Best to lead B’dos

National and Caribbean Senior Squash Champion, Meagan Best will be the athlete to bear the ‘Broken Trident’ during the opening ceremony of the 21st Commonwealth Games when the event gets under way next month. Set to run from April 4 to 15 in Gold Coast, Queensland Australia, the talented young player will be leading a delegation of just over 70 athletes and officials from Barbados as our nation goes up against the best and brightest from 71 countries.

Announced during the official Team Flag Handover Ceremony at St. Ann’s Fort on Monday evening, Best, who already has an impressive resumé, was presented with the flag by Governor General Dame Sandra Mason and Barbados Olympic Association President Sandra Osbourne.

Taking a trip over from Trinidad and Tobago for the event, Australian High Commissioner John Pilbeam said that although it ran every four years like the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games had a greater sense of camaraderie about it.

“The Commonwealth Games are a very special festival for the people of the Commonwealth. They are different from the Olympics. Everyone excels. Everyone works hard to do their best, but there is a note of collegiality to go with the competitiveness that makes them friendlier and more memorable for the participants. I hope that the fantastic team we see in front of us will partake of that in Australia,” he said.

With the Games getting started in 1930, Barbados has been in the fold since 1954. Having picked up 12 medals since joining the local delegation will be looking to add to that as we will be sending teams in Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Netball, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Triathlon and Weightlifting.

Noting that a total of 6600 athletes and officials would be contesting 275 events across 18 sports and seven Para-sports, President Osbourne said that 2018 was a landmark year for the event. “It will be the largest event to be staged in Australia this decade and for the first time in the history of the Games, the Gold Coast will host an event with true gender equality, in that there will be an equal number of male and female events. Yet, another demonstration of how the Commonwealth sports movement embraces inclusivity and its core values,” she said. (MP)