Athlete performances at Tokyo 2020 Olympics brings BVI in sight of podium – BVIOC seeks investment into elite athletes

August 9, 2021 by
  • Elinah Phillip, of British Virgin Islands, swims in a women’s 50-meter freestyle heat at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
  • TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 03: Chantel Malone of Team British Virgin Islands competes in the Women’s Long Jump Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
  • Kyron McMaster of Team British Virgin Islands competes during round one of the Men’s 400m hurdles heats on day seven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 30, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

The British Virgin Islands was represented by 3 athletes in 2 sports at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games which concluded on August 8 with a closing ceremony at the Olympic Stadium. The small team comprising Kyron McMaster (400m hurdles), Chantel Malone (long jump) and Elinah Phillip (50m freestyle) was the strongest set to represent the territory at any Olympic Games.

Eldred Henry (shot put) was the first athlete to have qualified for Tokyo 2020 but he was forced to pull out due to an injury in his throwing arm.

In a Game of firsts for the territory, McMaster and Malone became the BVI’s first 2 athletes to advance to the finals to compete amongst the world’s best athletes in their events. They each were the first athletes to compete in the hurdles and long jump respectively. McMaster was the first athlete to win his heats and the first to make the top 4 finalists to cross the line with his time of 47.08 – current 4th fastest time and the world’s 8th fastest time ever – in what has been classed as the event’s fastest Olympic race. McMaster and Phillip also set National Records with Phillip’s time of 25.74 marking her as the top Caribbean performer in the 50m Free.

Harrigan-Scott, a three-times Olympian and the first female to represent the BVI at the Olympics in 2008, led the organisation and management of the team at the Games.

Speaking at a wrap up virtual press conference on August 4 after the final competition for the BVI, Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Olympic Committee congratulated and thanked the athletes, their coaches and National Federations and also acknowledged the efforts of the Chef de Mission and Lloyd Black, Secretary General for the BVIOC, who was the COVID Liaison Officer for the delegation.

Penn went on to explain that the impressive results of the team at the Games was many years in the making that required planning and funding to support the athletes in their training and preparations for the Games. He highlighted that the performances put the athletes as serious podium contenders in upcoming Games and that the opportunity was open to the private sector to support the pathway to get athletes to the finals and ultimately to the podium of the Olympics.

“The athletes have been preparing for these Games for 5 years and are recipients of an Olympic Scholarship which offers financial and technical support so they can train and compete at qualifying meets for the Olympics. In addition, the BVIOC set up an Elite Athlete scholarship which puts money into the hands of the athletes to ease their financial stress so that they can concentrate on preparing for competition. Their successes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will make it easier for us to try and solicit more funding from the private sector and bolster the structure we have in place to support them so they can develop to the best of their ability.”

The Chef de Mission, who is responsible for the organisation and logistical management of the delegation as well as the technical aspects of the athletes’ competitions and daily schedules and activities while at the Games, reviewed the athletes’ performances and acknowledged the commitment of their coaches and support of the BVIOC and encouraged a forward movement to help the athletes reach their potential.

“While our athletes may come from a small nation where the resources are more limited than larger countries, they come to compete with the same heart, talent and dedication so if we can figure out a way to level the playing field and really invest in them, you will be surprised at where they can take us because they are at that level and they are exceptionally good.”

Harrigan-Scott wrapped up the experience with a reflection on the organisation of the Games. “It actually was an amazing Games and the organisers, volunteers and Government of Japan did an incredible job under the constraints and concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am glad the Games were not cancelled as the athletes were ready to compete and we have seen some exceptional performances here.”

Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, MHA. Deputy Premier Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, who was in Japan to witness the finals, congratulated the athletes on their achievements and thanked them and the delegation for their roles in the success of the BVI’s appearance at Tokyo 2020 and to pledge more support for the athletes.

“We now understand what it takes to compete at this level and I will be focused on what we can do to assist more. We know that we have to invest more in sports and be more consistent in our support for our athletes and I will be working on this in consultation with the BVIOC,” said Dr. the Honourable Minister Wheatley.

In addition to the 3 athletes, the Chef de Mission, Ephraim Penn and Lloyd Black the BVI delegation included Team Coach Winston Potter, Coach Lennox Graham (McMaster), Coach Dwight Phillips (Malone), Coach Brien Moffitt (Elinah) and Sofia Fay, BVIOC PRO/Reporter.

