During the Senate, a Ministerial Statement was delivered by the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, Owen K. Darrell.
“Madam President, on Saturday, June 17th, 2023 a 33-strong delegation will participate in the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany. The Special Olympics World Games are the world's largest inclusive sports event. It is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches annually. Empowering athletes with intellectual disabilities to be their best and aiming to build a more civil society with inclusion and mutual respect is vital.
Madame President, since Special Olympics was founded in 1968, inclusion has been central to their mission and programs: fighting for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities through the power of sports. Sport Matters! Through this mandate, our Bermudian athletes have continuous opportunities to develop their physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience the joy of active competition. Special Olympics Bermuda is a newly accredited program; still, in the brief time they have existed, they successfully qualified 14 athletes for the 2019 World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi. This Bermuda contingent finished strong, with 8 Medals; 3 Silver, and 5 Bronze, a very impressive collection of medals! I would like to congratulate Special Olympics Bermuda for their efforts locally in ensuring our athletes have the same opportunities as others worldwide.
Madame President, in preparation for this year’s games I have personally seen and encouraged the team training at our National Sports Centre over the past months. This bodes well for our athletes to have a facility and coaches to prepare adequately for the games. The Government is proud to support the Special Olympics Bermuda usage of the NSC and launch a Public Awareness campaign by putting posters in government ministries and the NSC so all who frequent these places can get to know our Special Olympians. Madame President, we also understand that additional support is required for Special Olympics Bermuda as the cost to travel with such a large contingent can be immense. With that, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation will award Special Olympic Bermuda $10,000.00 to assist with the funding required for the games.
Bermuda will have 19 athletes competing in 5 sporting events at the 2023 Games Madame President. This is our largest contingent of athletes competing at the World Games thus far.
Madame President, one of the most significant forms of support that can be given to our athletes is to have someone from home cheering them on in the crowd. That’s why, I and the Director of Sport, K. Charryse Bean will proudly join the procession with Team Bermuda in Berlin. We have answered the call from the team and will be two of the friendly face in the crowd in Berlin cheering and supporting our athletes. While in Berlin I have also been invited to participate in a high-level Inclusion Global Development Roundtable. This roundtable will be a gathering recognizing global leaders’ dedication to achieving equity for people with intellectual disabilities. I look forward to being a part of this momentous event. Sport Matters to us and our athletes deserve our support just like we did for the Cricket team.
Madame President, the games will take place June 17 – 25, 2023 and I encourage all of Bermuda to watch our athletes compete. I wish Karen Woolley - head of delegation, Kemda Bean - assistant head of delegation, Quinell Robinson – head coach, the coaching staff and most importantly the athletes well in their sporting endeavors. We will see you at the games.
Thank you Madam President.”
Sunday, June 04, 2023
Bermuda Day Queens Win You Go Girls Road Race
Hoey-Lindsay-Breary
IslandStats.com
The Bermuda Day Queens team of Rose-Anna Hoey, Deon Breary, and Gayle Lindsay won the 2023 You Go Girls Road race along Front Street.
The trio of Bermuda Day Half Marathon Champions clocked a winning time of 23:15, Cristina Abend, Aunika Dzurus, and Paige Rodday making up the team Petal to the Metal was second with a time of 23:35, and the One Hit Wonders team of Cary Butterfield, Anna Laura Hocking, and Danielle Marr finished third with a time of 26:16.
The MAAC Dash at Dusk took place at the National Sports Center with a total of 113 youngsters between the ages of 4 – 11 taking to the Flora Duffy South Field Stadium at the National Sports Center Track.
1 Sami Luber 5:57.6 2 Ronan Davidge 6:07.1 3 Nicolas Gomez Caines 6:32.1 4 Caelan Cabral 6:54.6 5 Mikael James 7:01.3 6 Jack Sammons 7:05.1 7 Sohan Dhesi 7:10.2 8 Jalen Tuckett 7:32.1
Monday, May 29, 2023
Countdown To You Go Girl Road Race
IslandStats.com
The organizing Committee of the You Go Girl! Relay are thrilled to announce that they will be celebrating all things Bermuda on Front Street on Sunday, June 4th for their 12th annual You Go Girl! Relay.
The race which kicks off at 8.30am is an all-female event for all ages. (Minimum age to participate is 7.) Team members of 3 compete in 3 laps, each being 2K, of the same course, where the first person is required to do all 3 laps, the second person 2 laps and the last person 1 lap. Each person joins the person before them (except the first person) as they finish a lap. So, after lap 1, the second person will join the team member that started and then after lap 2, the third person will join those 2.
Runners AND walkers are welcome.
There is also the option of all team members doing all 3 laps.
All proceeds will be donated to the Women’s Resource Centre.
Costumes are encouraged but not mandatory. Goodie bags will be handed out to the first 400 who register.
There are fabulous draw prizes up for grabs from B Active, the Hideaway, Bermuda Body Works, Flying Colours, Goslings, LIV Beauty, Flanagans, Miles, LifeThyme Fitness, Alexandra Mosher, Portofino, CrossFit Bermuda, Modblu, Island Restaurant Group, Diesel Fitness,YellowFin Group, Terceira’s Shell and the grand prize draw of a one night stay at the Hamilton Princess with breakfast included.
Winning teams will receive Sportseller vouchers.
Sponsors of the event are Everen Insurance, U by Kotex, Conyers and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.
To register, go to www.racedayworld.com.
Friday, May 26, 2023
Bermuda Half Marathon Derby
Lamont Marshall
IslandStats.com
Dennis Mbelenzi crossed the line first in the Bermuda Half Marathon Derby, but Lamont Marshall was declared the winner, while Gayle Lindsay picked up her maiden Bermuda Half Marathon Derby Female title.
Mbelenzi who worked in Bermuda previously no works in Canada, was ineligible to win the race, he clocked a time of 1:12:41, with Marshall clocking 1:14:23, Sean Trott was declared second in a time of 1:16:20, and Moses Mufandaedza was third in 1:18:45.
Lindsay was 14th overall with a time of 1:29:22, while Brianna Mendes was the second female finisher and 16th overall clocking 1:30:11, and Christine Dailey was the third female finisher and 25th overall clocking 1:33:48.
