STUDENT FEEDS APPETITE FOR SUCCESS
WELCOME to the Gold Coast, Jamaica – let’s party! Just don’t forget to bring Celia Innerarity’s banana chips.
Bond University’s one and only Jamaican student has invited her Commonwealth Games team to a Caribbean-infused free concert marking the launch of the 2018 Bleach* festival at 5pm tonight.
The festival’s opening act at Bond is the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, playing the rhythms of a unique musical style that originated in Jamaica in the 1950s.
Celia is a former massage therapist with the Jamaican national team and will be catching up with some athletes this weekend to collect a fresh supply of banana chips direct from the island nation.
“Everyone who is coming is bringing me Jamaican food,” Celia said. “It’s just something about the banana chips that we make at home.”
Celia is also giving a presentation to the team at Jamaica Manor, the country’s hospitality house during the Games.
“I’ve been in touch to invite the team to the concert tomorrow but I think they’re quite focussed on the Games right now,” she said.
“Usain (Bolt) was the one that gave the impression (the team likes to party) but he’s not arriving until next week. I think the parties will come later.”
Celia is from Spanish Town, near Kingston, and is studying a Masters in nutrition.
She switched from massage therapy after a fateful trip with Jamaican athletes.
“I was travelling with the team when we went to the World Games and the food wasn’t that great,” she said.
“The athletes were making it to the finals but because they didn’t eat, they didn’t perform that well and in Jamaica that is the worst thing in the world.
“So that’s what got me interested in nutrition.”