgin Islands expects to participate. These include the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games which take place July 23 – August 3 in Scotland, the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games which take place August 16 – 28 in China, and the Vera Cruz 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games which take place November 14 – 30 in Mexico. We then have the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada and the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games which will take place that summer in Brazil.”

“It is an exciting period for the BVIOC Executive board as we continue to see up and coming young athletes make the mark and join the roll call of competitors who have represented the Virgin Islands at major games,” added Penn.

The Nanjing 2014 competitors from athletics include sprinter, Nelda Huggins; 100m hurdler, Deya Erickson; Long Jumper, Kala Penn; 400m intermediate hurdler, Kyron McMaster; and triple jumper, Akeem Bradshaw who all qualified for the second Youth Olympic Games during the 2014 Carifta Games held in April in Martinique.

Sam Morrell will be representing the Virgin Islands in sailing following his success in the 2014 Byte CII North American Championships to become the first VI sailor to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games.

In another first for the VI, Amarah Phillips will be competing in swimming.

Chef de Mission for Nanjing 2014, Mrs. Stephanie Russ-Penn, who announced the athletes said: “These kids will get the opportunity not just to go and compete, but they will have an opportunity to develop themselves because these games are nothing like any other games. It’s completely designed to give them both a cultural, educational, as well as competitive experience.”

Mr. Lloyd Black, Secretary General for the BVIOC, reiterated Stephanie’s remarks by recognising the hard work, diligence and perseverance of the athletes required to make the qualifying marks.

The programme of events continued with the presentation of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games Participant’s Pin to Peter Adam Crook, the VI’s half- pipe skier. Mr. Paul Hewlett, Deputy Director of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, representing the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports presented the pin to Adam.

Mr. Rey O’Neal, Past President of the BVIOC provided an overview of the Olympic history of the VI which had made its Olympic debut with speed skater, Errol Canute Fraser in the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Games. Adam is the territory’s second Winter Olympian.

Drawing events to a close, Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC read out the Olympic Day message from Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. He then invited the gathering of over 90 participants of all ages to join in the symbolic Olympic Day run through Road Town before returning to the sports club to collect their Certificate of Participation.

The afternoon set up at the sports club included information desks run by the National Federations for Swimming, Sailing, and Athletics, and the VI branch of the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO).

The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, and Lifeline BVI, a privately owned, ambulance and EMT service, ensured the safety of the runners and walkers. Roadtown Wholesale distributed Dasani water and Powerade to participants along the route and at the sports club. Ice and coolers were provided by MBs Ice.

Cleave Farrington, Executive Director of the BVIOC and lead, event organizer, acknowledged several individuals from the community who had volunteered their time to assist with the set up, registration, and marshaling of the event.

Earlier in the day, an Olympic Day run was held in the Valley, Virgin Gorda while the BVI Tri Federation held a children’s triathlon event at Smuggler’s Cove, Tortola.

Olympic Day Message – IOC President, Thomas Bach

Today, people all over the world are celebrating Olympic Day. I am pleased to have this chance to greet you. Because today, together,we are sharing a success story. Like you, millions of other people in their own countries are taking part, regardless of age, sex or sporting ability.

On this day, we remember the creation of our modern Olympic Movement. We are demonstrating the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect. For this reason, today is not just about having fun through sport and physical activity. Olympic Day is more than that.

We invite everyone, everywhere, “to move, to learn and to discover”—through sport and beyond sport. It is especially good to see more and more young people taking part. Make full use of all the sporting and cultural opportunities in your community and neighbourhood. Invite other people to join in.

Because that is what is so special about Olympic Day: It doesn’t really matter how you celebrate it, so long as more and more people get to move, learn and discover. That way, we can all help to make our future a better place to live. That is the Olympic ideal.

I wish you all a happy Olympic Day 2014!

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

Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games athletes to be announced at Olympic Day celebration. Sochi 2014 Olympian to receive Olympic Participant Pin

June 17, 2014 by

Corrected to reflect new location and start time of Children’s Triathlon

Olympic Day runners DSC_0023The young athletes confirmed to represent the Virgin Islands at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in swimming, sailing and athletics will be announced this Saturday, June 21 at the Tortola Sports Club during Olympic Day celebrations.

The afternoon programme of events will take place between 4.00pm and 6.00pm and will include a special presentation of the Olympic Participant Pin by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports to Peter Adam Crook, the VI’s half-pipe skier at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games. The annual, symbolic Olympic Day 2-mile walk/run will close out the activities. The events are free and open to the public.

“The BVIOC wants the whole community to come out and support our young Olympians-to-be and to get involved with the message of Olympism,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “We will have with us some of the young athletes who will be representing the Virgin Islands at the highest level of global competition. This will be the first time that the territory will be represented in the sports of swimming and sailing at the Youth Olympic Games. These participants, along with those from the sport of athletics, have worked extremely hard to qualify as competitors and the BVIOC is excited to see their efforts come to fruition.”

The Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games will take place in Nanjing, China from August 16 – 28, approximately six months after the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games during which the VI was represented in the half-pipe ski event by Peter Adam Crook.

