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

Donahue and the 18-and-over boys 400m medley relay quartet captured gold, as T&T enjoyed a relatively quiet night on the medal rostrum on the penultimate day of swimming at the 28th Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Thursday. The US-based Donahue, who won gold in the 15-17 girls 100m breaststroke in 1:14.01 and bronze in the 200m IM (2: 29.74), improved her haul to three when she touched the wall first in the 50m breaststroke in 34.16 seconds ahead of Bahamian Laura Morley (35.64) and Dominican Republic’s Vanessa Rivas (35.73), while the other T&T swimmer to reach the final, Johnnya Ferdinand, was eighth in 36.96. T&T also kept hold of the title in the 18-and-over boys 400m medley relay after they won in three minutes, 57.94 seconds to beat Guatemala (4:03.34) and Costa Rica (4:08.64) into silver and bronze, respectively.

There were also two silver swims from Abraham Mc Leod and Jeron Thompson on the night, while Samantha Rahael picked up her fourth bronze. Mc Leod, who won the 18-and-over boys 100m breaststroke in one minute, 04.17 seconds on Monday ahead of Panama’s Edgar Casper (1:04.25) and home-town swimmer Jose Montoya (1:08.66) was second this time to Crespo (28.73) in the 50m breaststroke in 28.84, while Andrei Kulyk of Nicaragua got bronze in 29.59, and T&T’s Strasser Sankar, fifth, in 31.48. Thompson, meanwhile, was second in the 11-12 boys 50m breaststroke in 35.62, behind Barbadian winner Luis Sebastien Weekes (35.08) while Aruban Daniel Jacobs got third, in 35.72. Rahael got another bronze, this time, in the 18-and-over 400m freestyle in four minutes, 41.17, to trail El Salvadorean champion Pamela Benites (4:28.35) and Barbadian Lani Cabrera who took second in 4:34.16. She previously got bronze in the 200m IM (2:28.82), 100m breaststroke (1:18.91) and 200m freestyle (2:13.41)

With only last night’s finals left to complete the swiimming segment of the championships, Venezuela continued to lead with 898.5 points followed by host Costa Rica (551), Guatemala (410), Honduras (359) and T&T with 354.5. The Venezuelans also enjoyed a comfortable lead on the medal table with 81 (37 gold, 23 silver, 21 bronze) followed by T&T with 27 (13 gold, six silver, eight bronze), Guatemala withn 24 (nine gold, eight silver, seven bronze) and Aruba with 25, eight gold, ten silver and seven bronze. Going into last night, the T&T team faced a huge task to try and improve on its third-place finish two years ago in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, when it earned a record gold medal haul of 22 in their 51-medal tally, which also included 19 silver and ten bronze for 622 points to trail champions Puerto Rico (1029.5 pts) and Mexico (997.5).

Other T&T CCCAN swim results:
Jessie Changar: 11-12 girls 50m breaststroke - 8th - 38.69 secs
Jabari Baptiste 15-17 boys 200m backstroke - 5th - 2:16.17
11-12 girls 800m freestyle relay - 7th - 10:03.83

CCCAN Medal table after day one (86 events)

Teams    Gold    Silver    Bronze    Total
1. Venezuela    37    23    21    81
2. T&T    13    6    8    27
3. Guatemala    9    8    7    24
4. Aruba    8    10    7    25
5. El Salvador    7    2    3    12
6. Honduras    6    10    10    26
7. Costa Rica    5    15    14    34
8. Bahamas    5    6    5    16
9. Cuba    5    4    4    13
10. Dominican Republic    5    3    4    12
11. Bermuda    5    2    3    10
12. Barbados    4    11    9    24
13. Panama    3    9    4    16
14. Netherlands Antilles    2    1    0    3
15. St Lucia    0    1    1    2
16. US Virgin Islands    0    1    1    2
17. Nicaragua    0    0    6    6
18. Jamaica    0    0    5    5

CCCAN Points table after day one (26 events)

