St. Vincent’s Shafiqua Maloney grateful for expertise and help. |
SportsMax (Time: 1m6s) – View/save archived variations on archive.org and archive. At present, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=151483575 By SportsMax TV – YouTube: Paris 2024
She made it to the 800-meter remaining on the Paris Summer time Olympics however didn’t medal. Nonetheless, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is nonetheless rolling out the pink carpet for nationwide treasure Shafiqua Maloney, who returned to the multi-island federation for the primary time in eight years this week.
Becoming a member of Dominica and Grenada, which respectively held huge public celebrations for his or her gold and bronze medal-winning Olympians in latest weeks, St. Vincent says it feels compelled to honor Maloney for her valiant efforts in changing into the primary native to qualify for the ultimate of an Olympic occasion and to organize her for Los Angeles in 2028.
Neighboring St. Lucia is sort of prepared for this week’s arrival of the queen of the Caribbean, Julien Alfred, who beat a star-studded subject to win the 100-meter dash and preserve that medal within the area.
Authorities officers drove Maloney from the Argyle Worldwide Airport in a police-led convoy to town. However earlier than leaving the airport, she embraced her mother and pa within the airport’s VIP lounge after an eight-year hiatus.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and different prime dignitaries have been readily available to satisfy the American Airways flight that introduced her house. He introduced a package deal of help measures for her, particularly as a result of she had revealed on the Jamaica-based Sports activities Max channel weeks earlier than Paris that she had been destitute, homeless, penniless, and unable to pay her coach within the run-up to Paris.
“I’ve been homeless for like a few months, particularly final 12 months; I used to be bouncing round from house to house. Proper now, I reside in a dorm scenario. So, I’m glad for these individuals who enable me to remain right here proper now. But it surely’s been exhausting,” she mentioned, speaking concerning the College of Arkansas.
Maloney mentioned she was grateful for the prospect to return again house after such an extended interval. “Thanks, guys, for everybody, for welcoming me again, my household. I’m glad to see my mother and my dad, and simply, you recognize, I really feel the love and all of the appreciation, so thanks.”
PM Gonsalves mentioned that the cupboard had given her US $10,000 to look after particular wants. “I wasn’t going to speak about it till. Folks need me to speak about issues earlier than I’m prepared to speak about them when time comes. Eh? Not earlier than, solely when time comes. However I realized that she needed to come right here to see her mother. This was a particular go to. I don’t should say all the pieces, however you recognize me properly sufficient; you recognize I’ll be doing one thing.”
Maloney, 24, the holder of a BSC in Geography and a Masters in operational administration, can even be honored by being a member of the Vincentian delegation on the United Nations Common Meeting this week earlier than flying again to the Japanese Caribbean for one more spherical of celebrations.
