Commonwealth champ Spencer given hero’s welcome on return

VIEUX FORT, St. Lucia (CMC) – History-making high jumper Levern Spencer was given a grand reception after returning home on Thursday, following her successful outing at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.
After touching down at the Hewanorra International Airport, the 33-year-old was met by acting Prime Minister Stephenson King, acting Sports Minister Lennard Montoute, along with Fortuna Belrose, local government and culture minister and president of the St. Lucia Olympic Committee.
Spencer was then feted in a short welcome ceremony before being taken amidst fanfare in a motorcade to Castries, where she was the centre of the celebrations staged in the Derek Walcott Square.
“For our country, at this time, you have emphasised the attributes and values we need to maintain and inculcate for sustainable success for our people,” Belrose told Spencer.
“You have also through this brought our reality as a people and nation into sharp focus.”
Spencer ended the country’s 56-year wait for a Commonwealth Games gold medal when she won the women’s high jump in Gold Coast last weekend.
Following bronze medals in the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and Glasgow, Spencer measured 1.95 metres to top the podium for the first time.
The Pan American Games champion in 2015, Spencer said her achievement belonged to the entire nation.
“I trust that it was a proud moment for all St. Lucians as it was for me,” Spencer said.
“Because this is all that I have sought to do for my professional career, that is to place St. Lucia on top of the world and to show that, despite our size, we can soar to great heights.”
She said the Commonwealth gold represented the fulfillment of one of her major dreams.
“I am glad that one of my big sporting dreams have now been realised in that after two previous bronze medals in 2010 and 2014, I brought home a Commonwealth gold medal, something I will forever cherish,” Spencer stressed.