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By Shammi Kowlessar

Colin RamasraCOLIN RAMASRA was absolutely brilliant as he gained sweet revenge over the top two Barbadian players Saturday en route to capturing the Lutchmeesingh Transport Caribbean Invitational Squash Tournament at Petrotrin Staff Club, Pointe-a-Pierre.

The national champion began the day by narrowly losing the opening set of the semi-finals, but roared back to win six straight sets and the first prize of US$1,000.

After Ramasra surrendered the first set 13-11 to Garvin Cumberbatch, the No. 2 seed came back with a vengeance to trounce the third seed 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 and roll in the title match.

Although the first two sets of the final were very competitive, the four-time national champ won them both and then ran away with the third to defeat six-time Barbados national champ Shawn Simpson 13-11, 11-9, 11-4 in about 40 minutes.

Ramasra had beaten Simpson in the final of the Trinidad & Tobago Open last year, but had gone under against the lanky left hander when they last met in team competition in the CAC (Central American and Caribbean) Games in July in Colombia.

The champ has a very good record against Cumberbatch, but lost their most important encounter when he had the virus going into the final of the Caribbean Championships two years ago.

Ramasra began the tournament on Friday night with an 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 victory over qualifier Chayse McQuan, while the top-seeded Simpson, also a national indoor volleyball player, whipped national under-17 champ Mandela Patrick 11-6, 11-6, 11-3 and came back on Saturday morning to halt Jonathan Gallacher 11-9, 11-13, 11-5, 11-9 in the semis.

The fourth-seeded Gallacher, a former British professional who is now the director of squash in Barbados, started by edging former national champ Paul Jerome De Verteuil in five sets (11-9, 4-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9) and ended by whipping Cumberbatch with surprising ease 11-3, 12-10, 11-5 for third place.

McQuan claimed the plate with an 11-8, 6-11, 11-3, 11-6 triumph over Peter Pirtheesingh.

Ramasra, who became this country's first professional close to three years ago, plans to play his first tour event in more than six months in Denver, Colorado, USA, in two weeks.

The 27-year-old has been off the circuit since his mother passed away in a car accident in June and has slipped to around number 270 in the world from about 150.

Ramasra, who was based in Holland before the accident, plans to be training full-time in the United States from April with the goal of finishing the year in the top 100 in the world.

 

 

Source: www.olympic.org

Experts, practitioners and people who are interested in Sport for All should not fail to check out the new Sport for All space on the IOC’s website which has been just launched.

Visitors will find interesting case studies from grassroots level as well as academic research, useful information for networking, latest information on this year’s 14th World Conference on Sport for All in Beijing, and the latest information on upcoming events and programmes, to name just a few things.

Learn more on www.olympic.org/sport-for-all

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Story by: Asha Defreitas Asmoseley

Asha De Freitas-Moseley, A.T.C., M.S., C.K.T.PThere is nothing more chilling for an athletic trainer, watching from the sidelines while covering a game, than to see his/her athlete hit the ground floppily after taking a hit in mid-stride. In a split second, the athlete goes from poetry in motion to dead weight as if stunned by a laser, falling inertly to the ground as fast as gravity will take him, and hitting the ground with a force that causes him to bounce insensibly, only to remain there, motionless. In serious cases the athlete is completely unresponsive lying limply in a neutral position, or limbs locked spastically in front of him as a reaction to the stunned cranial nerves, jolted due to the impact and consequent trauma to the brain (you can Youtube, Javid Best Concussion for a visual). In other cases, the athlete is able to talk but not move his limbs, and other times, the athlete’s only means of communication is by blinking their eyelids as instructed by the athletic trainer, one blink for ‘yes,’ two blinks for ‘no.’ The experience is distressing for the first responder as well as the audience, as a hush fills the stadium while earnest eyes wait to see what will happen next.

Now imagine this athlete is you or your own child.  A concussion, according to Wikipedia, is a derivative of the Latin word “concutere” which means “to shake violently,” or “concussus” which means “action of striking together.” A condition that occurs quite commonly in sport, in some sports more often than others, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. It can be defined as, “a head injury with a temporary loss of brain function” with spin-off symptoms that can be physical, cognitive and/or emotional depending on the severity of the injury and what part of the brain has been affected. Lately there has been a tremendous push by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (Nata) to increase concussion awareness in the United States of America, particularly amongst student athletes. The goal is to educate their audience on the seriousness of the injury amongst student athletes and to ensure that proper management is applied. This is not to say however, that treating this injury seriously is not equally as important at the professional level. A concussion must always be taken seriously.

In the USA, data surrounding concussion incidents is believed to be skewed due to underreporting.  This happens for various reasons, all of which lead back to the need to an ability to identify the symptoms and respond appropriately to this type of injury. In spite of that however, about 300,000 incidences of sports-related concussions are reported, annually. American sports particularly vulnerable to this type of injury include but are not limited to American football, ice hockey, skiing and snowboarding. In Trinidad and Tobago, such sports would include rugby, martial arts and boxing. High contact sports such as these and some high impact sports, like gymnastics and football/soccer, should ensure that emergency medical personnel are on-site to respond to traumatic injuries. Failing that, hospitals and ambulance service providers should be put on alert and a protocol established in the event of an emergency.
While work still needs to be done to raise awareness of concussions in the USA, in Trinidad and Tobago the situation is even more grave. Not only are hospitals and ambulance services not always notified during game time but most times, there is no one on the sidelines who is trained in Basic Life Support (BLS) or the proper spine boarding technique.

I am of the strong opinion that coaches in this country, where our resources in the sports industry are so limited, should be required by law to successfully complete a BLS certification course that is renewed annually as part of being a coach. In December, 2010 several significant milestones were set towards improving concussion awareness in the USA. The state of New Jersey signed into law the School Sports Concussion Safety Bill, making that state the leader in stringent steps to ensuring the prevention and safe management of concussion injuries amongst student athletes. The National Hockey League (NHL) in the USA issued Rule 48, banning blindside hits to the head.

