The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH about 58 days before the start of the XXX Olympiad in London, England, the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) got a big financial boost from Caribbean Bottling Company Limited.

Through their product, Coca-Cola, the company became the first official sponsor of the team that will be representing the Bahamas in swimming and athletics at the games July 27-August 12. "The Olympic ideas of excellence, friendship and respect are important for everyone but especially to a young nation like ourselves who are building for the future," said BOC president Wellington Miller.

"The Bahamas Olympic Committee is committed to sending the best team possible to London in these 2012 Olympics and this costs dearly. Let us take this opportunity to again appeal to the corporate community in the Bahamas for additional support for our London effort."

Without releasing the specific figures when she presented the cheque, Donnisha Armbrister, marketing manager at the Caribbean Bottling Company, said they are delighted to be able to make their contribution to the Bahamian athletes.

"Coca-Cola is a global sponsor of the 2012 Olympics and has been since 1928," she said. "As a result, it seemed only fitting for us to get on board and assist the committee in their endeavours.

"Having such a track record for such a small country, we wanted to show our commitment to our young people in the Bahamas. We're proud of the athletes and we are proud to participate with the Bahamas Olympic Committee for 2012."

BOC's secretary general Romell Knowles advised the Bahamian public that the BOC is the sole representative of the International Olympic Committee, its symbols, its logos and its products.

"We are the official and Olympic-authorised representatives of the IOC and the Olympic team," he said. "Team Bahamas is under the auspices of the Bahamas Olympic Committee."

As such, Knowles said any and all funding towards Team Bahamas for the Olympics should and must be channeled through the BOC, which is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

"In the coming days, we will make several announcements of other top sponsors of the Bahamas Olympic Committee for which we are most grateful," he stated.

So far, just one swimmer - Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace - and about 15 track and field athletes have qualified to represent the Bahamas in London.

"The relay team is in the 16th position and it's not a very favourable position to be in, considering that the Latinos are still yet to qualify," he said.

"So we're optimistic, not very hopeful, that perhaps they may or may not, but the reality is that it is going to be a very tough challenge for them because the Latinos have not yet put their very best swimmers in the pool yet."

Despite the position that they find themselves in, Knowles applauded the efforts of Vanderpool-Wallace, Alana Dillette, Alicia Lightbourne and Ariel Weech, who are currently sitting in the 16th spot in the world in the women's 4 x 100 freestyle relay.

Only the top 16 teams in the world will be able to qualify to compete in the Olympics in the relays, which is the same case for track and field where the Bahamas hopes to field teams in both the men's 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 and the women's 4 x 100 relays.

As for the two boxers, both Valentino Knowles, competing in the 64 kilo class and Carl Hield, fighting out of the 69 kilo class, fell short at the final qualification that took place recently in Brazil.

"Boxing gave it their best shot. It just showed the amount of competition worldwide and how appreciative we should be when our

Olympic team qualify because qualifying is a task within itself."

However, Knowles said they are hoping that the IOC will grant the Bahamas one of the universal spots, which will ensure that each segment of the region is participating.

So far, Trinidad & Tobago has a qualifier in boxing, which could and may prevent the Bahamas from securing a spot for Knowles or Hield in their division.

"The Olympics is a global movement, so it's only fitting that athletes compete from the entire universe at the Olympic Games," he said. "So for those small, small countries, or for those countries who do not have qualifiers outright, the IOC and the organising committee extend them an invite to make sure that they at least live the spirit of the Olympic Games."

There are at least eight universal spots granted in boxing and Miller said they are keeping their fingers crossed that the Bahamas will be successful in obtaining at least one of them.

Knowles also noted their disappointment that Mark Knowles had a conflict in his schedule at the French Open and wasn't able to travel with the Davis Cup team in Trinidad & Tobago, thus eliminating the Bahamas from tennis at the Olympics.