If you managed to tune into the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo - or at least see the highlights - you'll have known about the 3 athletes: Samantha Dirks - who came in 7th in her heat 400 meter heat and did not qualify; Shaun Gill - who came in 5th in his hundred meter heat and did not qualify, and Amado Cruz, who also came in 5th in both his events.
Back at home, Sports Minister Kevin Bernard was following the Olympics, and while they did not qualify, he applauded them. Here are those remarks:
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of E-Governance
"Well, let me first say that we have to catch up the news after, because sadly we are unable to view the Olympics live, so we are following up on social media and the news and what I want to say as the minister responsible for sports, I want to congratulate all our Belizean athletes who have went not only at Tokyo, but even at the Nicaragua games that recently took place and I want to offer my personal congratulations to those young athletes that came back home with gold, silver and bronze medals, but at the same time I want to say to the athletes who went to Tokyo, let me single out a few of them, I fact I think Shaun Gill must be commended for his efforts that he did in the 100 meter race placing 5th. His name was on the chart as I said on my social media post, Amado, I want to congratulate him for getting to the quarter finals. I know it's a tough battle when you don't have all the resources you need in country to do what you need to do and so that's something, we have to look at seriously for our athletes and of course the female Samantha who also performed. We know that they went out there to represent Belize with heart and soul and of course our Belizean populist was here rooting for them and wishing them all the best. Definitely it makes us know and realize that there is a lot of talent in this country, we just need to do much more for our sport athletes. I think that as a government we have to sit back and look at the situation."
