Chat-bout.net - Beijing stars on commemorative stamps

Beijing stars on commemorative stamps

Jamaica's heroes from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were officially honoured with commemorative stamps at the launch on Friday at the Central Sorting Office, South Camp Road in St Andrew. Nine athletes who did well at that Olympics had their images on stamps.

The athletes honoured were, Usain Bolt, Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Asafa Powell and Melaine Walker.

"It is not by accident that we honour the athletic heroes of Jamaica's historic 2008 Beijing Olympics performances. They are being honoured today for the tremendous value of those exploits to Jamaicans at home and on those around the world," Minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Sports, Natalie Neita Headley, told the gathering.

"Forbes Magazine has listed Usain Bolt as the 63rd highest earner in sport globally and the joint fifth highest earner in sports if we look at endorsements only. We are all aware of the substantial earnings of Chris Gayle in the Indian Premier League and other cricket competitions and his status as the most feared batsman globally. We have netballers earning in the professional league in Australia and New Zealand and basketball players earning in the NBA and other major leagues around the world as well as several Jamaican footballers playing in professional leagues across the globe," she said.

Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, opposition spokeperson for sports, pointed out that the initiative came after Jamaica's achievement at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, but it took a while to put everything in place. Now it's a reality.

Recognised

Sherone Simpson and Nesta Carter, two of the athletes who are featured on the stamps were in attendance and accepted framed photos of the stamps.

"Having our images on the stamps is really good and I am happy that we (the athletes) have been recognised in such a way because I really think we try to represent our country and do our country proud. To have us on stamps going all over the world I think that is really good. We really appreciate it," Simpson who won silver in the women's 100 metres in Beijing said.

The Jamaica Gleaner.

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