Bringing the spirit of Grenada to Britain

LONDON, July 15, 2012 - Despite the heavy downpour and a rainy week in London, the 4^th Annual Grenadian Heritage Day was convened at the Old Lyonian Sports and Social Club in Pinner, Harrow, London on Saturday July 14^th 2012, with scores of Grenadians and friends sampling tasty Grenadian cuisine, fruits, vegetables, arts, craft, culture, entertainment, on display, as Grenada’s Heritage was showcased for the fourth year running.

The idea, conceived in 2009, is aimed at educating second and succeeding generation Grenadians about their Heritage, and showcasing Grenadian Culture, Expertise and Cuisine.

Since the first event proved to be a tremendous success, the High Commissioner for Grenada and the Grenadian Community Groups in the United Kingdom, decided to make it an annual event.

The Event was Officially Opened by The Worshipful The Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Nizam Ismail accompanied by the Lady Mayoress, who warmly welcomed the culture of Grenada to Harrow.

The event was also graced by the presence of L/Cpl Dr Johnson Beharry VC, Mr Anthony C George, Designer of the Grenada Flag and the Grenada Olympic Team, led by Mr Conrad Francis, Chef de Mission.

The gathering took the opportunity to wish the team success at the games.

Several Grenadian Community Groups, individuals and supporters showcased their artistic talent with a variety of dishes, artistic creations and a wide range of performers in a variety of disciplines.

The Diaspora Youth Forum (DYF) UK took the opportunity to increase the awareness of Grenada’s Heritage among the 2^nd and succeeding generation Grenadians, with a corn-roasting stall and Grenadian-style snow ice, whilst the Diaspora Consultative Committee (DCC) UK also participated to raise funds for Educational Development in Grenada and raise awareness about the Homecoming Events August 5^th – 18^th 2012.

The Grenada Co-operative Bank (a.k.a. the Diaspora Bank), for the second time, participated in the Heritage Day and sensitized visitors on the facilities the Bank had in place for persons in the Diaspora.
Grenadians came from various parts of the United Kingdom including Manchester, Reading, Huddersfield, Birmingham, Wales and from several communities in and around London.

The High Commissioner for Grenada, HE Ruth Elizabeth Rouse, was high in praise for the Chair of the Heritage Day Committee, Mr. Claude Sylvester and his team, for their dedicated service to Grenada, in planning and executing the event.

Special thanks also went out to the stall-holders, sponsors in the UK and Grenada, including the Grenada Co-operative Bank Ltd., The Grenada Board of Tourism (UK), The Grenada Marketing and National Importing Board, Noelville Ltd., Grenada Distillers Ltd., and all others who took time out to support the event and raffle, which included a trip to Grenada.

The proceeds of the event will go towards a chosen Heritage-related Project in Grenada.

The 5^th Annual Grenadian Heritage Day will be convened in London on Saturday July 13^th 2013.

High Commission for Grenada

London

July 15^th 2012 

Members of Grenada's Olympic Team in London

Grenada's Only Olympic Swimmer Says He Feels at Home in the Water

By Chris Clark/NBC Miami

Dozens of swimmers living and training in South Florida will head to the London 2012 Olympic Games later this month – competing not for the U.S. but for other countries.

The year-round warm weather makes this region an ideal venue for high-level swimmers from South America to Central America to the Middle East. One swim club in Davie has 17 Olympians from 13 different countries.

Nova Southeastern University has an international Olympian of its own – Esau Simpson, who hails from a tiny island in the Caribbean.

"Being in the water, I feel at home. I feel relaxed. I feel settled,” he said.

Settled is an interesting word choice for a swimmer who sprints in the water, 100 meters as fast as he can against the best in the world. That’s the task at hand for Simpson, who is a sophomore at Nova.

"I love racing. I mean, everyone loves racing,” he said.

Simpson was born in Brooklyn and raised in Grenada, which he will represent at the XXX Olympic Summer Games later this month, as part of a very small aquatics team.

"I'm sad to say, it's only me,” he said.

His home country is growing, but it’s pretty small compared to the other islands, he noted.

"We focus a bit more on our athletics and boxing. We have great track athletes. So having to rise to the occasion and put my name in the books just as they've done, it's kind of intimidating, but it is a challenge nonetheless,” Simpson said.

Nicknamed "The Saw," Simpson raced in the 100-meter freestyle in the Shanghai world championships last year, so the 21-year-old is familiar with the international stage. But even though his college coach will travel with him, nothing quite compares to what he'll experience in London.

"There's always that moment when you step onto the blocks and you're still shaking no matter what,” he said. “I don't care if you are me, a 12-year-old, or Michael Phelps, once you get up to the blocks, you're confident but you're nervous."

Simpson said his goal is to swim a personal best in London. He also hopes to coach swimming in Grenada and grow the sport for the future.