1. Venezuela - 898.5 pts
2. Costa Rica - 551
3. Guatemala - 410
4. Honduras - 359
5. T&T - 354.5
6. Aruba - 330.5
7. Barbados - 307
8. Bahamas - 236.5
9. Panama - 203
10. El Salvador - 149
11. Bermuda - 147
12. Cuba - 119
13. Dominican Republic - 118
14. US Virgin Islands - 60
15. Nicaragua - 57
16. Jamaica - 53.5
17. St Lucia - 42
18. Netherlands Antilles - 37.5
19. Antigua & Barbuda - 8

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T&T’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste will be action today when she lines-up against two-time Olympic champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica in the women’s 100 metres at the Areva Meeting in Paris, today. Baptiste, the season leader with a time of 10.83, will also be challenged by American rising star English Gardner in one of the meet’s feature event. Usain Bolt is looking to build confidence for the world championships in Moscow by racing in the 200m. In the ninth leg of the Diamond League, Bolt will take on Jamaican compatriots Warren Weir, Nickel Ashmeade and Jason Young, along with former European 200 champion Christophe Lemaitre of France. All five sprinters have run below 20 seconds. “I’m just trying to make sure I get a couple of results before the championships,” Bolt said yesterday, “and get the routine right when the championships come, because that’s what really matters.”

Bolt is the 200m world record-holder and has won the last two world and Olympic titles. He has the second-best time this season, 19.79 seconds at the Bislett Games in Oslo on June 13.
Tyson Gay ran the fastest 200 this year, 19.74 at the US trials on June 23. Although Gay wasn’t in Paris, Bolt was not underestimating the competition. “I never said I’m invincible,” he said. “When I’m in great shape and I’m at the top of my game, I’m very confident that no one can beat me because I know what I’m capable of.” Weir ran 19.79 in Kingston last month to win the Jamaican trials. In May, the Olympic bronze medallist also won the 200 in Shanghai and New York.

In the men’s 400, world and Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada said he was looking forward to another race with LaShawn Merritt of the United States. James believed the more he’s pushed the longer he’ll be motivated. “(I’m) just trying to stay consistent and just trying to be around this sport as long as I possibly can,” James said. “I don’t want to be a two-year or three-year wonder and people wondering what happened to Kirani.” James ran a season-best 44.02 to beat Merritt in Shanghai on May 18. But the American took his revenge in Eugene, Oregon on June 1. Merritt won the Olympic gold in 2008 and the world title in 2009 before completing in 2011 a 21-month suspension for failing a doping test.

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Trinidad and Tobago’s ruggermen will launch their bid to lift the NACRA (North America and Caribbean Rugby Association) Under-19 Men’s Cup at home starting today, when they face a tricky side in Mexico today from 4.30 p.m. at Fatima College’s Mucurapo Road ground.

But they will not be the only team representing the Red, White and Black, with a T&T President’s squad competing to the NACRA Trophy, a last minute change after Bahamas withdrew from the competition.

Before T&T tackle the Mexicans, the early match on the day at Fatima Ground will see Bermuda and Jamaica face off from 2 p.m.

T&T are grouped in the NACRA Cup’s Pool B with Mexico and Barbados, while defending champions Cayman Islands— who have been in T&T since Monday preparing for the tournament and their title defence—Bermuda and Jamaica make up Pool A. The NACRA trophy, though, will be a round robin tourney between T&T’s President’s team, Guyana, St Lucia and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Team T&T will be led by skipper Ross Navarro, and the squad of 24 will also include Abdul Jackman, Jonathan Blackburn, Joshua Seechan, Sebastian Navarro and Wasiym Stewart.

The President’s team will include Jamie Ablack, Jelani Geroge, Keyhon Mendes and Darnell Roper. They will have Carlton Felix serve as head coach, and Ronald Silverthorne as his deputy, while Quinten Lyder-Baptiste is manager.

The Cayman squad have been in T&T since Monday preparing for the tournament and their title defence.


