SAINT Lucia high jump queen, Levern Spencer was guest of honor this past weekend when one of the island’s newest hotels, the Harbor Club welcomed the world ranked athlete to its establishment. Spencer is back on island for some much needed rest following a prolific 2018 season.
Present at the official welcome ceremony were Saint Lucia Minister for Youth Development and Sports – Edmund Estaphane, Permanent Secretary in the Department of Youth and Sports – Liota Charlemagne – Mason, Director for Youth Development and Sports – Patrick Mathurin, Saint Lucia Olympic Committee 1st Vice President – Lyndon Cooper, FLOW Representative -Terry Finisterre, Harbor Club – Director of Events – Pamela Nurse, Spencer’s Manager Gregory Dickson, members of the Spencer family, members of the Media and Teddy Francis as Master of Ceremony.
Harbor Club representative, Pamela Nurse in a brief statement said, “Habour Club is a world- class facility; Levern you are a world class athlete and we welcome the opportunity to provide a much needed rest and relaxation after a grueling season. Once again bringing much pride to Saint Lucia. Once again welcome from the entire team at Harbor Club”.
Sports Minister, Edmund Estaphane said, “It cannot be over stated, Levern you have done this country proud and well. What you have, did not happen just so. You have been disciplined, you have shown dedication and you have exhibited the will to progress. In all the championships you have represented Saint Lucia, you have been successful. Again congratulation”.
SLOC 1st Vice President, Lyndon Cooper who also addressed the gathering said,” My President (Fortuna Belrose) has asked me to convey her personal support as President of the SLOC and to wish you well in your future endeavours. She has also reminded me that I should inform you that we at the SLOC are praying that God gives you an additional 15 more years in your career and to ensure that we will continue as a country to climb the successful ladder in sports.
He continued, “We want to reconfirm as an Olympic Committee our unconditional support for you in particular and all our other athlete on the bridge of making us proud like you. We want them to see you as a role model for success for Saint Lucia”.
Cooper continued, “We currently do not have an international facility that would encourage international events to bring together our national athletes, based on this background; we want to extend sincere support for the government’s infrastructure policy for the construction of international sporting facilities to ensure our athletes continue to aspire to higher heights”.
FLOW Representative, Terry Finisterre in congratulating Levern said, “We at Flow absolutely are delighted to have been part of Levern’s development over the years and to continue to play a role in her development and we look forward to working with her to perhaps developing future generations of high jumpers as we get ready to embark in the first Levern Spencer High Jump Clinic.
“We have a number of young ladies who idolize and look up to LevernSpencer and for very good reasons and we hope one day they too can follow in your footsteps and achieve, if not necessarily the longevity that she has certainly had in the field of athletics, then certainly emulate some of the accomplishments she has had in her very long and luscious career”
In addressing the gathering Spencer said, “When my manager, prior to my departure from the US, informed me that a welcome reception was being planned for me, I was a little surprised, since I knew that I was only coming home because it’s the end of the season, something I do every year. However I appreciate the gesture, and I am extremely grateful, that the management of the amazing Harbor Club saw it fitting to host this event in my honor”
“I have heard and read so much about Harbor Club, that although it’s my first visit, it feels like I have been here before. But now that I get to experience it first hand, I am looking forward to two very exciting days, and I plan to make the most of it”.
As expected, I am delighted to be home, because as I always say when I come home, whether on a short break, or at the end of the season, “there is truly no place like home”.
“But this time around I have even more reason to say that, because this 2018 athletic season was probably the longest and most challenging I have experienced in my entire career and that is physically, emotionally and otherwise. A season which started on January 12, In the United States, and ended last Sunday September 9, in the Czech Republic”.
The challenges experienced were cushioned by the fact that 2018 was undoubtedly the most prolific season I have enjoyed in my long career. A season at the end of which I was ranked among the top five female high jumpers in the world by the World Governing Body , the IAAF.
“A season that would not have been possible without the unfailing support of my local manager Gregory Dickson, the Government of Saint Lucia through the department of Youth Development and Sports, the Saint Lucia Athletics Association, the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee Inc. and other corporate partners like Flow who has been by my side for pretty much the entire journey, and the very reliable SMJ Beverages. Of course the prayers of my family and other Saint Lucians played a very significant role in this success, and that should never be under estimated”.
“Now that the season is over, it’s time to relax and celebrate, and Harbor Club is definitely a great place to start this celebration. Thanks again to management for making it happen. Thanks to all who are present here, and that includes the media workers who continue to put my story out there. Thanks to all who assisted me in continuing to successfully fly Saint Lucia’s flag all over the world, something I am looking forward to doing for as long as the good Lord gives me the health and strength”.
She made a special plea to corporate Saint Lucia when she said, “Please keep me on your support list, as I look forward to an even better 2019 season and beyond”.
More on Levern Spencer in an inclusive interview in the VOICE, of Thursday 20th September 2018.
