Vincentian named best athlete in history of Int’l School for Sports and PE

Her citation read: “Kathleen James: 29 gold medals at championships of the International School of Physical Education and Sports; holder of all the university records for sprints, relays, high and long jump;{{more}} most outstanding athlete at the XVI International Tournament in Guatemala 2008 with three golds; 4th place in the 3rd ALBA Games 2009 in 200 metres and finalist in the Central American and Caribbean Games in long jump … and considered the best athlete in the history of this university.” But more importantly, she obtained an academic average of 5.1, over the maximum grade of 5.0 points to graduate with a Gold Diploma or Magna Cum Laude.

All these were results chalked up by the former St Vincent and the Grenadines national athlete Kathleen James, who received her gold diploma Friday, July 13, from President of the National Olympic Federation Jose Ramon Fernandez, as Ambassador Dexter Rose and Counsellor Lotier Sotolongo from the Embassy of SVG beamed proudly from the audience.

Katheen’s journey in sports began as a primary student at the South Rivers Primary School, continued at the St Joseph’s Convent, Marriaqua and the SVG Community College before she pursued her five-year programme in Physical Education and Sports in the Republic of Cuba. Now, with her Licentiatura under her belt, she is prepared to continue to contribute toward strengthening the development of sports and physical education back home.

The 8th Graduation Exercise of the EIEFD (Spanish acronym) was held in San Jose de las Lajas in the province of Mayebeque, just outside of Havana City, and saw some 148 students from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean graduating. Of the five most outstanding graduates, two emerged from the Caribbean, while the others hailed from the African continent, including the most exemplary student from Cape Verde.

The International School for Sports and Physical Education was founded by former President Fidel Castro as a means of addressing the shortage of qualified physical education and sporting personnel in the Third World. Five Vincentians have graduated over the last five years and are working here in SVG. The school also boasts graduates from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados amongst its alumni.