Team TTO | Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee | teamtto.org

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Story by: Nicholas Clarke

The T&T Cycling Federation has appointed local Desmond Dickie to serve as its interim national coach with the goal of helping the country’s cyclists qualify for the London Olympic in 2012. This was announced in a statement by the Federation’s public relations officer Richard Jiminez yesterday. As part of his seven month contract, Dickie will be working alongside the TTCF’s racing committee to train and prepare the country’s senior team for the upcoming Pan American Games in Medellin, Columbia in May, which will serve as a qualifier for the Olympics. He will also work closely with the junior team before it travels to Argentina this month for the Junior Pan Ams.

Dickie’s appointment comes five months after TTCF High Performance Manager Erin Hartwell was dismissed from his post when the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts deemed him to be “unqualified.” Among Dickie’s certifications include a USA Cycling Expert Coaching licence, a Canadian Coaching Level Four licence and an Elite Level One USA Cycling Association.

During a career spanning over 30 years, he has enjoyed success as the national coach of Canada and the USA as well as coach of the Hong Kong team. He has trained an elite field of world renown cyclists including countryman Gene Samuel, who won the Kilo, Sprints and Points Race under his watch at the 1986 Central American Games, 2000 Olympic Sprint Gold medalist Marty Nothstein of the USA and 2008 World Championships Kerin winner Jennie Read. President of the T&T Cycling Federation Rowena Williams said she was convinced that Dickie was the right man for the job.

“We need to have our cyclists prepared for the Pan Am Games and we don’t have much time,” she said. “He has had success on the international stage over a number of years and he has the experience and qualifications we are looking for right now to meet our needs. Him being born a Trinidadian will also be a plus.” Williams added that the Federation would assess his performance in October to determine whether to extend his contract or “begin looking for someone new.”

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay at SportAccord in London

The British Olympic Association's (BOA) thin case for more money from London 2012 can today be exposed by insidethegames, who can reveal exclusively, for the first time, the full damning details containined in the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) judgement on the row.

The BOA have ignored the IOC's ruling and have decided to take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to adjudicate, even though the IOC clearly states that they have the final say in their any disputes arising from the Joint Marketing Programme Agreement (JMPA), which was signed six years ago after London were awarded the Olympics and Paralympics.

The nine-page ruling signed by Urs Lacotte, the director general of the IOC, and Howard Stupp, its director of legal affairs, and sent to the BOA and London 2012 on March 18, provides any little evidence that the BOA's appeal to CAS will succeed - even if it does get that far.

It says: "Clause 15.6 (c) of the JMPA reads as follows: 'should any dispute not be resolved bythe respective officials of the NOC and the OCOG within 30 days of reference to them,then either party may give written notice to the other requiring that the dispute be solelyand exclusively resolved by the IOC. The decision of the IOC will be final and bindingon the parties and it is agreed that neither party will institute or maintain proceedings. in any court or tribunal other than as set forth herein'. Based on that clause, the IOC'sultimate jurisdiction over this dispute is clearly established. By sending submissions andparticipating in the proceedings, the parties have also confirmed that they recognise thejurisdiction of the IOC."

The row, which has left BOA chairman Colin Moyninah isolated both domestically and internationally, is set to dominate the start of the SportAccord International Convention due to take place here at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel this week.

The fact that the affair is overshadowing the event, which features 1,500 of the world's leading decision makers in world sport, and was originally designed to showcase London's preparations for next year's Olympics and Paralympics is said to have irritated IOC President Jacques Rogge, who is due to arrive here today.

David Hemery, the vice-chairman of the BOA, revealed last week that he had written an open letter to Britain's Olympics sports in which he insisted the BOA was led to believe the "real prize" from the Games would be a "significant financial legacy" and that they did not know that they would only receive any prize after the Paralympics had taken place.

"Our board would never have so enthusiastically voted in favour of the proposal if we anticipated that in fact there would be no balanced budget, with no sporting legacy beyond buildings in London," wrote Hemery.

"To assert we knew this all along is an insult to the common sense decision making of the Board members of that time."

Yet the IOC ruling makes it clear that this situation had been in place for nearly a decade even when London were bidding for the Games and that the BOA Board should have known that.

It says: "As a result of the IOC 2000 Commission Recommendations, the IOC and theInternational Paralympic Committee ('IPC') entered, on 19 June 2001, into an agreementregarding the organisation of the Paralympic Games ('IOC-IPC Agreement'). As set forth in this agreement, 'the IOC recognises the need to assist the IPC to secure andprotect the organisation of the Paralympic Games'.

"As a consequence, since 2001, all cities bidding to host the Olympic Games have totender for both the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games on an integrated basis. This has been reflected in the first host city contract signed after that date, i.e. the HostCity Contract for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in the year 2008, signed on 27 June2001: 'the Paralympic Games shall be organised by the OCOG approximately ten daysfollowing the conclusion of the Games'. Therefore, the staging and organising of theParalympic Games is now an integral part of the obligations undertaken by an OCOG under the Host City Contract.

"In this respect, all candidate cities and NOCs bidding to host the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games have to submit their proposed budget for the two Games in aformat set out in the IOC Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire. This mandatory format reflects the basic accounting principle that the budgets for the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games should be integrated so as to result in a single, overall surplus (or deficit). According to the 'Detailed Olympic Games budget' template(OCOG budget) provided by the IOC in the 2012 Candidature Procedure andQuestionnaire, on page 98, the operational costs of the Paralympic Games are part of the expenditures in the OCOG budget. The Paralympic Games costs are defined as being the 'costs specifically attributable to the Paralympic Games' for which the candidatecities were required to "provide a subsidiary schedule that details these costs, if not separately included in the other expenditure line items of the budget, including anydirect contribution from the OCOG to the Paralympic Games'. Clearly in the case ofLondon 2012, only a portion of the Paralympic Games costs is contained in this subsidiary schedule, the remainder being included in items related to the Olympic Games, like the preparation of venues.

"Consistent with the IOC requirements set out in the IOC 2012 Candidature Procedureand Questionnaire, the city of London, in its Candidature File, has approached therunning of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games on an integrated basis andhas operated so as to stage both Games from one budget. The forecast budget for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games provided by the city of London and the BOA in their Candidature File envisaged an integrated accounting across both eventsresulting in the determination of single 'surplus' (or deficit) of LOCOG at the time of its dissolution."

