NAGICO Insurances is sponsoring local Burton Theodora, who will be travelling to the Dominican Republic this week to undergo rigorous training in his attempt to qualify for the 50 meter swimming distance in the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Theodora, who is a Coast Guard by profession, has earned several titles in the past, including a gold medal in the 2008-2009 Antillean Championship, a bronze medal in the 2007 Bangkok Open World Championship and several other medals locally.
"He will leave for the training camp where he will undergo very hard training for a week, then he will move on to Aruba where he will have his first official timing to see if he qualifies for the Olympic Games," Aartwichgt Bell, President of the St. Maarten Sports Federation, explained.
Theodora needs to shave off about 2 seconds from his personal best to meet the Olympic mark. "It will be very hard, but I plan to do my best," he said. "I am very happy that NAGICO decided to sponsor me especially since they are my insurer, so I am going to make them proud."
Executive Marketing Manager of NAGICO Insurances; Paul Dijkhoffz presented Theodora with a cheque to cover his expenses for the training camp. "We are always pleased to support our athletes and especially those who have a chance of representing us at the highest level" he said. As a former national team player (field hockey) himself, Dijkhoffz knows the importance of supporting local athletes that aim to represent their country at an Olympic level and said to Theodora "We hope to hear great things from you."
The London Olympic Games will be the last Olympic event where athletes from the former Netherlands Antilles will go as part of the Netherlands Antilles Olympic Committee (NAOC), which will be disbanded afterwards.
If Theodora’s official time in Aruba meets the Olympic mark, it will make him the only athlete from St. Maarten that will participle in the 2012 Olympic Games.