The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH all the paperwork done to get everybody sorted out for the 2012 Olympic Games, Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller and secretary general Romel Knowles yesterday left town for London, England, on Sunday with high expectations for Team Bahamas.

With the tremendous sponsorship from BTC, Scotiabank, Commonwealth Bank, Coca-Cola, Grand Bahama Power and Light Company, and Paradise Fisheries, just to name a few, Miller said they are well on their way to ensuring that Team Bahamas is properly taken care of in London.

“We have enough to take care of our expenses,” said Miller when asked if they have reached their projected target of $300,000 that they had initially requested to fund the team. “We are pleased with where we are right now.”

“Everything is wrapped up on this end,” Miller said. “The athletes, those who are already in London, will wrap up their training at the training camp on July 23 and everybody should be in the Games Village on July 24. The Bahamas is just prepared to compete and I know we will do our best.

“We know that the Bahamian people have our athletes held at a high esteem. But this is the Olympics. We know what everybody else out there is doing and so our athletes know where they stand and what they have to do to get themselves in a position to compete at the Games.”

Miller said all he wants the 24-member Team Bahamas to do is live the Olympic dream and depict the International Olympic Committee’s motto of “faster, higher, stronger and longer” and they will perform at their best.”

Additionally, Miller said the BOC has worked closely with Atlantis to get one of their chefs accredited so that he can work for the duration of the Games in the Bahamian House where the athletes will have an opportunity to meet residents from London and Bahamians who maybe travelling to the Games.

“I’m so excited with how Atlantis has come along and paid for the chef’s entire expenses for the trip,” Miller said. “We’re really excited with that aspect of the Games for Team Bahamas.”

With everything in place, Miller said the only thing left is for the Games to begin on July 27.

“I expect everyone to perform their best in whatever event they are entered in, no more, no less,” he said.

Miller said chef de mission Roy Colebrooke has taken care of everything possible to make sure that Team Bahamas is comfortable once they arrive in the Games Village. He noted that Colebrooke has noted that the four medical personnel are on hand at the training camp, making sure that any injuries they may encounter is taken care of right away.

The Games is scheduled to wrap up on August 12 and before the team returns home, Miller said he’s hoping to pick up a couple of medals, but he declined to make any prediction on whom he feels will be in the best position to do so.