As the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil came to a close on Sunday, the U.S. Virgin Islands was represented well by a team of seven athletes ranging in age from 21 to 34. Here’s a brief recap of the USVI team results:
Athletics
- LaVerne Jones-Ferrette ran the women’s 200 meter race in 23.35 seconds ranking 46.
- Eddie Lovett ran the men’s 110 meter hurdles in 13.77 seconds ranking 30.
- Muhammad Halim competed in the men’s triple jump (no mark).
Boxing
Boxer Laurent Clayton, Jr. competed in the men’s super heavy class, where he advanced to the round of 16.
Sailing
Sailor Cy Thompson competed in the men’s laser dinghy ranking 17.
Swimming
- Swimmer Caylee Watson completed the women’s 100 meter backstroke in 1 minute, 7 seconds ranking 30.
- Swimmer Rexford Tullius completed the men’s 200 meter backstroke in 1 minute, 59 seconds ranking 20.
On a related note, U.S. Virgin Islander Daryl Homer won a silver medal in fencing, the first medal in the sport for Team USA since 1904. Homer hails from St. Thomas.
The U.S. Virgin Islands team debuted at the Summer Olympics in 1968. The only medal to-date was won by Peter Holmberg, who won a silver sailing in the 1988 Seoul games.
In next month’s Paralympic Games in Rio, the U.S. Virgin Islands will be exclusively represented by Ivan Espinosa of St. Croix. Espinosa (who was born with cerebral palsy) is a runner and will be competing in the 1,500 meter race.
The team at Farchette & Hanley Real Estate is pleased to support all the athletes representing the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Olympic, Paralympic and Special Olympic Games. Uniquely for athletes born or current living in the territory, they are able to compete on the Olympic stage simply by meeting minimum Olympic qualifying standards, apart from the crowd of competitors vying for spots on Team USA. If you’re ready to make the USVI your home, start by downloading Chris and Kerri Hanley’s free St. Croix Event Guide. Then contact them to help find your ideal home or condo on St. Croix or St. Thomas. As the top broker on-island year after year, Chris is the authority on Virgin Islands real estate.