The IOC points out that every Olympics since Salt Lake City in 2002 had understood this principle.

It says: "In all these cases, the OCOGs and their respective NOCs understood the "surplus" asbeing the financial result from the staging of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games combined. Each time as well, the surplus was shared accordingly.

"If the IOC would follow the interpretation of the BOA, it would be the first time that the word 'surplus' would be understood and applied differently from the time that the hostcities had the obligation to stage the Olympic Games as well as the Paralympic Games."

The IOC warns that if this principle is not followed then the future of the Paralympics could be in jeopardy and that the IPC is closely involved in the selection of the host city.

It says: "The IOC introduced the obligation to organise both the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games in order to help the IPC financially to stage its event, the money spent for the preparation and the organisation of the Olympic Games contributing to stage the Paralympic Games at reduced cost. It is therefore quite reasonable that thes ame spirit of solidarity prevails in the relation of an OCOG and its NOC, the moneyraised in relation with the Olympic Games serving to finance the Paralympic Games,and a possible surplus being established in consideration of the total cost of the OlympicGames and Paralympic Games combined.

"The IPC is associated with the IOC for the selection of the host cities withrepresentation in the Evaluation Commission, and for the preparation of the Olympicand Paralympic Games with representation in the Coordination Commission. These two activities of the IOC are included in a budget called 'cost of the Games' which is finally covered by the Olympic Movement from the money produced by the sale of the TV rights. This TV money is only produced by the Olympic Games but also covers costs related to the Paralympic Games. This confirms that the calculation of a global surplusresulting from the staging of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games make sense.This is even more so because the Olympic Movement also includes some IFs and NOCs which are not involved in the Paralympic Games, as sport for handicapped persons intheir country is run by separate organisations."

The IOC also points out that it would be in its own financial interest for the surplus to be distributed before the cost of the Paralympcis are taken into account but that it will not do that.

It says: "According to Clause 43 of the HCC (Host City Contract), the IOC is also entitled to a share of 20 per cent of the surplus resulting from the celebration of the Games. The IOC would therefore have interest to understand the word 'surplus' in the same way as the BOA. However it cannot and does not do so, as it has always interpreted this word as the financial result of the two Games which are integrated and form a global obligation for the OCOG. Otherwise, this would lead to a different result for the 2012 London Olympic Games than applied with respect to all the Olympic Games from 2002 to 2010.

"For all the reasons referred to above, the IOC has no hesitation to determine that theword "surplus" in the JMPA has to be interpreted as the financial result of staging theOlympic and Paralympic Games combined. The IOC feels comfortable to do so as theparties and their leaders at the time, which were familiar with the organisation of previous Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, cannot have understood it differently."

Source: www.newsday.co.tt


By Andre Bagoo


ON WHAT he described as a “red letter day” for the country, Sports Minister Anil Roberts yesterday unveiled the State’s two-year plan for the construction of close to $1.4 billion worth of sporting facilities including a velodrome (for cycling), a tennis centre, a swimming centre in honour of Olympian George Bovell III and community sports facilities across the country.

“We are going to take sport to the people,” Roberts said at a post-Cabinet briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, as he made the announcement on the day when Bovell III won gold in the 50m freestyle at an international swimming meet in Madrid, Spain. (See Page 38A)

With the ugly spectre of Udecott’s unfinished $1.1 billion sporting complex at Tarouba still looming, Roberts announced that the State would push forward with plans to construct an aquatic centre in Bovell III’s honour at the site that had been earmarked at Mucurapo since Bovell III won bronze at the Athens Olympics in Greece 2004.

Also scheduled are: a velodrome at Mount Hope and a national tennis centre. These three projects have a total estimated cost of $735 million. Also planned are $510 million worth in community sport centres and $131 million in recreation grounds scattered across Trinidad and Tobago. Roberts said the facilities would be built in both PP and PNM constituencies.

“Today is a red letter day in the history of sport in Trinidad and Tobago. The Cabinet has approved the expenditure of $1.37 billion in sport over the next two years,” Roberts said. “These facilities have been promised since the days of the father of the nation Dr Eric Williams.” He said that in 1966, Dr Williams promised to build a 50 metre pool, “for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.”

“Subsequently, many ministers and parliamentary secretaries came went and promised and nothing was done. George Bovell III won a bronze medal and made history as the first person in the English-speaking Caribbean to win a medal and was promised a 50 metre pool,” Roberts said. But nothing came of this promise.

“The aquatics centre will be built and will be housed near to the Hasely Crawford Stadium at Mucurapo,” the Sports Minister said. Roberts, a one-time coach who worked with Bovell III, also announced plans to team up with the Ministry of Education to have swimming made a compulsory subject at primary school.

“All of us live on two island states and there are too many instances of drowning every year while we lime at the river or on the beach,” he said. “Every child must be water competent; water safe.”

In relation to planned cycling facilities, Roberts listed cycling greats such as Gene Samuel and noted that “countless cyclists toiled” over the decades but under poor conditions. He said Samuel missed out on a bronze medal because he rode on a “borrowed bike”.

“Now our cyclists will have a world-class facility in which to prepare, to train, to race and to encourage young people to get involved in cycling,” he said. He said the planned velodrome will be located near to the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business at Mount Hope and near to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

Of the tennis complex Roberts noted that it will feature both outdoor and indoor courts.

“In Trinidad and Tobago you have nine months of rains so tennis player training is drastically affected because all of our facilities are outdoor,” Roberts argued. He said the proposed National Tennis Centre will have six indoor courts, six outdoor courts and one centre court with a seating capacity of 3,000.

“These facilities are not only to serve our locals but also a thrust to diversify the economy with sport tourism,” the minister said. He said estimates of revenues from visitors from the United States showed that the project could yield about $8.1 million per year and fund the running of the facility.

Roberts said the construction of community centres and recreation grounds could create 3,500 jobs over two years and result in 800 jobs being created on a permanent basis via maintenance jobs.

