Barbadian athletes returned home on Tuesday from the Huntsman World Senior Games in St George, Utah, USA, all ‘blinged out’ after picking up 31 medals from the 13 athletes that competed in the disciplines of track and field, cycling and archery.
Among these medals were 14 gold, eight silver, and nine bronze, affirming the success of the Barbados contingent at the October 4 – 16 Games that the island has regularly attended.
The initial batch of athletes, including Kathleen Harper-Hall, Ainsley Lovell, and Henderson Waltress, arrived home this afternoon accompanied by team officials.
They were warmly received by Cheryl-Ann Thornton, a Senior Administrative Officer from the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, who conveyed her congratulations on behalf of Minister Kirk Humphrey and the Barbados Government for their commendable performances.
Thornton also revealed the Ministry’s intention to enhance its support for the athletes in the coming year.
“The Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs had given them a small portion of support this year, but we plan to give the athletes a greater quantum for their travels next year,” she said.
Harper-Hall, a distinguished sports administrator and athlete, who also served as the team’s manager, expressed her gratitude to the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) for their support.
She stressed the importance of their assistance, especially since the athletes had to fund their own trip to Utah.
“We really need the support…we will be rallying around to see if we can get some more support for next year, but I want to thank the Ministry because they have been supporting us,” Harper-Hall said.
Regarding the team’s overall performance, Harper-Hall expressed her satisfaction, noting that they had nine track and field athletes, two archers, and three cyclists.
In cycling, Barbados competed in the Experience Level Hill Climb and the men’s criterium, while in archery, they participated in the Target Freestyle Limited Recurve and Large Free Style Compound events.
The men’s track and field athletes competed in the 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, and 1500m race walk. On the other hand, the women showcased their skills in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5K run, 3000m, long jump, and standing long jump.
Ainsley Lovell, the most decorated among the athletes, expressed her contentment with the overall team performance.
She also shared that this year’s World Senior Games had been her toughest since 2019.
Lovell accumulated an impressive total of 10 medals, consisting of five gold, three silver, and two bronze.
“I have seen better years, but I’m still pleased,” she said.
The World Senior Games stands as the largest annual multi-sport event globally for athletes aged 50 and over.
The Games, which feature more than 30 different sports, have been held for over 30 years, taking place over two weeks each October in St. George, Utah, USA. rawletoney@barbadostoday.bb
