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| Nevisian CARIFTA
Athletes Receive Warm Welcome Home |
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Adrian
Williams
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A small welcoming ceremony
was held on Wednesday, April 7, at the Charlestown Pier
for the return of Nevis' two athletes who participated
in the 39th CARIFTA Games. The regional athletic event
was hosted by Cayman Islands from April 3 - 5 at the
Truman Bodden Sports Complex in Georgetown, Grand Cayman.
Along with the stars of the event, Ms. Tesril Nisbett
of Prospect Estate and Mr. Adrian Williams of Butler's
Village, other persons who were present included Mr.
Lester Blackett, President of the Nevis Amateur Athletics
Association; Mr. Wakely Daniel, President of Gladiators
Track Club; and Hon. Hensley Daniel, Minister of Youth
and Sports on Nevis.
Nisbett, 19, and Williams, 14, both competed at the
Javelin Throw at the CARIFTA Games. Nisbett had previously
participated in the event in the 2009 Games held in
St. Lucia, where she placed third for the Under-20 girls
category, and brought home a bronze medal. In this,
her final year, she placed fourth with a throw of 37.25m.
As for Williams, his debut performance in the Under-17
boys category blew away his competitors with a throw
of 57.86m, winning him the gold medal.
Williams won what is believed to be the first gold medal
ever awarded to a Nevisian at CARIFTA Games, and the
first medal to be won at the Federation level since
2003.
His mother, Glennette Williams, stood beside him at
the welcoming ceremony and was all smiles throughout,
showing how proud she is of her talented son.
Mr. Alstead Pemberton, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry
of Sports and chairman of the ceremony, and Mrs. Carla
Liburd, representative of the Ministry of Education
on Nevis, both expressed their congratulatory remarks
to the young athletes.
It is said that Williams' participation with the Javelin
occurred by happenstance one day while engaged in a
training session at the Elquemedo Willet Park with Mr.
Daniel. Reportedly, he took up a javelin, playing with
it, and threw it. Mr. Daniel saw the result and was
amazed. When asked to try it again, Williams' threw
the Javelin even further. This occurred just this year,
which made his CARIFTA win so remarkable.
In March, at the annual TDC/Coca-Cola/LIME Interschool
Championships held at the Silver Jubilee Stadium in
St. Kitts, he won his category easily.
Hon. Hensley Daniel shared his pleasure in Adrian's
achievement, saying that coming from such a small country,
he was able to put everybody behind him.
"We are small but tall," he proclaimed.
Mr. Daniel used a Winston Churchill's quote, "Success
is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration," noting
further that, "I'm sure next time around we are
going to have more than this to celebrate," he
said, referring to great future expectations from young
Williams. He also stated that athletics was a means
of utilizing one's energy in a positive manner, instead
of being involved in anti-social behaviour.
When given the opportunity to speak, Adrian thanked
his coaches (Wakely Daniel, Denzil Parris, Colin Walters
and Winston Smith), Mr. Blackett and his mother.
Glennette Williams was asked what her reaction was when
her son was announced the winner in his event. She said
that when she saw Terry, the trackside interviewer,
interviewing Adrian, "I did jump up high."
CMC's Caribvision - Channel 62 in Nevis - brought live
coverage of the three-day CARIFTA meet so everyone at
home could see the action.
Along with Williams' gold medal, the Federation earned
one other medal, a silver in the 100m Under-20 boys
category, by Kittitian Jason Rogers, with a time of
10.48s.
St. Kitts and Nevis team consisted of seven athletes,
and placed seventh overall out of 25 participating countries.
It is believed that this is highest that the Federation
has ever placed.
Jamaica, which usually dominates the athletic event,
took first place. Trinidad and Tobago came second, and
The Bahamas placed third.
Mr. Pemberton announced that a small luncheon would
be thrown for Nisbett and Williams on Friday, April
9, but specifics on the time and location were pending
as of press time. |
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