BVI & USVI delegations with their assistants

ATHENS, Greece—The British Virgin Islands joined 201 delegations in bidding farewell to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games during Sunday night’s closing ceremonies at the Athens Olympic Stadium.

Both the BVI and USVI delegations paraded with their respective National Olympic Committee assistants who have been their support systems since their arrival in Athens on August 6. The assistants welcomed and embraced the once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of the ceremony which returned to their modern era birthplace for the first time since 1896.

Dion Crabbe (2211) walks into Olympic Stadium for the start of his 200 meter heat

ATHENS, Greece—BVI sprinter Dion Crabbe made his Olympic Games debut yesterday and barely missed the 200 meters quarter finals. He was extremely disappointed.

Similar to the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Laverne Jones on Monday, Crabbe was bumped from the quarters by the last qualifier in the final of seven heats, who produced a faster time than his 20.85 seconds, leaving him two positions from advancing.

Dion Crabbe working on getting his start right

ATHENS, Greece—Following a series of workouts on the Olympic Games Village track, BVI sprinter Dion Crabbe had his final workout in preparations for his Olympic Games debut on Saturday. Crabbe who will have Sunday and Monday off, trained at the  Athens Olympic Games warm up track, where athletes prepare to compete.

Crabbe will be the last of the three BVI and USVI athletes to see action at the games and said he’s ready and his preparations have gone well. Prior to his arrival in Athens on Aug. 12, Crabbe was training in Zurich, Switzerland.

A Small Delegation in a Great Celebration

Dion Crabbe with Olympic Village Pulse reporters Efthymia Ntivi & Iasonas Kantas

“We might be a small country, but we have great expectations from these Olympic Games”, the British Virgin Islands Chef de Mission, Dean Greenaway, told us. In fact, the 25,000 residents of the Virgin Islands are hardly intimidated by the fact that they are a small country. Besides, ever since 1984 when the country started participating in the Olympic Games it can be proud of its athletes’ quality, which is without doubt far more important than quantity.

At any rate, the Athens Games is a special celebration for this islanders’ country, for the additional reason that they celebrate their 20th year of uninterrupted participation at the Games, as the badges they freely hand out proclaim.