Barbados Today

Olympic-bound triathlete Jason Wilson is about to go where no other person from the Caribbean has gone before.

And he can count on the support of Barbados’ leading telecommunications provider to get him there.

Flow’s newest sporting ambassador was today toasted by management and staff after he returned home from competition in Yokohama, Japan where he secured a coveted berth for the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio. He is now the first person from the Caribbean to qualify for an Olympic triathlon.

“This is the culmination of a two-year journey and a lifelong dream, so of course I’m a little nervous but I’m really inspired to do well,” he said.

The 25-year-old from The Mount, St. George paid an impromptu visit to Flow’s offices in Warrens, as the former St. Michael School student was out on the road putting in some extra miles before he departs the island next week for his Canadian training base in Guelph.

“I have one more event in Sweden before the Olympics which I will use as a final warm-up. From there, it’s sensible training in the hopes of peaking at the Olympics,” he said. 

Wilson now joins local tennis star Darian King, surfer Chelsea Roett and the motorsport father-son duo of Roger and Dane Skeete, on Flow’s roster of sport brand ambassadors.

“I’ve actually competed on the same course in Brazil during an Olympic test event last year and it suits me really well. It’s an open water swim in Copacabana, the bike course is hilly and I’ve been working on my run. It’s also quite windy, so I’m really up for the challenge. I’m also very grateful for the support of Flow because without this kind of funding I probably wouldn’t even be thinking about the Olympics,” added Wilson.

Niall Sheehy, manging director, Flow Barbados, offered his congratulations and words of encouragement.

“Jason is breaking the mould for young triathletes across the Caribbean and we are very proud to officially welcome him to the Flow family. Six months ago, Flow became partners with the Barbados Olympic Association and it gives us great satisfaction to see these kinds of results,” he said.

Flow is also the Caribbean’s exclusive broadcast partner for the upcoming Games between August 5 and 21.

“We wish Jason the very best and we will continue to build meaningful relationships with Barbados’ brightest talents because they inspire us all,” added Sheehy.

Glyne Clarke, manager of Olympic operations at the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA), lauded Flow for its continued investment in sport.

“With the funding we receive from Flow, the BOA is able to do that much more. Combined with what we receive from Olympic Solidarity, we can now maybe send one more hopeful athlete to one more qualifying event,” he said.

“In Jason’s case, we are extremely proud and we feel his success is our success. Over the last four to six years we have enjoyed a very close working relationship with him, and after not qualifying for London, he set about working towards a plan. Every month he sends us a report about his performances and every month he is honest, not just with us, but with himself. It’s very refreshing and we are hugely proud of his accomplishments.”