Forbes to fly flag for Cayman in Rio
Rondald Forbes
(CNS): Cayman’s Olympic veteran hurdler Ronald Forbes will be the country’s official flag bearer for the Cayman Islands team when they make their appearance at the opening ceremony in Rio for the 2016 summer games Friday night, wearing a 1930s retro-designed team uniform. Forbes, who will be making his third appearance at the Games in the 110m hurdles on 15 August, said it was a “great honour” to be asked to lead the Cayman Islands team for the second time.
Forbes, who was chosen by the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee (CIOC), carried the flag at his first games in 2008 in Beijing. “It’s an honor to carry the nation’s flag, not only for what it represents but for who it represents and that’s something I take with great responsibility and great pride,” he said.
The 31-year-old is still breaking national records; his latest national best came in April at the NTC Star Sprint Series in Clermont, Florida, with a time of 13.36, which earned him his spot on the team for Rio.
“Ronald is an epitome of the Olympic movement,” said Donald McLean, the CIOC President. “His training, preparation and commitment is amazing. This is his third Olympics in athletics, which is a difficult discipline. He is a veteran, a senior member of the team and deserves to be a leader and carry the flag.”
Cayman Islands Olympic pin
Forbes will be leading a small team in Rio, which includes Swimmers Lara Butler and Geoffrey Butler as well as sailor Florence Allan and sprinter Kemar Hyman.
Cayman is expected to be the 41st country walking into the stadium at an estimated local time of 9:06pm and the team will be sporting uniforms inspired by the 1930s with a modern twist. The men will be wearing khaki pants, light blue shirts, thatch hats and boat shoes, while the women will also be supporting thatch hats but they will wear navy blue dresses with white floral detailing and espadrilles.
Local artist Wray Banker came up with the retro theme and Island Company sponsored and designed the outfits based on the concept of the ‘turtle ranger’, which was been the most common historical outfit worn by the working people in Cayman over the years. Sticking with the retro theme, the Cayman Islands 1996 pin, which was also designed by Banker, has been re-issued. Always popular at the games, this twenty year old pin was one of the most sought after.
For more information and photos of Team Cayman at the 2016 Olympic Games, follow the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee on Facebook.
Category: Local News
Why are place that are not countries allowed teams? Seems an unfair advantage to the Brits.
One of the last remaining benefits of having some colonies left.
It would have been nice to have someone other than Mr Forbes carry the flag as he has already had that honour. With all respect to the CIOC President, his comments regarding training, commitment and discipline apply to all our athletes otherwise they would not be there and some have not had the support from Government allowing them to train full time.As for athletics being a “difficult” discipline I can think of many far more challenging Olympic sports than running a 100 meters.
I don’t know why Cayman’s Olympic contingent has more officials than athletes. Makes me wonder who all those Olympics fundraisers are really for.
For our esteemed Olympic committee of course. They know how to party
Well done to our athletes for qualifying. Now can the CIOC explain why a team of 5 needs 8 officials? Seems like the officials travel like CIFA.
They’ve been doing it for years. And you helped!
Is there official Rio 2016 merchandise the general public can buy in order to show support for the Cayman athletes? I would have loved to have a t-shirt for example, with the Cayman Islands Flag and name similar to the shirts that may be worn by the athletes. If there is, please let me know where I can find one. All the best to Cayman’s athletes. I will be waving the flag high and proud!
Good Luck Cayman, give it your best, that’s all anyone can ask of you and all you can ask of yourselves!
We shouldn’t have sent anyone to that cesspool of a country! The delegates and athletes are going to put the entire country at risk of ZIKA when they return. They should all be placed in quarantine until it can be determined they are ZIKA free.
“cesspool” of a country? Really? I don’t know anyone who has been there (including me) who thinks that. Yes its big, yes it has issues, but the people are generally intelligent and well educated. That said, their perception of Cayman (because of our own failure to address it) is that we are a money laundering den of iniquity.
The Cayman Islands have addressed money laundering with very stiff penalties. If you are aware of money laundering by others you are also guilty under the law if you have not reported it to the appropriate authorities without tipping off the suspects.
You are entitled to your own opinions, but not to your own facts!
Why you have to be so negative?. Yes there is Zika but life must go on. Perhaps you can quarantine yourself so that you won’t get in contact with them on their return. Good luck to all.
Congratulations Mr. Forbes!! It is so sad that whenever something BAD, (unlawful), happens to a Caymanian, there are a lot of negative comments of how Caymanians are the worst persons on earth!! Yet, now we have a HERO, such as Mr. Forbes, and hardly any positive comments from the commenters!! Not only that he may do well during the games, which I wish him the best, may he come out victorious!! But in my eyes, he is already victorious to make it this far. May the younger ones use him as an example of what can be accomplished!! Great job, young man.
Surely the exact same thing applies to expatriates.
Of course it does, but how many expats are cheering for Cayman?
Great comment Sunrise. You are an inspiration to all those who represent Cayman in the games. We need more people like you who take the time to offer sound constructive comments to encourage those who are trying to make a difference.
Exactly what are delegate passes, and who has got them?
I wonder if the BBC will refer to the Caymans as a tax haven again in the commentary like last time.
Where exactly are the Caymans? I’ve looked at every atlas (paper & electronic) I can find and I cannot locate this country.
Then you are ignorant. The Caymans is the correct geographic term for the island group the comprises of Grand Cayman and the Lesser Caymans. Absolutely acceptable term.
True to form, the CIOC continues to embarrass themselves and the Cayman Islands on the road to mediocrity in the name of delegate passes. Best of luck to the athletes, the Olympic Games are about you, despite the best efforts on the CIOC.
Do you mean more delegates walking out during the ceremony than athletes? I’ve seen that before but Cayman isn’t the only small territory guilty of that.
It’s all about the status….. and the wine