"It's a great honour and privilege to carry out such a duty for Trinidad and Tobago."
Marc Burns was elated on hearing of his selection as T&T's flagbearer for today's Olympic Games opening ceremony, at the Olympic Stadium here in London, England.
The veteran sprinter captured his first Olympic medal at the 2008 Games, in Beijing, China, teaming up with Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender and Richard Thompson for silver in the men's 4x100 metres relay.
Burns is competing at his fourth Olympic Games. He made his debut as a 17-year-old, at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, competing in the sprint relay. Four years later, in Athens, Greece, Burns was disqualified for a false start in the opening round of the 100m dash, but helped T&T cop seventh spot in the 4x100m final. And in Beijing, he earned relay silver and also reached the 100m final, finishing seventh in the championship race.
Burns is the Mr Consistent of T&T sprinting. He reached the century final at the 2005, 2007 and 2009 editions of the World Championships. The 29-year-old athlete also has three World Championship sprint relay silver medals—2001, 2005 and 2009.
"Having faith in God, focusing on what I can control, and having faith in my team—coach, physio, family and the close circle of people around me. That's the main thing for longevity.
"My biggest moment," he continued, "was the World Championships in 2001, given my age and it was my only major medal at the time."
Eighteen-year-old Burns teamed up with Ato Boldon, Jacey Harper and 16-year-old Darrel Brown for 4x100m bronze. The T&T quartet was later promoted to silver following the disqualification of the United States. US anchorman Tim Montgomery was banned for doping.
Burns was selected as the T&T reserve for the men's 100m here in London, after finishing fourth at the National Open Track and Field Championships. He is also a member of the 4x100m squad.
"My main focus was to come to the Games and make the athletes comfortable--enlighten them on what is expected. I'm more mature now and I see things through a whole different perspective. I understand fully what is expected at the Games. It's not just about competing, but showing a certain code of conduct for those who are following behind."
Burns recently clocked 10.00 seconds to finish third at the International Athletics Meeting, in Lucerne, Switzerland. Rondel Sorrillo was seventh in 10.23.
At the National Championships, Sorrillo copped third spot in the 100m, and was selected to compete in the event here in London, along with Bledman, winner of the national title in a personal best 9.86 seconds, and Thompson, the 2008 Olympic 100m silver medallist.
Sorrillo, the national champion in the 200m, was also chosen to compete in the half-lap event at the London Games.
Team officials have until next Wednesday to decide which three sprinters will fly the Red, White and Black in the 100m.
"I'm here to represent T&T, regardless," Burns told the Express. "So if I do not run the 100, all my energy and focus will be on the relay. The 10-flat came at the right time, going into the Games. Even if I don't run the 100, I'm capable of an exceptional second leg in the relay."
Burns is playing a key leadership role in the 4x100m.
"I'm enlightening the team on what's expected, and the frame of mind to go about doing that. It's not about the other teams and getting caught up in the hype--focus on what we need to do and going out and doing it.
"Anything could happen. We're not short-changing ourselves. Just like everybody else, we're going for the gold medal. If God sees it another way and another colour medal, we would be grateful."
Two days after his 10-flat run in Lucerne, Burns' running gear was stolen as he prepared to compete at the Folksam Grand Prix, in Sweden. Though he ran in a borrowed pair of spikes that did not fit, Burns still managed to win, the T&T track star clocking 10.50 seconds, into a 1.9 metres per second headwind.
The resilient Burns said a fifth Olympic appearance, at the 2016 Rio Games, is a possibility.
"I will only be 33 at the next Olympics, so once I'm healthy and all is well, that could be on my resume also. I'll take it one step at a time."
T&T chef de mission Annette Knott told the Express she will always remember a statement Burns made at the 2007 Pan American Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"Marc said even if we had a three-man relay and he had to run two legs, he will run for Trinidad and Tobago.
"For his silver medal in 2008, his commitment as an athlete and his consistent representation, Marc will carry the flag. This is his fourth Olympics, and he is in fact the most senior athlete.
