The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and BVI athletes honored with commemorative stamps.

The BVI Postal Administration has released four new stamps in commemoration of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the BVI's national Olympic living heroes. The Beijing 2008 Olympic logo and the Royal Cypher (the sovereign's monogram) appear on each of the four stamps.

Featured on two of the four stamps, is the image of 2008 IAAF World Indoor Track and Field Championship bronze medalist Tahesia Harrigan, one of two BVI Olympic athletes who hoped to bring home medals from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the 100 meters sprint. (She was eliminated from participating in the semi finals after coming in 5th in the second round heat.) Harrigan, ranked among the top 30 100-meter sprinters in the world in 2007.

The 18-cent stamp features Robbie Hirst , a two-time Olympian, sailing with his crew during the IC24 Class in the Nation's Cup in 2007. Hirst, competed in the laser class in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games and secured the BVI first World Championship medal at any level when he won a silver medal in the International Sailing Federation ISAF Youth Championships.

John Shirley is featured on the $1 stamp. The image depicts Shirley during the Queen's Baton Relay in a tour of Road Harbor in 2005. He was part of the BVI's 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games sailing team.

Both Robbie Hirst and John Shirley are active in sailing and have sailed together in the BVI Spring Regatta, winning their division on several occasions.

According to Deputy Postmaster Goldie Gumbs, this is an historic milestone, having been granted permission through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to feature living people, for the first time on the territory stamps.

Stamp collectors can purchase sets and first-day covers at the Philatelic Bureau, located within the General Post Office at 84 Main Street, Road Town, the Post Shop at Lettsome International Airport and at The Valley, Virgin Gorda.

For more information contact the BVI Philatelic Society, P.O. Box 704, Road Town, Tortola, BVI, issun@candwbvi.net

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Commemorative Stamps
Images courtesy of BVI Postal Administration

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