On Monday, July 6, the Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) held a media conference at its Wildey Headquarters to announce the official team to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The team comprises athletes Shane Brathwaite – 110m Hurdles, Mario Burke – 100m / 200M, Jonathan Jones – 400m, Tia- Adana Belle – 400m Hurdles, Tristan Evelyn – 100m, Sada Williams – 400m, and Aquatics – Alex Sobers – 200m / 400m. Freestyle and Danielle Titus – 100m Backstroke. The officials are Cyril Cameron Burke – Chef de Mission, Gail Craig-Archer – Covid/Safeguarding Officer, Dr. Carl Ward – Chief Medical Officer, Alicia Brewster – Physio, Dr. June Caddle, Manager – Athletics, Gabriel Burnett, Coach – Athletics, Michael Stephens, Manager – Aquatics, Swimming, Leah Stancil, Coach – Aquatics, Swimming, and Verna Holder – Olympic Attaché.
This is Osborne’s inaugural Olympic Games as President and she and her reliable team at the BOA have already begun to work towards ensuring closer ties with host country, Japan. During her address, she noted that the BOA recently had a very productive online meeting with Ambassador Teruhiko Shinada, the Mayor of Nanyo City and representatives of the Japanese cabinet secretariat, and representatives of CARICOM at the United Nations regional office in Barbados, to discuss areas of possible cooperation concerning the United Nations sustainable development goals.
“It is on this basis that we certainly look forward to collaborating with our host city, Nanyo because we see sports as an enabler for sustainable development. This will be part of the Tokyo 2020 legacy when we can work with Nanyo City,” Osborne said.
The BOA has had a relationship with the Barbados Lottery that spans over 25-years. Osborne made special mention of the Barbados Lottery who donated BDS$50,000 to the Olympic Team during the ceremony.
The cheque was presented by General Manager of IGT Antilles, Shelly Ann Hee Chung and Ferdinand Lorde, Site Operations Manager at the Barbados Lottery to BOA Vice-President Cameron Burke, Secretary-General Erskine Simmons, and Chair of the Barbados Athletes Commission, Anicia Wood.
In recognising this valuable contribution Osborne said the Going for Gold project has been a tremendous success and is an example of The Barbados Lottery’s commitment to the BOA and sports.
“I wish to recognise the Barbados Lottery without whose financial support we would not have been able to invest in our athletes’ development at all levels”.
“Our relationship is now a stronger one having endured for over 25-years. We value this partnership which has been a game-changer for us in terms of our ability to make a difference in the lives of athletes,” Osborne stated.