Thunderous cheers and screams of delight echoed in Constitution Hall as Jordan Crooks competed in Cayman’s first Olympic swimming final on Friday afternoon.
Though the 22-year-old did not earn a spot on the podium, it did not lessen the intense pride and love supporters showed for Crooks.
“We’re glad. Even though he didn’t get the gold, for us he is gold,” Mitzie Bailey told the Cayman Compass as she waved her Cayman Islands flag in celebration outside the hall.
From as early as 12:30pm, an hour before the race, residents started filling into the hall in anticipation of the event, many waving flags and dressed in Cayman T-shirts.
The event commenced with the National Song and a prayer for gold.
A wave of emotions was unleashed in the George Town hall as residents roared in delight at the sight of Crooks on the large television screen ahead of the 50-metre freestyle event.
Touch-and-go moment
However, there were some tense moments at the government-sponsored watch party as technicians were caught off guard when the television channel they were watching was broadcasting a different event.
The anxious crowd, which filled the hall to standing room only, started pulling out cellphones to try to stream the event as the clock ticked closer and closer to the time for the race.
Paola Robinson was one of those individuals.
She said her husband Craig, who was watching the event from the UK, WhatsApped her and she promptly pulled him up on a video call.
“We did not want to miss watching him live,” she said, adding that her husband shared with her a view of the feed from their TV in the UK.
“With the anticipation and whilst awaiting for the local transmission, we had to jump on the call and feel the excitement – which was shared with those in the Constitution Hall who gathered around to watch from my phone the arrival of the Olympians … We would have not wanted to miss a second of this,” she said.
Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who was seated two rows ahead of her, came over along with Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, Culture Minister Dwayne Seymour and some other supporters as they huddled around her cellphone to catch sight of the Caymanian swimmer.
In what could be described as apparent divine intervention, Crooks suddenly appeared on the big screen in a side-by-side shot with the discus event, when the clock hit 1:30pm for the start of the 50m free.
Pandemonium erupted as supporters leapt out of their seats waving their Cayman Islands flags in celebration, while cheering “Jordan, Jordan!”
Some sighed in major relief, while others held their breaths as the sound of the start buzzer was heard.
People abandoned their seats to cheer Crooks on.
“Come on, come on,” was the simultaneous refrain as Crooks swam his lap in the pool.
O’Connor-Connolly, who said she is a sports lover, also rose in her chair as the race neared the end.
Cheers and claps erupted as he touched the end of the pool.
Pride and joy
Though Crooks did not gain a podium spot, those gathered at the hall still celebrated the momentous occasion.
“I really feel great to know that such a little country like the Cayman Islands was able to really qualify for a final in the Olympics. So that was really great for me,” Merline Jefferson said, as she waved her flag.
Mellony Powell, 10, said she was happy to see Crooks in action and was excited to watch the race.
She said she wanted Crooks to know: “You did really well out there.”
The premier said she was proud of Crooks and the entire Team Cayman contingent.
“Sports has evolved into such a day as today. I always knew that it could bring my country together, but to witness the enthusiasm, the adrenaline, the pride of being Caymanian today … there’s no words I can [use to] adequately describe [it],” O’Connor-Connolly told the Compass after the race.
Among the residents gathered at the watch party was former Olympian Raegan Rutty.
She, together with supporters, celebrated Crooks as they embraced each other and waved their Cayman flags.
Olympic fever also crossed the political divide as Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart joined O’Connor-Connolly in the front row of the hall.
“I’m not at all disappointed with Jordan’s showing today. In my mind, he is our hero. He has done something no other Caymanian has done and, that is, he has made it to the [swimming] finals of an Olympic event. Well done, Jordan. I’m proud of you,” McTaggart said.
Over in Paris, Crooks’ mother Faith and sister Jillian, together with Team Cayman members at the Paris La Defense Arena, celebrated his historic efforts.
Sports Minister Isaac Rankine, who is also in Paris, watched the race in person and welcomed Crooks’ showing on the world stage.
“I am in awe of Jordan,” he said. “He is still young and has much, much more to give to this sport. He made us as a country extremely proud and united in our support. He may not be an Olympic champion (yet), but he is our champion!”
Time stood still
Many offices across the island held their own watch parties, while some workers took a break to throw their support behind Crooks.
At the Cayman Compass, staffers huddled around the newsroom television to cheer Crooks on.
Over on the Sister Islands, Brackers gathered at popular restaurant Barracudas to watch Crooks as he took to the pool.
A watch party was also hosted at the District Administration conference room.
Swanky Kitchen Band, on tour in the US, posted a video of them singing their special adaptation of the lyrics of the traditional ‘Munzie Boat in the Sound’ to show their support for Crooks, and later watched his race live on a laptop computer.
At Hazard Management in Grand Cayman, they showed their support for Jordan pre-race, posting a clip holding letters spelling out “Go Jordan.”
Caymanians around the world huddled around televisions to watch the historic event.
Caymanian filmmaker Frank E. Flowers, who is in Australia filming his movie ‘The Bluff’, said he and his family were watching the race.
“It is 4:30am here in Australia but we set the alarms to wake up and watch with our daughter. [It is] such a beautiful milestone showcasing Caymanian excellence, and the whole Flowers family is so incredibly proud of Jordan,” he said.
O’Connor-Connolly wished the Caymanian athletes the best in the remaining Olympic events.
“The biggest thing was to get the people behind the athletes and I think that today is historic, not just for Jordan, but for all of the athletes to realise that iron sharpens iron and with the support of the people, Cayman will go and do like the rest of the world. There are no boundaries,” she said.
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