Barbadians Rally in Support of Trailblazer Sara Williams at Paris Olympics 400m Final

By Sheria Brathwaite

Decked in the national colors of blue, gold and black, Barbadians packed watch parties at strategic points across the island to cheer on trail blazer Sara Williams in the highly anticipated 400 metres at the Paris Olympics. In The City, more than 100 people descended on Pelican Village.

Just after 1 p.m., people started to gather at the entertainment centre along Princess Alice Highway.

Many of them opting to pause work to view the race, which ended with the island’s first female Olympic track finalist placing seventh with a time of 49.89.

Workers from the Barbados Water Authority, the Bridgetown Port, the Barbados National Standards Institution, Export Barbados and other neighbouring businesses were present to support Williams.

At 2 p.m., when the race began, the cheers and screams from the crowd were deafening and it did not lessen when Williams crossed the finish line second last in the hotly contested event.

Entertainer and attorney-at-law Rhea Layne said she was excited for Williams.

“I wanted to show Sada support and I am happy to see all the Bajans supporting her. I am extremely happy with her performance, I know that she may be disappointed and she may have wished she had medalled, we were all looking forward to that; but it was a great feat for her to be in the finals amongst the best of the best. Regardless, I am very proud,” she said.

President of the Barbados Film and Television Association Jamal Slocombe, who went to school with the track star at Coleridge and Parry, was also jubilant.

“Everyone repping the Bajan colours today was a very good idea . . . I think we need to put more support behind our athletes and let them know that we are celebrating them. I think Bajans supporting Sada in their colours extends beyond her, it speaks to our national pride and who we are as a people. Barbadians always rally behind each other no matter their religious, political or social divide. When it comes to opportunities like this we always come together and celebrate,” he said.

Peter Mayers, who said his sister was an athlete back in the day, said Williams deserved 100 per cent support even though she did not secure a medal.

“She did not have to win but we came to give our full support,” he said. “But I think that her position in lane two was too hard. If she was in lane six or seven, it would have given her some more time to conserve energy.

So for her to make that turn in lane two, it was definitely rough. But I am still pleased, win or lose 100 per cent all the way.”