The BVI delegation attend the welcome reception and flag raising ceremony at the Gold Coast 2018 Village. Photo: Mark Latimer/BVICGA
The Virgin Islands athletes and delegates attended the official welcome and flag raising ceremony at the Gold Coast 2018 Athletes’ Village on Tuesday, April 2.
The event precedes the official start of the 21st Commonwealth Games when the Queen’s Baton – which toured through the Virgin Islands July 2 – 4, 2017 – is run into the Carrara Stadium and the Queen’s message to the athletes is removed from the Baton and read to the athletes. This Opening ceremony will take place at 7.00pm on April 4 (5:00am, Wednesday, April 4, VI time) where Kyron McMaster will lead the VI contingent of 10 athletes and 5 coaches as the flag bearer. The VI team will be sporting an outfit styled by VI designer, Kristin Fraser of Trèfle BVI.
The 10 athletes will represent the territory in two sports starting with Joe Chapman and Neville Sorrentino in the men’s Squash singles on Thursday, April 5.
Track and field competitions for the VI’s athletes will begin with Tahesia Harrigan-Scott in the women’s 100m heats starting at 2:00pm on Sunday, April 8 (midnight, Saturday, April 7, VI time) followed by Khari Herbert in the men’s 400m at 3.25pm (1.25am, Sunday, April 8, VI time), and Eldred Henry in the men’s Shot Put at 4.35pm (2.35am, Sunday, April 8, VI time).
Ashley Kelly will run in the 400m heats at 10.30am on Monday, April 9 (8.30pm, Sunday, April 8, VI time).
Kyron McMaster will debut in the Commonwealth Games with the 400m Hurdles heats at 11.15 am on Tuesday, April 10 (9.15pm, Monday, April 9, VI time), followed by Tynelle Gumbs in the Hammer Throw at 8.40 pm (6.40 am, Tuesday, April 10, VI time).
Chantel Malone will compete in the Long Jump at 7.00pm on Wednesday, April 11 (5.00am, VI time).
Eldred will then throw the Discus at 10.00am on Thursday, April 12 (8.00pm, Wednesday, April 11, VI time) and Trevia Gumbs will hurl the Shot Put at 12.15pm (10.15 pm, Wednesday, April 11, VI time). Trevia and twin sister, Tynelle will then compete in the Discus throw at 8.40pm that night (6.40am, Thursday, April 12, VI time).
The Games will be broadcast via Flow Sports Live and Flow’s mobile customers will also have live access via WiFi or Mobile Data to the Games via the Flow Sports 1 App. Live coverage on the Flow Sports Networks will start each evening at 7pm Eastern Caribbean Time and extend well into the late-night hours. Caribbean fans can also follow live Commonwealth Games events each morning, which is evening in Australia.
Supporters who want to follow the events and competition live must subtract 14 hours from the times scheduled on the official Gold Coast 2018 web site (www.gc2018.com).
To date the VI has participated in 7 Commonwealth Games, the first being in athletics in Auckland, New Zealand in 1990. The Gold Coast 2018 Games will be the territory’s 8th appearance and is the first major international event since the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
With more than 6,600 athletes and team officials from 71 Commonwealth nations and territories from 6 continents coming together to participate in the Friendly Games, organizers of the GC2018 say that this will be the largest sporting event that Australia will see this decade and will be the biggest sporting spectacular the Gold Coast has ever seen.
The Commonwealth Games Federation vision is to build peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities globally by inspiring Commonwealth Athletes to drive the impact and ambition of all Commonwealth Citizens through Sport. The vision, mission and values of the Commonwealth Sports Movement hinge on three core values: Humanity, Equality, and Destiny.