“Olympic Day is an occasion to highlight the Olympic values of Respect, Excellence, and Friendship,” noted Penn. “The philosophy requires us to be responsible citizens and to work towards unity through Respect for what has been entrusted to us, striving for Excellence in all that we do, and to foster local and global Friendships. He may not have achieved the score-board results hoped for, but Adam most recently demonstrated these values during his time at the Olympics in Sochi, Russia and this will be a fitting occasion to recognize his contribution to the Virgin Islands’ Olympic history.”

The activities, supported by Road Town Wholesale, distributors of Dasani and Coca Cola, will start at 4.00pm when runners and walkers can register for the symbolic Olympic Day walk/run. Participants will start from the Tortola Sports Club (TSC) at 4.45pm and will proceed west through Road Town and return to the sports club. Participants will receive a free tee-shirt and a certificate of participation on completion of the walk/run.

The Olympic Day run in Virgin Gorda will start at 6.30am (registration 6.00am) from the The Virgin Gorda Centre, HLSCC, The Valley. For details, contact Gloreah Gibson at gloreahgibson@hotmail.com or tel: 547-7404. The BVI Triathlon Federation will host a Children’s Olympic Day Triathlon at Smuggler’s Cove at 10:00am following on from the annual Summer Splash (corrected information). For details, contact Richard Morgan on 346-6002.

For more information on Olympic Day please contact Cleave Farrington, Executive Director of the BVIOC, by phone at 542 1007 or 496 6007 or by email at cmfarrington@bviolympics.org.

 

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Nanjing News, Sailing, Sochi News, Swimming

Team BVI Leaves Aruba With CARIFTA Gold!

April 28, 2014 by

BVI Swimming Federation

DSC_0862Team BVI swum itself into the territory’s record books after capturing gold at the XXIV CARIFTA Swimming Championships recently concluded in Aruba. Thirteen year-old Elinah Philip collected medals in each of her four events and set a CARIFTA record in the 50m Butterfly where she earned her gold medal with a time of 28.71.

Elinah’s medal haul also included a silver in the 50m Freestyle and a bronze each in the 100m Butterfly and the 100m Freestyle. Both of her 50m swims came in under old records. Sister, Amarah, in the meantime, powered her way to personal bests in the 50m Freestyle and the 100m Freestyle.

“CARIFTA was a great experience,” said Elinah after her races. “I swam well and made personal bests in all my races. I didn’t really know what to expect, but it still turned out extremely well.” The young swimmer is now looking toward the future. “I plan to swim even faster than the times I swam this week and achieve my goals for the Commonwealth Games,” she said. Elinah is England’s second fastest 2000 born girl in the 50m Freestyle and the third fastest in the 50m Butterfly.

The CARIFTA Championships are an annual age group meet for the Caribbean, similar in form and origin to its athletics counterpart. This year’s event was sanctioned by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) as a Youth Olympic Games (YOG) qualifier and attracted the best in the region for a very high level of competition. The Championships also served as a Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games qualifying event.

Team BVI came away with the drive and determination to achieve even more and used this competition as an indicator of greater things to come according to BVI Swimming Federation officials. “We are very pleased with their performances,” said Tracy Bradshaw, the girls’ mother and the Federation’s Secretary General. “The championships were a magnificent experience for both girls. Amarah just got into the 15-17 age group and captured a couple of personal bests this outing. She’ll have another few years to move through and improve on her performances and we are excited about her future in swimming. Elinah had an exceptional Championships which has definitely boosted her confidence as a competitor.”

At last year’s OECS Swimming Championships in St. Lucia, Elinah captured 10 medals and the OECS high point award in the girls 11-12 age group while establishing five new OECS records in the Girls 11-12 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly, 100m Butterfly, and 200m Individual Medley. Amarah won six medals in the 13-14 age group and copped the 3rd place high point award in that age group.

“Their times at CARIFTA were even better than at last year’s meet in St. Lucia demonstrating that they are both learning and improving but they still have much more to learn as they are fairly new to the sport,” said Ms. Bradshaw.

Speaking about her races, fifteen year-old Amarah said that “CARIFTA 2014 was a huge learning experience for me and showed me where and what I need to improve in all of my events.” She added that she hopes to “attain many personal bests in future competitions leading up to the Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympic Games.”

Elinah and her sister, Amarah, were the BVI’s sole qualifiers at this year’s CARIFTA Championships which featured 23 countries and territories from around the Caribbean region.

“In order to race at this level you have to race often and this is something the BVI Swimming Federation will continue to pursue for our swimmers despite our local challenges,” said the girls’ father, Elsworth Philip, National Coach and President of the Swimming Federation. “We want more of the territory’s swimmers to achieve the CARIFTA experience because it takes a lot of work to get here. We are definitely looking at fielding a larger team in the future.”

The Philips sisters are expected to compete at the XX Commonwealth Games, 23rd July – 3rd  August in Glasgow, Scotland. Both girls train in Hertfordshire, England.

Filed Under: Swimming
« Previous Page
Next Page »