The athletes, including Henry who is on the road to recovery, will continue with their training and preparations for upcoming competitions after a short rest and recovery break. A return date to the BVI is not yet confirmed based on their training and competition schedules. Malone and McMaster have sights on competing at the Diamond League events in Europe in August and September respectively.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Elinah Phillip, Kyron McMaster, Olympic Solidarity, Swimming, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

BVI showcases colours of the BVI at Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony

July 23, 2021 by
Flag bearers Elinah Phillip (50m freestyle) Kyron McMaster (400m hurdler) and Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Chef de Mission.represented the British Virgin Islands at the Opening Ceremony to mark the start of the long-awaited Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 23, 2021

A delegation of three represented the British Virgin Islands at the Opening Ceremony to mark the start of the long-awaited Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 23, 2021. Elinah Phillip, the 50m freestyle swimmer was the flag bearer and led ahead of Kyron McMaster (400m hurdler) and Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Chef de Mission.

“This has been a long wait with many challenges but we all are finally here. it is exciting. Our athletes are prepared and focused, the energy levels are up and we are ready to go!” said Harrigan-Scott.

Phillip and McMaster in turn described their emotional state as being excited and euphoric and were looking forward to getting inside the Olympic Stadium to experience the atmosphere and to see the venue ahead of the competitions.

Chantel Malone (long jump) who completes the team of 3 for the 32nd Olympiad, landed in Tokyo in the late afternoon of July 23 along with the rest of the BVI’s delegation to include Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC, Lloyd Black, Secretary General and Winston Potter, Team Coach. Swimming coach Brien Moffitt arrived with Phillip on July 18.

“While I was unable to attend the Opening Ceremony in person due to travel delays, I was able to watch our delegation walk into the Olympic Stadium with the flag held high and proud,” said Penn. “These are unusual times and we are entering a new era of Olympic Games. We have a special team that has the full support of the BVIOC and our nation and we are definitely looking forward to their competitions next week.”

The 28th nation to march into the Olympic Stadium, the 3 representatives wore outfits designed by Rhenique Cooper and Ruth Frazer of the BVI and which incorporated the Territory’s colours and traditional dress in a modern design.

“The inspiration behind this design was our original BVI traditional dress. I wanted to take elements of the puff sleeves and the big skirt and modernize it into a dress that a BVIslander of today could wear. Thus, making the skirt tiered and shorter gave it the same effect of being full without feeling weighed down. This is will be my first time designing for the BVI Olympic Committee and I’m very excited. I’m grateful to have this opportunity and it feels very surreal,” said Cooper.

Kristin Frazer, who designed the mask, project managed the production of the Opening Ceremony wear. The men’s button-down shirt and jacket were designed by her mother, Ruth Frazer.

The Opening Ceremony typically is a high demand event where the host nation presents an exceptional performance choreographed to showcase its history, culture, and innovation and to tell a story that reflects its values and that of its Olympic legacy. For Tokyo 2020, the occasion was more subdued than usual with COVID-19 protocol restrictions limiting attendance. Observing the continuous message for delivering a “safe games”, the athlete delegations representing the 206 participating nations marching into the stadium were also smaller in number than in previous editions. There were approximately 6,000 athletes and team officials, 900 Games stakeholders and guests of honour and 3,500 broadcasters and press.

At 11:15pm (JST) His Majesty the Emperor of Japan declared the Games of Tokyo, celebrating the XXXII Olympiad of the modern era open. The Games will proceed with the new Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together” announced by the IOC on July 20.

A total of 11,091 athletes are expected to compete in 33 sports and 339 events at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The BVI’s athletes will compete in 2 sports and 3 events with the following dates and times (adjusted for the BVI) for each of their first round of competitions: McMaster, 400m hurdles heat 1 – 9:55 pm, Thursday, July 29; Elinah Phillip, 50m freestyle heats – 6:00 am, Friday, July 30; Malone long jump qualifying round – 8:50pm, Saturday, July 31. This will be the first Olympics for McMaster and Malone and the second for Phillip who made her Olympic debut at Rio 2016 in Brazil at 16 years of age. She was the BVI’s youngest athlete and first swimmer to compete at an Olympic Games.

The Olympic Games will be broadcast live on NBC with daily team reports and updates from the BVIOC on its social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by Dean Greenaway on ZROD 103.7 and CBN 90.9FM.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Elinah Phillip, IOC, Kyron McMaster, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

BVIOC Presents Team for Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games

July 6, 2021 by
Team IVB for Tokyo 2020

The Virgin Islands (UK) Team for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games is today confirmed by the BVI Olympic Committee and Chef de Mission, Mrs. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott to include two track and field athletes and one swimmer. Kyron McMaster will compete in the men’s 400m hurdles and Chantel Malone will compete in the women’s long jump. Swimmer Elinah Phillip will compete in the women’s 50m freestyle. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games take place in Japan July 23 – August 8, 2021.

