Local

When will Levern be given Due Respect?

Levern Spencer: As if the rigours of training were not already hard enough, lately Saint Lucia’s leading athlete has had to suffer totally avoidable embarrassments not of her own making!

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n August 2, Levern Spencer competed in the women’s high jump finals at the Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) in Barranquilla, Colombia. She was the only jumper to clear 1.90m, and captured the gold medal. Eight days after her stellar performance, she travelled to Toronto, Canada to participate in the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) championships. There, she continued her dominant streak. The Caribbean’s undisputed high jump queen was once again the only one to clear 1.91m on her way to claiming another gold. Second and third places went to two Americans: Elizabeth Patterson and Loretta Blaut. They cleared 1.88m and 1.82m respectively.

The three athletes took to the podium to receive their medals. After the bronze and silver medals had been handed out, it was Ms Spencer’s turn to receive her gold. As is customary at international sporting events, the winning country’s national anthem immediately precedes the placing of the champion’s medal. For many winning athletes, hearing their national anthem being played is an unforgettable experience.

However, when it came time to receive her gold medal, it was not ‘Sons and Daughters,’ that reached the ears of Saint Lucia’s pride and joy. Instead, what Levern and the sports world heard was the national anthem of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. A confused Levern tried unsuccessfully to alert the crew. Afterward, the event announcer apologized to the Saint Lucian star athlete for the mistake and for not having available her country’s national anthem.

Gregory Dixon, Levern’s manager, spoke with the STAR about the incident: “It’s not a very good situation. That’s something, as an athlete, you always look forward to. Levern always looks forward to the opportunity to hear her national anthem.”

Mr. Dixon says that the President of NACAC, Victor Lopez, was contacted. “They’ve been written to by Mr. Alfred Emmanuel, General Secretary of the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee. He expressed Levern’s and Saint Lucia’s disappointment to them.”

By the NACAC president’s account, Canada has issued a formal apology in writing to the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee, the Athletics Association, and to Levern.”