St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Olympic Committee
Newsletter
Faster, Higher, Stronger
Olympic Day was introduced to commemorate the birth of the Modern Olympic Games. June 23 is an historic day for the sportspeople of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as we join the international Olympic family in observing the occasion. We are among the more than 200 National Olympic Committees that take time eachyear to renew our commitment to the lofty ideals attendant to the global Olympic Movement. Here in St Vincent and the Grenadines we place the Olympic Day observance in our Olympic Week which began on Sunday last and ends on Sunday 26 June 2011. We bring our Olympic Family together to play and have fun, reminding ourselves that we share the commmon bond that participation in sports brings. The Olympic Movement has always promoted sport as a vehicle for peace. We therefore once more call on the political leaders of our country and of the world to promote peace and to work together with their respective National Olympic Committees as advocates of sport and peace. We must save St Vincent and the Grenadines by working together and promoting sports in every community. A few hours should be set aside in our busy week to promote, teach and learn sports. We must engage in walks, jogging, biking and other forms of healthy activities. It is high time for the Vincentian public to get fit, healthy and strong. If you are healthy then you will be a happy individual for the rest of your life. Whether you are from Sandy Bay, Fancy, Petit Bordel, Chateaubelair or capital Kingstown, let us put on our Olympic T shirt and our running shoes to join together for a fun run on Olympic day in capital Kingstown. With more exercise we do, we will live happier and longer. I salute those who choose sports. You have made a good choice. Happy Olympic Day to all! President, SVG National Olympic Committee, Trevor ‘Sailor’ Bailey
ISSUE: Vol. 3
June 23 is here again, filled with happiness.....
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Dear participants, Each year, on 23 June, we celebrate the birth of the modern Olympic Movement. And each year, on the five continents, the National Olympic Committees take this global concept to a local level by reaching out to thousands of people of all ages and from all walks of life. Olympic Day really is for everyone, whoever you are, wherever you come from, whatever you do. Olympic Day is also about much more than just playing sport, running or exercising. It is a special day to reflect on the meaning of sport and its values – namely that while we should always try our very best, it is not whether we win or lose that matters, it is how we play the game. A philosophy that can serve well in everyday life. Because more than ever, sport is able to offer us a quality of life that is more healthy and balanced and to make all of us feel better. I invite all of you – participants and spectators alike – to come together, move together and learn together for the joy of sport. Have a wonderful 2011 Olympic Day!
June 22, 2011
Citius Altius Fortius
Editorial June 22, 2011 2 ISSUE: Vol. 3
On Thursday 23 June 2011 the St Vincent and the Grenadines National Olympic Committee joins the rest of the world in observing International Olympic Day. It was on this day in 1894, that a small group of visionaries convened at the Sorbonne, France, and agreed to officially launch the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Even though French philanthropist, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was the convenor of the meeting in France, the decision was taken to install Dimitrius Vikelas, of Greece, as the IOC’s first president. This was to make the obvious link between the modern Olympic movement and that of Ancient Greece. The IOC it was that two years after having been established organised the first edition of the modern Olympic Games hosted in Athens, Greece. Whilst the founding fathers of the modern Olympics had tremendous foresight none could possibly have imagined that what they started would one day emerge as the global entity that the IOC is today. Through the years the modern Olympic Movement has grown immensely. The Olympic Games is the most popular sporting spectacle in the world. The IOC established Olympic Solidarity as its development arm to assist each National Olympic Committee (NOC) regardless of size, with the same programmes avoiding any discrimination in this regard. Despite its many efforts however the IOC has not yet been able to effectively fulfill one of the most important mandates of the modern Movement and that is to facilitate sport as a vehicle for world peace. This has to do with the fact that as yet Olympism – the loft values of the movement – have not been fully integrated into the broad education processes around the world. The introduction of the Youth Olympics in Singapore last year marked a significant initiative on the part of EDITORIAL continued on Page 4
Olympic Day 2011 - June 23
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OLYMPIC HOUSE No. 1, Kingstown Park, Kingstown St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tel: 784-457-2970 Fax: 784-485-6412 Cell: 784-533-0869 Email: svgnoc@vincysurf.com Website: www.svgnoc.org
Road To London 2012 Campaign takes off
Following the launch of the NOC’s Road to London 2012 Campaign the NOC has been busying itself preparing programmes and activities to sensitise the nation on what is happening. The Olympic Week of activities was couched as part of the Road to London 2012 Campaign. The television component of the Campaign was also launched with two interviews with the General Secretary of the organisation conducted and aired during the Olympic Week celebrations. The NOC has already produced a Road to London 2012 promotional banner that has served as the backdrop for the two interviews already conducted. They feature the two mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, as well as a beautiful overview of London, host of the 2012 Olympics, the finished stadium and the first finished area of the Athletes’ Village.
Women’s Sports Day June 25
Representation from the Police, led by Inspector Glasgow, met with the General Secretary of the NOC on Tuesday 21 June to confirm the organisation’s interest and commitment to the programme.