McMaster and Phillip will be the flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony on July 23. The athletes will be in clothing and masks respectively designed by Virgin Islanders Ms. Rhenique Cooper and Ms. Kristin Fraser.

This will be the first Olympic Games for McMaster and Malone while Phillip made her Olympic debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil where she was the VI’s youngest athlete and the first to represent the Territory in aquatics at any Olympics.

While Olympian Eldred Henry had an automatic qualification to compete in the shot put at Tokyo 2020, ongoing recovery from an injury in his throwing arm resulted in the decision to step down from the team.

“I am proud to present our athletes for Tokyo 2020,” said Chef Harrigan-Scott, a three times Olympian in the 100m sprint. “Even though COVID-19 has drastically changed the dynamics of the Olympic Games, it did not waiver the determination or drive of our brilliant athletes. They have prepared vigorously to represent the Virgin Islands in their respective events coming up in the next few weeks and, after communicating with each of the athletes and watching their preparatory competitions leading up to Tokyo 2020, I am confident that they will make these Virgin Islands proud.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Tokyo 2020 Games to be rescheduled by one year to take place in the summer of 2021, the IOC, Tokyo 2020 Organisers and the Government of Japan have issued stringent protocols set out in regularly updated Playbooks to ensure the health and safety of all athletes, personnel, delegates, media and the people of Japan. The strict measures for the VI delegation are overseen by appointed COVID Liaison Officers (CLOs) BVIOC Secretary General Mr. Lloyd Black and Chef Harrigan-Scott.

The Chef de Mission highlighted how the response to the pandemic has differentiated Tokyo 2020 from previous Olympic Games. Precautions include restrictive movement of the delegation, strict COVID-19 counter measures which include daily temperature and COVID-19 testing, the inability to attend other sporting events, limited-to-no guest allowance in the Olympic Village, the lack of spectators from foreign countries, no site seeing by the delegation and every movement in Tokyo and Japan needing to be pre-approved by the Japanese Government.

“The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games probably are one of the most anticipated Games in sports,” said Mr. Penn. “The continuing changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have been quite a challenge and on behalf of the BVIOC, I highly commend all our athletes and Chef de Mission for their focus, determination and tireless efforts which have resulted in thorough preparation and impressive performances with new national records set in all three disciplines by Chantel, Kyron and Elinah in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Games. We are sad that Eldred will not be joining the team in person but intend to include him in our reports from Tokyo 2020. We are extremely proud of all our athletes have achieved thus far and will be in Japan to give our support and to watch them perform at the 32nd Olympiad.”

The delegation to Tokyo will include BVIOC President Mr. Ephraim Penn, Secretary General Mr. Lloyd Black, athlete coaches Mr. Lennox Graham (McMaster), Mr. Dwight Phillipe (Malone), Mr. Brien Moffitt (Phillip) and Mr. Winston Potter (team coach). Dr. The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley MHA, Deputy Premier, Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture is also slated to attend the Games pending travel restrictions.

“I want to congratulate these hardworking individuals for this momentous achievement. It is even more exciting knowing that we have athletes, through their hard work, who are poised to compete for medal and I plan to be there to cheer them along waving our Virgin Islands flag. I wish all our athletes well; we are extremely proud of you!” said the Dr. The Honourable Minister Wheatley.

Daily updates will be posted on the BVIOC social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and reports will be disseminated to media from the BVIOC PRO, Sofia Fay, Broadsword Communications, who will be in Tokyo to cover the VI’s athletes.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Eldred Henry, Elinah Phillip, IOC, Kyron McMaster, Swimming, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Tokyo 2020 postponement sees spirit of resilience and cooperation dominate global response

March 24, 2020 by
The postponed 2020 Summer Olympic Games will remain in Tokyo – PHOTO: Yoshikazu Sekiguchi

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Abe Shinzo, held a conference call this morning to discuss the constantly changing environment with regard to COVID-19 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the COVID-19 pandemic is “accelerating”. There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour.

In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.

The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC said that while the postponement was an understandable outcome of the talks and the current pandemic, the focus of the BVIOC will turn to supporting the athletes and any impact the delay may have on their psyche and preparations.

“Moving the dates to an unknown time in the future is hard on the athletes but this is not the first time that our athletes have had to face adverse situations and we will be doing our utmost to support them and to ease the strain of preparing for the future,” said Mr. Penn. The BVIOC provides a monthly training scholarship and has also secured sponsorship from iForex to assist VI’s Tokyo 2020 athletes in their preparations for the Games.