SQUADS

T&T:

Abdul Jackman, Anderson Jackman, Andrew Phillips, Beres Celestine, Brandon Greenidge, Christian Chin, Daniel Dragon, Daniel Ryan, Deion Smith, Joerelle Beard, Jonathan Blackburn, Jodi Clairmont, Jimmel Doyle, Joshua Seechan, Moses Paul, Quincy Mornix, Reinaldo Bermudez, Ross Navarro (captain), Sankara Daly, Shakeel Dyte, Shaquille Lucas, Sebastian Navarro, William Edghill, Wasiym Stewart.


T&T President’s XV:

Jaime Ablack, Myles Alleyne, Kevin Atwell, Jason Bain, Akash Bejai, Adam Camacho, Justin Charlerie, Anfernee Cornwall, Jaleel Cox, Sherron Edwards, O’Neil Fortune, Michael Garcia, Jelani George, Caleb Hector, Kareem James, Samuel John, Akeem Leben, Cathal Long, Marcus Manoo, Odell Marshall, Keyshon Mendez, Joseph Nivet, Wasim Ollivierre, Leon Pantor, Jordan Rodriguez, Darnell Roper, Akeem Shem, Tevin Shortt, Elon Thomas.

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In the last few weeks a number of people have expressed strident and despairing concerns that it is a daily battle to remain positive about the future of sport here in T&T. At every turn it seems as if there is a distorted perception about what is needed and necessary if as a nation we are to display sincere commitment.

Why is there the feeling that those who can make a difference aren’t serious about conceiving and developing a proper strategy, structure and culture that will propel T&T sport to the attainment of its full potential?

What has caused the break down in trust and is this loss of trust justified? Are we serious enough about sport to commit the financial resources which are necessary to harness and prepare the talent residing in the bosom of T&T so that the red, black and white can shine ever so bright at the World’s important and precious sport events?

I have been asked—“Here we are in 2013 and the problem of funding continues to threaten the progress of many sportsmen and women. Can we honestly say that financially sport in T&T has been boosted?”

This and other frequently asked questions reflect serious doubts and a lack of optimism that T&T can be a world class centre of sport excellence and a regional and continental powerhouse.

Positive views are considered simply sugar coating things. Why can’t we set big goals without people admonishing that it’s unrealistic given all that is wrong within local sport?

What is the cause of the frustration? Notwithstanding confident utterances the perception persists that we haven’t overcome a history of paying only lip service to sport sufficiently to allow T&T sport to scale unprecedented heights.

Is a positive view of things and an unwavering faith and confidence that no matter the challenges and obstacles progress have been made unrealistic or delusional? Aren’t we are better off now than say 20 years ago?

What’s the real deal?

However, I do agree there are situations that can be frustrating and demoralising but will always recommend purposeful patience. In time to come sport will be given a priority position in matters of national policy.

In the meanwhile even as the problems, concerns and issues are identified developing solutions has to be the mindset.

Examples such as Singapore, Qatar, and Cuba, Australia and New Zealand, to name a few, can provide excellent pointers.

That’s not to suggest that the expressions of frustration and rising tide of pessimism of people who feel that a golden opportunity should be ignored.

All national sport organisations and their respective stakeholders need to take a close look at what’s taking place within their sport and wider environment. All organisations have a multi-phase life cycle. Understanding and appreciating where you are in the life cycle is critical as it informs the responses to the changes taking place in the operating environment. How then can a national sport organisation equip itself to be able to identify fundamental changes in the environment as they occur and to make adjustments?

Meeting the challenges, problems and pitfalls require that a national sport organisation be able to adapt and respond to pressures, and be adept and flexible at “putting out fires” and making decisions in an uncertain environment where the stakes are high and there is considerable emotional investment.

For me, its far better to remain positive and maintain a strong belief that big things are in store for T&T sport and that it is necessary to chart a course forward that is based on ambitious aims and objectives.

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Spanish sporting apparel company Joma has officially put pen to paper on a five-year partnership with the T&T Football Association (TTFA).

This was officially proclaimed yesterday when the TTFA revealed the new on-field and training kits, as well as the association’s new logo at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain. Joma replaces Adidas as the official kit provider for all national teams which falls under the purview of the TTFA.