Nova Southeastern swimming coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron said she thinks Simpson is so excited because he’s never been at the Olympic level.

“I would be surprised if he came in with 100 percent confidence. I think he has 99 percent confidence and 1 percent nervousness,” she said.

Said Simpson, “The best of the best of the world go to the Olympics, so I'm just trying to keep a level head, go out there and perform my best, and when the time comes to celebrate and enjoy it, I'll enjoy it."

Team Grenada opens pre-Olympic Games camp in Sunderland

by Michael Bascombe

SUNDERLAND, UK, July 3, 2012 – Members of the Grenada team for the Olympics Games in London have begun assembling for the first of two camps which officially opened on Monday.

Three athletes - Kurt Felix (Decathlon), Joel Redhead (200m), Neisha Bernard-Thomas (800m) – moved into Sunderland University for a pre-Olympic Games training camp.

They were also joined by chef de mission Conrad Francis, national coach Albert Joseph, and Felix’ coach Jeff Petersmeyer.

They will spend the next week training at the University’s modern facilities in preparation for the Games opening on July 27.

The other members of the team – Rondell Bartholomew (400m), Kirani James (400m), Kanika Beckles (400m), Paul Williams (100m), Janelle Williams (200m) and Esau Simpson (swimmer) - will join the camp on July 11 at the Broadbridge Heath Leisure centre near Horsham District in West Sussex. Andrea St. Bernard (Taekwondo) will join the team on July 25.

Simpson will be the first among his team members to see competitive action. The swimming competition starts on July 28 while track and field and taekwondo begin on August 3 and 8 respectively.

Grenada's Athletic Chief confident of 4x400m Relay Team

File Photo/Bascombe

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, June 14, 2012 – The Grenada Athletics Association (GAA) is pulling out all stops to ensure that a 4x400m Relay team qualifies for the Olympic Games in London.

In the most recent Best Relay Performances issued by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Grenada is 20^th among the top relay teams. However, only the top 16 teams will qualify for the Games, opening on July 27.

The IAAF will announce the 16 teams to qualify on July 3, based on the aggregate of the two fastest times achieved in the qualification period of January 1, 2011 to July 2, 2012.

Officials of the GAA and the Grenada Olympic Committee (GOC) have been discussing with Grenadian quarter-milers the possibility of entering a relay team for the 2012 Sagicor Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Track and Field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain next weekend.

World 400m champion Kirani James, along with finalist Rondell Bartholomew, Bralon Taplin and Joel Redhead are the athletes who are expected to make the trip to Trinidad.

Bartholomew, who has not run competitively for the season and Taplin are also expected to compete in the individual 400 metres.

President of the GAA, Charles George is confident that Grenada’s 4x400m relay team will be in the top 16 by the July 2 deadline.

“This is our best opportunity but hinges on the availability of our top athletes,” he said. “As it is, that is a possibility since Rondell (Bartholomew) has indicated his availability for competition coming off an injury”.

Taplin, who has Grenadian roots, is a new entry to the relay team but will be attempting to lower his personal best of 45.36 seconds. His target is to better the Olympic “A” Standard of 45.30.

George said that the GAA has been in regular contact with both James and Bartholomew along with their coaches and agents but declined to give specifics. He said that it is customary for the association (GAA) to keep in constant contact with the athletes and their management team, and especially in the lead up to major events like the World Championships and Olympics.

At the Penn Relays in Philadelphia in April, the team of Redhead, James, Kevin Bowen and Keron Toussaint was 12^th overall in 3:08.85. James had a second-leg split of 43.8 seconds.

Seven athletes have already qualified for the London Olympics. They are James (Men’s 400m), Bartholomew (Men’s 400m), Kanika Beckles (Women’s 400m), Redhead (Men’s 200m), Kurt Felix (Men’s Decathlon), Janelle Redhead (Women’s 200m) and Neisha Bernard-Thomas (Women’s 800m).

The team will also include Andrea St Bernard (Taekwondo) and Esau Simpson with a wildcard in swimming.

Esau Simpson attempting to "swim" his way to London Olympics

Esau Simpson is one of Grenada’s young talented swimmers who is attempting to achieve qualification for the London Olympic Games.

Here is a brief profile of the former Grenfin Swim Club member who is splashing in South Florida, United States.

Ø  Born on October 6, 1990 in Brooklyn, New York to Grenadians Stephanie Lewis and Emmanuel Walter Simpson.

Ø  Part of a family of five including his brother Amhose Simpson and the late Nefertiti Simpson who were also competitive swimmers in their earlier years.