“While initially I was disappointed with the IOC’s decision to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games, on reflection I’m thankful that they are putting our health first,” said Chantel Malone, the Lima 2019 Pan American Games VI long jump gold medalist. “With everything going on, the restrictions definitely put a limitation on training with regards to what we can and can’t do so, all in all, postponing these Summer Olympics is for the greater good and will give us more time to be even more prepared to produce awesome results. Every cloud has it’s silver lining!” Tokyo 2020 will be Malone’s first Olympic Games.

“It’s unfortunate that these 2020 Summer Olympic Games have been postponed because we have been training so hard in preparation but we understand the decision to put our health and safety first and we’ll be making the most of the extra time available to get ready for this important competition,” said Eldred Henry, the VI’s shot putter whose first Olympic appearance was at Rio 2016.

“It’s disappointing after all this time training and competing in what few meets we had in the lead up to the Games in July but we will overcome this hurdle and look to the future as we continue with our preparations. We just hope that our sponsors, the VI government and our supporters continue to stand by our side during this extended period,” said Kyron McMaster, the VI’s Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles gold medalist who will make his Olympic debut at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020 in consultation with Mr. Penn remains in constant contact with the Virgin Islands’ athletes confirmed or hoping to attend the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and will continue to relay information received from the IOC and the organisers as they decide on the new dates and associated changes.

“I have an open line of communication with all our Tokyo 2020 confirmed and hopeful athletes and our real time conversation enables me to keep them up to date with correct information from the official channels. Right now, the news has been quite hard on them as they have been as focused as they can to compete in their best form in July. They are recalibrating but overall they are in a positive mindset and are determined to work with the outcome of the IOC’s decision to postpone and plan to make the most of the extended time to train hard. It is also really important that the support and encouragement behind them continues,” said Chef Harrigan-Scott.

The global community has rallied to the IOC’s news with three major Tokyo 2020 sponsors – Proctor & Gamble, Intel and Coca-Cola – all reaffirming their commitment to the Games. Organisers of major Games including the 2021 World Athletics Championships slated for August 6 – 15 in Eugene, Oregon and the Commonwealth Youth Games Trinbago 2021 scheduled for August 1 – 7 in Trinidad & Tobago have already communicated their willingness to shift their events to accommodate the new date for Tokyo 2020.

Panam Sports in a press release also stated that it will maintain all of its aid programs for athletes, coaches and National Olympic Committees. They also said that once the new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are defined, Panam Sports will work together with the IOC, the International Federations, the NOCs and the athletes to be able to adjust the schedules for the competitions that follow, in particular the Junior Pan American Games of Cali 2021 that were scheduled between June 5-20.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, chantel malone, Commonwealth Games, Eldred Henry, Gold Coast 2018 News, Kyron McMaster, Lima 2019, Panam Sports, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 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: , , , , , , , , ,

Tokyo 2020 Chef de Mission Tahesia Harrigan-Scott visits Japan 1 year ahead of Summer Olympic Games

August 22, 2019 by

(l-r) Aki Murasato (Executive Director of International Relations, Tokyo 2020), Yukihiko Nunomura (President, Tokyo 2020), Maxwell De Silva (Secretary General, NOC of Sri Lanka), Tahesia Harrigan-Scott (VI Chef de Mission), unkown, Turo Kobayashi (Head of NOC Services, Tokyo 2020), James Macleod (Director, NOC Relations & Olympic Solidarity, IOC) at the Chef de Mission Seminar in Tokyo, Japan, Aug 20 -22 2019.

Tokyo 2020 is just under a year away and the Virgin Islands’ 100m CAC multi-gold medalist and IAAF World Indoor Championships bronze medalist, Mrs. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott is the Chef de Mission for the 32nd edition of the Summer Olympic Games.

Undertaking her first official duty, Harrigan-Scott attended a three-day Chef de Mission Seminar in Japan from August 20 – 22. She joined representatives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) for progress updates and venue tours a year ahead of the Games which takes place in Tokyo from July 24 to August 9, 2020.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Chef de Mission, Tokyo 2020 with the Olympic Torch

“The seminar has been very informative and I have received a lot of information which will assist in structuring my plans going forward as Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020,” said Harrigan-Scott. “I was a bit disappointed not to be able to go into the Olympic stadium as the venue is still under construction. While some venues – like the field hockey venue – are completed, most of the others are in their test event phase so in term of venue tours, it’s just seeing the progression of the stadiums and the different areas being developed.

“The atmosphere in Tokyo is great, the environment is good with the only thing of concern to most people and the Tokyo 2020 organizers is the heat and humidity around the period of the Olympic Games. A lot of counter-heat measures are being put in place to ensure the safety of the athletes and the spectators coming out to visit.