This decision was taken after calculating a seasonal average of 75 concussions over four years, 50 per cent  due to blindside hits. Data analysis revealed incidences of concussions according to position, which period of the game they most frequently occurred and how the injury was sustained. At the Youth Sports Safety Summit held in Washington DC, the Nata and the NFL announced their partnership to promote state-based legislation to prevent concussions among youths and encourage safe play. For quick reference, informative material surrounding youth sports concussions, you can visit the site, http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html . PDF files are available to print up and keep handy.
Whether you are a parent, an athlete or a coach, make it your responsibility to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a concussion and always seek medical attention if you have any concerns.
Asha De Freitas-Moseley, A.T.C., M.S., C.K.T.P.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman of the Year Roger Daniel, right, is presented with his award by Olympic gold medallist Hasely Crawford during the Foundation’s annual award ceremony at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port-of-Spain on Wednesday night. PHOTO: ANTHONY HARRIS. First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman of the Year Roger Daniel hopes that his award will help bring attention to the sport of shooting in T&T. Daniel earned the distinction of becoming the first person from his discipline to be recognised by the Foundation during its annual award ceremony at the National Academy for the Performing Arts on Wednesday night. Speaking to the Guardian after collecting his prize, the 41-year-old said that he would like to see corporate T&T come on board to assist in the sport’s development.“I hope this means a lot to the sport of shooting in T&T and that they realise that we have a lot of potential here in this country,” he said. “We need help to push and really improve our facilities and get programmes in place to encourage more people to get involved and I do hope that it really opens the door for our sport to progress.”

The T&T Defence Force Corporal enjoyed a bright year in 2010, winning two medals (gold and bronze) at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico in July and two more (silver and bronze) at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India in October. His award was especially sweet for several reasons. “It’s overwhelming and I feel great. This is a great achievement for me because it will always go down in history as the first soldier and the first shooter to get this award. I can’t even explain how much that means to me
right now.”

Though excited to be honoured, Daniel said his celebration would not last too long since he needed to “go back to the drawing board” and focus on the challenges ahead. His upcoming schedule will include International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup events in Sydney, Australia in March, Changwon, Korea in April, Fort Benning, USA in May and Munich, Germany in June. While he expected the next few months to be very demanding, he said it would be a necessary sacrifice if he wanted to compete in London in 2012. “2010 was very challenging emotionally and physically. Balancing family life and training was very difficult. We had a few obstacles that created some little ups and downs but we overcame it and were successful,” he said. “It’s very important to go to these international events because you are competing against the best shooters in the world. These are the other guys you will meet at the Olympics.”

Honour Roll 2010

Sportsman of the Year: Roger Daniel
Sportswoman of the Year:  Cleopatra Borel Brown
Jeffrey Stollmeyer Award: T&T Netball Association & National Association of the Athletic Administration (shared)
Junior Sportsman of the Year: Christian Homer
Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Cherelle Thompson
Lystra Lewis Award for Top Team: T&T Women’s Hockey Team

Top Ten Athletes of the Year:
Roger Daniel (Shooting), Jehue Gordon (Athletics), George Bovell III (Swimming), Adrian Barath (Cricket), Tariq Abdul Haq (Boxing), Njisane Phillip (Cycling), Cleopatra Borel-Brown (Athletics), Monifa Sealy (Golf), Anisa Mohammed (Cricket) and Kelly Ann Baptiste (Athletics).

Most Memorable Moments of the Year:
Chess player Keron Cabralis becomes T&T’s youngest ever FIDE Master at age 14 at the Inter-Zonal Chess Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas in July.
Middle distance runner Jehue Gordon wins 400m Hurdles Gold at IAAF World Juniors in Moncton, Canada in July.
Cyclist Njisane Phillip wins Match Sprint Gold at CAC Games in Puerto Rico in August
Swimmer Christian Homer wins  50m Backstroke Gold at Youth Olympics in Singapore in August.
Heatwave beats Mr Solo to win the Carib Great Race in August.
Sprinter KellyAnn Baptiste wins 100m and 4x100m Gold at Continental Cup in Split, Croatia in September.
Soca Princesses beat Chile 2-1 at FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup at Hasely Crawford Stadium in September.
Boxer Tariq Abdul Haq win Silver in at Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October.
Swimmer Shanntol Ince reaches three Paralympic finals at Commonwealth Games.
Detour Shak Attack’s Orlando Mapp scores nine three-point shots in one game.
Drag Racer Sheldon Bissessar sets new NHRA quater-mile World Record (5.73) at Bradenton, Florida in December.

Source: www.guardiaan.co.tt

PROUD WINNERS: Swimmers Christian Homer, right, and Cherelle Thompson, left, pose with their trophies after being named First Citizens Sports Foundation Youth Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, respectively, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Queen's Park West, on Wednesday night. At centre is the Foundation's chairman, Dr Keith Clifford. –Photos: ROBERTO CODALLOBy Kern De Freitas

For swimmers Christian Homer and Cherelle Thompson, being named the First Citizens Sports Foundation's youth Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, respectively, is only further inspiration to perform well in 2011.

To Homer, it is an "honour" and "privilege" to earn the award, after winning Youth Olympic Games gold last year in Singapore.

"Winning the gold medal at the Youth Olympics and this award just pushes me to train harder and work towards my goal harder and just pushes me towards achieving greater things," Homer told the Express after receiving the accolade at the Foundation's 49th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday night at NAPA in Port of Spain.

He is now hoping to beef up his performances for 2011, with a view to qualifying later this year for the 2012 London Olympics.

"(My) realistic goals this year is to qualify for the 2011 Shanghai Championships and also the Pan American Games in Mexico. At those Games I'm hoping to qualify for the Olympics."

Homer also commended the other contenders for the awards for their performances, calling the cast a "really hard pool".

"There's a lot of really good athletes, especially in the junior division," Homer pointed out. "The top ten was really competitive. Getting this award just fuels me to go back to the pool and train harder and continue aspiring for greater things."

Thompson was "elated" at receiving her award, but shared it with those who contributed to her cause.

"I'm really thankful to God firstly for his favour, his blessings," Thompson said, "and to my parents because they have been there for me 100 per cent, getting me to and from training.

"My coaches and my family's support (was important). My achievement is not must significant of my hard work (alone), but (that of) all the people that have been supporting me and helping me get where I am today."

She counts her sixth placing in the CAC Games 50-metre freestyle final as her favourite moment of 2010 and is hoping for more of the same this year.

"(My goals are) just to train hard and represent the country. I have the Pan Am Games in Mexico and the CISC Games (and I am aiming to) just go out there and doing my best for Trinidad and Tobago."