The minister argued that the billion-dollar expenditures should not be compared with salary allocations for public servant salaries. “We love our public servants,” he said. “But we cannot mix recurrent (annual repayments) expenditure with capital (one-off) expenditure.” He argued that capital expenditure projects such as the new sport facilities and new highway projects will possibly boost economic productivity, increase jobs and investment and could push the country’s GDP up by ten percent.

Roberts could not say when the Brian Lara Stadium project at Tarouba, administrated by Udecott, would open. But he assured that the problems of that project — which was once called “scandalous” by the Report of the Uff Commission of Inquiry — will not be repeated as the Government has ensured that state agencies are not run by “yes men.” He noted that there are no longer executive chairmen with interlocking portfolios on State boards due to the Government’s policy in this regard.

The Brian Lara project was once budgeted at about $400 million but its cost now stands at $1.1 billion and counting. The project was supposed to encompass a cricket facility plus other sporting facilities but these have been scrapped, Roberts said. “The projects will be monitored for budgetary constraints to ensure that a disgrace like the Brian Lara Stadium will never happen again,” Roberts said.

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com


Sprinters Moriba Morain and Michelle-Lee Ahye are among the 66 athletes selected to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the April 23-25 Carifta Games, in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Team members are asked to attend an important meeting at Ato Boldon Stadium, in Couva, at five p.m. today. Athletes must walk with their passports and be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

TEAM T&T

Boys under-20

Jamol James, Ayodelle Taffe, Atiba Wright, Mark London, Moriba Morain, Deon Lendore, Jereem Richards, Brandon Benjamin, Darvin Sandy, Jonathon Holder, Darvin Sandy, Hendrix Foncette, Kyle Johnson, Akeem Stewart, Dominique Richards, Keshorn Walcott, Akim Phillips, Kerry Benjamin, Atiba Wright, Hezekiel Romeo, Elton Walcott

Boys under-17

Johnathan Farinha, Nicholas Douglas, Reuben Walters, Nicholas Landeau, Akeem Marshall, Machel Cedenio, Jevon Joseph, Theon Lewis, Francis Louis, Holland Cabara, Ron Wright, Asa Guevara, Edwin Phillips, Kenejah Williams, Shervorne Worrell, Nicholon Caesar

Girls under-20

Kai Selvon, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Dannielle Davis, Dawnell Collymore, Domonique Williams, Chelsi Campbell, Gabriela Cumberbatch, Kernesha Spann, Breanna Gomes, Onika Murray, Marissa Gale, Shaunna Downey, Cherisse Murray, Jeanelle Ovid, Deandra Daniel

Girls under-17

Aaliyah Telesford, Zakiya Denoon, Jeminise Parris, Kayelle Clarke, Desiree Harper, Kadisha Francois, Janae Alexander, Tsai-Anne Joseph, Ayoka Cummings, Lateifa Sylvester, Marielle Pierre, Brithney Bedlow, Akidah Briggs, Ayanna Glasgow

Officials

Allan Baboolal (manager), Dexter Voisin (assistant manager), Ali St Louis (head coach), Charles Joseph (coach), Gerard Franklyn (coach), Ian Carter (coach), Kenrick Williams (coach), Wendell Williams (coach), Robin Brereton (coach), Michelle Alleyne-Pennie (coach), Wade Franklyn (coach), Joyce Thomas (coach), Michelle Stoute-Lopez (chaperone), Dawn Washington (chaperone), Remy Nicome (equipment manager)

Medical personnel

Anyl Gopeesingh, Dr Vern Alleyne, David Cumberbacth, Zephrinus Nicholas

Source: www.forbes.com

Sport's highest court is to ask the World Anti-Doping Agency and International Cycling Union to combine forces in their appeals against Alberto Contador's acquittal on doping charges.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Wednesday it had registered WADA's challenge to the Spanish cycling federation's decision to clear Contador, who tested positive for clenbuterol en route to his third Tour de France victory last year.

The Spanish federation accepted Contador's defense that he inadvertently consumed the banned substance by eating contaminated beef.

The WADA appeal filed late Tuesday followed the UCI's decision last week to take the case to CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The court said in a statement that CAS rules mean "it is possible to consolidate the two cases, if all parties agree.

"The parties will now have the opportunity to file written submissions including all their arguments and evidence," said CAS, which has sent a copy of WADA's appeal to lawyers for Contador and the Spanish body.

Last year, WADA and UCI successfully teamed up at CAS to get another top Spanish rider, Alejandro Valverde, banned two years for doping when his national federation refused to sanction him.

CAS already faces a tight schedule to hear the Contador case and reach a verdict before the Tour starts July 2.

The court repeated Wednesday that it was "ready to establish a procedural calendar allowing for the settlement of the dispute before the end of June."

In a typical CAS procedure, an appeal is heard by a panel of three lawyers. One is appointed by the court and each side in the dispute can nominate one.

If the panel rejects the UCI and WADA appeals, Contador could then defend his Tour title. If found guilty of doping, Contador faces a two-year ban and loss of his Tour victory.

Contador, who has won two stage races in Spain this season, can keep racing until CAS issues a ruling.

He was provisionally suspended by the UCI last August, then resumed his racing career last month after being cleared by the Spanish cycling body's disciplinary committee.

The World Anti-Doping Code regards clenbuterol, a banned anabolic agent that burns fat and builds muscle, as a zero-tolerance drug. Athletes can escape sanctions only if they prove "no fault or negligence" on their part.

Valverde was banned worldwide for two years after a CAS panel accepted WADA and UCI arguments that he doped with the blood-boosting hormone EPO and was connected to the Operation Puerto investigation. Valverde led cycling's world rankings when his suspension was confirmed in May.

The CAS verdict ended a frustrating case for the UCI and WADA, which were unable to persuade Spanish cycling officials to investigate Valverde. The case hinged on whether evidence seized in Madrid during the Puerto probe could be used in court.

Source:www.trinidadexpress.com

By Kwame Laurence

Tonya Nero smashed her own Trinidad and Tobago women's 10,000 metres record, at the Stanford Invitational outdoor track and field meet, in California, USA, on Friday.

The Wichita State University student returned a time of 33 minutes, 11.71 seconds, more than 21 seconds faster than the previous T&T standard, 3:32.84, established at the same meet last year. Nero's 33:11.71 run is also a new Wichita State record.

