Olympic Day is celebrated to commemorate the founding of the modern Olympics. It is a day when the world celebrates sports, health and bring together the Olympic Values.
This year, however, in order to maximize the impact of the run and avoid it being just another run, the GNOC organized an ‘Inclusive Health Walk’ by involving all National Sports Associations/Federations and other stakeholders on the Health Walk which began at the Youth Monument in Westfield to the Olympafrica Centre at Serrekunda East Mini Stadium.
Beatrice Allen, president of the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC), in delivering IOC president’s Olympic Day message, said “On Olympic Day we celebrate the creation of the Olympic Movement by our founder, Pierre de Coubertin. This year’s Olympic Day is a very special one taking place just ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics with the excitement building, the athletes, fans and entire Olympic community around the world.”
“All of us are looking forward to a new era of Olympic Games, younger, more inclusive, more urban and more sustainable. The first Olympic Games with full agenda parity, fully in line with Olympics agenda,” she added.
Madam Allen went on to say that, “In Paris, the athletes will fire us with their achievements, by living the Olympic motto, faster, higher, stronger and together.”
She noted that the Olympic Games always build bridges and bring people together in peace and solidarity, adding that, sports inspire people to move and brings out the best in us as well as keep us healthy and brings us together.
Bakary Y. Badjie, the minister of Youth and Sports in his remarks, described the day as an important one in sports, not just in The Gambia but around the world.
Minister Badjie said Olympics is about solidarity, mutual respect and promoting all kinds of sports and our health as individuals.
According to him, Communicable diseases can stay in us without knowing but regular events like the Health Walk can help us manage those diseases.
He congratulated every member of the Olympic family, saying they would continue to celebrate the day with greater success in our sports.
He on behalf of the government assured all sport stakeholders that they (gov’t) would continue to collaborate with them as we all work together to develop sports in the country.
The Youth and Sports minister stated that their focus was on improving infrastructure, noting that Gambian athletes continue to register success globally but investing in infrastructure will also develop local capacities and talents. He concluded by thanking Madam Allen and her executive for their visionary leadership.
