The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON, England — Welcome to the 2012 Olympic Games.

THOSE were the important words issued by Tony Hall, the Deputy Mayor and Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House and Chair of the Cultural Olympiad Board, as he officially welcomed the Bahamas to the Olympic Village on Thursday morning just hours before the opening ceremonies are held tonight at the Olympic Stadium.

The Bahamas was received along with the teams from Afghanistan, The Cook Islands and Ethiopia in the first of a series of ceremonies that took place throughout the day.

“It was very nice,” said Roy Colebrooke, the Bahamas’ Chef de Mission, who was accompanied by men’s head coach David Charlton. “We were welcomed into the games village and to the games. As usual, our presence was felt. All of the athletes felt appreciated being welcomed by the Deputy Mayor and the cultural display of talent that went along with the ceremony.”

Unlike at the Commonwealth Games that was last held in New Delhi, India where he got a chance to speak publicly as the Chef de Mission to that team as well, Colebrooke was only invited to stand along with Charlton on the podium next to Hall after they greeted each other, then stood attention to the playing of the National Anthem and exchanged gifts as a gesture of their acceptance.

“This one was somewhat different because they had a whole theatre-style show to welcome us in,” Colebrooke said. “I think the athletes were blown away by it because it was totally different and totally unexpected. They all just simply loved it.”

Now that the formalities are over and done with, Colebrooke said the focus is now on getting the athletes ready to compete next week.

“The team is looking good, but we still have a few functions that we are trying to get out of the way before the opening ceremonies,” Colebrooke said. “After that, it’s all business time, so we are trying to get everything straight. But things are looking good and everybody is in high spirits and they are all looking good in their training sessions.”

For the past two days, the team engaged in at least two major functions, the first was on Wednesday where they attended a reception hosted by the Bahamas Telecommunication Corporation (BTC) and their international partner Cable and Wireless. Last night, they were feted after a brief ceremony at Bahamas House, which is located next to the Bahamas British High Commission.

High Commissioner Paul Farquharson and his wife hosted the event, which was also attended by former British High Commissioner and now Governor General Arthur and Lady Foulkes. Also in attendance were Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr Daniel Johnson and his Director of Sports, Tim Munnings, as well as Keith Blake, the Mayor of Crawley, who entertained Team Bahamas during a training camp last week.

With the ceremonies out of the way, Colebrooke said it was time for the athletes to focus on what they really came to London to do and that is to compete.

“We just want to ensure that it will happen for them,” he said.

Colebrooke said they were just waiting for the opening ceremonies tonight when quarter-miler Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown will get to carry the flag. He said it was an honour that he deserved having led the team and is now the most senior member on the men’s side. Only Golden Girls Chandra Sturrup and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie have competed in one more Olympics than Brown.

There was rumours that IAAF World and Olympic 400 metres champion Tonique Williams-Darling was going to carry the flag. But Colebrooke said the decision rested in the BOC, who consulted with the athletes, who all agreed that Brown should be given that position in keeping with the tradition of allowing one of the stalwarts to lead the team in the march past of nations.