Government Assists Champion Cyclist

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Friday, 23 November 2012 02:29

By press release

Antigua St. John's - Education and Sports Minister Dr Jacqui Quinn-Leandro has made a timely donation on behalf of the government to one of Antigua’s rising cyclists.

At a simple ceremony in her secretariat on Wednesday, the sports minister presented 21 year old Tamiko Butler with a cheque totaling US$6500 for the purchase of a time-trial bicycle.

Dr Quinn-Leandro said when the appeal was made by fans of Tamiko Butler for the purchase of the bike, government stepped in to play its part in support of local talent.

“Tamiko spans every area of this ministry. She was a physical education teacher and is now an employee of the sports department. She is a brilliant athlete, and I believe her stellar performances will continue with this specialized equipment,” the sports minister added.

For Tamiko Butler’s part, words were not enough to express her appreciation for the donation.

“I am very happy and grateful for this donation. Purchasing a time trial bike is an expensive undertaking, which I could not have done on my own. It will be the first bike of its kind I will own, and with this piece of equipment, I will be able to up my standings in competitions, and be on par with other athletes,” she said.

The 21-year-old cyclist considers this period a blessing, stating that “The company Mike’s Bike out of Trinidad & Tobago from whom I will purchase the time trial bike, has agreed to sponsor me a road bike, so I am very grateful for all of this support.”

As 2012 comes to a close, the young cyclist says while she will enter competitions in 2013, most of her energies will be focused on training, since the year following the Olympics is always considered a slow period. She will spend time in Trinidad doing velodrome training, and preparing also for the CAC and Commonwealth championships among other competitions in 2014.

Tamiko Butler ends 2012 on a high note, securing the win in the Caribbean Cycling Championships women’s 42-mile road race held in October in Antigua.

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