Island’s Top Olympian Feted on Return home
LEVERN Spencer’s arrival home to Saint Lucia from the USA last Thursday left a lot to be desired. It was not the kind of welcome one would have expected and can be best described as shabby.
The high jump sensation finished a joint fifth place at the Summer Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the best finish by a Saint Lucian since attending the Games in Atlanta in 1996. In 2016, she cleared the bar 18 times at or over 1. 90 metres.
Her welcome party included Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, Saint Lucia Olympic Committee past and present presidents Fortuna Belrose and Richard Peterkin, Director of Youth Development and Sports, Jim Xavier, former coach, Gregory Lubin, representative of the Saint Lucia Athletic Association, Rena Samuel, a representative from sponsor Flow, Dealfina Jn, Baptiste, SMJ Beverages’ Sam Augier, Levern’s mother, Anne Marie Spencer and local manager, Gregory Dickson. Waiting outside the airport to greet Spencer were at least 20 students from Belle Vue and Beanefield Combined Schools.
The past and present presidents of the SLOC, and the representative of the SLAA shared similar sentiments in welcoming Spencer for her outstanding performance in Rio and a remarkable 2016.
Also addressing the gathering was Prime Minister Allen Chastanet: “I thought it was very important as Prime Minister to be here to greet Levern because she has symbolized for a very long time what it takes in order to succeed: discipline, hard work and perseverance. The real recognition is not that she just achieved fifth place at the Olympics, but in the year she has been consistent, being in the top three in all major events she has done; that is an incredible achievement.”
He continued: “Because of the success that Levern has had, it should inspire all Saint Lucians that we have the capability of competing against the best in the world and, not only just competing, but winning. It is the intention of my government to make sure that athletes throughout Saint Lucia are given the opportunities from a very young age to be able to hone their skills.
Chastanet went on: “At present, we are working on a programme at the primary and secondary schools. But the one project that I am most keen about is the School of Sports Excellence that we are going to establish. It is going to be a school where all top athletes and national athletes will be able to attend with a curriculum designed for the life of an athlete. It will include a dormitory so that athletes throughout St. Lucia are longer being discriminated against because of where they live.”
In her thank you message, Spencer said: “It always warms my heart with joy and pride whenever I set foot on Saint Lucian soil at the end of a season. But this time around, after what feels like the longest season of my entire career, I feel an even greater sense of satisfaction to be back home in the land of my birth. As the old saying goes, and as I have said time and again, there is indeed no place like home.”
She added: “Reflecting on my 2016 season, I have to thank the Almighty God for affording me the privilege of again representing the blue, yellow black and white, something I never take for granted, and always try to do with dignity and pride. I am also happy that despite the usual niggling injuries, the Almighty Father guided and protected me everywhere I went and enabled me to end the season without any major injury.”
Last Friday, Spencer took her last jump on tired legs to end the 2016 season with a silver medal- winning performance in Brussels, Belgium.
Said Spencer about that experience: “I breathed a huge sigh of relief having finally concluded what I can call a high pressure season; a season where the expectations of a nation were so great, and a situation that is only felt, known and understood by the individual upon whom the expectations rest.”
She continued: “Despite all of that, I am delighted to have experienced what I consider to be the most successful year of my long career. It was a year that enabled me to go where years ago a Saint Lucian would only dream of going as I was able to not just be invited to compete in the prestigious Diamond League events, but to also win medals and end the Diamond League Race ranked 2nd overall behind the 2016 Olympic Champion and World No.1 from Spain. It was another year when I was able to proudly fly Saint Lucia’s flag around the world, reminding all who watched and observed that despite our size and limited resources, we can produce individuals who can stand toe to toe and be competitive against the best the world has to offer.”
Spencer said she looks forward to getting some much-needed rest before starting another season. She also used the opportunity to thank the government and people of Saint Lucia for their support, her family and local manager Gregory Dickson
