NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) – The Bahamian 2008 Olympic medallists, including triple jump third-place finisher Leevan Sands, have been rewarded for their achievements by the local Chinese Community Association of The Bahamas (CCAB). A total of US$13 000 was awarded to the Olympic medallists with six members of the 4×400-metre silver medal relay team each receiving US$2 000.

The CCAB had pledged – before the Beijing Games – to reward individual athletes and relay teams for any medals won in Beijing and they have now handed over the monetary prizes.

Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas Dingxian Hu officially made the presentation on behalf of CCAB president Brian Wang to The Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA).

The 1600-metre relay squad was Andretti Bain, Michael Mathieu, Andre Williams, Chris Brown Avard Moncur, Ramon Miller.

Bain, Mathieu, Williams, and Brown ran the final as the Caribbean side clocked two minutes 58.03 to finish runners-up to the USA, who clocked an Olympic record 2:55.39 in victory.

For his bronze medal effort of 17.59 metres in Beijing behind Portugalxs Nelson Evora (17.67m) and Britainxs Phillips Idowu (17.62m), Sands received US$1 000 from the CCAB, which brought his total to US$6 000 in incentives from corporate Bahamas.