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

TTOC winners also Sportsman, Sportswoman of the Year
By Kern De Freitas

HERE are rifle shooter Roger Daniel, left, and shot-putter Cleopatra Borel- Brown who were last night named 2010 First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman ofthe Year at NAPA Auditorium, Port-of-Spain"Oh man! It's overwhelming. I feel great."

Top Trinidad and Tobago shooter Roger Daniel could hardly put his feelings into words as he stood next to shot putter Cleopatra Borel-Brown, moments after the duo were named First Citizens Sports Foundation (FCSF) 2010 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year.

The pair, who were also the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) picks for top male and female athletes, respectively, were presented with their trophies at the Foundation's 49th annual awards ceremony, which was televised live on Wednesday night from the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain.

Daniel explained that he had been trying to keep his nerve as the country waited to see who had gotten the Foundation's nod.

"Many people called and say 'we think you're going to be the one'," Daniel revealed after the function, "but you try not to put too much expectations and wait until the moment has come."

Borel-Brown was in a state of "shock" and shared some of the praise with the other athletes who took the stage.

Said Borel-Brown: "My immediate reaction was really shock, because looking at the other nominees, they were all so good. I really didn't feel as confident as I had in the past, but I really want to say 'good job' to all the other nominees, because I felt this year we had a really good field."

Both athletes had strong seasons that culminated in medals at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, with Daniel securing silver in the 25-metre air pistol event, after teaming up with Rhodney Allen for 50m pistol pairs bronze. Borel-Brown also lifted shot put silver.

The other eight athletes named among the top ten nominees on the night included boxer Tariq Abdul Haqq—who also grabbed Commonwealth silver in the men's 91 kilogramme class; 400-metre hurdler Jehue Gordon; swimmer George Bovell III; golfer Monifa Sealy; and West Indies woman cricketer Anisa Mohammed.

Volleyballer Kelly Ann Billingy, West Indies batsman Adrian Barath and cyclist Njisane Phillip were also among the top ten candidates.

There was little surprise for the audience when swimmers Christian Homer and Cherelle Thompson—also TTOC youth winners—were named Youth Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year in that order.

Homer was celebrated for his Youth Olympic Games gold in the 50-metre back stroke event, while Thompson had a great year and reached the 50-metre freestyle final at the CAC Games.

The Lystra Lewis Top Team Award went to the T&T women's hockey team, while the National Association of Athletic Administration (NAAA) shared the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Award for top administrators with the T&T Netball Association.

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts addressed the nominees with some stirring words, reminding them that sport is about much more than awards.

"We are not involved in sport for the accolades," Roberts told the athletes. "These come by the way. If the day comes when you only think about the awards, you will not be able to sacrifice and be disciplined and to put your body through the torture necessary to become the best in the world."

He reflected on the 2004 awards hosted by the then WITCO Sports Foundation, when Brian Lara broke the world record for highest individual Test innings and was still edged out by Bovell III, who clinched a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics.

"This is the level of competition we expect to see," Roberts stressed. "This is the level of competition for this award and this is where we must go."

The Minister urged the athletes to respect all sports, no matter the discipline, recalling chessist Steve Tavarez's shocking Sportsman of the Year win in 1983.

He also declared that construction of the national tennis centre, cycling velodrome and the national aquatic centre will begin later this year.

"We will continue to support (T&T's athletes) as the Government of Trinidad and Tobago," stated Roberts, "so that we will not only take credit when they do it on their own, but we will partner with them throughout."

During his speech, FCSF chairman Dr Keith Clifford paid tribute to his predecessor, Hayden Newallo, for "his years of astute and dedicated leadership" of the Sports Foundation.

He stressed on areas where the FCSF aims to improve, including sustainability and a development thrust, and announced intentions to introduce "monitoring and evaluation and systems" to ensure this, while adhering to their long-held values.

Clifford also said that the Foundation will later this year add to the 181 names currently in Trinidad and Tobago's sports Hall of Fame.

Source:www.news.bbc.co.uk 

Delon ArmitageLondon Irish full-back Delon Armitage's appeal against an eight-week ban for pushing an anti-doping official has been dismissed.

Armitage was found guilty of using threatening and/or abusive language during a routine drug test after the Exiles' game against Bath last month.

An appeals panel said the original sanction was "fair and reasonable".

His ban will end on 16 March, virtually ensuring he will play no part in England's Six Nations campaign.

Rugby Football Union chief disciplinary officer Judge Jeff Blackett had equated the offence to abuse of a match official, a position Armitage rejected.

Armitage's ban had been reduced from 12 weeks to eight on account of what Blackett described as "his remorse, his letter of apology to the doping control officer and his relatively good record".

"It brought discredit on himself and his club and failed to uphold one of the core values of the game - respect," said Blackett last month.

"Doping control officers should expect to carry out their important work without fear of abuse and be treated with respect at all times."

Armitage launched an appeal, claiming the sanction was "disproportionate" but his argument was dismissed by a three-man appeals panel.

Panel chair Ian Unsworth QC said: "We came to the conclusion that the decision and sanction reached by the original panel was fair, reasonable and one which they were entitled to."

Unsworth added: "The Rugby Football Union attaches the highest importance to the fight against doping in sport and thus considers the work of UKAD (UK Anti-Doping) to be important to the reputation of rugby and sport as a whole."

"The work of the doping control officers is of crucial importance in this field and players should be aware of their obligations to comply with the reasonable requirements of those officers.

"Mr Armitage was aggressive, bullying, persistent and threatening. He subjected the doping control officer to a volley of abuse and he deserved better than that."

Trinidad-born Armitage, who has won 19 England caps, is a member of manager Martin Johnson's elite player squad.

He made three appearances as a replacement during the autumn Test series, and was expected to be part of England's squad for their Six Nations opener against Wales last weekend.

England's final match against Ireland is on 19 March and it is highly unlikely Johnson would consider him for the trip to Dublin after two months out.