The kits, insignia and a new TTFA Web site, which will soon be launched, are among several developments disclosed by TTFA president Raymond Tim Kee who described the upgrades as a rebranding of the association’s image, which has for the past several years (while known as the TTFF) been stigmatised for questionable business and accounting practices as well detachment between players and the TTFF’s hierarchy.

The five-year deal comes with a new design of a home and an away kit, a jacket, a training kit, traveling wear and casual wear, through the local distributor Sportway Ltd. The senior national team will sport the new apparel when they kick off their Concacaf Gold Cup campaign against El Salvador, next Monday.

Tim Kee and recently appointed TTFA technical director Sheldon Phillips, spoke on the vision of a self-sustainable association, which aims at having every team, from the beach soccer outfit to the men’s senior team, qualify for a Fifa competition by 2018.

“This represents our symbol of excellence in a new era of football in our country,” said Tim Kee, to the audience and special guests, which included the Spanish ambassador to T&T Joaquin de Aristegui.

“For just over a half decade, we have struggled to qualify for the (con)federation’s signature competition that is the Gold Cup tournament, and we have not experienced success. This period (last six years) was also one that defined by infighting between administrators and players, coaches and administrators, and even referees and referees’ assistants.”

7pm Sports 2013 07 01

“As I say quite often, it is always better to reconstruct than to renovate, and trying to renovate what we had would have been a task that was unsurmountable, tedious and labourious and therefore we thought that we should start from the beginning.”

He added, “We have looked from within and began to change our value systems. We wanted to chart our landscape with qualities that would define us as a good and noble corporate citizen. We want our organization to be remembered as transparent and accountable because we want to show those who invest in the business of football, that when contributions are given to us that they are spent in the same manner in which they were promised.”

“One of the decisions we have taken is that we are going to be self sufficient. We have engaged for the first time in history of (our) football, as far as I know, a marketing team that is dedicated exclusively for looking at income streams and other marketing initiatives.”

Tim Kee also revealed the incorporation of an independent review committee, of which its primary function will be to observe and analyze the structure, governing statutes and the financial state of affairs. No confirmation has been made on who will head the committee, but the membership will include Senior Council Elton Prescott, T&T Olympic Committee president Brian Lewis, former national senior football team manager and Fifa development officer Richard Braithwaite, renowned journalist Dr Sheila Rampersad. Former national goalkeeper and current football analyst Neil Shaka Hislop has also been invited to sit on the commission. According to Tim Kee, director of the T&T chapter of Transparency International, Deryk Murray was invited to head the committee to oversee transparency and had originally agreed, but later asked to be excused, due to his many current obligations.

After making the revelation Tim Kee said, “We really want to change the image. We really want to look, not only at transparency, but indeed accountability and truth and all the nice values we’ve pursued.”

It is understood that Prescott, who is also an independent senator, will review the TTFA constitution and recommend necessary amendments.

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July 1 - The £500 million ($761 million/€584 million) Olympic and Paralympic sport has been guaranteed over the next four years as part of the Government spending review represents a "cast iron commitment" to the department following London 2012, according to Britain's Sports Minister Hugh Robertson.

Chancellor George Osborne (pictured top) last week announced there would be no cuts to elite sport in the run up to the Rio 2016 Olympics, something Robertson says puts sport in a "privileged position", as he gave details of how the Government will spend taxpayers' money.

"At the end of the Olympics the Prime Minister [David Cameron] made a commitment to back elite and high performance sport through the Rio cycle," he told insidethegames.

"We have now firmed that into a cast iron commitment to deliver £125 million ($190 million/€146 million) of combined exchequer and national lottery funding each year for all the four years of the Rio cycle.

"So UK Sport will have half-a-billion pounds available to it for the Rio cycle.

"Almost everybody I spoke to in the run up to London said, 'As soon as this is over investment will tail off, it always does, you're going to be no different'.

"Actually, we are different and as a really strong powerful legacy from London 2012 they will have the same amount of money available.

"That means the amount of money going to Olympic sport for the Rio cycle gone up by 12 per cent and for Paralympic sport it's gone up by 43 per cent.

