Tahesia Harrigan-Scott (left) and J´maal Alexander

Photo Credit: Comet24

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott (left) and J´maal Alexander

Photo Credit: Comet24

While the BVI Olympic Committee (BVIOC) is yet to officially announce the athletes, coaches and other officials who will represent the Territory at the London Olympics set to start on July 27, UK media reports suggest that J'maal Alexander has joined Tahesia Harrigan-Scott for training ahead of the Games.

ITV News Reporter, Rags Martel reported that both Alexander and Harrigan-Scott will compete in the 100 meters and have been training in a small village in Hertfordshire, where they have been enjoying the local hospitality.

A local official confirmed that Alexander did not meet qualifying standards, but was selected to represent the BVI since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allows each participating country to enter at least one athlete who falls below the Games' qualifying standards.

Harrigan-Scott qualified last year for the games with a time of 11.33 seconds in her 100m season opener in Belem, Brazil.

According to the ITV report, the warm welcome is going some way to help the athletes cope with the miserable British weather.

Alexander said he was finding the cold rain difficult to acclimatise to because "the weather is much much much more cold, because in the Virgin Islands it is hot, even when it is raining it is still hot."

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott said staying with a host family has been a great experience for her and has enabled her to save precious funds.

"Their hospitality is great and to know that they put away their entire schedule to accommodate us and make us feel at home is wonderful," Harrigan-Scott stated.

According to ITV, Pauline Greasby from Aston in Herfordshire said she was happy to open her home to support the athletes.

Another news agency, Comet 24 reported that athletes from the BVI, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Afghanistan were at the Ridlins athletics track to meet dignitaries and chat to reporters.

According to the report, the seven-strong Saint Kitts and Nevis track and field team includes former World 100m sprint champion Kim Collins. The team arrived in England on July 1 and are based at a hotel in Watford while training at the nearby Woodside Stadium.

The Afghanistan team consisting of one judo and two track athletes arrived in the county on Sunday in time to see the Olympic Torch pass through Hatfield where they are staying. They are training at the Hertfordshire Sports Village and Gosling Sports Park in Welwyn GC.