Nero finished second in Friday's 10K race, just behind American Tara Erdmann, the winner in 33:10.15.

Nero's sister, Scarla Nero was 27th in the women's 10,000m B race in 35:34.68.

Annie Alexander opened her 2011 campaign in style, winning the women's shot put and discus events at last weekend's University of Central Florida (UCF) Invitational. The University of Tennessee field athlete threw 16.64 metres in the shot put and 55.06m in the discus. Another T&T thrower, Jacksonville University student Akeela Bravo finished ninth in the discus with a 45.21m effort and eighth in the hammer throw (49.41m).

Ananda Fraser bagged women's triple jump bronze, the University of Rhode Island senior producing an 11.66m effort. She was 18th in the long jump with a 5.24m leap.

Jamaal James finished seventh in the men's 1500m in 4:01.27. Florida International University (FIU) sophomore T'Keyah Dumoy clocked 11.96 seconds for ninth spot in the women's 100m. She was 17th in the 200m in 24.46. University of Maryland senior Heidi Paul was 24th in the 100m (12.25) and 30th in the 200m (25.25). And another Maryland student, Shawn David finished 15th overall in the men's 400m in 49.78 seconds.

At the SEC (Southeastern Conference)/Big Ten Challenge, in Mississippi, Auburn University's Kai Selvon brushed aside a 2.1 metres per second headwind to win the women's 200m in 23.38 seconds. Mississippi State University athlete Emanuel Mayers struck gold in the men's 400m hurdles in 52.82 seconds. He was fourth in the 110m hurdles, getting to the line in 14.39.

Emmanuel Stewart earned two titles at the LeRoy T.Walker Invitational, in North Carolina. The Morgan State University student won the men's discus with a meet record throw of 51.10m. He also claimed the javelin crown, again with a meet record throw--57.17m.

Another T&T/Morgan State athlete, Jeanelle Ovid topped the women's high jump with a 1.63m clearance. She finished fifth in the long jump (4.79m), seventh in the 100m hurdles (16.13 seconds) and 12th in the shot put (7.60m).

At the UTEP (University of Texas at El Paso) Springtime meet, South Plains College student Janeil Bellille snapped up silver in the women's 100m hurdles in a wind-assisted 13.57 seconds. Her South Plains teammate, Kervin Morgan was fifth in the men's 400m hurdles in 56.07.

Robert Collingwood finished second in the men's shot put, at the Alabama Relays, with a 17.06m effort. His twin brother and University of Southern Mississippi teammate, Richard Collingwood threw the iron ball 14.74m to cop seventh spot. In the discus, Richard (40.22m) was 10th and Robert (37.74m) 13th.

At the Victor Lopez Classic, in Texas, Ashlee Smith seized silver in the women's discus with a 47.79m heave. The McNeese State University student threw 41.23m to finish 15th in the hammer throw.

Jarrin Solomon clocked 47.29 seconds for bronze in the Arizona State Invitational men's 400m event. University of Georgia freshman Hilenn James threw 15.65m to finish fourth in the women's shot put. Zwede Hewitt was eighth in the men's 200m in 21.27 seconds, while his Baylor University teammate, Gavyn Nero finished eighth in the men's 800m in 1:51.11.

Kyron Blaise copped fourth spot in the men's long jump, at the LSU (Louisiana State University) Tiger Relays. The LSU student jumped 7.57m. In the men's 100m dash, Rocky Caruth was 12th overall in 10.96 seconds.

At the Weems Baskin Relays, in South Carolina, Adoniss Jones finished fourth in both the men's 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles events. The Campbell University student clocked 14.38 seconds in the sprint hurdles and 54.60 in the longer race.

In Georgia, Middle Tennessee State University sprinter Kendall Bacchus was fourth in the Yellow Jacket Invitational men's 200m in 21.78 seconds.

At the Raleigh Relays, in North Carolina, Dannielle Davis got to the line in 14.29 seconds to finish second in section one and eighth overall in the women's 100m hurdles.

And Kirlene Roberts was ninth in the women's 100m dash, at the Vanderbilt Black and Gold Invite, in Tennessee. The Central Michigan University student clocked 12.54 seconds.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Story by: Nigel Simon

National swimmer and inaugural Youth Olympic Games gold medallist, Christian-Paul Homer was in good form on the weekend as he claimed four gold medals, all in personal best times at the Sheffield Premier Long Course Meet. The three day meet which was held at the Ponds Forge International Sports Complex, Sheffield, England, ended on Sunday. First up for Homer, the First Citizens Sports Foundation “Male Youth Athlete of the Year, was the 100 metres backstroke boys’ Open final on Friday night. Homer won in 57.49 seconds followed by Michael Gregory (58.08) and Braxston Timm (59.72). In the morning heats, Homer was the fastest qualifier in 57.75 seconds.

Second was Michael Gregory (58.42) followed by Anthony O’Driscoll (59.30) and Braxston Timm (59.93).
Next up for the England-based Homer was the 50 metres freestyle where he scorched the field to claim gold in 23.86 while Alex Garnett took silver in 23.99 and Levi Lucas, bronze in 24.13. Homer had topped the heats in 23.66 while Gregory (23.94), Garnett (23.99) and Lucas (24.20) were the other top qualifiers.
On Saturday he also made light work of the field in the 50m butterfly and stopped the clock in 25.11 seconds in the final. Second home was Anstis Ralph (25.63) while Alex Wooldridge took bronze in 26.01.

Earlier in the heats, Homer touched the wall first in 25.21 while Ralph and Wooldrifge were joint second in 26.13 and Joe French Wooldridge, fourth in 26.28. His final golden swim came on Sunday night in the 100m butterfly in 55.19 seconds well ahead of  French (56.47) and Siroos Saeed (57.27). Once again, Homer was also the fastest in the morning heats in 55.86 while French (56.94), Saeed (57.70) and Lewis Coleman (57.89) completed the top four qualifiers.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

The performance of the West Indies cricket team at this year’s ICC 50 over Cricket World Cup should not have come as a surprise. Optimistic predictions prior to the start of the tournament were a futile wish for a miracle. Building a team takes more than putting talent together; it takes time for chemistry, togetherness, understanding and team spirit to become a cohesive feature and ethos. Being a professional athlete has never been about being paid. The money is a fact of life. The focus is about having a professional attitude, practices and habits. Some of the best professional athletes in local sports were amateur sportsmen and women. They received not one cent pay for playing their sport. But they were more professional than some of the most highly remunerated athletes of the modern era.

