CASTRIES, St Lucia: Digicel, proud sponsor of West Indies Cricket, has lined up St Lucia Special Olympics Champion, Shanice Shantelle Stewart, to do the coin toss for the first Digicel Series Twenty20 match, which kicks off today in the Beausejour Cricket Grounds in St Lucia. The accomplished Special Olympics Champion started her athletics career with Special Olympics Jamaica at the age of five – competing and winning medals in various school events. In St Lucia, Ms Stewart continued to win medals both in her school and interschool sports meets – winning a total of 16 gold and four silver medals to date. Digicel Group Head of Sponsorship, Karl Donnelly, said; “We are thrilled to be bringing one of the region’s best athletes to kick off the first match in the Digicel Series 2011. Shanice has excelled across a number of sports fields and we are delighted to have her toss the coin for the first Digicel Twenty20.”
Shanice’s most recent competitive event was the Special Olympics Latin America Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico in February last year. There, Shanice won three medals as follows: gold for the long jump; silver for the 100 metre race and bronze for the 200 metre race.
Speaking ahead of today’s kick off, Ms Stewart said; “I am delighted to have been chosen to toss the coin for the first Digicel Series Twenty20. It’s exciting to have our West Indies team take on Pakistan on home ground and I wish the Windies the very best of luck.”
In addition, Shanice also enjoys a passion for football, playing on her school’s team as well as being a member of the musical band and dance troop. At the St Lucia National Sports Awards held recently, Shanice was recognised for her outstanding performance in Special Olympics.
The Digicel Series – which kicks off tomorrow (April 21) in the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St Lucia – will be supported by three major promotions: ‘Cricket’s Biggest Fan’; ‘Cricket Trivia Chest’ and ‘All In’, all of which will be engaging fans through radio, online and at matches to giveaway fantastic prizes.
‘Cricket’s Biggest Fan’ gives fans the chance to win BlackBerry phones (Digicel’s official handset partner); plasma screen TVs and video game consoles when they go on a ‘Treasure Hunt’ of cricket items in stadiums across all eight Digicel Series markets.