The 27-year-old will also miss London Irish's next four Aviva Premiership matches, against Newcastle, Gloucester, Harlequins and Leeds.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

2010 national cross country champions, Celine Lestrade, left, and Denzil Ramirez.National cross country champions Celine Lestrade and Denzil Ramirez have been named in the 12-member national contingent to participate in the 7th North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Cross Country Championships to be staged at the Queen’s Park Savannah next Saturday. Lestrade earned selection after winning her first national women’s title at Sevilla Golf Couva last November. The 26-year-old will head a five-member women’s team for the six kilometre race. The other runners are Kerticha John, Melissa Daniel, Paulette Luces and Shermin Lasaldo.

At last year’s competition, which was staged at the Mt Irvine Golf Course, T&T’s women’s team copped the bronze in the team competition with Luces and Lasaldo part of the successful outfit. Lasaldo was 12th in the individual race just behind Samantha Shukla (11th) and ahead of Luces and Kema McShinen (16th). Ramirez, who also won his first national title in November, will compete in his first NACAC event. The  Troy University will be hoping to use his experience gained from competiting in the NCAA cross country competition. He will be joined by Curtis Cox, George Smith Jules La Rode and Matthew Hagley on the men’s 8 kilometre team. All four were on last year’s men team.

Sherwin Shapleton is the other member. In 2010 the men runners were edged out of bronze by Guyana in the team race. T&T’s best finisher in the individual race was Richard Jones, who was 11th with Cox in 15th, smith 20th, Hagley, 22nd and La Rode, 23rd. Mark London is the lone athlete named for the junior men’s 6k race. The reigning double Carifta champion is competing in his second NACAC and is seeking to improve on his 28th position from last year.

 FULL TEAM

Men’s 8K: Denzil Ramirez; Sherwin Stapleton; Curtis Cox; George Smith; Jules La Rode; Matthew Hagley

Women’s 6K: Celine Lestrade; Kerticha John; Melissa Daniel; Paulette Luces; Shermin Lasaldo

Junior Men’s 6K:Mark London

 

Source: www.newsday.co.tt

HERE are rifle shooter Roger Daniel, left, and shot-putter Cleopatra Borel- Brown who were last night named 2010 First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman ofthe Year at NAPA Auditorium, Port-of-Spain.

Roger Daniel and Cleopatra Borel-Brown were named First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year 2010.

The announcements were made ar last evening’s ceremony at the public auditorium, National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port-of-Spain.

The other Top ten Sporting Personalities were: Jehue Gordon (athletics), George Bovell III (swimming), Monifa Sealy (golf), Anisa Mohammed and Adrian Barath (both cricket), Kelly Anne Billingy (volleyball), Tariq Abdul-Haqq (boxing) and Njisane Phillip (cycling).

Swimmers Christian Homer and Cherelle Thompson walked away with the Youth Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year titles.

The National Amateur Athletic Association (NAAA) and the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association (TTNA) shared the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Award as the leading administrative bodies.

And the national women’s hockey team, who participated at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, was presented with new Lystra Lewis Award as the Team of the Year.

Delivering addresses at the function were Sports Minister Anil Roberts and Dr Keith Clifford, chairman of the Sports Foundation.

The show was co-hosted by Anthony Dennison and Camille Salandy.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Story by: Clayton Clarke

TTOC Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year 2010, Roger Daniel and Cleopatra Borel-Brown.T&T Olympic Committee Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Roger Daniel and Cleopatra Borel-Brown are in line to collect the corresponding awards at the First Citizens Sports Foundation’s Annual Award ceremony which will take place at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port-of-Spain this evening beginning at 6 pm. Should Daniel win, it will mark the first time he is recognised by the Foundation while Borel-Brown, who won the award in 2002 and 2007, will be going for her third.

Daniel won two medals (silver and bronze) at the Commonwealth Games in India in October. First, he teamed up with Rhodney Allen to grab bronze in the 50m Standard Pistol pairs event, and returned later to just miss out on gold in the Individual Contest. Earlier in the year he won two medals at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico; a gold in the 25m Standard Pistol and bronze in the 50m. Borel-Brown was also among the medals in India, grabbing silver in the Women’s Shot Put, to become the first local woman to win more than one medal at the quadrennial Games. She also broke the national record three times during the year and won the gold medal at the CAC Games.

In all, 49 athletes have been nominated by their respective national sporting organisation to attend the ceremony. Other names to make the shortlist include footballer Kenwyne Jones, swimmer George Bovell III, middle distance runner Jehue Gordon, boxer Tariq Abdul Haqq, batsman Adrian Barath, golfer Stephen Ames and cyclist Njisane Phillip.

The Junior Sportsman and Junior Sportswoman will also be crowned tonight after the top ten nominees from an original field of 34 were selected during a function at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad on Friday night. The favourites to take the honours are swimmers Christian Homer and Cherelle Thompson, who won the corresponding awards at the TTOC’s ceremony in December.

Tonight’s event will be held under the patronage of His Excellency President of the Republic of T&T Professor George Maxwell Richards. During last year’s ceremony, the main honours went to middle distance runner Renny Quow (Sportsman of the Year), hurdler Josanne Lucas (Sportswoman of the Year) and Jehue Gordon (Youth of the Year).

Nominees

Men

Daniel Ramoutarsingh (automobile sports), Gordon Dalgleish (rugby), Kenwyne Jones (football), Adrian Barath (cricket), Dorian Alexander (taekwondo), Adrian Brown (powerlifting), Nikhil Kanhai (archery), Emile Ramsammy (horse racing), Derek Poon Tip (sailing), Darren Cowie (hockey), Rezan Mohammed (rally car), Colin Ramasra (squash), Nolan Tash (volleyball), Jehue Gordon (athletics), Kerwyn Pantin (badminton), Stephen Ames (golf), Yohansey Williams (tennis), Keron Cabralis (chess), Kwame Kinsale (karate), Njisane Phillip (cycling), Neil Diaz (bodybuilding), George Bovell III (swimming), Steven Lewis (basketball), Roger Daniel (shooting), William Albert (gymnastics), Tariq Abdul Haaq (boxing), Vernon Lee Kin (kayak/canoe), Hero Boodram (powerboats), Ancil Greene (triathlon)

Women

Juliana Straker (rugby), Kennya Cordner (football), Anisa Mohammed (cricket), Yolande McIntyre (powerlifting), Kelly-Ann Arrindell (sailing), Alanna Lewis (hockey), Kerry Leigh Sample (squash), Kelly Ann Billingy (volleyball), Cleopatra Borel-Brown (athletics), Nekeisha Blake (badminton), Monifa Sealy (golf), Carlista Mohammed (tennis), Aditi Soondarsingh (chess), Janelle Alexander (karate), Candice John (bodybuilding), Cherelle Thompson (swimming), Tiffani Williams (basketball), Joelisa Cooper (netball), Nina Chaves (kayak/canoe), Maria Gooding (triathlon).