Athletes, public relations officers, media personnel and team management officials were among those persons in attendance when the Communications workshop hosted by the National Olympic Academy of the NOC as part of the organisations Continuing Olympic Education Programme (COEP), got going on Wednesday 22 June 2011. Peter Andrews of Trinidad and Tobago delivered an experience for participants that made Communications come alive with their full involvement. The two-day workshop was incorporated in the NOC’s Road to London 2012 Campaign launched two weeks earlier and deliberately held within the organisation’s Olympic Week as part of its overall celebrations.
ISSUE: Vol. 3
The Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force has agreed to full involvement in the NOC’s Olympic Week of activities 2011.
Communications in focus
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Police involvement welcomed
Communications Workshop June 22, 2011
The NOC’s Women in Sport Commission, headed by Patricia Fraser, would on Saturday 25 June host the annual Women’s Sports Day at the Petit Bordel Playing Field beginning at 10.00am. According to Fraser the selection of Petit Bordel as opposed to London Playing Field, Sandy Bay, the venue used in 2010, was due to the work being undertaken in North Leeward. For the past several months focus has been on consolidating the work done in 2010 in North Windward and initiation of work among women and girls on the Leeward side of St Vincent. Fraser has expressed confidence that the Women’s Sports Day 2011 would be exciting as many have expressed interest in being involved in the competitions. Volleyball, Athletics, Netball and Cricket would be featured in the annual event. This year would be the first occasion in which the annual Women’s Sports Day would be held as part of the NOC’s Olympic Week of activities. The event is also being promoted as part of the Road to London 2012 Campaign of the National Olympic Committee.
Cycling June 22, 2011
2011 APUA Inet OECS Cycling Championships Antigua
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The Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Cycling Association hosted the 2011 Annual OECS Cycling Championships on Sunday 5th June 2011 in Antigua. Team St. Vincent participated, the results are as follows: - Jyme Bridges of Antiqua 1st 3 hrs 17mins 45.852 - Dominc Ollivierre SVG 2nd 3 hrs 17 mins 46.66 seconds - Orano Andrews SVG 12th 3 hrs 23 mins 18 53 seconds - Shimano Bailey SVG 3 hrs 46 mins 58. 06 seconds - Deptor Culzac SVG had nechanical problems Young Jevenile cyclists Cammie Adams and Zefal Bailey completed their task of 50 miles, but the Antigua Organzing Committee did not have a Junior category. 7 OECS countries participated and 40 cyclists started the race. St Vincent will host 2012 OECS championships, and we will introduce the Juvenile/ Junior and female categories.
TABLE TENNIS
The 18th OECS Table Tennis Championships was held on June 10th to 12th 2011 at the Bethel High School. The Championships got going on Friday 10th June at 7pm with addresses from President of the NOC Trevor Bailey, President of the SVGTTA Alonzo Primus and Minister of Youth and Sports Hon Frederick Stephenson. The championships were held over a three day period, with matches in four main categories.
Mens Teams Team 1: 1st place – St. Lucia 2nd Place – Grenada; 3rd Place – St. Vincent and the Grenadines Womens Teams Team 1: 1st Place – Grenada 2nd Place – St. Lucia; 3rd Place – St. Vincent and the Grenadines Mens Doubles: 1st Place – Kamal Hunte & Romano Spencer (SVG) 2nd Place – Jason Stanislaus & Evrol John (GRN) 3rd Place – Faith Stanislaus & Franklyn Noel (SLU) Womens Doubles: 1st Place – Gem Eloi & Larryssa Dover (DOM) 2nd Place – Rosemarie Dinnoh & Donna Ashton (GRN) 3rd Place – Natiffa Williams & Natasha Shortte (SVG) Mixed Doubles: 1st Place – Adrian Albert & Shermain Hyacinth (SLU) 2nd Place – Jason Stanislaus & Rosemarie Dinnoh (GRN) 3rd Place – Kamal Hunte & Natasha Shortte (SVG) Mens Singles: 1st Place – Robert Ballantyne (SVG) 2nd Place – Adrian Albert (SLU) 3rd Place – Joseph Carrington (SVG) Womens Singles: 1st Place – Shermaine Hyacinth (SLU) 2nd Place – Rosemarie Dinnoh (GRN) 3rd Place – Gem Eloi (DOM)
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the IOC to have youths engage in friendly competition alongside education and culture during the period of the Games. The initiative is intended to allow for the experience of true Olympism. Here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we continue our efforts at spreading Olympism. The recent launch of The Road to London 2012 offers a rather unique opportunity to work with children and youths towards an appreciation of how the values of Olympism can impact their lives through sport. Collaboration with the Ministries responsible for sport on the one hand and education on the other is intended to facilitate greater participation in the twin disciplines of physical education and sport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This year’s Olympic Day must be another opportunity for all of our affiliates to renew their commitment to promoting positive values amongst their membership and to reach out to children and youths across the nation in this regard.
Happy Olympic Day 2011.