Up to the early 1990s the West Indies cricket team were a focused fighting squad with a shared social and historical perspective. Their professionalism was fuelled by a fierce pride and belief, an indomitable will and focus. Inspired by an idea—an ideal. There was a fierce determination to go beyond their perceived human limitations and a burning desire to show those who intended cricket as a tool  to control that the shackles were no more. West Indies cricket diminished—an anachronism in contemporary West Indian society. To expect  current day cricketers to believe in an entity and a flag that no longer has purpose and meaning is surely too big a burden for the players to bear. Where do they find the sense of purpose, motivation and inspiration?  Who provides the leadership and the direction? Certainly it cannot be the politicians of the region nor for that matter the WICB.

How can the modern West Indies cricketer succeed where politicians, cricket leaders and others have failed?Caribbean community youth reserve their national pride for their individual countries. There is no  one common Caribbean currency, the Caribbean Court of Justice and the Caricom Single Market and Economy struggle for legitimacy and acceptance. There is no West Indian airline. In the world of international sport the concept of a West Indies team is exclusive to cricket. Two years ago, the lack of political will and commitment to ensure the staging of  the Caribbean Games left a cleavage that only the discerning would appreciate. There is no unifying philosophy. No shared vision or values. The Sanford 20/20 cricket tournament held a few years ago and now the Airtel Champions League T20 competition have accelerated the demise of West Indies cricket as we know it.

Watching the debacle against India last week, Shakespeare’s Hamlet came to mind, the match against India the final scene. What is the West Indies cricket team? its role and purpose ? Is it just about winning? What has the education system in the Caribbean, the WICB and the respective regional cricket boards, and  Caribbean Community governments done over the years to foster the notion and concept of a West Indies cricket team? Or is it taken for granted that this generation and the generations to come would honour the history, traditions and culture of West Indies cricket in isolation of everyday life? What are we? West Indian? Caribbean? When we fill out the immigration form as we land in a foreign country how do we answer the question on citizenship and country? West Indian or West Indies? What are we asking our cricketers to represent and fight for other than to earn a dollar? The graveyard of history beckons. It is not simply a case of de selecting players. There may be a dark reality that no one wants to contemplate.

Editor’s note: Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee http// www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Jermille Danclair edged Neil Lingo by a margin of 21 votes to seven to be elected the new president of the Tennis Association of T&T during its Annual General Meeting at the VIP Lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday.

Danclair replaced the outgoing Michael Cooper, who decided to step down after four years at the helm.
In other results, Brian De Caires (Treasurer), Dion Auguste (Public Relations Officer) and Jaqueline Castillo (Secretary) were all elected unopposed while the Assistant Secretary’s Post was shared by Anne Griffith and Ayinde Small, who tied 14-14 when the votes were counted.

Tennis Association of T&T Executive

President: Jermille Danclar
Secretary: Jacqueline Castillo
Assistant Secretary: Anne Griffith & Ayinde Small
Treasurer: Brian de Caires
Public Relations Officer: Dion Auguste

By Shammi Kowlessar

Trinidad and Tobago will be represented by two pairs when the 2011 NORCECA (North, Central America and the Caribbean) Beach Volleyball Circuit serves off in the Cayman Islands today.

Daneil Williams, Fabian Whitfield, Elki Philip and Ayanna Dyette have been at the Seven Miles Beach in Grand Cayman since Wednesday for the three-day tournament.

All four T&T players participated in at least two legs of last year's circuit, but this will be the first time the women will be competing in tandem.

Philip recruited Pauline Woodroffe because of the injury to No 1 player Nancy Joseph last year, and Dyette has been without a regular partner since Nadiege Honore decided to take a break from the game late last year.

Dyette, in fact, combined with Joseph to defeat Woodroffe and Philip in the play-off for this weekend's tournament, but physiotherapist Anil Goopeesingh did not give the 2009 Sportswoman of the Year nominee the thumbs-up to make her return.

Dyette, who had teamed with the country's No 1 indoor player, Kelly Billingy, in December, when T&T advanced to the second and final phase of NORCECA qualifying for next year's Olympic Games in London, England, then picked Philip as her partner.

Williams and Whitfield have been competing together for quite a while, and the men from Toco are clearly ranked No 1 in the country. They were also part of the quartet which remained in contention three months ago for a place in the next Olympics.

This year's NORCECA circuit will be the biggest ever as there will be 14 legs, with action continuing until early November.

Players from 16 countries—Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, St Kitts/Nevis, T&T, United States, US Virgin Islands (USVI) and Cayman Islands—will be doing battle this weekend.

While competing in a play-off last April to earn a place in one of the tournaments in last year's circuit, Joseph tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee and had surgery two months later.

The six-time national champ recently resumed light training, and it was an achievement in itself that she was able to win the play-off when she should not have been competing in the first place.

Goopeesingh feels Joseph is still about two months away from making a complete recovery, and she may not be seen on the NORCECA circuit until the sixth leg in Puerto Rico in July.

Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo suffered a similar injury recently and was forced out of the Cricket World Cup, now in the quarter-final stage in Asia.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

This week I was asked to do a 30-minute session with some young footballers between the ages of six and 12. It was truly an eye-opening experience on many levels and it made me appreciate even more, just how important the role of the coach is in an athlete’s life, particularly during these very early developmental years. The plan for the 30-minutes was to take the group through a warm up session and then basically do a little bit of cross-training with them. It all came together on short-notice but in the sports industry you have to be able to land on your feet, no matter what the situation. So, I took up the opportunity and designed a simple program I figured I could execute easily, the purpose of which was to give me a general idea of the coordination and natural athleticism of the boys and girls. Coming from a professional environment where I am accustomed to working with athletes the average age of about 23, you can only imagine the roller coaster ride these kids took me on!