Top 10 Junior Nominees

Christian Homer (Swimming), Cherelle Thompson (Swimming), Channon Thomspon (Volleyball), Denise Francis (Cycling), Quincy Alexander (Cycling), Amelia Corbie (Taekwondo), Kernesha Spann (Athletics), Quinn Cabralis (Chess), Cadell Lyons (Swimming) and Brandon Legall (Volleyball).

Source: www.mobile.nytimes.com

Story by SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

First Lady Michelle Obama Lauches Let's Move with the NFL. Photo courtesy: Getty ImagesMichelle Obama, who has planted a vegetable garden, swiveled a hula hoop, done yoga poses, lobbied Congress and crisscrossed the United States to promote the virtues of healthy eating and exercise, wants to take her campaign to reduce childhood obesity to a bigger audience: the global one.

During a wide-ranging luncheon interview with reporters, Mrs. Obama said she intended to spend part of the coming year shaping a more international message, with a possible focus on issues of maternal and child health. She expects to talk about fighting obesity when she travels with President Obama overseas, she said.

"What I find internationally, and Barack says the same thing, is whenever he meets with a world leader, one of the first things they ask him about is the garden, because the issue of obesity is becoming an international issue," Mrs. Obama said, adding that "many first ladies have begun to think about how they're going to deal with this issue."

The interview kicked off a two-day media blitz by Mrs. Obama for the first anniversary of her healthy eating and exercise campaign, "Let's Move!" She will appear Wednesday on "The Today Show" and "Live with Regis and Kelly," deliver a speech in Atlanta and introduce a public service announcement that, she said, has the potential to reach more than 200 million viewers.

She took questions for slightly more than an hour, addressing topics like Mr. Obama's cigarette habit (he quit about a year ago; "I'm very proud of him," she said), how she keeps her marriage strong ("We don't take ourselves too seriously") and what she thinks about Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor, who has accused her of trying to tell Americans not to eat dessert.

"I don't think about her in this initiative," Mrs. Obama said.

By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

Mayor Gregor RobertsonA new report shows that the Metro Vancouver Commerce 2010 Olympic Business Programme brought a total of $306 million (£192 million) in new investment and created 2,558 new jobs in the area, the city's Mayor Gregor Robertson has revealed.

Nine Metro Vancouver municipalities, including the city itself, partnered with the Canadian Government on Metro Vancouver Commerce, an Olympic business programme that saw 64 international firms travel to Vancouver last February to reach agreements for new jobs and investment in the region.

"Our priority going into the Olympics was ensuring we secured long-term benefits for our City, and it's clear that our Olympic business programme did just that," said Robertson.

"With a strategic, targeted approach for attracting new jobs and investment to the region, we succeeded in leveraging the Olympic spotlight to put our economy on the map.

"The result is that one year after the Games, Vancouver is still reaping the economic benefits of our business programme."

The study, conducted independently by global consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers, shows that one year after the Games, the programme also created $168.8 million (£106.1 million) in direct investment, with $146.4 million (£92.03 million) in one-time capital investments and special projects, including films and $156.2 million (£98.1 million) in GDP, and $25.4 million (£15.9 million) in Provincial and Federal tax revenue;

It also created nine business deals for the City of Vancouver worth an estimated $85 million (£53 million), creating 400 jobs and $22.4 million (£14.1 million) in continuous annual impacts.

The total cost of the programme was $1.5 million (£942,000), resulting in a return on investment of 20,399 per cent, the PricewaterhouseCoopers survey claimed.

"Vancouver is poised to have one of the strongest economies in Canada this year and our success on capitalising on the Olympics is a big reason why," said Robertson.

Metro Vancouver Commerce used the international exposure of the Olympic Games as a platform to brand Metro Vancouver as a globally compelling location for business and investment, Robertson said.

The original target for investment was $50 million (£31 million) by the end of 2011 but already, the programme has reached exceeded that by more than three times in direct investment from 64 companies in five different industries, green enterprise, digital media, financial and business services, aerospace and biotechnology.

By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

A "rapid response unit" should be set-up by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) ahead of next year's Olympics and Paralympics to "rebut or challenge negative stories appearing in the world media", a report published by MPs has recommended.

About 25,000 journalists will attend the Games and four billion people will be watching on their televisions.

The Olympics can boost a country's profile, as was the case with Sydney when it hosted the 2000 Olympics, but there is a greater risk of a disastrous Games damaging a country's reputation, the report, FCO Public Diplomacy: The Olympics, concluded.

"We conclude that the 2012 Olympics pose potential reputational risks as well as opportunities for the UK," it said.

"The FCO is not the lead Department in contingency planning for organisational, transport or security problems during the Games, but it will have a responsibility for seeking to influence overseas perceptions of any problems that arise.

"We recommend that the FCO should make sure that, acting in concert with its Olympics public diplomacy partners, there is a 'rapid response unit' adequately resourced and prepared to take swift action to rebut or challenge negative stories appearing in the world media.

"We further recommend that this unit should be up and running significantly in advance of the start of the Games, that it should engage in intensive preparatory scenario-modelling, and that it should draw on the experience of successful media strategies by other recent host countries of major sporting events, notably Australia with the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Germany with the 2006 World Cup."

In its evidence, the FCO recognised the Games can help with Britain's security, and said it would use the event to promote a message of tolerance and moderation in strategically important countries.

The Pakistan cricketer and England spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed is among leading names who will feature in a series of short films online talking about what Britain has meant to them.

The Committee, which is chaired by Conservative MP Richard Ottaway and also includes Menzies Campbell, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats who represented Britain in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, praised the FCO's work on using social media and Twitter to get its message across, especially at a time of Government cutbacks.

David BeckhamThere is also praise for the International Inspirations programme, born out of London's successful bid to host the Games and which is supported by the likes of David Beckham (pictured), Colin Jackson, Sir Chris Hoy and Sebastian Coe.