Ø  Schools

o   Attended Alpha Junior School.

o   Attended Presentation Brothers’ College (PBC).

o   Graduated PBC with an award for the most outstanding student in Chemistry.

o   Began studies at St. Georges University and transferred to Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Ø  Career

o   Studies Biology as an undergraduate student at NSU.

o   Wants to pursue Dentistry or Physical Therapy.

o   Would like to give back to the sport that gave so much to him, and become a national coach for Grenada’s swimmers.

Ø  Accomplishments

o   Most Outstanding Swimmer award at the end of High School at PBC.

o   Two-time finalist at the Carifta Swimming Championships.

o   Multiple OECS age-group title wins.

o   Captain of the 2009 OECS Swimming Championship Team.

o   Represented Grenada at 2007 and 2009 CISC Swimming Championships in which he was a finalist in most of his events.

o   Selected to represent Grenada at the 2009 and 2011 FINA Swimming World Championships.

o   Record breaker of all the freestyle events at the 2011 OECS Swimming Championships.

Ø  Current Progress

o   Currently one of the top sprint swimmers on the NSU swim team.

o   One of the top 50 athletes in the United States NCAA Division 2 swimming in his best events: 50m & 100m freestyle.

o   High potential to final in the 50m freestyle at the 2012 NCAA Division 2 Swimming Championships.

Grenadian swimmers ready to retain OECS Title

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, October 25, 2011 – The Grenada Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) has announced a 34-member team to defend its title at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Championship scheduled for St Lucia, November 4-6.

Grenada won the sub-regional championship for the fifth consecutive year when it was hosted in St George’s last year.

The national team comprises a number of experienced swimmers including medallists and participants from regional and international meets such as the Carifta Swimming Championships, Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC), Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championships (CCCAN), and the Commonwealth Youth Games 2011.

GASA said that the team has been training regularly and is confident of retaining the OECS title in St Lucia next month.

GRENADA NATIONAL OECS SWIM TEAM 2011

FEMALE                                      MALE  

8 & Under                                   8 & Under
Ifeoma Cherebin                         Kris Regis
Idania Hopkin                              Nicholas John
Breann Alexander                       Jenebi Benoit
Meeka Ollivierre 


9-10                                               9-10
Kattie Lillie                                    Marco Bagnasco
Angelique Minors                         DelronFelix
Lily Sylvester                                 De' Andre Stephen
Enya Noel                                                                                     

11-12                                             11-12
Gabrielle Paparo                          Justin Steele
Simone La Qua                             Kerry Ollivierre                                                              
                                                                                                         
13-14                                              13-14
Oreoluwa Cherebin                      Corey Ollivierre
Valorie Andrews                          Shawn Gabriel                         
Kendra Moore                              Calum Noel                    
                                                        Patrick Postl

15-17                                              15-17
Kevlian Andrews                           Andrew Hopkin
Ayesha Noel                                  Kahlil John                       
                                               
                                   
18 & Over                                     18 & Over
Claire Morall                                 Esau Simpson
Inga Karasek                                  Martin Renwick
                                                         Chris Regis   

Coaches: Nataly Sihera and Michael Davidson
Officials:  Michellle Steele
                 Diana Hopkin   
PRO:        Pamela Cherebin 

Grenada set sights on medals in Athletics at Pan American Games 2011

by Michael Bascombe

GUADALAJARA, Mexico, October 17, 2011 - Grenada’s hopes of medalling at the Pan American Games 2011 will now rest with athletics as both competitors in Swimming and Taekwondo failed to advance to the next round of their respective competitions.

Esau Simpson finished seventh in Heat 1 of the Men’s 100m Freestyle Preliminaries on Sunday while Andre St. Bernard lost in Bout 10 of the Women’s Under 67kg in the quarter-finals on Monday.

Simpson, swimming out of Lane 1, fell about six seconds off the winner, Brett Fraser of the Cayman Islands. Simpson, who finished 22^nd overall, clocked 54.73 seconds with 25.60 seconds for his first 50 metres.

World record holder Cesar Cielo of Brazil took the gold in a new personal record of 47.84 seconds, to better his previous best of 48.79 set in Rio de Janeiro four years ago. His world record stands at 46.91 seconds set in Italy in 2009.

In Taekwondo, St. Bernard was never a major threat to Carolina Acosta of Mexico and lost 11-2, all points earned by attack.

Acosta led 1-0 in the first quarter, 5-0 in the second and although St. Bernard fought back in the third quarter to score two points, Acosta added another five to tally 11.

St. Bernard is a bronze medallist at the 2008 Pan American Taekwondo Championships in Puerto Rico and also a second round contender at the 2008 Taekwondo World Cup in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Track and Field begin next week with Keron Toussaint (Men’s 400m) and Allison George (Women’s 100m) in competition next Monday (October 24). George will also compete in the Women’s 200m, while Kanika Beckles starts her campaign in the Women’s 400m on Tuesday (October 25) and Joel Redhead in the Men’s 200m on Wednesday (October 26).