Antiguan Sailor to receive honour from Queen Elizabeth II this week
One of Antigua and Barbuda’s former Olympians will add another achievement to his extensive sporting resume as he will be honoured by Queen Elizabeth II this week.
Veteran sailor turned sailor instructor Karl James, in 2019, made the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List, where he was selected to receive the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to sailing and national development.
The MBE is one of five classes of appointment to the Order of The British Empire.
The awards ceremony had to be postponed due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom.
He will join the prestigious company as a national hero and world-famous cricketer, Sir Vivian Richards, the only other Antiguan athlete to be honoured by the Queen.
"That is pretty special because when one looks at all the people who practice sports and who have achieved in sports and to be the second Antiguan to receive Queen honours, it's exceptional. Just when you think that all your work may be unseen within your country and then someone from overseas would have thought that this work you have done deserves to be honoured in that way, then it's a remarkable thing," he added.
A two-time Olympian in the Laser Class, James started sailing in Antigua at the age of 12, when the largest yacht in English Harbour was 60 feet.
Since then, he has achieved multiple awards in various sailing classes, both as a helmsman and professional crew, competing internationally in over 75 countries.
In the more significant Caribbean, he is recognised as a pioneer in sailing education, holding the position of manager of the Dinghy Sailing Program at the Antigua Yacht Club for almost 30 years developing local youth, aged six to 25, into the sport.
James left the country on Sunday for the UK as the awards are scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
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