Freeport, Grand Bahama Island - On October 23rd The Bahamas Weekly News Team met up with Bahamas Olympic Silver medalist, Andrae Williams to conduct video interview. Williams was home on Grand Bahama after the Bahamas Olympic Team island tour and celebrations. In this interviews Andrae speaks of his commitment to his sport, and his country. He talks about his achievement of participating at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and his team's silver medal win.
He also talks about the challenge of funding for an athlete. In this passionate interview Andrae thanks all the persons who have helped him with his career, in particular his family, and Mr. Basil Neymour.
It should be noted that since the time of this interview, Mr. Peter Nygard of Nygard Cay, New Providence awarded each of the Bahamian medalists on Friday, December 12th cash prizes for their achievements and said he will continue to do so for the next Olympics. Related article on The Bahamas Weekly. The Bahama Journal related article.
The following is a letter from Andrae Williams which explains more about his career and training needs.
Hello,
My name is Andrae Edmund Williams, and I have represented The Bahamas on the senior national level in track and field for the past six years. Recently, I won a Silver Medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Also, I am a graduate of South Plains College with an Associate of Arts degree, and Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family studies. While at TTU, I was honored to be a five-time All American for their track program. Additionally, I plan to pursue my master’s degree after the 2008 season. I am currently located in Lubbock, Texas preparing for the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany. As an elite athlete I am seeking financial assistance and opportunities while preparing for these games.
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Through the years, Bahamian athletes have proven just how well they can perform. My colleagues and I train vigorously all year round, and have proven that we can be the best in our field. However, The Bahamas lacks adequate training facilities, which forces athletes to train abroad.
Daily workouts and practices are required in order to maintain a competitive level. This naturally takes a physical toll, so I take vitamins and supplements and receive physical therapy treatments. In addition, the track and field profession requires extensive travel to compete. Itis very costly to get the kind of training I need to pursue my goals in the profession of track and field while preparing for the 2009 world championship.
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While my personal education, training and challenges have inspired and prepared me for track and field successes, I would be honored to help inspire and motivate athletes, businessmen and woman to achieve their goals in life. If I could share my experience with others in a positive way through your business, we could both enjoy a win-win relationship. Ultimately, my short term goal is to recruit business sponsors so that I can supplement my training expenses with personal endorsements and appearances. While I am trustworthy with strong character, my God given talents have motivated me to humbly seek a working relationship with any reputable businesses.
Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself. I can be reached at drefelloff@hotmail.com
Sincerely,
Andrae E. Williams
