Top Left: Chris Brown with his mother and daughter. Top right: Chris greets the Principal of Wemyss Bight Primary School, Mrs. Sands. Bottom Left: Michael Coakley, Chris’ former high school coach. Bottom Right: Jacqueline H. Gibson, CHS, General Manager, Central & South Eleuthera Ministry of Tourism.
(Eleuthera, Bahamas) – Celebrated Bahamian athlete, a local Eleutheran, Olympian Chris “Fireman” Brown arrived on island, at about 5 PM on Wednesday, April 9th, with a contingent of international media, showcasing the accomplished quarter mile sprinter in his home, in the run up to the inaugural IAAF World Relays event being held at the national stadium on May 24th and 25th.
Chris Brown along with Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr. Daniel Johnson as well as a group of filmmakers, photographers and international media were met at the Rock Sound airport by a crowd of South Eleuthera residents.
Chris was also accompanied by his wife, Faith and their two young daughters – two year old Zorah and four year old Emerald. A vibrant, melodious Junkanoo group met Brown as he stepped outside the airport made up of adults, school students and young children from the Sr. and Jr. Junkanoo competitions held earlier in the year.
Chris was hugged and greeted with smiles and cheers as he looked on at the familiar Junkanoo display.
Following the Junkanoo rush out at the airport Brown boarded a red truck, one of many vehicles lined up and ready to motorcade through out the communities of South Eleuthera. The parade celebrating the local track star winded it’s way from Rock Sound to Wemyss’ Bight then on to Green Castle and Waterford before heading back into Wemyss’ Bight ending up at the Wemyss Bight park where Chris took the time to relax and chat with his hometown neighbours and friends as refreshments were served.
Chris all smiles with Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr. Daniel Johnson (left) and Danielle Gibson a neighbour and friend also of Wemyss Bight, South Eleuthera (right)
Brown was then further celebrated at a cocktail party held at the Four Points restaurant in Rock Sound where dignitaries, community leaders and visiting guests mingled with the local hero.
Anna Legnani, Deputy Director of Communications with the IAAF, along with Minister Johnson and local dignitaries brought remarks highlighting the amazing accomplishments that Chris has achieved during his track and field career as an international athlete. During the summer of 2012, Chris had a street in South Eleuthera named in his honour.
“London 2012 GOLD, Beijing 2008 Silver, Sydney 2000 Bronze, Four-Time Olympian, Two-Time Hall of Famer – THE FIREMAN” as it says on his twitter profile aptly sums up the highlights of his ongoing career which most recently includes a silver medal in the 400m at the IAAF World Championships in Sopot, Poland, held in March 2014.
Michael Coakley, Chris’ former high school coach pledged to donate several acres in Wemyss Bight for an indoor track facility – a dream of Chris Brown’s and possibly the beginning of the Chris Brown Academy of Track in South Eleuthera.
