The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GLASGOW, Scotland — There’s always one aspect of the Commonwealth and the Olympic Games that the host country looks forward to. It’s welcoming the visiting countries to their home for the games.

The Bahamas, joined by Ghana, Grenada, Guyana and St Helena, were all officially welcomed to the Games Village on Tuesday during a combined ceremony that was filled with a cultural display by a large number of volunteers.

As each country, with their athletes and officials, gathered together on the main grounds of the village, the volunteers entertained them before a brief ceremony was held in which each chef de mission exchanged gifts with a dignitary that was designated to their country.

In the case of the Bahamas, Roy Colebrooke and Provost (Major) Pat Reid of Falkirk, which is about 25 miles east of Glasgow and boasts of just 160,000 people, were the first to be called.

What’s interesting to note is that when St Helena was introduced, the announcer noted that their team took nine days to get from the mid South Atlantic to Scotland. It was noted there is no airport there so the residents have to either travel by boat to South Africa, Brazil or Argentina to get to their destination.

There were some athletes who complained about taking a 6-8 hour flight either from London or the United States just to get to Scotland. After hearing that, I doubt many of them will be thinking about it on their return home.

Before they headed to the ceremony dressed in their Bahamian team uniform, Musgrove, accompanied by Bahamas Olympic Committee secretary general Rommel Knowles, team doctor Rickey Davis, track and field manager Ralf McKinney and head coach Frank ‘Pancho’ Rahming held a meeting to give their instructions to the athletes.

It was a short but brief meeting in which the athletes were advised to remember that they are representing the Bahamas and that they are to conduct themselves accordingly on and off the sporting arena.

The welcome ceremony, however, was the first chance for the team to display their unity and patriotism as they blended together. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson, accompanied by Director of Sports Timothy Munnings, was also in attendance, along with BOC president Wellington Miller.