By Robert A Emmanuel
Embraced by friends and family, greeted by government officials and supporters, and welcomed home by the entire Antiguan and Barbudan public, Team Antigua Island Girls returned home from their 41-day trek across the Pacific.
At a special ceremony at the VC Bird International Airport on Tuesday, the three women—Samara Emmanuel, Christal Clashing and Kevinia Francis—spoke about the daunting journey, the inspiration to keep going, and offered a message to others to pursue their dreams.
“We have shown that you can step into spaces where there is no representation and that is something we want to encourage others to do; not because you don’t see yourself in a space that you be deterred from that space.
“We did it so you can do it, so take charge, find a space that you are interested in and step into it – you can do it,” Francis said.
Team Antigua Island Girls took on the ‘world’s toughest row’ – a 2,800-nautical mile journey from California to Hawaii – and completed it in 41 days, seven hours and five minutes.
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the girls who said the last 24 hours were particularly challenging.
The team was originally expected to finish the race between midnight and 2am on Sunday July 23.
However, they were asked to slow down in order to reach their destination later in the morning as the race organisers reportedly understood the importance of the moment for them as well as for tourism officials who were travelling to Kauai to greet the team.
However, the Pacific Ocean had different ideas.
“Our spirits of adventure called us to do this challenge, but our sheer willpower and determination pulled us to the end.
“We thought we had seen it all until that last 24 hours, and it was like she was going to strip us down to our core and test the very mettle of our being.
“In that experience, we thought we had been pushed to the limit, but we had to dig deep and realise we had more within us, and we had more within us, not just for ourselves but for our nation,” Clashing expressed, who added she “regretted” slowing down.
“It took everything in us, even at the end when we crossed the finish line, and they [the race organisers] said ‘okay, you can stop rowing now’, I don’t know, something didn’t click in my brain, and I just kept on rowing,” Emmanuel said.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne spoke about how the women had inspired others, noting their return on Emancipation Day.
“Though we are small, we have the talent, resilience, the courage – and I want each Antiguan and Barbudan to use their successes in conquering both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to use that example to conquer literally every area of endeavour.
“I want to see Antiguans and Barbudans dominating global sports – cricket, basketball, football. Let us not limit our ambition but use this example to expand our national ambition, aspiration for life, to expand our purpose for life and to understand here that we are not just living for ourselves,” the Prime Minister said.
Team Antigua Island Girls aimed to raise US$25,000 to construct a home for girls in conflict with the law and, up to press time, had achieved more than US$22,500towards their goal.
The Prime Minister announced that he and his wife, Minister Maria Browne, were personally donating EC$20,000 towards the cause.
Meanwhile, Senator Samantha Marshall said she was proud of the team for their efforts and emphasised that “while I am the Minister responsible for Social Transformation, I have to give will to your wishes [and] there will be a home identified for our young girls”.
She continued, “You have truly emancipated us, not just as Antiguans and Barbudans but as female Antiguans and Barbudans in this sporting arena.
“We have often heard persons talk and say they will give a contribution, but this is the first that I am experiencing people have been committed, gone out and done what is necessary to make that difference,” Senator Marshall said.
Minister of Sports Daryll Matthew lauded the team’s bravery for “achieving something that most of us would never consider doing”.
“I think this is a clear demonstration of the sort of resilience, the sort of courage, the sort of tenacity that they displayed throughout this row that really ought to be an inspiration to us in our lives; we ought to ask ourselves, why not,” Minister Matthew said.
The team was also treated to a special motorcade from the airport throughout the city of St John’s in their honour.
