Sports

Virgin Islander Nikole Barnes Qualifies for 2021 Tokyo Olympics; She's Also the First Active Duty U.S. Coast Guard Officer to Compete in the Olympic Games in Any Sport

The 2021 470 World Championship fleet racing series concluded Friday, completing the third and final stage of the U.S. Sailing Team’s Olympic Selection series. At the conclusion of the qualifying series, U.S. Coast Guard LTJG Nikole ‘Nikki’ Pern Bareuther Barnes (St. Thomas, USVI) and Lara Dallman-Weiss (Hugo, Minn.) had 97 points and stand in seventh place. This position guarantees them the lowest point total of the three competing USA 470 women’s teams and qualifies them to be nominated as the US representatives in the Women’s 470 for the Tokyo 2021 Games, which takes place July 23-August 8. Ms. Barnes is also the first active duty U.S. Coast Guard officer – man or women – to compete in the Olympic Games in any sport. She is currently stationed in Miami, FL, and will make LT in May. Since she is living and stationed in Miami, Ms. Barnes is competing for the US rather than the USVI. As of Friday afternoon, all 11 scheduled races are complete for the three fleets racing at the 2021 4...