It is my pleasure to extend my warm congratulations as Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and Head of Government responsible for Community Development and Cultural Cooperation, which includes Sports, to all Caribbean athletes who participated in the World Athletics Championships 2022.
Once more, you have made our Region proud with your outstanding performances at Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, USA.
I congratulate the three fastest women in the World, who all hail from Jamaica in particular Ms Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce who is now the only athlete ever to hold five individual 100m world titles. She is an icon in our Region. I applaud her success.
I also recognize the performance of Ms Shericka Jackson, who led the way in the 200m. The entire Caribbean is proud of the performance of the Jamaican women who brought home so many medals and were instrumental in Jamaica being third in overall medals won. I congratulate all athletes from Jamaica for their superb performance.
I also congratulate Anderson Peters from Grenada for his second world title in the javelin throw and the excellent Ms Shaunae Miller-Uibo from The Bahamas who brought home a world title in the 400m and led a Caribbean sweep in the event.
To all our medal winners and participants I extend a hearty well done to you on behalf of the Community.
Sports are a cornerstone for developing a healthy population in the Caribbean. Our Caribbean athletes make us proud and are a motivation to all of us to strive for a healthy lifestyle. Sports are not only fun to watch, but for those who participate, it helps personal development.
In this post-Covid period, participation in sports can help us overcome obstacles that we may perceive to stand in our way. It helps us develop a positive attitude towards life and its struggles and shapes our personality and character. And when we compete, it builds our character, teaches us to think strategically and analytically, and helps us with goal setting and risk-taking. Regular sporting activity releases stress and improves our physical and mental well-being.
The Caribbean Region can be proud of the athletes that it has produced over the years. I call on all leaders in the Caribbean to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle so that we can maintain our position in athletics for many years to come. And let us explore how the private sector can assist in growing sports development in our Region.
Once more, I congratulate on behalf of CARICOM, all our athletes who participated in the World Athletics Championships 2022. You had us rooting for you, you made us proud, and you provided us with some incredible sporting moments that we will never forget. Thank you!
