The Government and people of Barbados take this opportunity to applaud Tia-Adana Belle, Shane Brathwaite, Mario Burke, Tristan Evelyn, Jonathan Jones, Alex Sobers, Danielle Titus and Sada Williams for representing Barbados on the highest stage for athletics – the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
For Danielle, Mario, Jonathan and Sada to perform so admirably in this your maiden Olympics is to be commended. Of course, we take our proverbial hats off and celebrate with Jonathan for running his season’s best and to Sada and Alex who broke national records in their respective events. Your performances are highly commendable.
You are Olympians! This statement indicates that you have represented your country at the highest level in your respective disciplines. To have been chosen to represent Barbados in any competition is a proud achievement and to do so at the Olympic Games is the ultimate honour. In this regard, you have made your nation proud.
To all of our 2021 Barbadian Olympians, we have witnessed your hard work and perseverance and so we thank you for being role models for other Barbadian athletes, as well as to this great nation.
The Ministry recognizes that yours was not an easy journey, having to deal with the varying restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, both in preparing for the Games and in Tokyo. However, you have demonstrated your calibre as outstanding elite athletes.
The Ministry further recognizes the need for a mechanism through which you can continue your development, ultimately towards excelling on the Olympic stage. In this respect, the Ministry has prioritized funding to support your training needs as elite athletes. This will be augmented by support mechanisms that will be established through the soon to be implemented National Sports Policy.
Special thanks are extended to the members of the Barbados Olympic Association and to the officials who have accompanied our athletes on this journey. Your continued dedication to sports in Barbados and your commitment to ensuring that Barbados is represented on the world stage is to be applauded.
I take this opportunity to once again congratulate you the members of Team Barbados on your achievements and to encourage you to keep on striving for excellence.
Dwight Sutherland
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment