Samuels joins O'Neal as 2nd BVI track and field official on CACAC Congress

By Dean Greenaway

In a historic week for BVI track and field, it wasn't just the athletes 
making the news at the 19th Central American and Caribbean Game in San 
Salvador, El Salvador. Just two days after sprinter Dion Crabbe made BVI 
sporting history by wining the 100 meter gold medal at the games, two BVI 
Track and Field officials were elected to the Central American and 
Caribbean Athletic Congress (CACAC).

National track and field coach Dag Samuels joined BVI Olympic Committee 
President Rey O'Neal-also head of the Amateur Athletic Association-as the 
second BVI official on CACAC, after getting the nod on the Technical 
Committee in his first time seeking the post. O'Neal was unanimously 
re-elected to the Statistics Committee, making the BVI the smallest 
country in the CAC region to have two officials on the decision making 
body. Puerto Rico's Victor Lopez was re-elected unopposed as CACAC 
president. Members will serve for five years.

"First of all it says a lot for the British Virgin Islands that we are not 
only having athletes at a high level, but we also have officials who are 
on the CACAC delegation," Samuels said. "With Rey on the statistics 
committee and me on the technical committee it gives us more influence in 
what goes on at the CAC level. Rey has been doing a very, very good job 
over the years and I know the countries in the CAC family look to him for 
information and guidance," Samuels added. "I hope that I can get into that 
situation where I can be looked upon in terms of technical situations to 
give technical advice to other countries and competitions in the CAC region."

Even though it was his first time seeking the post, Samuels was elected 
unanimously. "I think the only bad thing that happened at the elections, 
there were Cubans on all the committees and they were not elected at all 
because of their past deeds. It made it easier for me and others to get 
elected to the committee."

CACAC is made up of six committees and Samuels says they meet during the 
year. "If you are voted in, in means that you cannot just go there and 
sit, you have to work. And if everybody does the work, you should see 
better things coming out of it."