"He's always there, in so many finals. It's about sustainability and consistency. Marc is one of the more consistent athletes we've had, and not for one minute is he looking for the glory."
In a T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) press release, president Larry Romany paid tribute to Burns.
"I was chef de mission at the Sydney Olympics when the then 17-year-old Marc made his Olympic debut. Over the years it has been a privilege to work with Marc. He is a class act who has never failed to answer the call be it CAC, Pan Am, Commonwealth or Olympic Games."
Today's opening ceremony starts at four p.m. (T&T time). The outfits to be worn by Burns and the rest of the team during the parade of nations are the creations of T&T designers Richard Hope and Nivanya Abraham.
-Kwame Laurence in London
www.trinidadexpress.com
When the ceremony that officially signals the opening of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games gets underway today, there will be one Trinidadian among the thousands of athletes, perfor- mers and spectators who will be living his own Olympic dream.
Richard “Torpedo” Thompson started his sprinting career at Louisiana State University (LSU) while on a scholarship. As a member of the LSU Tigers track and field team, he lowered the NCAA Indoor record in the 60 metres in 2008. In his first World Championships in Athletics, in Osaka in 2007, Thompson failed to make it past the quarterfinals, placing eighth in 10.44 seconds. The following year, Thompson achieved his best moment up to then by taking both the 60m indoor and outdoor sprints at the NCAA Championships. He expanded his portfolio to include the 200m that year and ran his personal best (pb) for the 200m of 20.18s. His 60m pb is 6.51s achieved in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, “Torpedo” sped to a pb time of 9.89 s in the men’s 100m, to finish second behind World record holder, Usain Bolt, who set the Olympic record of 9.69. His new pb time made him the second fastest T&T 100m sprinter ever, after four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon. Thompson grabbed his second silver medal in Beijing when teaming up with Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender for the men’s 4x100m relay final. The local team finished in 38.06 behind Jamaica (37.10). With the substitution of sprinter Aaron Armstrong for Callender, that team also grabbed gold at the 2008 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships in a time of 38.54.
George Bovell III is the most successful swimmer to come out of T&T. Some highlights of his illustrious career include winning bronze in the men’s 200m Individual Medley (IM), capturing five Pan American Medals (2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze), and five individual NCAA titles. Bovell is currently the fourth fastest man in history of the 50m freestyle. Coming from a family with a history of involvement in sport, it was only natural that Bovell followed suit. His mother, Barbara, was an Olympic runner and a Canadian champion. His father was a successful Collegiate swimmer and T&T Sportsman of the Year. Hiss brother, Nicholas, is also an Olympic swimmer.
It’s officially here! The 2012 Summer Olympic Games-XXX Olympiad. When you turn on your television, almost every channel will be carrying live coverage of the opening of the largest sporting festival in the world. Hosted in London for the second time—the first was in 1948—the opening ceremony will get going at 2.30pm (T&T and the eastern Caribbean time.) More than 10,000 athletes will participate in various disciplines over the next 17 days (July 27-August 12,) all hoping to win gold, silver or bronze for their respective countries, vying for international pride on the biggest sporting stage in the world. The T&T contingent was originally 52, inclusive of athletes, management and coaches, but has been reduced by one as female track star Josanne Lucas had to return home due to an injury.
The World Olympians Association yesterday hosted a prestigious Gala in the exclusive St. James's Palace in London’s famous Pall Mall. Some 400 members of the Olympic family gathered in the presence of H.R.H. The Princess Royal and under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. A highlight of the association’s activities in London, the Gala has underlined the renewed positive relations with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Federations and National Olympic Committees, under the leadership of its new President, Joel Bouzou. The event marked a key milestone in WOA’s intention to step up its role with the IOC with it’s double mission: “Serving Society and Serving Olympians”.
Speaking in agreement with President Bouzou, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Patron of the WOA, emphasized: “As an Olympian and a member of the International Olympic Committee, I am delighted to see this Association take a growing place in the Olympic movement. The Games are nothing without athletes. They would not exist without these tens of thousands of Olympians who have written these pages in history.”