They are taking safety, along with everything else, into consideration so I think it’s going to be a great event.”

Harrigan-Scott, who recently retired from her career as a professional athlete, was appointed by the BVI Olympic Committee to manage all aspects of the VI athletes’ participation in Tokyo 2020.

“The role of Chef de Mission will be well-suited to Mrs. Harrigan-Scott who was the first female to represent the Virgin Islands at the Summer Olympic Games at Beijing 2008 and who since then also competed in the subsequent London 2012 and Rio 2016 Summer Olympics,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVIOC. “She has a wealth of experience in major international competitions that is unmatched by any other of our national athletes and we are fortunate that she accepted the role for what we anticipate will be an exciting Olympic Games for our roster of elite athletes who qualify to compete at Tokyo 2020.”

Harrigan-Scott’s athletic career
A long-serving athlete who represented the VI in athletics at various levels between 1998 through 2018, Harrigan-Scott made her debut competing regionally in the U17 division at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Championships in the Cayman Islands and ended her international career as a finalist in the 100 meter dash at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Open Championships in Toronto, Canada.

She was the VI’s first female athlete to win a gold medal at an international Games with her victory in the 100 meters at the 2006 CAC Games a feat she repeated at the same Games 4 years later. Harrigan-Scott’s most significant accomplishment, however, was winning a bronze medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in the 60 meter dash in 2008. She has also been a finalist at the Pan American and Commonwealth Games and a silver medalist in the 100m at the CAC Championships.

She currently holds the national athletics records in the 100m and 200m dashes as well as the 4x100m relay. She was also a national record holder in the long and triple jumps.

Harrigan-Scott was an outstanding student during her collegiate career and has provided leadership to many of her younger colleagues. On two occasions she and her husband, Joey Scott, himself a former athlete, conducted brief athletics camps in the Virgin Islands.

Committed to using her training and experiences as a professional athlete, Harrigan-Scott will be working with the BVI Olympic Committee on projects which will serve to advance the Long Term Athlete Development programme in the territory as well as providing input towards the elite athlete programme.

Filed Under: BVI Olympic Committee, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Tokyo 2020 Tagged With: , ,

NACAC Gold for McMaster in 400m Hurdles, new national records set by Henry and Erickson

August 16, 2018 by

Source: The Island Sun

By Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

Team BVI at NACAC 2018, Toronto, Canada. Photo credit: Dean “the Sportsman” Greenaway

Kyron McMaster struck 400m Hurdles gold for a third time during a major championship this season, while Eldred Henry and Deya Erickson established national records in the Shot Put and 100m Hurdles respectively, during the 3rd North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Track and Field Championships at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, in Toronto, Canada.

McMaster who won, dropped the fastest semifinal time of 49.16 seconds on Friday while establishing a stadium record in the process, collared Jamaica’s Annsert Whyte at the 10th barrier in the final, to win the 400m Hurdles in a championships record time of 48.18 seconds on Sunday.

McMaster powered away from Whyte who controlled much of the race in the last 40m to distance himself from his Jamaican rival who ran 48.91 seconds, as McMaster claimed one of the 32 championships records established.

McMaster, who will next see action in the IAAF Diamond League final on Aug 30 in Zurich, Switzerland, said he has been working on some different things during the championships.

“Today we tried a different formula, but I don’t think I executed it as I wanted to,” he said. “There was a lot of wind on the back stretch and from the little knowledge I have of hurdling, running on the backstretch instead of running against the wind, I just ran through the motion with the wind and executed when I felt it was off.”

The way White attacked the race, it left McMaster spent at the end after chasing him down for the victory.

“He kept moving on the backstretch when the wind was attacking so I was like, let me stay calm and not react to anything he may try because I knew once I could execute my curve and the home stretch, I knew it could be a win in my favor and it turned out that way,” he explained. “It feels good to win another gold medal for the British Virgin Islands and I’m just happy that I could deliver, especially with the tough conditions I had to deal with today.”

The with the way the race developed, the battle for the gold McMaster said, came down to who had the best technique over the hurdles.

“Once I saw his technique started to fail at the ninth hurdle, I just attacked and I knew it would have failed again at the 10th hurdle so I attacked again at the 10th hurdle,” he pointed out, nothing that he wasn’t happy with the time. “These days, boys running 46, so you want to keep abreast of the time.”

On Friday, Henry improved his own BVI Shot Put record from the 20.18m effort to win CAC Games bronze, with a heave of 20.63m, to finish fifth.

“I opened with about 19.22, the had 19.80 and on the third one, I really went for it and that’s when I hit my personal best of 20.63, the fourth one was 20.56, then I got a little excited,” Henry said of his series. “I wasn’t surprised. That’s what I’ve been working in practice for the last couple of months. I knew it was there, but it was a matter of putting everything together and getting it in a meet.”