"That is an extraordinary achievement and it puts sport in a very privileged position."

The announcement was followed by news of a £443,200 ($675,000/€520,000) funding boost for British winter sport ahead of the Sochi 2014 Games after the nation's athletes secured 10 medals at major events in both Olympic and Paralympic disciplines during the 2012-2013 season.

While the successful performances bode well for Britain's chances of claiming medals in Russia next year, Robertson warned of a potential "investment headache" in the future as athletes require more backing - but added that this would be a nice problem to have.

"British winter sport is starting to do what British summer sport did some cycles ago," he explained to insidethegames.

"I suspect that may give us a very good investment headache in years to come as winter athletes start doing well.

"And winter sport tends to be more expensive than summer sport to back so we are going to have some challenges in the future but those are good challenges to have."

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She's a mechanic by trade, but Canberra's Sharni Williams doesn't believe Australia's women's sevens team needs much tinkering to be an Olympic contender after a fifth placing in the World Cup in Moscow.

Australia's title defence fell short when it was upset 14-10 by Spain in the quarter-finals, but it rallied to win the plate final over England.

As a rookie captain, Williams said the task of helping the team recover from the Spanish disappointment was the biggest of her career.

''It was definitely a hard effort. The girls were pretty down and we weren't in contention for the cup, but the job wasn't done,'' she said.

''We had to get out there and show them we're better than that game. I just told the girls everyone dreams about wearing an Australian jersey, but no one gets to wear it that often.

''I've definitely grown as a person being a captain. I've come out of my shell a fair bit, being a country kid I was a bit timid and went with the flow.''

The squad stayed in the Olympic village used for the 1980 Moscow Games, and Williams said the team now had a better understanding of what it takes to perform under big-game pressure.

''We'll learn from these lessons, the nerves of playing for your country for a World Cup,'' she said. ''I guess we just took Spain a little lightly, but the great thing is we have a lot of depth now.''

Williams is looking forward to netball convert Mo'onia Gerrard joining the fold. Gerrard is taking a break from netball to play sevens.

‘‘I’m sure Gerrard will fit in very well, it’s just a matter of mastering the basics,’’ Williams said.

‘‘She can provide knowledge to the younger girls, give some inspirational words and show us what it means to be a World Cup or Commonwealth Games player.’'

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July 1 - Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates has paid tribute to Kate Lundy after she was today replaced as the country's Sports Minister by Don Farrell in a Cabinet reshuffle announced by returning Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Lundy had held the post since March 2012 but has now lost the role after Rudd was restored as Prime Minister following a successful challenge against Julia Gillard for leadership of the ruling Labour Party.

Lundy, 45, has been stripped of the sports portfolio, although she remains the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation.

She is now also Minister Assisting for the Digital Economy.

At London 2012 Lundy had lost a bet with her British counterpart, Hugh Robertson, that Australia would win more Olympic medals than the host nation and as a forfeit had to row the 2,200 metres length of Eton Dorney in Team GB kit.

Farrell, a 59-year-old Senator from South Australia, is a former union leader who describes himself as a "big fan" of the West Adelaide and Adelaide Crows Australian Rules football clubs.

Lundy had last week help navigate through Senate the Bill giving the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) greater powers to help it speed up doping investigations.

"The new powers provided to ASADA are vital to the fight against doping in sport and Kate was commited to getting the Bill passed," said Coates.

"She also deserves great credit for her contribution, along with Australian Sports Commission (ASC) chair, John Wylie, to the 'Winning Edge' strategy which has broken new ground in best practice and corporate governance and allowed us to refocus for the Rio Olympics in 2016.

"Under 'Winning Edge' sports are now more accountable and they are not only judged on performance but governance.

"I look forward to working with the new Federal Sports Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and continuing to develop the ties forged with the ASC/AIS (Australian Institute for Sport) through Kate Lundy and John Wylie."

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Tonya Nero successfully defended her Caricom 10K women’s title, yesterday, while her Trinidad and Tobago teammate, Denzil Ramirez dethroned Guyana’s Cleveland Forde to cop the men’s title.

