Cayman’s ‘golden’ girl returns home
(CNS): Cayman’s elite athlete and first ever Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Cydonie Mothersill, came home to a hero’s welcome on Wednesday evening when she landed at Owen Roberts International Airport. The sprinter who powered to the top of the podium in the 200 metre finals in Delhi on Monday was greeted by family, friends and many cheering fans as well as a few dignitaries as she arrived home wearing her medal. Government officials say the premier and the sports ministry will host a public tribute to Mothersill in Heroes Square on Monday. As she stepped down from the aircraft yesterday night Mothersill waved at the supporters in the airport gallery who had come out to greet her. Her message on returning home: “Never give up.” (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
The 32 year old sprinter certainly hasn’t and the commonwealth gold is the icing on the cake of what has been one of Mothersill’s best ever seasons. She won the 200 metre final in 22.8 seconds, beating England’s Abiodun Oyepitan. The win was an emphatic one for Mothersill, who told Cayman27 (see video below) after the race that she knew she was going to win as she had the desire in her heart and no one was going to pass her.
With Cayman’s small population Mothersill’s gold medal-winning performance attracted a lot of media attention and placed the Cayman Islands on the map. When interviewed by the international press this week Mothersill said that she had faced the challenges because she had “Cayman soul”.“Cydonie’s win is a significant achievement – one of national pride. It is therefore fitting that we honour her with a public event. In addition, celebrating such an accomplishment nationally will show our children the heights to which they too can aspire,” said Sports Minister Mark Scotland.
Category: Sports
Well Done Cydonie!
Very proud of you!! Congrats.
Congrats Cydonie and welcome home! We are very proud of you.
Congrats Cydonie!! Your drive determination and pesistence has paid off well for you and you are a great role model to our youngsters.
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Humility and hardwork surely pays off. Congrats my friend. All the best to you, well deserved. I want to see you in London-2012, I just know the prices of the tickets today….i will be in the front row Gods willing..i am sure you will be there too….just continue the good work.
Welcome back Cydonie and CONGRATS once again on a job well done. Now that you are back home put up your feet and chill then fly off to a well deserved vacation.
We are all very proud of you……………………
Huge congrats Cydonie!
That girl is so dangerous, that girl is so dangerous, that girl is so dangerous!!
congrats Cydoniie
I Like Cydonie’s motto "never give up".
Persistence is a virtue and the halmark of success. I read a story about Winston Churchill once. It goes like this:
During the dark days of world war ii, Winston Churchill was sheduled to address a gathering of the top brass of his army officers. When they gathered in the hall eagerly awaiting his presentation he arrived.
He then gave his speech. his speech was"
"NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER GIVE UP!"
Young people and all others who are struggling to make something of themselves in Cayman today should emulate Cydonie’s persistence.
Congratulations Cydonie! You make us all proud. Continue to be the example you are to all Caymanians that with perseverance all things are possible!
I was on the same flight to Cayman last night as Cydonie. I was a number of rows away from her, else would have probably cracked a few ribs giving her a bear hug 🙂
When the ground crew opened the door of the aircraft, they grabbed the microphone and welcomed home Cayman’s first Commonwealth Gold Medallist.
The passengers burst into spontaneous applause… boy, what a proud and positive moment for all of us !
I then walked down the steps to see the CIOC and others on the tarmac, but particularly noticeable was Minister Mark Scotland.. boy, what a smile was on his face… what a wonderful duty for the Minister of Sports to have, to give that welcome home.
Let’s hope we, as a country, can continue to see the value in sports on many levels and keep investing in our youth at all levels, including future gold medallists.
My personal mission is to see our 50 meter swimming pool built to that our schools have the space to "waterproof" all our school children as part of the curriculum… but how about if that increased number of Caymanian children learning to swim in a formal programme results in more gold medals.. that would be a nice by-product surely ?
Yes, it will cost a few million, but it will be a joint venture between the Government and private sector and will be built cost-effectively, on budget and on time. Lets make this initiative, and other like it, happen.. and we may see more such welcome ceremonies in future !
I am overjoyed at this!!!! After reading so much about wheelings and dealings, and bunglings and downright stupidity and fraudsters here is someone who deserves recognition and admiration. She who makes sense and runs the talk.
I’m serious – let;s name a holiday after her. That would certainly be an honor. What a Cayman hero.
Congrats, Cydonie! A wonderful accomplishment and we are all celebrating with you!
CNS, as always thank you for the accurate and appropriate reporting. It was bad enough to see an outdated photo on the front page of the Compass yesterday where Cydonie was not crossing the Delhi finish line in first place, but the Editorial in today’s Compass is simply embarrassing.
In an apparent attempt to save face (and an incredibly defensive one at that) they have written that the choice of photo was due to not receiving a recent one in time and also "to show just how far Cydonie has come in two short years; she has gone fromwinning the Bronze [at the Olympic Games in Beijing] to bringing home the gold."
Tsk tsk again, Compass, Cydonie won the bronze at the 2001 IAAF World Championships in 2001 in Edmonton, not in Bejing, where she placed a very impressive 8th in the final (less than one second behind first place as well!). Try again.
WooooooHooooooo. Go Cydonie! I have supported you from day one. No lie.
Congratulations Ms. Mothersill,
You stand as a testament to the mantra, "Never Give Up"…You have been training and racing for many years and it seemed that many times you were "almost there", and I am sure, you could have, after many, many disappointing times, when you gave Everything you had in you and seemed to just come close, politely bowed out and "retired" and No One could have spoken a cross word…BUT YOU DID NOT….you hung in there and Trained HARDER and NEVER GAVE UP…and finally after so many years, YOU have reaped your reward…Young people of Cayman, THIS is the type of person you should be modeling yourselves after….
Ms. Mothersill, I STAND…. AND SALUTE YOU!!…
A true champion, a gracious lady who took the time to speak with everyone, sign autographs and have pictures taken with anyone who wanted to. We are so proud of you Cydonie, you are an inspiration to all but especially young Caymanian women. I have never been so proud of my country.
Welcome home and well done!
Only a few ‘dignitories’ – the rest are travelling. You made it home before they did and with so much more!
Congratulations and every happiness and success in your future – you deserve it!
Can anyone verify that Cydone is being paid well as other athletes. they usually get a hefty amount as the winners. I mean besides the gold medal?
The "Purchase Agreements" made with each of the athletes were available online at the Brighter Futures website during the previous Administration. I had a quick look but don’t see them anywhere currently. I’ll get back to you though as I think they might make for interesting reading.
She certainly deserves to be rewarded for her accomplishments. I was on the same flight as Cydonie and I was saddened to see that (1) she was on AA not CAL and (2) she was in Coach and not First Class. I wonder what class our MLAs usually fly?
Or the Olympic Committee members….