Caricom Chairman Dr Kenny Anthony, the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, has praised the achievements of the Jamaican sprinters at the London 2012 Olympics, saying that they are a fine example of Caribbean youth.
According to a press release from the Caricom Secretariat at Turkeyen, Dr Anthony, in a message to Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson-Miller, said the athletes’ achievements “underline the ability of our Region to compete with and outshine the best in the world.”
Usain Bolt and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce won the 100 metre titles at the Olympics during the weekend. In the message, Dr Anthony said, “The Caribbean Community is elated over the success of Mr Usain Bolt and Ms Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce at London 2012 in the blue ribbon event of the Olympics, the 100 metres, particularly given the historic nature of their victories.”
He noted that Bolt’s performance in setting a new Olympic record, while becoming the first man to repeat in that event on the track is “unparalleled and set a new standard for excellence in his chosen field.”
Further, Dr Anthony said, “the fact that Fraser-Pryce’s repeat victory has only happened twice before in the history of the Games speaks volumes about the magnitude of her feat.”
In addition, he noted that the sterling efforts of Yohan Blake and Veronica Campbell-Brown to gain silver and bronze, respectively, in the 100 metres “are also a source of pride and reflect the wealth of talent that Jamaica possesses.”
“The ability of these outstanding athletes to perform consistently at such a high level is a fine example of Caribbean youth and is one to be emulated by their peers across the Region regardless of their sphere of endeavour. These achievements underline the ability of our Region to compete with and outshine the best in the world,” he said, adding that the achievement is a fitting tribute to the golden anniversary of Jamaican nationhood.
