St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred and Dominica’s Thea LaFond stole the highlight on the inaugural Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) Awards, held at Seashores Turks & Caicos Resort Villages and Spa.
Each athletes had been celebrated for his or her excellent performances, incomes them the celebrated Caribbean Breakthrough Award.
Alfred, a rising star in track and field, has dazzled on the worldwide stage together with her electrifying sprints, propelling her among the many brightest younger athletes on this planet. LaFond, in the meantime, has made great strides within the triple soar, firmly inserting herself among the many Caribbean’s elite. Their accolades had been the spotlight of the evening, which honored the area’s greatest athletes and sports activities organizations.
The awards, nevertheless, nearly didn’t occur. With Hurricane Oscar looming, a nationwide shutdown in Turks and Caicos appeared inevitable. But, in true Caribbean vogue, the occasion went on in opposition to all odds, underscoring the resilience and dedication of the area—traits embodied by Alfred and LaFond of their careers.
At image of unity and perseverance
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Because the storm threatened, the evening’s program celebrated extra than simply athletic achievements—it grew to become a logo of unity and perseverance.
The Dominican Republic Ladies’s Volleyball Staff was named Caribbean Sports activities Staff of the 12 months – Feminine for his or her dominance on the worldwide stage. Within the males’s class, the Dominican Republic Soccer Staff earned the title Caribbean Sports activities Staff of the 12 months – Male after a historic yr for the island’s soccer program.
Barbadian journalist Anmar Goodridge-Boyce was acknowledged with the Caribbean Sports activities Media Award for his contributions to sports activities journalism throughout the area.
Within the CANOC & IOC Sustainability Awards, the Plant-A-Tree Initiative from Turks and Caicos received the Group Engagement award, whereas the Barbados Olympic Affiliation took dwelling the Environmental Impression Discount Award for his or her sustainability efforts.
Caribbean Distinguished Service Award
The late Judy Simmons of the Bermuda Olympic Committee was posthumously awarded the Caribbean Distinguished Service Award for her dedication to sports activities administration, whereas the Dominican Republic Olympic Committee was named Caribbean Nationwide Olympic Committee of the 12 months. Turks and Caicos’ Honourable Galmo Williams acquired the title of Caribbean Sponsor of the 12 months for his distinctive help of sports activities within the area.
In a becoming end result of the evening, Julien Alfred was additionally named Sports activities Character of the 12 months – Feminine, cementing her place as one of many area’s high athletes. Cuban wrestling legend Mijaín López Nunez claimed Sports activities Character of the 12 months – Male after successful his historic fifth Olympic gold in Paris, additional solidifying his legacy as one of many biggest Greco-Roman wrestlers in historical past.
The ultimate and most prestigious accolade of the evening, the Caribbean Lifetime Achievement Quadrennial Award, was introduced to Steve Stoute of Barbados for his lifelong dedication to sports activities improvement within the Caribbean.
The CANOC Awards have set a brand new benchmark for the celebration of Caribbean sports activities, proving that within the face of adversity, the area’s athletes, directors, and supporters proceed to embody resilience, excellence, and an unbreakable spirit.