"We are particularly impressed by the 'International Inspirations' programme, jointly organised by the FCO with UK Sport and the British Council, which aims to bring the benefits of sport to 12 million children in 20 countries," the report said.

"We recommend that the FCO should give high prominence to this programme in its public diplomacy work.

"We are concerned, however, that the overall message conveyed by the FCO's campaign is somewhat bland and ill-defined.

"We recommend that the campaign should focus on sending out one overarching message.

"That message should be the one successfully deployed in the UK's original Olympics bid, that London is an open and welcoming city, and that the UK is a diverse, inclusive and friendly country - that both London and the UK are, in a word, generous.

"Such a message would also help to redress some long-standing misperceptions of the UK."

But it warned of a danger of failing to regard Olympic public diplomacy as a priority.

MPs fear that the spending squeeze risks squandering a "once-in-a-generation" chance to promote Britain on the world stage.

The Foreign Affairs Select Committee is concerned that cutbacks on UK Embassies and Diplomatic Missions in the 18-month run-up to the Games will impact on ­Olympic promotions.

The report also pointed out ­potential risks of the Games if overseas ­coverage focuses on ­blighted, ­recession-hit B­ritain rather than its world-class ­attractions and called for the Government to find extra funding to help support the FCO using London 2012 to ensure that Britain is viewed positively.

"We conclude that, although it would be unrealistic to expect the FCO's budget to remain unscathed at a time of economic stringency and public spending cuts, nonetheless it is important that the Department's public diplomacy work in connection with the Olympics should be regarded, during the crucial 18 months leading up to the Games, as being a priority area," said the report.

"We are concerned that the decision to cut public diplomacy funding may result in the FCO's work related to the Olympics becoming a matter solely of individual initiatives...without adequate central coordination.

"We recommend that the FCO should keep this situation under review, and stand ready to restore some degree of central funding if it becomes apparent that it would be desirable and cost-effective to do so within the wider context of the FCO's pre-Games public diplomacy strategy."

The FCO said it planned to set up a British Business Embassy in London in line with the Conservative-led Coalition's aim of promoting greater trade and inward investment.

But the Committee suggested the FCO could do more, including holding a major trade event close to or during the Games "to secure the maximum commercial benefit to the national economy."

Britain should also use the Olympics and Paralympics as an opportunity to showcase the country's values and the Committee urged it not to bow to pressure from foreign Governments to restrain from allowing people to use he Games as an opportunity to draw attention to other issues.

"We conclude that the FCO is right to use the Games to 'promote British culture and values at home and abroad', and that it should continue to target specific overseas audiences to whom it is important to communicate the message that British society is based upon the ideals of tolerance, diversity, respect for human rights, and freedom of speech and religion," the report said.

"We welcome the unequivocal assurance by the Government that the long-standing rights of free expression and freedom to protest peacefully in the UK will not be suspended because of the Olympic Games.

"We recommend that the Government, both in the run-up to the Games and during the Games themselves, should firmly resist any pressure that may be applied by certain foreign Governments to curtail the rights of freedom of expression and freedom to protest peacefully in the UK."

 

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Akim Toussaint of Trinidad and Tobagois challenged by Christopher Nelson of Scotland during the mens hockey match between Scotland and Trinidad and Tobago at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium during day nine of the 2010 Commonwealth Games on October 12, 2010 in Delhi, India. Photo courtesy: Getty Images.This country’s senior men and women hockey teams have secured automatic qualification to the Pan American Cup 2013. This came about after the Pan American Hockey Federation took a decision to give the top six nations from the 2009 Pan American Cups automatics spots. In explaining the decision, PAHF said it was doing so in an effort to be fair to all National Associations interested in participating in this top tier event and the Competitions Committee proposed to grant automatic placement to the top six  nations from the 2009 event. At the 2009 event, T&T men were fifth placed finishers, ahead of Mexico while Canada, USA, Argentina and Chile occupied the top four places. The local women’s team finished one spot higher than the men, fourth, ahead of Canada and Mexico.

Argentina won the tournament while USA was second and Chile, third. The remaining positions will be filled by the top two nations from a new competition called the Pan American Challenge to be held ideally in 2011 or at latest 2012. The decision for the change in qualification system after PAHF recognised the differences in playing levels between the top playing associations and the inability of others to gain entry into the Pan American Cup due to current qualification system. The Pan American Cup will retain its format of an eight nation tournament and the teams in this event will be eligible to qualify for the FIH World Cup and FIH World Cup Qualifiers.

With regards to the Pan American Challenge (men & women), this  tournament will be open to all National Associations seeking qualification to the Pan American Cup. Two Nations from each of the Men’s and Women’s Divisions will qualify. The nations placing seventh and eight at the previous Pan American Cup will join the other nations taking entry for the Pan American Challenge. For seeding purposes, nations shall be ranked according to the PAHF Internal Outdoor Rankings. The two top placed nations from the Pan American Challenge will be promoted to participate in the next Pan American Cup. The nations placing seventh and eight in the Pan American Cup will be relegated and receive automatic placement in the next Pan American Challenge.

Things that Matter by Brian Lewis.How can we protect what we don’t understand? Small wonder, interest in sport development is so poor. When so many are only interested in elite sport, competition and medals. Few of us ever go below the surface of the sport ecosystem to really understand sport development. I am guardedly optimistic that the situation can be saved but deep down I’m worried. Many stakeholders don’t want to think about the issue in a holistic or holographic way. It is not a pretty picture as there is the pressing need for local sport stakeholders to accept the need for serious changes in practice. Why is there a disconnect in most people’s perception of sport development? Why is there a lack of public and media awareness or even care for that matter? I appreciate that some persons will cite the national sport policy as a sign that there is clarity as it relates to sport and sport development, truth be told, that is a myth.

Unless there is buy in for the sport policy and the societal and organisational will, to implement the recommendations of the policy, it’s just another set of paper gathering dust. Unless there is a rethink about our approach to sport development, T&T may well wake up one day to discover that most of our world class talent will either make a choice to represent another country or come to the conclusion that representing T&T is an abject waste of time. The real tragedy for T&T sport is that those who ought to or should know better, just don’t seem to care. Recently, I asked a sport leader:” why are you incorporating your National Sport Organisation (NSO) when you hardly have any functioning clubs or community sport organisation?” I am still waiting for the answer. Not, mind you, that I am expecting any.

