Peter Dunne Delighted With Olympic Squad
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Peter Dunne, the Bermuda Olympic Association [BOA], president said he is delighted the island will be represented by eight athletes in five different sports at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Dunne, who will attend his first Olympics as the BOA president, believes the squad reflects the island’s wealth of sporting talent and hopes their performances in Paris inspire the next generation of Bermuda athletes.
Bermuda sent just two athletes, triathlete Dame Flora Duffy and rower Dara Alizadeh, to the rescheduled Tokyo Games in 2021, held behind closed doors because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Duffy, who won a gold medal in Tokyo, and Alizadeh will be joined by swimmers Jack and Emma Harvey, sailor Adriana Penruddocke, triathletes Tyler Smith and Erica Hawley and triple jumper Jah-Nhai Perinchief in Paris.
“Having eight athletes is really exciting,” Dunne told Bernews. “To have three triathletes from a country the size of Bermuda is hugely impressive.
“We were so close to getting a spot for an archer as well, which is a big deal.
“Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Games in 2028, there’s potential to have an even more diverse team.
“Hopefully, we can build on this moment – although progression is rarely a straight line. We need to create more pathways for our athletes to reach the Olympics.”
With the Paris Games promising to be a spectacular event, marking the centenary of the 1924 Paris Olympics, Dunne believes the island’s athletes are set for an amazing experience in the “City of Light.”
He said: “It’s the biggest sporting show – it’s the No 1. Everything in Paris is Olympic themed – it will be an exciting environment.
“Some of the venues are in iconic Parisian settings – the beach volleyball is at the base of the Eifel Tower – that’s pretty cool.
“Bermuda had some amazing results in Tokyo, but this will be the first Games returned to normal [after the Covid-19 pandemic], and people always come back with increased enthusiasm. It will be a full and proper Games.”
Dunne added: “Just to see Bermuda’s athletes on that stage is a very special feeling for everyone involved. It’s a thrill to have so many athletes competing on this stage.”
More than 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committee [NOCs] will compete in 32 different sports and 339 events in Paris.
Bernews will be providing comprehensive coverage of Bermuda’s athletes in the coming weeks, thanks to our sponsors Butterfield & Vallis, Auto Solutions, Clarien Bank and One Communications!
… AND hats off to our Bermudian PARA-Athletes who will perform two weeks – following the Able Bodies Athletes.