Welcome by President Sandra Osborne, BOA

It is my honour to extend a warm welcome to everyone here tonight on behalf of the Barbados Olympic Association family.

We are always honoured that Her Excellency, our esteemed patron, finds the time to join us for this important event at which we salute outstanding performances and achievements in Sport.

I wish to recognise also the presence of members of the Diplomatic Corps. A special welcome, Your Excellencies.

We are forever grateful for the unwavering support provided by IGT, operators of the Barbados Lottery, and I extend a warm welcome to Mrs Shelly Ann Hee Chung who is present tonight with her IGT team.

I must extend a special welcome to Mrs Leah Martindale-Stancil. I was sooo pleased when I learnt you had accepted our invitation to be our Keynote Speaker this evening. I hope that the Athletes here tonight and those online will listen very carefully to your words as you represent the very best of Barbados as an elite Athlete. Your journey before and after competing in Atlanta has been a source of pride for all of us and I am sure your words will be inspiring and thought provoking.

I am also pleased to acknowledge the presence of Mr Michael Simmons, Past President and founding member of the BOA, and Mrs Briceno-Simmons.

A special welcome as well to our new Members of Staff who joined us during the year:

Ms Janelle Denny, Director, National Olympic Academy

Ms Rhonda Scantlebury, Accounting Officer

Ms Ida Elms-Edghill, Program Officer in the National Olympic Academy

Ka’sahra Hinds, euQUIP Intern, also attached to the Academy.

We look forward to many years with you as a part of the Team.

Before we get to the presentation of Awards, I take this opportunity to mention that 2024 marks the end of the quadrennium 2021 to 2024, and in few weeks we will be begin the new cycle four-year, which will culminate with Los Angeles 2028.

Our plan for this quadrennium culminated with Paris 2024 and we are currently in the preparatory stages of a new plan for the four-year period 2025 to 2028. While I cannot anticipate what the final plan will look like as it is a collaborative effort, I anticipate that it will be characterized by the following features:

A celebration, in 2025, of the 70th anniversary of our recognition as a National Olympic Committee by the International Olympic Committee.

A renewed focus on how we can better support Athletes to reach their full potential.

Exploration of the feasibility of a sports facility on the new parcel of land in Wildey agreed to be leased to us by the Government of Barbados.

A new strategy on sustainalibity, having signed on to the United Nations Sport for Climate Action Framework and UN Sport for Nature Framework.

A new focus on Marketing and Communications, following on the creation of a Marketing and Communications Commission charged with developing a strategy, which will include revenue diversification.

This quadrennium ended with just one multi sport Games in 2024 but, of course, it was the pinnacle of Sport which took place in Paris in July August, and we were privileged to have four Athletes qualify – two in Athletics, one in Triathlon, and one in Swimming. We were satisfied with their performances, noting that the Olympics showcase the very best of Athletes in the world, and to be among them establishes Olympians at the top of their Sport.

As we look back, while we did not meet all of our medal targets, we are satisfied that our Athletes performed well, delivering the following results over the period 2021 to 2024:

Junior Panam Games – Cali 2021 – one bronze medal in Swimming;

Caribbean Games – Guadeloupe 2022 – five silver medals (two in Swimming, two in Athletics and one in Netball) and a further bronze medal in Athletics;

Commonwealth Games – Birmingham 2022 – one Gold plus a Games record, one silver and one bronze, all in Athletes;

Central American and Caribbean Beach Games – Santa Marta 2022 – two silver in Surfing, and two bronze in Beach Wrestling and Rugby Sevens;

Commonwealth Youth Games – Trinbago 2023 – two bronze in Swimming and Athletics;

Central American and Caribbean Games – San Salvador 2023 – two gold in Athletics and Surfing, two silver in Athletics and Shooting, and five bronze in Boxing, Cycling, Equestrian, Hockey and Triathlon; and

Panam Games – Santiago 2023 – two bronze in Squash.

In total, this represents across the four-year period:

Three gold

Ten silver, and

Fourteen bronze

In all, a total of twenty-seven medals at multi-sport Games between 2021 and 2024.

All in all, I would say this equates to reasonable success. Will we strive for greater success in the next quadrennium? Of course we will. Will we continue to strive for that next Olympic medal? Of course we will, and we pledge to work with our stakeholders to improve on these results.

Another important aspect of what we do is build capacity in Sport, and we are pleased to continue to support the development of Sports Administrators, Coaches and others in various areas with our usual educational and training offerings through our National Olympic Academy, and by sponsoring persons to further their study in Sport internationally. Barbadians continue to do particularly well as international students and have developed a reputation for excellence.

Likewise, we consider it an important aspect of our development to involve ourselves in Sport at regional and international levels. This helps to hone our skills and deepen our experiences. Again, Barbados has a very respectable list of persons who have made and continue to make outstanding contributions to Sport in various capacities in regional, continental, and international sporting bodies.

And I could go on, but we are gathered this evening in the East at this iconic Wyndham Sam Lord’s Castle to say thank you to those, who through discipline, hard work, dedication, and remarkable commitment, have excelled in Sport and are worthy of recognition.

To our award winners and nominees, I extend congratulations on behalf of the Board. To those who were not nominated this year, I commend you for your commitment and sporting ambitions.

To our valued National Federations, we urge you to continue with your important work. You can be assured of our ongoing support as we work together to promote Sport in and for Barbados.

As I wrap up to make way for the presentation of awards, all that is left is for me to extend very best wishes to everyone. May you have a safe, happy, and peaceful Christmas and good health in the new year.