The race took place at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, taking the runners for one lap around the Savannah, exiting at Agriculture roundabout, over Flagstaff Hill to Long Circular Road to Courts, left to Roxy roundabout, along Tragarete Road to Cipriani Boulevard before finishing in front of Queen’s Royal College.

Nero dominated the women’s race, completing the ten-kilometre event in 37 minutes, 22 seconds, more than four minutes better than second placed Alika Morgan of Guyana, who crossed the finish line in 41:46.

Morgan was followed home by Grenada’s Kernisha Pascal (43:06) and Linda McDowell (43:44) from St Vincent and the Grenadines, who were third and fourth, respectively.

Ramirez led throughout the race to finish in 32:09, ahead of second-placed Forde (32:36), third-place Richard Jones (33:02), fourth-placed Curtis Cox (33:27), and fifth-placed Kelvin Johnson (33:55).

Ramirez, was at the head of the pack from the start, with Forde, Jones and Cox keeping him company around the Savannah until he pulled away at Long Circular Road, leaving Forde, Jones and Cox to battle for the next three spots.

Although Cox was leading heading into the bend at Cipriani Boulevard, he could not hold off Forde and Jones as they headed back to the Savannah for the finish. Nero said she was pleased with her run, yesterday, noting that the overcast conditions worked out in her favour.

“The weather was cool and nice with a little drizzle. I think it was a good race for me and I am just happy to represent my country,” she said after the race.

“It feels good to know I could still be up there and I could still do well for my country. I will train very hard for next year.

“I am just doing local races so far for the year and I have no plans to do any international races right now, but I am hoping to do something international.”

About her time, Nero said: “I was pleased with it. I think I am improving and I am trying to take my training piece by piece to make sure that I get up there.”

Her ultimate goal, she said, is to run a good marathon between now and next year.

“I want to run a two hours and 35 minutes. That is my goal since the start of the year and all my races will help towards achieving that.

“I am focusing on getting my training back where it should be so I am happy with my performance,” Nero added.

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Reigning Carifta Games girls’ under-17 300 metres hurdles champion, Jeminise Parris has been selected to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the July 10-14 World Youth (under-18) Track and Field Championships, in Donetsk, Ukraine.

The eight-member T&T team for Donetsk includes four boys and four girls.

Parris will compete in the girls’ 100m hurdles. Kayelle Clarke is listed for action in the girls’ 100m and 200m events. And in the girls’ shot put, Portious Warren and Chelsea James will fly the red, white and black.

Jonathan Farinha will face the starter in the boys’ 200m. Aaron Lewis lines up in the boys’ 110m hurdles. Two-time Carifta Games boys’ under-17 long jump champion Andwuelle Wright competes in boys’ long jump. And Kenejah Williams will do battle in the boys’ shot put.

TEAM T&T

Boys—Jonathan Farinha (200m), Aaron Lewis (110m hurdles), Andwuelle Wright (long jump), Kenejah Williams (shot put)

Girls—Kayelle Clarke (100m, 200m), Jeminise Parris (100m hurdles), Portious Warren (shot put), Chelsea James (shot put)

Officials—Nadine Hamid (manager), Wade Franklyn (coach), Ian Carter (coach), Wendell Williams (coach), Jason Pilgrim (medical).

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Trinidad and Tobago Olympic bronze medallist George Bovell added another gold to his personal tally when he splashed to victory in the men’s 50 metres butterfly, at the Canada Cup, on Saturday night.
Bovell, however, opted out of the 50m freestyle event, on the final day of the four day meet, yesterday.
Bovell, who is preparing for the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, Spain later this month, added to his two gold medals in the 100m free and 50m breaststroke on Friday night with another golden performance in the 50m fly.
Bovell splashed to a 25.08 seconds clocking for the one-lap sprint, ahead of Club Wolverines teammate Bruno Ortiz (25.10) and Canada’s Christopher Beau (25.13).

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Jehue 4th in Birmingham Diamond League

Renny Quow captured silver in the men’s 400 metres event at the Edmonton International Track Classic, in Edmonton, Canada, on Saturday.