Club and community sport goes to the heart of the T&T sport pyramid. Sport clubs in T&T need urgent help and they are not getting that help from their NSOs. Need it be said? What we do today will determine our tomorrow. Club development is almost non-existent. Another area that is woefully served is that of volunteer recruitment, development and retention. It is almost as if volunteerism is an obscene word. There is a connection between vibrant sport clubs and committed volunteers. So it is easy to grasp why in a situation where the club structure is neglected. Volunteerism will also be ill-treated. Forgive me if I am wrong about this but we have a problem, ignoring it, denying it, turning a blind eye will not make it go away. If the conversation local sport is having is not addressing the floundering club structure and dwindling volunteer corp, NSOs must begin addressing the conceptual and theoretical dimensions of sport development as an eco-system that is holographic.

In such a context the imperative of setting up a process, system and structure may assume some semblance of urgency. Competition and tournaments are not substitutes for sport development neither is professional sport. Many of the negative issues that arise in NSOs do so because of a lack of awareness and understanding of what has to be done. Accepting the knowledge gap requires maturity and selflessness. Doing something about it requires a sense of responsibility to the greater good. Therein may reside the real problem. Clubs need the help of NSOs and vice versa. You cannot have one without the other even though some NSOs seem on paper to survive without a meaningful club structure.
Such a scenario, in the long run, benefits no one.

Brian Lewis is the honorary secretary general of the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC)- www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Written by: Clayton Clarke

Ayanna AlexanderCommonwealth Games triple jump silver medallist, Ayanna Alexander was in winners’ row for the third straight meet, as she grabbed gold at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on Saturday at the Armory Track and Field Centre in New York, USA. Alexander topped the women’s triple jump field with a best leap of 13.52m beating Arina Gerasinova-Jeanty (12.64m) and Jennifer Gurrantt (12.64m). The national indoor (13.99) and outdoor (13.96) record holder opened her 2011 season with a win at the Father Diamond Invitational in Fairfax Virginia, on January 8 leaping to 13.61m, her best jump for the season.

Alexander, a 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medallist, then beat her competitors at the Hokie Invitational in Blackburg Virginia on January 22 with a leap of 13.54m. At the 19th Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, last October Alexander was second in the women’s triple jump final with a distance of 13.91 metres.

Kyron Blaise almost made it a double win for T&T at the New Balance Collegiate when he was second in the men’s triple jump. Competing for Louisiana State University, Blaise leaped to a season’s best of 16.21 metres. He was denied gold by Samyr Laine, who won with 16.28m. Blaise’s new season best mark pushes the national junior recorder holder to 37th on the 2011 IAAF World indoor rankings.
The 2008 double Carifta champion was just off his personal best of 16.29 m which he established in Texas, on February 6 last year. Quarter-miler Jarrin Solomon opened his season with a win in the men’s 400m at the New Mexico Classic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, also on Saturday. Solomon, who represented T&T at the 2010 World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, clocked 46.79 to top Heat One, recording the fastest time of the two races. Solomon, a 2010 CAC men’s 4x400m relay bronze medallist, beat Williams Henry (47.68) and Tanner Hunt (48.34) for the top prize. His winning time just off his personal best of 46.55 set in 2009. The University of New Mexico graduate is now at number eight on the IAAF World indoor rankings.

South Plains College student, Janeil Bellille was second in the women’s 55m hurdles finals at the Texas Tech Open in Lubbock. The 2008 World Junior women’s 400m hurdles silver medallist completed the race in 7.93 seconds, missing out on the top spot which was taken by Kelsey Lloyd (7.83). In the heats, Bellille was again second to Lloyd clocking 7.91. Bellille, a former double Carifta champion, was fifth in the women’s 200m clocking 24.50 seconds. Finishing just ahead of her was her schoolmate and compatriot Sparkle Mc Knight (24.32). Mc Knight was sixth in the 55m flat finals in 7.22, after clocking the seventh fastest time of 7.23 seconds in the heats. Another South Plains student, Kervin Morgan was 13th overall in the men’ 200m finals. The 2005 World Youth medley relay silver medallist finished third in heat six in 22.64 seconds. At the Meyor Invitational at the Loftus Centre, South Bend, Indiana, (February 5), Aleena Brooks was second in the women’s 400m. Brooks, 800m semifinalist at the 2010 World Junior Championships, clocked 54.51 seconds to finish behind Ashley Kelly (53.59). Brooks’ schoolmate Nyoka Giles was tenth overall in the women’s 200m. Giles finished fourth in the first heat in 24.95 seconds.

University of Wisconsin hurdler Durell Busby was seventh in the men’s 60 hurdles final clocking 8.24 seconds. In the preliminaries the former national junior men’s 110m hurdles record holder was ninth in 8.28 seconds as the top 12 advanced to the finals.  In relay action, Zwede Hewitt helped his Baylor University 4x400m team to third at the New Balance Collegiate. The 2007 Carifta boys Under-20 400m champion and his team-mates (Whitney Prevost, James Gilreath and Marcus Boyd) completed the event in three minutes, 7.12 seconds to finish behind Texas A&M and Arkansas. Another Baylor student, multiple Carifta champion, Garvin Nero was part of his school’s 4x800m relay squad which finished sixth (7:35:75).

Doping control officer and T&T Alliance for Sport and Physical Education (TTASPE) vice president Andre Collins at the testing booth, explains the process to students. Photo courtesy Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs.Former national track and field athletes Hydiane Harper-Simmons and Sheridan Kirk gave their personal experiences and opinions on doping in sport when the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs hosted an awareness seminar on Friday. Harper-Simmons, a former 100m and 200m sprinter, and 800m runner Kirk were speaking at the first seminar on the topic at the Rovanel’s Resort Hotel, Crown Point before a gathering of 150 secondary school students.

The seminar is part of a nationwide awareness campaign on doping in sport ahead of pending legislation to establish a National Anti Doping Organisation in T&T. A character called “Dexter” plays the role of an athlete who considers using banned substances to succeed in sport. Dexter then listens, along with the students, to information about the World Anti-Doping Agency and what they do as well as the physical and legal consequences of doping.