Don’t misunderstand, I love children. Their innocence, something I wish could be bottled and preserved (much like the athleticism of youth), is what makes working with them such a joy but by the end of the session, I had a new-found respect for the head coach. My plan for the 30-minute portion of the training session was to have them do things that came off more like games rather than drills: To target their core, we did wheelbarrow; To get a sense of their special awareness and coordination, they ran races back-peddling; and so on. We didn’t do much stretching because intense, sustained stretching should actually be done at the end of a training session, otherwise you risk injury but that is a topic for another column. I accomplished my objectives and was amazed at some of my findings. Some kids who did not look as athletic as others turned out to be amongst the most athletic of the group. The need to improve proprioception and core function was evident across the board. It reinforced the importance of screening a group to be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to set clear and concise goals.
All of them however, thrived on the adrenaline and fun of it all.

As the person coordinating the session, which apparently earned me the title of “coach,” I had to balance their excitement with discipline and here was where I realized I was more at their mercy and had to rely on the more experienced coaches to assist with maintaining control and focus of the group. At this particular football club, discipline, sportsmanship and respect for authority are character traits that are not treated lightly. The children know it too for it takes little effort on the part of the head coach before they realise that they have been unmannerly or spoken out of turn, for instance, or unkind to a teammate. Always, a firm tone and solid posture supersedes an iron-fist style of management with the children, instilling a sense of responsibility for actions displayed, which in the long run will hopefully lead to well-rounded young adults. Michael J. Fox once said, “Discipline is just doing the same thing, the right way whether anyone’s watching or not.” It is very difficult for some parents to watch their child be disciplined by another authority-figure as I witnessed that day when coach had to remove a child from the session for a while due to conduct.

According to James Stenson, while it involves punishment and corrective action, “Discipline really means confident, effective leadership,” so that coaches should always remember their obligations to their athletes in areas of character development. It will affect who they will become and the choices they will make both on and off the field. The most profound lesson for me that day was the realization of how much you do not know when you step out of your comfort zone and how impossible it is to know everything. It was not that I did not know what to do during the 30-minute session with these little footballers, but rather, knowing how to manage them to make the session efficient and effective and in that setting that knowledge only comes with experience. We should always be willing to push our boundaries and expose ourselves to new experiences for the purpose of self betterment, fighting the urge to stay within the confines of what we know we know. At the very least it will keep us humble and more appreciative of those around us. Coaching is truly an art as well as it is a skill and any coach taking his/her role lightly, has lost the essence of their purpose and should probably take some refresher coaching courses to reignite their energy. Vince Lombardi said, “Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The coaches who win are the ones who can motivate their players.”

More Info

Asha De Freitas-Moseley is a certified athletic trainer with a Masters in Sports & Fitness Administration. She has worked with several of our top athletes and continues to seek out ways to promote the industry of sports as a science in T&T.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Trinidad and Tobago boxers left for Cumana, Venezuela on Tuesday morning for the 2011 Pan American Games qualifiers which will begin tomorrow until March 30th.

The Games will be held in Guadalajara Mexico from October 14 to 28.

For the first time in the history of the Pan Ameican Games female boxers will be participating.

The T&T team comprises Chimere Taylor (Midweight-65kg, Aaron Prince (Welterweight-65kg), Stephanie Alleyne (Flyweight-51kg), Andrew Fermin (65kg), Anthony Waterman, coaches Raynold Prince and Reynold Cox and Sharma Stroude as Manager.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

T&T netballer Sonia Jack yesterday lost her battle with cancer.

The 34-year-old national goalkeepr and shooter passed away at the Port of Spain General Hospital where she has been ailing for the past few months.

The police officer was diagnosed with the disease last November after complaining of stomach problems.

She had a number of surgeries done on her to rid her of the cancer but it was unsuccessful.

Jack is the second "Calypso Girl" in the past nine months to have her life cut short. In June, T&T netball shooting star Lystra " Twinkle Toes" Zamore- Sheppard died at the Port of Spain General Hospital after a short illness.

Jack represented T&T at the World Netball Championships in New Zealand in 2007 when T&T finished 11th. She was also a member of the 2003 team that placed 10th in the World event in Jamaica.

The last local club she represented was Police which competes in the Port of Spain Netball League (POSNL) and the Courts All Sectors Netball League (ASNL). In her 19-year netball career the six-footer had made contributions on a number of teams including the Mucurapo Senior Secondary (now called East Mucurapo) in the Secondary Schools Netball League, Soul City, Central Bank, Fire and the International Communication (ICN).

The ever-lasting beauty leaves to mourn her three daughters. Rest in Peace Sonia, you will surely be missed.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

The British Olympic Association's (BOA) cash problems are set to force them to suffer the embarrassment of being unable to stage one of the Olympic Movement's most important and high-profile meetings in London next year.

The BOA were due to organise the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) just three months before the start of the Games in London.

The bi-annual event is attended by more than 200 National Olympic Committees and is held in conjunction with a meeting of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ruling Executive Board.

But the BOA are now set to inform the ANOC, which is headed by Mexican millionaire Mario Vázquez Raña, that they cannot afford the £5 million ($8 million) it is estimated that it would cost to host the event.

Athens and Beijing held the Assembly in 2004 and 2008 respectively, just a few months before they staged the Olympics and Paralympics.

The 2012 event is now likely to be held instead in Mexico.

"The final decision regarding the location for the 2012 ANOC Executive Board Meeting and General Assembly rests with the leadership of ANOC," a spokesman for the BOA told insidethegames.

"We are fully committed and pleased to be doing our part to support them."

Colin_Moynihan_in_Singapore_August_2010But the BOA's failure to be able to organise the General Assembly is another setback for the political ambitions of Colin Moynihan (pictured), its chairman.

His ambitions of becoming an IOC member have already been hit by the row between the BOA and London 2012 over the surplus from next year's Olympics, which has been referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Several senior IOC members have told insidethegames that Moynihan's reputation within the Olympic Movement has been damaged by the row, especially after he rejected an offer from President Jacques Rogge earlier this month to personally intervene and help broker a solution.

The IOC last week ruled in favour of London 2012, deciding that the BOA had no claim over any surplus before the Paralympics has also been taken into account.

The BOA has hired David Pannick, one of the country's most expensive barristers, to represent them at the CAS hearing.

Pannick also worked for the BOA in 2008 when they successfully defeated sprinter Dwain Chambers' controversial attempts to overturn his life ban that prevents him representing Britain in the Olympics.

