(Eleuthera, Bahamas) – They arrived at North Eleuthera Airport two and a half hours late from Nassau, but the excitement in the air as the door of the BahamasAir flight opened at about 9:00am on Wendesday August 23rd, was palpable. It was a coming home of sorts for the 4x400m gold winning relay team with two of its members including, Wemyss Bight native, Chris Brown, coming from this long isle of freedom. The second of the four “Golden Knights” with roots in Eleuthera, is the anchor leg hero of August 10th at the London Olympics, Ramon Miller, whose grandmother comes from Current Island, home to just over 50 Eleutherans.  Along with Grand Bahamians, Demetrius Pinder and Michael Mathieu, the four members of Team Bahamas were greeted with cheers, bright smiles, hugs and lots of demands for autographs and pictures.


(L-R) Administrator for South Eleuthera Cephas Cooper; Micheal Mathieu; Chris Brown; Minister of state for legal affairs and MP for Central and South Eleuthera Damian Gomez; Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Daniel Johnson; MP for North Eleuthera, Theo Neilly; Demetrius Pinder and Ramon Miller.

The positive influence of their achievements was visible on the faces of the many youths who turned out to see their Bahamian heroes.   It was fascinating to see the primary schoolers on the Wemyss Bight park, playing, and on more than one occassion, someone pretending to be “fireman” Chris Brown.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr. Daniel Johnson, accompanied the medal bearing quartet. They were met by all three administrators on the island; Mr. Cephas Cooper from South Eleuthera, Ms. Margaret Symonette from Central Eleuthera and Mr. Jolton Johnson in North Eleuthera.  The new Superintendent of police in Eleuthera and The Berry Islands, Ismella Davis, was present as well as Ms. Jacquie Gibson and Ms. Betty Bethel, Eleuthera Tourism Managers for South and North Eleuthera, respectively.

Mr. Theo Neilly, member of parliament for North Eleuthera and Mr. Damian Gomez, member of Parliament for Central & South Eleuthera and Minister of State for Legal Affairs, accompanied the men to Harbour Island after arrival where they motorcaded around the island, greeting proud Bahamians, before treating the four to breakfast at Ma Ruby’s Tingum Village.


Harbour island Dock was filled with Community Members out to welcome the Knights.

After about two hours in Harbour Island, the motorcade made its way through the towns of Eleuthera, going down small streets and and getting up close and personal with Eleutherans all along the way. By early afternoon they were in Governor’s Harbour where many persons lined the street to reach out and touch the knights.


Bayfront in Governor’s Harbour was lined with local fans of the Golden Knights.

After progressing southward to Rock Sound, the day wrapped up with a small celebration at the Wemyss Bight Park, where a couple hundred persons were on hand to join the community in presenting gifts of appreciation to the track stars, while giving a bit extra to home town icon, Chris Brown. The sign on the entrance to the town will have to be updated to reflect  the golden shine of his newest medal.  Perhaps to entice him back to live on the island in the community where his parents reside, ‘Fireman’ was offered 1,000 building blocks as a gift from Local Government.


A good crowd was  out in Wemyss Bight.

The photos below tell the story from North to South Eleuthera – all 300 plus! The order is:

North Eleuthera Airport, Harbour Island, Governor’s Harbour and Wemyss  Bight.