The Trinidad and Tobago quartermiler completed his lap of the track in 45.84 seconds to finish just behind Dominican Republic’s Luguelin Santos, the winner in 45.81. Third spot went to American Josh Mance, in 46.11.

At the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix IAAF Diamond League meet, in Birmingham, England, yesterday, T&T’s Jehue Gordon finished fourth in the men’s 400m hurdles in 49.02 seconds--his fastest time so far this season.

Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson topped the field in 48.59, beating Great Britain’s Rhys Williams (48.93) and American Michael Tinsley (48.94) into second and third, respectively.

Keston Bledman’s 10.32 seconds clocking in the opening men’s 100m qualifying heat was not good enough to earn the T&T sprinter a “fastest loser” berth in the final. Bledman was fifth in the heat.

In the final, Jamaican Nesta Carter topped the field in 9.99 seconds, forcing Great Britain’s James Dasaolu to settle for the runner-up spot in 10.03. Evergreen Kittitian sprinter, Kim Collins clocked 10.06 to finish third.

Mikel Thomas was fifth in his heat and 12th overall in the men’s 110m hurdles.

The T&T hurdler clocked 13.61 seconds in heat two, and did not advance to the final. The final was won by Barbadian Ryan Brathwaite, in 13.13 seconds.

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President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), Brian Lewis has set a national objective to achieve eight more Olympic gold medals by the 2024 Summer Games.

While this goal may be deemed unrealistic, Lewis boldly revealed that if athletes, national sporting organisations (NSO) and a nation, do not set big targets, then we will continue to produce average and mediocre performances on the global sporting stage.

With TT’s two lone golden Olympic performances derived from veteran Hasely Crawford and the young Keshorn Walcott, Lewis is certain that once the proper structures and programmes are implemented, a continuum of top-notch performances can be maintained from the many credible athletes of this twin-island nation. His ultimatum, a total of 10 gold medals altogether by 2024.

Crawford’s gold came at the Montreal Games in 1976 and TT had to wait 36 years before Keshorn Walcott brought gold to these shores yet again.

“We have to change the mind-set and set big goals,” he said. “We have gone past the times when we were just happy to qualify and participate. In the Olympic realm we must think gold.

The build-up to the Olympics include CAC, Pan Am, Commonwealth, Youth Olympics and Youth Commonwealth and at all these events we must have gold medal aspirations. We have to aim for greatness and set a bold challenge for ourselves.”

The Fatima and St Anthony’s College graduate also indicated that the TTOC will continue working with and educating its NSO affiliates on several courses, which would eventually amplify their purpose toward producing more all-round and complete athletes locally.

Lewis heaped praises on past representatives of the TTOC and their partners for setting a foundation which has proven to be a success, with TT’s largest Olympic medal haul at the 2012 Games.

His intention however, is to continue on this path and enhance those plans already in place to ensure a constant flow of quality athletes in as many sporting disciplines.

“The TTOC has a number of elements. The High Performance Centre, which is really about the Olympics on one end, Sport-4-All, which is about participation.

We also build a capacity with sports administration courses, encouraging to shape communities and health and wellness among others. These are simply what we have done over the years in terms of building the NSOs,” he explained.

The former TTOC general secretary added that national athletes must also set their own personal goals and work toward them. While he declared that the fruits of this nation’s sporting labour are a testament to the work done by those before, he insisted that even bigger goals must be set if we are to really fulfil our potential .

“You will get a sense of backward thinking from people who see this as such a stretch and almost unrealistic, but the reality is that in anything you do, you have to strive for greatness. We as a nation must come out of this paradigm shift that things are impossible. The only way we can measure our full potential is if we aim for greatness,” he concluded.

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Renee Chin Lee and Nicholas Mitchell both gave battling efforts in their first ITU Race and finished 45th and 57th respectively at the Pan American Triathlon Junior Championships in Vila Velha, Brazil, yesterday. Both were nominated by the Trinidad and Tobago Triathlon Federation (TTTF) for the Championships after qualifying earlier this year.

