The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the 2012 Olympic Games fast approaching, the Bahamas Olympic Committee is not only soliciting the support of corporate Bahamas. They are inviting every Bahamian to join them in their 60th anniversary celebrations.

The BOC has announced that the Road to London 2012 for the XXX Olympiad will begin on June 25 at Government House where they will pay tribute to former vice president Sir Durward 'Sea Wolf' Knowles - the Bahamas' first and one of the oldest remaining Olympians in the world.

While the event will be under the patronage of Sir Arthur and Lady Foulkes in the Grand Ballroom, BOC's secretary general Romell Knowles said they also intend to recognise the contributions of Sir Arlington Bulter, immediate past president, former executives of the BOC and past and present Olympians.

"Sir Durward Knowles, the first Olympian, has been the forerunner for our teams at the Olympics," Knowles said. "He, along with Thomas Augustus Robinson, has made a hell of a contribution and paved the way for us when it wasn't economical or not very feasible.

"Those young men took the tough decision to represent us globally where he may have taken 2-3 weeks to get to their destinations to the competition, so we want to recognise them in a very holistic way."

As for Butler, Knowles noted that he was the longest serving executive of the BOC and indeed perhaps the region.

Butler, according to Knowles, has made a valuable contribution as an administrator and they only feel that it's fitting for him to get his "flowers while he is still alive."

Without calling their names, Knowles said there are a number of former executives, as well as athletes and coaches who helped the Olympic movement to grow in the country over the 60 years, whom they wish to honour.

"They helped to pave the way for our Olympians now and those who are coming in the future," he said. "So we want the Bahamas and the public at large to come and join us on June 25 at Government House for the grand style celebrations."

Knowles has sent out a special appeal for all federations and associations, especially those who have benefited from the Olympic movement in the Bahamas, to come out and show their support and gratitude.

"Formal invitations," Knowles said, "will be forth coming, but we just want to sensitise the public to what we are doing."

He also encouraged corporate Bahamas to step forward and join the Caribbean Bottling Company Limited and BTC for their assistance so far in helping Team Bahamas to get to London in July.

In addition to honouring the many persons at Government House, Knowles added that they will also be hosting the BTC Olympic Fun Run/Walk and Extreme Challenge on June 30 as a part of their 60th anniversary celebrations.

BOC president Wellington Miller said the organisation has spent "about $800,000 so far for the last four years, actually over a million dollars, on developing athletes in the Bahamas."

"We believe in that because many of our athletes lose races or events because the coaches are not qualified. That was our main thrust, to get coaches qualified. That is why a lot of clinics were held in the Bahamas for just about every major sport. The courses that were not held here, the coaches were sent off, some for six weeks, some for six months, some went to the University of Delaware. So we are very proud of our record over the past four years."

Miller commended the officers who began and continued the work before he came on board, but he noted that it was hard and they did their best to make things happen.

"Sixty years is a long time to be in sports, especially in leadership like Sir Arlington Butler, who has been there for some 36 years, one of the longest in this region," Miller said. "In fact, I think only Mike Finnell from Jamaica may be the only guy to have served longer than him and that is only because Sir Arlington is no longer serving as president."