SVG celebrates 10 at 2024 Olympic Games
ST VINCENT and the Grenadines’ participation at the 2024 Paris Olympics, July 26 to August 11, in France, is a milestone.
The landmark is the tenth occasion that the country will be represented at the event that is regarded as the world’s biggest sporting event.
Relatively though, St Vincent and the Grenadines can be deemed a baby in the Olympics which had its initiation in 1896.
After clearing the hurdle of being accepted as member of the International Olympic Committee in 1987, St Vincent and the Grenadines almost immediately went into action on the big stage in sports.
Kick-starting this country’s sojourn was the Seoul Games in South Korea, when Orde Ballantyne, Lennox Adams, Eversley Linley, Jacqueline Ross, and Michael Williams(Track and Field), and Boxer, Hudson Nanton, made that historic trip.
This was followed by St Vincent and the Grenadines’ representation at the Barcelona, Spain edition in 1996; Atlanta, USA in 1996; Sydney, Australia, 2000; Athens, Greece in 2004; Beijing, China- 2008; London, England- 2012; and the 2020 Tokyo, Japan edition staged in 2021, because of the coronavirus epidemic.
While St Vincent and the Grenadines has been some distance from even reaching a final of any event, some national accomplishments were registered.
Eswort Coombs’ attainment of reaching the semi-finals at the 1996 Games in the Men’s 400m, arguably ranks as the best on St Vincent and the Grenadines’ report card in the previous nine Olympic Games.
Coombs was also part of the quartet that established the national 4x 400m record. He, along with Kabon Sampson, Eversley Linley and Joel Mascoll, ran 3:06.92 at the Atlanta Games.
That time still stands today, in 2024, some 28 years after it was set.
In 2016 in Brazil, Nikolas Sylvester brought cheers to Vincentians when at age 16, he won his 50m Freestyle heat.
Fast forward to 2024, Shafiqua Maloney entered the history books, by becoming the first Vincentian to qualify for a Summer Olympic Games.
Her double delight came for the US- based athlete, when she achieved the qualifying standards in both the 400m and 800m.
Maloney, though, has opted to compete in the 800m only, when she goes out on the track, August 2.
Effectively, these nuggets in their small way, invite and inspire hope in prospective representatives.
Rightly so, it is the view of many Vincentians that with the right national sporting policies, we could have reasons to celebrate more, not necessarily a podium finish, but at least a place in the final of an event.
What then can Vincentians look forward to from Shafiqua Maloney and Handal Roban in the Women’s and Men’s 800m, as well as swimmers, Alex Joachim and Kennice Greene, who are both listed in the 50m Freestyle.
Maloney, with a current world ranking of 27th, is the best among the lot in terms of seedings.
However, her times recorded during the last three months, hover around 1:59s; when stacked against the world’s elite, is about 4 seconds plus slower.
Hence, realistically, Maloney has to run her fastest time yet for a possible advancement to the next round. Given the determination and character shown recently, it is not beyond her capabilities.
In the case of Roban, who received a universality place to the Paris Olympics, he stands at position 58, according to World Athletics.
Similarly, Joachim and Greene are two swimmers who have exhibited the most prowess in the last year.
Therefore, Maloney, Roban, Joachim and Greene, simply have to optimize their Paris experience with the aim of doing their personal bests and essentially, set national records.
Already, the fact that Roban and Maloney have been able to get the attention of a sport-wear company, is a step in the right direction.
Such small steps are indisputably the pathway to traverse as St Vincent and the Grenadines seeks to make tiny dots on the world sporting landscape.
For now, though, let us celebrate the four who will be representing the blue, gold and green of St Vincent and the Grenadines on August 1, 2, 3 and 7, 2024, in Paris, France.
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