The dispute with London 2012 was top of the agenda when the BOA's Board of Directors held its regularly-scheduled, bi-monthly meeting today, where Moynihan was quizzed closely on his decision to take the case to the CAS.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

USA-based Kimberlee John-Williams and Joshua McLeod head a top quality field of local swimmers who will have  one final chance to attain the qualifying times for the Carifta Games in Barbados from April 23-26 when they compete in the National Age-Group Short Course Swimming Championships from today. The five-day meet, hosted by Atlantis Aquatics under the Amateur Swimming Association of T&T (ASATT), splashes off at St Michael’s Swimming Pool Facility, Presentation College, San Fernando from 6 pm. A Carifta Games multi-medallist and record-holder, John-Williams is coming off an impressive first season at Baylor High School in Tennessee where she helped the school to the Tennessee Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (TISCA) State Championship Meet title last month. Prior to that title, she was also part of Baylor’s 200-yard freestyle relay team which also comprised Kristen Vredeveld, Bria Deveaux and Ashley Yearwood which smashed the Southeastern Swimming record for 15-16 girls at the Martha Bass Invitational.

John-Williams and her schoolmates posted a 1:35.57, easily breaking the old record of 1:38.77 set by a Baylor team in January of 2009. This was also a new Baylor School Natatorium record, breaking the old record of 1:36.87 established by Baylor in 2008. Mc Leod, meanwhile is coming off a boys’ 18 & Over age-group title at ASATT’s pentathlon held at the same venue two weeks ago. He was a member of the T&T contingent at the World Short Course Championship last December and, a winner of a gold medal at the Canada Cup and will be eager to put on some good performances as he looks ahead to Barbados next month.

Other top pentathlon performers expected to compete from today are Jewel Mulrain, Shania David Arielle Downes, D’Rell John, Aaron Acres and Canadian-based Tariq Lashley in the 11-12 age-group. Syriah David, Sangeeta Maharaj, Rebekah Mendoza, Jabaria Baptiste, Jonathan Gonzales, David Mc Leod and Dylan Carter head the field in the 13-14 category while Kadeja Phillip, Kimberly Joseph, Noelle Smith, Joshua Romany, Jonathan Cabral, Blaine Sobrian are main attractions in the 15-17 Division. In addition to Mc Leod, his brother Abraham Mc Leod, Ryan Rigues, Stefan Sharpe, Meagan Mark and Rochelle Pierre will be the main candidates for Carifta places. The meet will continue until Friday with warm-ups beginning from 4.30 followed by competition from 6pm while on Saturday and Sunday there will be two sessions. The first session swims off from 7.30 am will competition from 9 am while the evening sessions begins at 4.30 and competition from 6 pm.

Order of Events

Today:
1–2: 200m breaststroke 11 & over time finals
3–4: 100m butterfly 9–10 time finals (slower heats only)
5–6: 50m butterfly 11–12 heats
7–8: 50m butterfly 13–14 heats
9–10: 50m butterfly 15–17 heats
11–12: 50m butterfly 18 & over heats
13–14: 200m freestyle 9–10 time finals (slower heats only)
15–16: 400m freestyle 11 & over time finals.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

A new $1 billion (£610 million) incentive scheme for Brazilian companies involved in projects for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro has been launched by the United States Export-Import Bank following a visit to the country by President Barack Obama.

Obama's visit there was partly to drum up business for US companies, adding that they want to "be one of your best customers" when Brazil starts pumping oil from offshore reserves.

Fred Hochberg, the President of the Bank, said when launching the new initiative that the money must be used to purchase products made by US companies.

"I'm hopeful that we can use this first $1 billion for infrastructure as the beginning of building our portfolio and building our work with Brazilian companies," he said.

US Commerce Secretary Gray Locke also met privately with representatives from FIESP (Federacao das Industrias do Estado de Sao Paulo), which represents many of Brazil's leading companies.

"There are many opportunities to increase bilateral trade and it will happen with the 2014 World Cup and the Olympic Games in 2016," Locke said.

"We can help with the infrastructure."

Hochberg hopes the new financing serves as a beginning of a period of faster growth for Ex-Im Bank's operations in Brazil.

"This should be only the beginning, so that the financing to Brazilian companies reach a higher level," he said.

During his visit, in a speech in Rio's Municipal theatre, Obama said his country intends to help Brazil in the projects for the Games.

"We need world-class infrastructures, which is why US companies want to help you build and prepare this city for an Olympic success," he said.

Obama had been a high-profile backer of Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics but was powerless to prevent Rio winning the campaign despite showing up at the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Session at Copenhagen in October 2009.

"As you probably know Rio was not my first option for the Games," he said.

"But, as the Olympics will not be hosted in Chicago, I think there is not a better place than Rio do Janeiro.

"I will come back in 2016 to attend the Games."

Source: news.bbc.co.uk

By James Pearce
BBC sports news correspondent

The full extent of the snub by the British Olympic Association to the International Olympic Committee during the current row over any financial surplus from London 2012 can be revealed by the BBC.

BBC Sport has seen a copy of the full transcript of the IOC's judgement in the dispute between the BOA and Locog, the London 2012 organising committee.

It reveals how the BOA rejected a personal intervention by IOC president Jacques Rogge to settle the matter amicably.

The IOC president had invited both the BOA chairman Lord Moynihan and the Locog chairman Lord Coe to a meeting in Lausanne on 7 March.

But just days before the meeting was due to take place the BOA informed the other parties that it would not be attending.

The BBC understands that senior staff at London 2012 were furious at this late cancellation. Lord Coe had cleared his diary so that he could travel to Lausanne for the day, and it is likely that the IOC would have been similarly displeased.

The BOA's explanation for avoiding a meeting at IOC headquarters was that it wanted the dispute to be settled instead by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The BOA is entitled to 20% of any surplus from the 2012 Games, but there is disagreement over whether that should mean just the Olympics, or also include the Paralympics.

The cash-strapped BOA had been hoping to raise millions of pounds by taking its share from the Olympics, before any money had been spent on the Paralympics.

Following the cancellation of the 7 March meeting, the IOC decided that, in the absence of an amicable settlement, it should pass down a binding judgement.
 