Henry was injured last year and he said the time off made him heal properly and began working in January.

“Everything I’ve been doing is off January’s work,” he noted. “I didn’t really have an off season so I’m kind of surprised with my performances.”

Erickson lowered her 100m Hurdles personal best from 13.98 seconds to 13.80, to place a non-advancing sixth in her heat.

“Running 13.80 is not what I expected to run, I expected to run way faster than that, but I had a lot of hiccups in my race,” Erickson noted. “Hopefully, by next year I can correct all the mistakes and reach the goal I was pushing for this year.”

Erickson’s success is even more remarkable as she returned from a severe 2016 knee injury and Doctors told her she wouldn’t even be running again, but began jogging in October, following Hurricane Irma.

She said her journey has been a simple one—work hard and stay focused, never give up and have faith in your abilities.

“I did rehab for me knee and strengthened areas in my knee that we don’t focus on, areas in him hips, my calves, my quads and my hamstring that we don’t usually focus on,” Erickson noted. “I put a lot of focus on areas that will keep my knee from relapsing and not getting reinjured.”

Tynelle Gumbs was fourth in the Hammer Throw with a measurement of 58.78m her second best mark in a season of limited competition.

“It wasn’t the best that I could have done and I think my technique was a little off today,” she noted. “It wasn’t the worst I’ve had and I did better than as the CAC Games, but it still could have been better.”

Meanwhile, veteran sprinter Tahesia Harrigan-Scott was seventh in the Women’s 100m dash on Saturday, with a time of 11.61 seconds, after turning in 11.62 as one of the fastest losers advancing from the semifinals.

“Making a final is always a good thing, that was my goal, to make it by taking each round at a time,” she said. “I tried to correct the mistakes I made in the semis. It felt better and like I was more aggressive most of the race but just lost it a little at the end, but overall, I was excited to be in the final.”

Long jumper Chantel Malone finished fifth in her pet event and Kala Penn was eight.

“This was probably the worst meet of the season,” said Malone who had a best leap of 6.19 meters while Penn’s best measurement was 6.04m. “I was having trouble gauging the wind today and I just felt kinda flat going into the board, so as a result, I didn’t get the kind of pop I wanted. But overall, I’m not content. I’m hungry for what’s to come in 2019.”

Penn said she wanted to get a personal best but with the current injuries, she was limited and pulled out of the Triple Jump.

“I was happy with my end of the season,” said Penn, who’s heading to the University of Florida on a scholarship later this month.

Shaquoy Stevens had a non-advancing time of 10.52 seconds in the 100m semis but did not advance to the final. He won his semifinal heat in 10.67 seconds.

“It was a pretty ok race, I stayed to relaxed in the drive phase and I paid for it in the end,” Stephens said. “But, I’m satisfied with the performance.”

Trevia Gumbs fouled out of the Shot Put on Sunday afternoon.

“This was a challenging competition for me. I think the nerves got the better of me,” she revealed. “I fouled out in the Shot Put but my Discus was better than in CAC Games. I was really disappointed in how I ended my season but I’m excited to see where 2019 takes me. I see where I have to change. I’ve had a consistent series of mistakes in the past couple competitions, so I know what I have to train for and do in the off season.”

Tarika “Tinkerbell” Moses limped home with a left foot injury in the 400m and was timed in 57.94 seconds.

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Team BVI wraps up Gold Coast 2018 with historic Gold medal and fanfare

April 16, 2018 by

Team BVI at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Queensland, Australia. Photo: BVICGA

Team BVI was led by flag bearer and four-times Commonwealth Games athlete, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott in the Gold Coast 2018 Closing Ceremony on April 15 marking the end of the 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games.

“This has been an amazing and emotional Games,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Commonwealth Games Association. “We saw Gold Coast 2018 as an opportunity to inspire the Virgin Islands through sports after the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria and hoped that the athletes’ achievements would motivate the territory to tackle new beginnings. Our athletes rose to the occasion with their tremendous effort and individual and team achievements. We believed that this was the strongest team we had yet taken to the Commonwealth Games and their performances have proved it to be the case. We are exceptionally proud of each, and every one of them and thank them for showcasing our nation on the world stage with grit and grace.”

At the end of 10 days of competition in Queensland, Australia, 10 of the VI’s athletes had participated in 9 track and field events and 2 squash events. All track and field athletes completing their events made it through to semi-finals and five went on to compete in the finals. In squash, the VI won the Plate of the men’s singles.

