LONDON, England - A 26-member Bahamian team is in very high spirits, and one of the reasons why is because of the atmosphere created by the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) at the week-long training camp prior to the games. The Olympic Games got underway this morning in London, and will run through Sunday, August 12.
According to reports, everything was in place for the athletes to be as comfortable as they needed to be headed into the games. All of the amenities were well taken care of by the BOC, and the athletes could just focus on training and preparing for competition. The only swimmer on this year's team, Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, will see action first for The Bahamas when she hits the pool at the Aquatic Centre on Wednesday, in the heats of the women's 100-meter (m) free.
"In the BOC, it is time for us to make things happen," said team's Chef de Mission Roy Colebrooke. "We have to think outside of the box in 2012. In our view, the athletes are first, and my job as Chef de Mission is to ensure that we create this harmonious environment where the only thing that our athletes are focusing on, would be their specific events. I feel that we were able to do that at the training camp in Crawley."
Crawley is a town in West Sussex, England, located about 30 miles south of the British capital London. The team experienced an ambience there that was conducive to training. Not only that, but in conjunction with BTC and Cable and Wireless here in London, the BOC spearheaded a reception for the team on Wednesday night, and then the following night, the BOC joined up with the The Bahamas' High Commission in London to host the team to a reception at the commissioner's house. The function on Thursday was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Governor General Arthur Foulkes and Lady Foulkes, and The Bahamas' Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Danny Johnson. The dwelling, dubbed 'The Bahamas House', served as a home away from home for the athletes for that one night. They were treated to local dishes and drinks, and a steel drum band played Bahamian songs.
"We believe that it is very special for something like this to happen," said Colebrooke. "We want our athletes to be able to come somewhere in a foreign place, and feel at home. With this taking place, we feel it is now possible for them to enjoy the festivities of the London Olympic Games. They can mix and mingle with the Bahamians who are here in London, and who were desperate to see them up close."
The Bahamas House is expected to be open to Bahamians for the duration of the games. A Bahamian chef, flown in by the BOC, is on hand to prepare Bahamian cuisine on a nightly basis.
"This is the kind of treatment that we want to give our athletes," said Colebrooke. "It all started at the training camp. You have heard the stories from all of them. They were blown away.
"All of the athletes who had minor injuries were checked out and all of them are fit and ready to compete. I had the opportunity to speak with most of them, and they are saying that they're feeling tremendous, so we are expecting some very good things from our Bahamian athletes."
Colebrooke said that as long as he is an executive member of the BOC, this is the kind of treatment that Bahamian athletes can expect on a regular basis going forward.
"The only way we can go from here is forward. We will continuously take the bar higher and higher because we believe that we have to create the environment to ensure that our athletes are comfortable and ready to compete," he said. "When the athletes know that they are backed like this, they perform tremendously, so we have no other option than to continue providing top service for our athletes."
After a grand opening ceremony last night, Team Bahamas appears ready to see action at these Olympic Games. Competition officially got underway this morning, but The Bahamas won't see action until next Wednesday when swimmer Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace will hit the waters.

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