COURTESY CALL: Prime Minister Perry Christie (fourth from left) speaks during Tuesday’s courtesy call by four members of the men’s relay team - Chris “Fireman” Brown, Ramon “Fearless” Miller, Demetrius Pinder and Michael Mathieu - that won the gold at the London Olympics. Deputy PM Philip Davis and Minister of Sports Daniel Johnson look on.
By RENALDO DORSETT
Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
SINCE the gold medal performance of the men’s 4x400m relay team in London last Friday, public dialogue has shifted toward the possible compensation the team will receive from the Government of the Bahamas.
Prime Minister Perry Christie addressed the issue yesterday at a press conference as the gold medallists made a courtesy call to begin their week-long celebration.
The Prime Minister ensured that the government will reward the quartet “in a meaningful way.”
“No one has advised me yet, but I know that when the ‘Golden Girls’ attained their gold medals that there was kicked in automatically, certain considerations, money. I am hoping that the minister responsible for sports, that they have properly researched the matter,” Mr Christie said.
“I would like to be able to say to you gentlemen, I just want to give you the full assurance, that when we strip everything away, not only are we enthusiastically in support of you but we will back that up in a very meaningful way.
“I have been incentivised by what you have done and how you did it. As a political leader in a country, I want you to each see that you have been example setters, what they call exemplars. Fortune, the good Lord and your talent placed you in a position where you are going to be heroes and young people need to be exposed to you.”
For their 2000 performance at the Sydney Olympics which captured the country’s first gold medal in track and field, the five ‘Golden Girls’ each received $40,000, a 20,000 square foot plot of land valued at $400,000 for a total of $2,000,000 and a commemorative gold coin.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott was showered with gifts as he returned home, including $153,669 in cash, a new luxury home, and a Caribbean Airlines aircraft and historical lighthouse site were also named in his honour. The 19-year-old threw 84.58m (277ft) in the javelin to win his country’s first ever gold medal in a field event.
South African 800m runner Caster Semenya was given $23,520 for winning a silver medal.
The US Olympic Committee awards what they call “honourariums” to Olympic athletes who win medals. They are awarded $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.
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