Students were then given more personal attention at booths set up for interaction with legal officers, doping control officers and Athlete Ambassadors. Today, the seminars will continue at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo from 9 am to 11 am while on Friday it will be held at the Central Regional Indoor Sporting Arena, Chaguanas, also from 9 am to 11 am. The athlete ambassadors for the Jean Pierre Complex event will be an all-female trio of Harper-Simmons, long jumper Cherisse Bacchus and hammer thrower Candice Scott.

Over the course of the seminars, the students will be privy to information about the health risks and career consequences of doping in sport as well as the testing process and the legal implications of such offenses according to the World Anti-Doping Code. This country acceded to the UNESCO International Convention on Doping in Sport in 2007 and as such, has certain responsibilities to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Among the responsibilities is the formation of a national anti-doping organisation, which the Ministry plans to introduce after the necessary legislation is tabled in Parliament and adopted as law. Two leading sporting organisations—the T&T Olympic Committee (T&TOC) and the T&T Alliance for Sport and Physical Education (T&TASPE)—have partnered with the Ministry to deliver the six-part educational series.

 

Source: www.newsday.co.tt

 

The Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Federation (TTRFU) will hold several fund raising activities to ensure theRugbyy their teams will be properly prepared and ready to compete at various tournaments.

Their first fund raising activity will be a cooler fete on February 19 at the Harvard Sports Club, St James starting at 4pm. Tickets cost $100 and will be available at the TTRFU office and all rugby clubs. Further information can be obtained by calling the TTRFU office at 628-9048 or mailing contact@ttrfu.com.

TTRFU president, Leslie Figaro explained that his organisation needed to be proactive in securing funding.

“The TTRFU and the rugby fraternity must find ways and means to overcome the financial challenges. The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs will assist as much as they can, but there is a significant shortfall. Trinidad and Tobago is the defending men and women Caribbean 15s champions, we must defend our titles. The Under-19s are a key development area, we have to raise funds and undertake fund raising activities” said Figaro.

He revealed that the national men and women’s training squads will play an active part in their fund raising drive.

“Each player will be given a certain number of tickets to sell, the players have to play a part. The situation is such that ever member of the TT rugby fraternity will be called upon to contribute. TT rugby cannot make excuses and play the blame game. We have to take the bull by the horns and get up and get. I am confident with with a collective effort we successfully raise the needed funds” said Figaro.

Source: www.baylorbears.com

Gavyn NeroOn one of the fastest indoor tracks in the world, the Baylor track and field team was led by Tiffany Townsend’s 60-meter school record on the first day of action at the New Balance Invitational at The Armory Track and Field Center in New York, N.Y.

Townsend had a solid time of 7.38 in the preliminary round of the 60 meters, but flew through the final in a blazing 7.27 to shatter the Baylor school record of 7.31 and place fourth in the race. Her time moves her into the top 10 in the NCAA this season.

For the men, Gavyn Nero had a spectacular race in the championship section of the 1,000 meters, nearly breaking the Baylor school record. Nero placed third in the elite race with a time of 2:22.39, just .01 seconds behind Chris Gowell’s BU record set last year.

Freshman Tiffani McReynolds continued her fast times in the sprints, tying her own school record in the 60-meter hurdles to place sixth overall in the championship section. McReynolds was also sixth in the consolation final of the event with a personal-best time of 7.42. In the college section of the 60 meters, Brittany Carr had the fastest time of 7.61, while freshman Justine Charbonnet was third at 7.64.

In the men’s sprints, Woodrow Randall and Whitney Prevost earned a spot in the consolation final of the championship section and made the most of it, each improving their times from the preliminaries. Randall won the race with a career-best time of 6.69, while Prevost was second in the heat at 6.74.

Sophomore Skylar White another strong weekend in the shot put for the Baylor women. For the third consecutive meet, White broke the 53-foor barrier, placing second in the championship section of the event. Her mark of 53 feet, 9.75 inches defeated all other collegiate competitors. Also in the field events, high jumper Dess Meek tied for fifth-place in the college section, clearing a bar of 5-7.

In the women’s 500 meters, Lizzy Whitney was sixth in the championship section at 1:14.05, while Michelle Nwachukwu turned in a solid time to place 10th overall for Baylor in the college section. Nwachukwu crossed the finish line in a time of 1:17.07.

Many events on the track held the preliminary rounds on Friday, with the final rounds to follow on Saturday. Sophomore Joe Barb earned the top qualifying spot on the college section of the 400 meters with a time of 48.38, while Gabriel El Hanbli was ninth in qualifying at 49.00. In the women’s championship section of the 400 meters, Diamond Richardson was seventh in the preliminaries with a time of 54.91.

The Baylor track and field teams will be back in action all day Saturday on the final day of the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York City.

CariftaAfter months of uncertainty, The Gleaner understands that Jamaica will, after all, host this year’s troubled Carifta Games, in the second city of Montego Bay between April 23-25.

The annual track and field championships, which is the first real international exposure for the region’s top junior athletes, was in danger of being cancelled for the first time in its 39-year history, after original host St Kitts backed out of its original bid to host the meet.

Jamaica was soon afterwards identified by The North American, Central American, and Caribbean (NACAC) Track & Field Association president Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook as a possible alternative, but local authorities were reluctant to take on the responsibility at the time, due the closeness of the meet to their own International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Challenge JN International Invitational meet scheduled for the National Stadium a mere two weeks later.

Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas and several other regional territories had also reportedly been close to stepping in to host the games but also decided to pull out at the last minute.

However, high level Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) sources have reliably informed that a decision has been taken to sanction the staging of the meet in Jamaica.

The source, who requested anonymity, highlighted the importance of the meet to the development of the region’s athletes and underlined that the association could not stand by and watch the meet continue to be thrown around in uncertainty.

It not clear how active a role the JAAA will play in the hosting of the meet given its obligations towards the JN International Invitational but it is certain that they will definitely facilitate the country’s seventh hosting of the highly respected meet. The last time the country hosted the Carifta Games was in 1996 in Kingston.

The Catherine Hall multi-purpose stadium in Montego Bay has been suggested as the likely venue.

Jamaica has hosted the event in 1974, 1979, 1982, 1988, 1990 and 1996.

When contacted, McCook decided against confirming or denying the developments but instead offered that a press release would be presented on the issue in short order, concerning the matter.