British Virgin Islands Kyron Mcmaster won the men’s 400m hurdles final in a time of 48.25 seconds during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 12, 2018. Photo credit: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

The crowning moment came on April 12 when Kyron McMaster took to his starting blocks in front of a packed stadium in the 400m Hurdles and made history with his 1st place finish in a time of 48.25 seconds and winning the territory’s first medal ever in the Commonwealth Games.

Competing in his first Commonwealth Games, Kyron triumphed for his hurricane ravaged country and in memory of his beloved coach, the late Xavier ‘Dag’ Samuels. “My first phase of the race wasn’t what I wanted but I remembered what coach would have told me ‘just in case something like that happens, just stay calm and relax’” said Kyron. “When I saw I was in a position to take control of the race, I did and ran home with the gold. I am very proud that I was able to bring it home for the Virgin Islands.” 2nd and 3rd places went to Jeffrey Gibson of the Bahamas (49.10) and Jaheel Hyde of Jamaica (49.16) respectively.

That same evening, Chantel Malone landed a 5th place in the Long Jump final with a leap of 6.48. This was Chantel’s second appearance in a Commonwealth Games, the first being at Glasgow 2014 where she landed a 4th place with a jump of 6.41. Podium finishers of the long jump were Christabel Nettey of Canada (6.84), Brooke Stratton of Australia (6.77) and Shara Proctor of England (6.75).

Next up were Commonwealth Games debutants, twin sisters Tynelle and Trevia Gumbs competing against a field of 13 in the Discus final. Tynelle hurled the disc 47.04 to place 9th. Top spots went to Dani Stevens of Australia (68.26), Seema Punia of India (60.41) and Navjeet Dhillon of India (57.43). Tynelle’s performance was in her second event of the Games – the first being the Hammer Throw in which she placed 7th overall and attained a Seasonal and Personal Best as well as beating her previous National Record with a distance of 60.97.

Trevia retired early in the Discus final to avoid irritating an injury and to save herself for the Shot Put final.  On April 13, and the last day of competition for the VI, Tynelle improved on her Shot Put qualifier round result of 14.08 with a third attempt throw of 14.12. Top three putters were Danniel Thomas-Dodd of Jamaica (19.36), Dame Valerie Adams of New Zealand (18.70) and Brittany Crew of Canada (18.32).

Eldred Henry joined Trevia in rounding off the VI’s performance at the Games with his seasonal best throw of 50.96 when he competed in the Discus final. The mark was an improvement of his 50.43 achieved in his qualifying round. Medalists in the event were Fedrick Dacres of Jamaica who set a new Games Record with a throw of 68.20, Traves Smikle of Jamaica (63.98) and Apostolos Parellis of Cypress (63.61). On April 9, Eldred had competed in the shot put final. GC2018 was Eldred’s second Commonwealth Games.

Earlier in the Games, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott ran her last race of a Commonwealth Games on April 8 when she crossed the finish line of the 100m semi-finals with a time of 11.63 to place 7th in her field and 13th out of 24 runners in the semi-finals.

On April 10, Ashley Kelly closed out her GC2018 performance with a 53.00 finish in the 400m semi-finals. The time placed her 5th in her race and 14th out of an overall line up of 23 semi-finalists. This was Ashley’s second Commonwealth Games, the first being Glasgow 2014 where she competed in the 200m and 400m semi-finals.

Khari Herbert Jr was disappointed when he pushed out of the blocks in his 400m qualifying round on April 8 and had to retire due to a hamstring injury. This was Khari’s first Commonwealth Games.

Squash Round Up

In squash, Joe Chapman and Neville Sorrentino ended their GC2018 competitions on April 12 when they played in a hard-fought doubles match against Pakistan’s duo, Tayyab Aslam and Farhan Zaman.

The first game was an exciting round with the BVI taking 8 points. The crowd watched a strong performance from both players with Neville playing some of his best squash for an edge-of-the-seat game. The second game to decide the match was ultimately won by Aslam and Zaman 11-4.

This was the second doubles match that Joe and Neville played at the Games, the first being on April 10 when they were defeated by England’s James Willstrop (CWG 2018 Singles Gold Medal winner) and James Declan (World ranked #25).

GC2018 was Neville’s Commonwealth Games debut and in which he played in the Men’s Squash singles and doubles, and Joe’s fourth appearance at the quadrennial event. The pinnacle for Joe was his win of the Men’s Singles Plate on April 9 when he beat Cameron Stafford of the Cayman Islands 3-1 (11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 11 – 7).

