Caymanian doctors Kristina Bramwell and Carl Brown have described being part of Team Cayman at the 2024 Olympics in Paris as an honour they will never forget.
“It is a very exciting time. I mean, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m really, really glad to be here,” Bramwell, who is a part of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee team in Paris, told the Cayman Compass via Zoom on 31 July from the Olympic village.
Amazing opportunity
The medical duo, both of whom work at the Health Services Authority, were charged with caring for the physical welfare of Cayman’s top athletes performing on the global stage.
While carrying out their professional duties to keep Cayman’s athletes safe and well at the Olympics, the magnitude of being at the world’s greatest sporting event was not lost on them.
“I’m absolutely honoured to be here and I’m very, very proud of our athletes … they are a really impressive group of young people. They’ve worked so hard, they’re representing the country, and they’re doing well,” Brown, the team physician, said.
Both Bramwell and Brown have been working with the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee for some time and are no strangers to travelling with Team Cayman to international meets.
However, they both say Paris has been a special experience.
Bramwell said she did not expect to attend the Olympics when she started volunteering with the committee.
“It just wasn’t really on my radar. I’m glad it is now, but it definitely wasn’t on my radar by any stretch of the imagination before,” she said.
Bramwell, the team physiotherapist, said she had been working for years with Cayman Islands Olympic Committee Chef de Mission Shakeina Bush, who is also a former Caymanian athlete, when the invitation to attend the Olympics was extended to her.
Naturally, it was an offer that could not be refused.
“This is really a cool opportunity to be on the international stage, and really see some of the big powerhouse countries that you don’t normally see at smaller multisport games, like the USA and Canada, etc. So it’s really been an exciting time and it’s a little bit hard sometimes not to, kind of, fan girl when you walk past somebody in the dining hall, like [Canadian sprinter Andre] De Grasse,” she said.
Brown said being able to meet the Canadian medallist was a personal highlight of the trip and it all happened by chance.
“We kind of just bumped into him, like shoulder to shoulder, almost passed him, and we had to take that opportunity to try and talk to him. To just tell him that we’ve been watching his career and try and get a picture. I mean [famous athletes] are all over the place. It’s quite amazing,” he said.
Serious role, memorable occasion
Both Bramwell and Brown said they were impressed with the organisation of the events and all the support that was afforded to athletes at the Olympics through the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee.
The atmosphere, though thick with competition, has been one of joviality and camaraderie.
“It’s difficult to describe. I mean, the place is teeming with elite athletes. They are very, very strong and healthy people and they just fill in the streets. People are excited, they gather in all the social areas to exchange information, talk about the games, the areas where they go when they gather to watch the games,” he said.
Brown was also at the Olympics on behalf of the Cayman Anti-Doping Commission and had to accompany athletes for anti-doping testing if and when the need arose.
He said the experience has been a bit of an eye-opener on sports and sportsmanship on the global stage.
“There’s a bit of tension as well,” he said. “All in all, very exciting atmosphere, maybe a bit of euphoria. It’s quite an almost unreal atmosphere. You have so many countries all gathered together for one common sort of goal. It’s not something that you see every day.”
Both Bramwell and Brown described the opening ceremony of the games as one of the proudest moments they have experienced.
Bramwell said while she was not able to ride on the boat with Team Cayman in the parade along the Seine, watching the Cayman Islands flag flying among the world’s greatest athletes was a touching moment.
“It’s nice that we had our own boat because, even though it was small and we’re small, I feel like we were really focused on when our name was announced and the flag was being waved. It was really exciting,” she said, adding that there was a big sense of pride seeing it all unfold.
Brown, who accompanied the team on the boat, said looking out from the water to see the reaction from the thousands of people at the ceremony left him in awe.
“It was special, this particular opening ceremony, because it took place over a long stretch of water,” he said, adding that at intervals along the river, massive crowds had gathered.
“It was quite a spectacle. It was a very beautiful experience,” he said.
Love and support welcomed
Bramwell said she has been collecting trading pins from countries of her ancestry, which she has recently discovered through a DNA test.
Bramwell and Brown said the main focus remains Team Cayman and while they are all zeroed in on the games and working constantly, they are also enjoying the experience.
They said everyone on Team Cayman was touched by the community’s support and they all enjoyed seeing the messages and love from their home country on social media.
Jillian Crooks, who popped in on the interview, sent her love to the Cayman Islands for the support.
“I would like to say just thank you 345 for always supporting our athletes and always being there,” she said, as she made a heart gesture with her hands.
Bramwell and Brown said when they get down time after the competition they plan to explore the beauty of Paris.
Related Videos