The IOC has no hesitation to determine that the word 'surplus' has to be interpreted as the financial result of staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games combined

IOC judgement

That happened last week when the IOC ruled in favour of Locog, insisting that the budgets for London's Olympics and Paralympics should not be separated.

The BOA has refused to accept the IOC's judgement and has taken the dispute to CAS in Lausanne.

The judgement, though, could hardly be more clear-cut, and will raise serious questions about the BOA's decision to take the argument to CAS. The BOA has already hired David Pannick, one of the country's best known lawyers, to present its case.

The IOC's decision, laid out over nine pages, makes it clear that the BOA should have no claim over any surplus before the Paralympics has also been taken into account.

The judgement states that for the past 10 years all Olympic and Paralympic Games have been organised on 'an integrated basis'.

The IOC would actually be a beneficiary from any ruling in favour of the BOA, as the IOC is also entitled to a 20% cut of any surplus, but the IOC says that it "cannot and does not" accept the BOA's definition.

The final paragraph of the judgment sums up the IOC's decision: "The IOC has no hesitation to determine that the word 'surplus' has to be interpreted as the financial result of staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games combined.

"The IOC feels comfortable to do so as the parties and their leaders at the time, which were familiar with the organisation of previous Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, cannot have understood it differently."

On Wednesday there will be a meeting of the BOA's executive board.

Following the strength of this IOC judgement, and the damage that the row has already caused, it would not be surprising if some board members urged Lord Moynihan to end this dispute before any more damage is done to the organisation's reputation and its finances.

Source: www.newsday.co.tt

The Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) will begin their Short Course Age Group Swimming Championships at St Michael’s Swimming Facility, Carib Street, San Fernando, tomorrow from 6 pm.

This competition will run throughout the week until Sunday.

All national and foreign swimmers registered with ASATT for 2011 are invited to participate.

The splash will be contested in age groups eight and Under, nine-10, 11–12, 13-14, 15-17, and 18 and Over.

Entry fee to the events is $12 per event per swimmer and $50 per club.

The eight fastest times in each preliminary event shall qualify for the finals.

National Championship medals will be awarded to winners, runners-up and third placed finisher, and ribbons will be awarded from fourth to eight place for all events.

The championships will be conducted under the rules of the FINA 2010-2013 and the ASATT, and will be governed by the meet director and referee.

Final entries must be sent to dumbar@tstt.net.tt.

Entries must be submitted using the hy-tek software at www.hy-tekltd.com.

There will be warm-up sessions of 90 minutes before competition starts everyday.

Competition will begin at t pm tomorrow and Thursday and 9 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Source: www.newsday.co.tt

USA field Hockey has organised a fundraising campaign "Field Hockey for Japan", in aid of the recent earthquake and tsunami victims, in Japan.

They are encouraging the Pan Ameican and the rest of the global hockey community to support this cause through donations to this campaign.

So far, the organisation has raised approximately US$5,000 amd continues to work tirelessly to attain as much financial and material assistance as possible.

In April, the USA Field Hockey women's team play host to the Japanese squad and will present them with a cheque, representing the amount that the entire international hockey fraternity has donated.

The US hockey organisation is currently working alongside www.firstgiving.com and the American Red Cross. They have established a link for the public to contribute directly to the American Red Cross Japan Diaster Relief fund.

They have reiterated the need for food, medical supplies, and clean water. USA Field Hockey has contracted their hockey associates in Japan and are happy to report that all are safe. But, with the suffering of their neighbours and what appears to be pending nuclear accident, there is ,much to be done in the relief effort and it is beyond the capability of Japan to meet their needs.

Donations are tax deductible and services a legitimate humanitarian need. For more information, go to www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/japanfieldhockey/japan-diaster-relief.

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

By Kwame Laurence

Trinidad and Tobago's Alena Brooks emerged victorious in the women's 800 metres, at the Bulls Invitational outdoor track and field meet, in Florida, USA, last Friday.

The University of Minnesota sophomore returned a time of two minutes, 09.41 seconds.

Another Trinidad and Tobago/Minnesota athlete, Nyoka Giles, finished second in the women's 400m in 55.89 seconds. And in the men's 100m dash, University of Kentucky freshman Kyron Joseph clocked 10.76 to cop fifth spot.

At the Georgia Intercollegiate Invitational, University of Georgia student Hilenn James earned gold in the women's shot put with a 15.08 metres throw and silver in the discus (43.07m).

Mississippi State University athlete Emanuel Mayers finished second in the Louisiana Classics Collegiate Invite men's 400m event. He clocked 47.45 seconds to beat Louisiana State University (LSU) quarter-miler Ade Alleyne-Forte (47.51) into third spot.

Melissa De Leon got home in 55.50 seconds for bronze in the women's 400m.

McNeese State University student Ashlee Smith threw 49.71m to finish third in the women's discus. She was eighth in the shot put (13.30m) and 15th in the hammer throw (44.23m).

In the men's 200m, Mayers got to the line in 21.85 seconds for 12th spot overall. And in the men's 100m, Southeastern Louisiana University's Rocky Caruth was 18th in 11.16 seconds, while LSU's Shermund Allsop was 27th in 11.41.

At the Florida International University (FIU) Felsberg Invitational, FIU sophomore T'Keyah Dumoy finished second in the women's 100m in 11.99 seconds.

Jacksonville University student Akeela Bravo produced a 50.45m effort to seize silver in the women's hammer throw, at the University of Central Florida Black & Gold Invitational.

Bravo threw 13.02m for sixth spot in the shot put. And in the discus she was eighth at 42.51m.

Gavyn Nero bagged bronze in the Texas Christian University (TCU) Invitational men's 800m event. The Baylor University athlete got home in 1:51.16.

At the Shamrock Invitational, in South Carolina, Campbell University's Adoniss Jones was third in the men's 110m hurdles in 14.44 seconds.

Morgan State University freshman Emmanuel Stewart finished fourth in the men's discus (50.44m) and fifth in the javelin (62.23m), at the Wake Forest Invitational, in North Carolina.

And at the University of Southern California (USC) Trojan Invitational, Washington State University student Shawna Fermin was seventh in the women's 200m in 25.05 seconds.