The VI delegation to GC2018 included Mark Chapman, Chef de Mission; Athletics coaches Winston Potter, Joey Scott, Dwight Phillips and Omar Jones; and Squash coach Adam Murrills; Physio Mark Latimer; Attaché Julie-Anne Pearson; CGA Assistant Katrina Pfeffer; BVICGA Secretary General Lloyd Black; and Deputy Premier, Dr. The Honourable Kedrick Pickering.

Filed Under: Athletics, BVI Olympic Committee, Gold Coast 2018 News, Squash Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott completes her Commonwealth Games Career with fourth appearance

April 9, 2018 by

British Virgin Islands Tahesia Harrigan-Scott ran her final race in the athletic’s women’s 100m semi-finals during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 8, 2018. Photo SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images

Three Virgin Islands athletes took to the track and field on the first day of Athletics at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games on Monday, April 8.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott advanced to the semi-finals of the 100m when she placed third in her heat with a time of 11.64. A couple of hours later, Tahesia ran her final race in a Commonwealth Games.

It was a bright clear day and the stadium was packed with ardent Games supporters generating an energetic atmosphere. Tahesia, racing in lane 8 took to her blocks and shot out strong and held her position near the lead until the last quarter of the race when she dropped into 7th place finishing her race in a time of 11.63. Her time placed her 13th overall in a total of 24 runners in the semi-finals.

“The heat was my first 100 meters of the season so it felt like the first race,” said Tahesia. “I felt good in the second race. My start felt fine, my reaction was good, it’s just the last 30 meters of the race when I really faded and it cost me a better time than I should have ran. While I would have liked to have done better I gave it all that I had at that moment.”

Enjoying the experience of Gold Coast 2018, Tahesia will now be turning her attention to her team mates and cheer them on in their competitions. This is the fourth Commonwealth Games for Tahesia. She was the first female Virgin Islander to compete at the Commonwealth Games when she made her debut in Manchester in 2002 and advanced to the quarter-finals in the 100 meters in what was then her first senior international meet. Tahesia went on to finish in 5th place in the finals in both Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010.

“We are exceptionally proud of Tahesia,” said Ephraim Penn, President of the BVI Commonwealth Games Association. “She has been an excellent ambassador for our athletes, our team and the Virgin Islands at all Commonwealth Games. Her positive attitude and cheerful disposition along with her ethical approach to competition is what we at the BVICGA hope all our athletes will aspire to. We thank Tahesia for being a leader in the VI corps of athletes, and for her commitment to her sport and to the team.”

Eldred Henry was next up in the stadium on day one, competing in Group B of the Shot Put. He hurled his furthest throw of the flight in his first attempt to land at 18.19 meters. His distance placed him 5th in his group with the top thrower in his group achieving 20.47m. While Eldred felt he could have done better, his throw was good enough to get him through to the Shot Put finals on April 9.

Khari Herbert Jr started off from the blocks in the 400m heats but pulled out of the race after a few meters when he felt pains in his hamstring in his right leg. While disappointed not to have been able to compete in these Games, he is looking forward to racing in the upcoming events of the season.

Joe Chapman beat Manda Chilambwe (Zambia) in Plate Semi Final 11-5, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4. Photo: Max Harris

In Squash, Joe Chapman played in the semi-finals of the Men’s Singles Plate to win against Manda Chilambwe of Zambia. In an exciting match that took 38 minutes, Joe came through comfortably in four games 11-5, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4. He will face Cameron Stafford of Cayman in the Plate finals at 1.15pm on April 9 (11.15pm, Sunday, April 8 VI time).

Upcoming events:

Joe Chapman and Neville Sorrentino will play England’s Declan James and James Willstrop in the Men’s Squash Doubles at 11.45am on Tuesday, April 10 (9.45pm Monday, April 9 VI time).

Track and field competitions for the VI’s athletes will continue on Monday, April 9 with Ashley Kelly running in the 400m heats at 10.30am (8.30pm, Sunday, April 8, VI time) and Eldred will compete in the Shot Put finals at 8.25pm (6.25am Monday, April 9 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 8.40pm (6.40am, 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).

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Tahesia Harrigan-Scott set to compete at her 5th IAAF World Indoor Championships

March 1, 2018 by

By the BVI Athletics Association

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott set to compete in the 60m dash at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Birmingham UK. Photo: BVIAA

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott will be competing in the 60m dash event this Friday, March 2, 2018 at the IAAF World Indoor Championships which take place March 1 – 4, 2018 in Birmingham, U.K.

Mrs. Harrigan-Scott is accompanied by coach Mr. Ralston Henry.

3-time Olympian Mrs. Harrigan-Scott’s greatest success at the World Indoor Championships came in 2008 in Valencia, Spain where she placed 3rd in the 60m final with a time of 7.09.

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