Barbados Olympic Day 2021 Celebrations
The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) is again hosting the annual Olympic Day celebrations from June 21 – 26. There are four main activities planned which include tree planting, learning a new sport online, a five-day walk challenge, and a 2k Run with Barbadian Olympians.
Director of the National Olympic Academy at the BOA, Vaneisha Cadogan said that her team was very excited about the celebration of Olympic Day this year especially since it is also an Olympic Games year.
“We are very excited that the Olympic Games will be staged this year even if it is not on the scale to which we have grown accustomed due to prevailing conditions. Olympic Day is very important for promoting the Olympic Movement throughout the world each year and in this Olympic Games year we thought it fitting that we should highlight our Olympians. These athletes are at the heart of the Olympic Movement and inspire young people to pursue their dreams, not only in sport, but in all their areas of interest. We are therefore grateful to the thirteen Olympians who have agreed to participate in the 2k Run on Saturday, January 26,” said Cadogan.
The participating Olympians are Ryan Brathwaite, Rawle Clarke, Heather Gooding, Hamil Grimes, Alvin Haynes, Terrence Haynes, Allan Ince, Akela Jones, Kyle Maxwell, Charles Pile, Stevon Roberts, Brian Talma, and Pearson Trotman.
The 2k Run will be facilitated through the JustMove App. On registering participants would be sent the invitation link for the App. The run is on Saturday from 4 pm to 5pm. The Olympian with the most finishers will win a prize for his or her selected charity.
In terms of the other events, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognises its responsibility to promote sustainable development and considers the environment as an integral dimension of Olympism, alongside sport and culture. In keeping with that philosophy, the BOA has included tree planting as one of its activities this year to raise environmental awareness and to highlight the importance of trees to health and combatting global warming. Trees will therefore be planted to commemorate individuals who have contributed to sport in Barbados.
For five days from June 21 -25, persons can also participate in a virtual walk challenge via the Nike Run Club App. Registration is also mandatory to receive the link to the app. Finally, the public is being encouraged to learn a new sport with the archery, gymnastics, handball, taekwondo, and wrestling associations. Starting on Monday June 21, there is to be a demonstration of one of these sports on the BOA’s website. The Taekwondo Association of Barbados will be offering a free introductory lesson online to anyone who signs up after watching the demonstration.
About Olympic Day
The first Olympic Day was celebrated on 23 June 1948. On this occasion, Sigfrid Edström, IOC President at that time, conveyed a message to the young people of the world. In the 1978 edition of the Olympic Charter, the IOC recommended for the first time that all NOCs organise an Olympic Day to promote the Olympic Movement: It is recommended that NOCs regularly organise (if possible each year) an Olympic Day intended to promote the Olympic Movement.
