This is Elliott Denman’s sixth column on the 2024 Paris Olympics! Elliott is our most enduring writer, having written for American Athletics in 1990, American Track & Field, 1994-2016, and RunBlogRun since 2007. Elliot Denman was a 1956 Olympian at the 50k race walk.
”SANTA LUCIA, SANTA LUCIA.”
STILL REVERBERATING,
FROM THE BRONX TO PARIS
By ELLIOTT DENMAN
Way back when….
Not all the grammar school kids at Public School 21, 225th Street,
The Bronx, New York, appreciated being called to the auditorium
and asked to chorus out as one, with appropriate gusto, the
words of “Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.”
And in Italian.
Which translated as follows:
“On the sea, it shines the silvery star, the wave is placid, the wind is prosperous,
on the sea, it shines the silvery star, the wave is placid, the wind is prosperous,
come y’all to my boat, Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia! “
(Thanks to the Evokfas Co. for those translated lyrics.)
My long-remembered personal view: “Hadn’t our teachers ever heard of separation of church and state?”
Well, a whole lot of years have flown by. I eventually learned we weren’t
singing a hymn. This had nothing to do with religion,
After many trips around the sun, I’ve broadened my view.
I can now tell you that “Santa Lucia” is a terrific, inspirational tune. And ecumenical.
Mario Lanza, Luciano Pavarotti, Sergio Franchi, et al, have worked their
vocal wonders with “Santa Lucia” over the years.
And, if you’re any kind of an Olympic fan, you’ll be wanting to join the
“Santa Lucia” chorus regularly now, too
Thank you, then, Ms. Julien Alfred.
Her Southeast Caribbean island of Saint Lucia is a long, long way from the heel and boot of the Italian peninsula. But the connection is beginning to ring out.
It took just 32.80 seconds at Stade de France to happen.
After claiming the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter dash final at the Paris Games, a clear winner over USA’s hugely heralded Sha’Carri Richardson, Ms. Alfred returned to the stadium and its 75,000-plus daily, totally-immersed track fans to take silver and beat all the world with the sole exception of USA’s Gabby Thomas.
Of course, those gold and silver medals prompted inquiries in various directions.
Who is this young lady? Where’d she come from? Just how in the world did she get so fast? And – most often – just where is this place named Saint Lucia?
It didn’t take long for the prying…
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