BVI delegation and assistants preparing for Olympic Games closing ceremonies

BVI joins counterparts in bidding farewell to Athens Olympic Games

BY DEAN GREENAWAY 

The British Virgin Islands joined 201 delegations in bidding farewell to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games during Sunday night’s closing ceremonies at the Athens Olympic Stadium.

Both the BVI and USVI delegations paraded with their respective National Olympic Committee assistants who have been their support systems since their arrival in Athens on August 6. The assistants welcomed and embraced the once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of the ceremony which returned to their modern era birthplace for the first time since 1896.

“It was just really fantastic and spectacular,” said Demi Stathopoulos, summing up the sentiments of the other assistants. “Thanks very much to the U.S. and British Virgin Islands delegations for allowing us to be a part of this ceremony which will forever remain in our memories. It’s a special moment for all of us. The Olympic Games has come and gone by so quickly and we will miss you all very much.”

Dag Samuels described the closing ceremonies as “spectacular.” “I was very attractive and you even had the Chinese who will be the next host country making a presentation in dance and song which was very entertaining,” Samuels noted. “It was one of the best I’ve seen. It was a very good closing ceremony in my opinion. I didn’t see Sydney in 2000 and I don’t have any idea about Sydney but, I understand it was a blast from all the reports I’ve heard. But, each one will have something spectacular in more ways that one and this one was unforgettable.”

This was the sixth time the BVI was participating in the Olympics and sprinter Dion Crabbe was the 22nd athlete to represent the territory at the games since the maiden voyage in 1984. Samuels said there was greater expectation this time around. “We knew that we could have done a bit more than we got. We were ready and expecting to do a bit more but then, there are certain elements we cannot control,” Samuels said. “I think anxiety played a great factor in the role that you play or don’t play. That was the experience of Dion. It was because of inexperience—not in terms of times because he had performed much better than he has in terms of time—but again, the opponent you compete again from race to race is a different. They all have different strategies and he got suckered into that and was of his race and everything else.”

Samuels said Crabbe has gained a wealth of experience from the Olympic Games. “He was focused before, but during the race its important that he know his opponents from race to race,” Samuels pointed out. “I have no double that he will be physically prepared and mentally to some extent, but the mental development takes a bit longer than the physical development to overcome. I hope he’ll be practicing more on his mental development as well.”