The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) is thrilled to join the global observance of Olympic Day 2024 with three exciting events scheduled for this month.
Olympic Day has been celebrated on June 23 every year since 1948, to honour the founding day of the modern Olympic Games at the Sorbonne in Paris 1894. It has developed into the only annual worldwide celebration of the Olympic Movement and is a day to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.
This year’s campaign, held under the theme “Let’s Move and Celebrate,” aims to create a global movement to inspire people, especially the younger generation, to make time for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day.
The BOA’s activities get underway on Monday, June 17 and will conclude on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
There is a Virtual Week-Long Walk being held from Monday, June 17, to Friday, June 21. Participants will use the Relive app to register the distances they walk each day. There will be a special category for National Federations, and the BOA is encouraging members – athletes, coaches, boards, etc. to participate by moving individually or together, anytime, wherever they are located, during the designated event period. The BOA has also added a special category for schools and is encouraging all students, staff and parents to participate.
A prize will be awarded to the National Federation and school that accumulates the highest average distance covered by their team. To be eligible for the prize, National Federations must enter 20 participants or more in the event and schools must enter 50 or more.
The BOA is also hosting two GLOW events on Saturday, June 22. The GLOW 2K Fun Run & Walk takes place within the confines of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, and the GLOW 5K Run will start and finish also at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex. A limited number of BOA OLYMPIC DAY GLOW shirts will be issued on a first come, first-served basis. Glow items will be distributed, but participants can bring their own and add to the spectacle. Race time is 7:00 p.m.
Director, National Olympic Academy, Vaneisha Cadogan, expressed that she is particularly excited about this year’s Olympic Day as anticipation builds for the Paris 2024 Summer Games which get underway from July 26 to August 11. She said that the BOA is pleased to once again bring these activities not only to National Federations, but to the public, to encourage persons of all ages to move more every day.
“We are inviting everyone to support this year’s activities for Olympic Day. These events are fun and staged with everyone in mind, as we provide opportunities that encourage people to get active,” Cadogan said.
Registration is currently open for all the events through the BOA at https://forms.gle/fphohubbNau1P7kd7.