According to reports coming out of Brazil, the water was incredibly choppy for the swimming stage and after the 750m swim, it was a short distance into the transition onto the bike with a 20km ride. Rules require that one must not get “lapped” by the first rider or the athlete is forced to retire.

Chin Lee and Mitchell, competitors in last weekend’s Rainbow Cup in Tobago, both made it through the ride but Mitchell was involved in a mishap.

The Rainbow Cup Sprint distance champ was involved in a bike spill that cost him some time. He recovered well though and completed the 5km run to cross the finish line in a time of 1:09.56. Mitchell’s preparation for the Championships was affected as he was sitting his CXC Exams and had little time to train and in fact had to turn down some earlier ITU Races he was originally carded for.

Chin Lee, who also had CXC Exams, was facing the same predicament of coordinating school and sports but performed admirably to clock a time of 1:21.00.

Their next task now will be to grab the national titles on July 21 in Chaguaramas, where the National Triathlon Championships will take place.

Mitchell, 18-years-old, has been dominating the local triathlon scene this year and is hoping to dip below one hour in the Sprint distance.

He first got involved in competitive running before being introduced to swimming in 2005. Since 2009 he has made a leap forward, qualifying for the Goodwill Swim Team in Barbados and later captained the team.

In 2012 he qualified for the CISC Swim Team, while his transition to a triathlete had already started.

Chin Lee, coming from a background of aquatics, was a competitive swimmer and water polo player for several years, and represented Trinidad and Tobago on national water polo teams since 2007. Her interest in triathlon grew out of her search for new challenges, and her keen focus and determination have seen her rise to the top of this sport nationally. On her very first outing to the Neal and Massy Rainbow Cup in Tobago last year, she placed third overall among the female in the Sprint distances, and topped the 16-19 age group. Possibly one of her biggest achievements, however, has been to foster the growth of the sport of triathlon among young female athletes. An accomplished student, Chin Lee is a recent graduate of St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain, and will head off to the prestigious University of Pennsylvania in August to study industrial engineering. She was a member of the St Joseph’s Convent Triathlon Club which boasts close to 20 members currently.

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National cyclist, Njisane Phillip finished 21st in the Elite Men’s Sprint event on his debut showing at the Grand Prix of Germany, which pedalled to a stop in the Cottbus Velodrome yesterday.

Competing in his first European meet since the Summer Games last year, Phillip proved that he still has a lot of work to be done. Having qualified in the Flying 200m event with the 20th fastest time of 10.335 seconds, it was tough for Phillip to bunce back. Young sprinter Kwesi Browne also showed some heart and finished in 38th position among the tough line-up of world racers.

Winning gold yesterday was German cycling phenomenon, Robert Forstemann, who blazed to gold ahead of eventual silver medallist, New Zealand’s Sam Webster.

Receiving bronze was Russian rider Maximilian Levy, while Kiwi cyclists Simon Van Velthooven and Matthew Archibald finished fourth and fifth respectively.

In the Flying 200m round, Forstemann qualified with the fastest time of a blistering 9.846s ahead of Webster (10.042s), Levy (10.065s) and Kiwi Edward Dawkins (10.090s) respectively.

Meanwhile, Phillip managed to hold on to a 10th place finish in the Men’s Keirin event while Browne was tied for 13th. Bagging gold in this event was Russian Maximilian Levy, as New Zealander Edward Dawkins and Malaysian Azizulhansi Awang snatched silver and bronze respectively.

The local duo are not likely to be too perturbed about this weekend’s performances since they only began their training camp in Berlin about a week ago. The TT riders will head back to the Berlin Velodrom tomorrow where they will continue to work under the experienced German coach, Emanuel Raasch.

Over the next couple of weeks, there will be several cycling meets in the Cottbus area and the local combination are expected to compete once more on German soil.

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After an enthralling tournament and two incredible finals, New Zealand are both the men's and women's Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 champions.

New Zealand's men emerged victorious after beating England 33-0 on a rain-soaked pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to claim the Melrose Cup.

New Zealand's women became world champions after they beat Canada 29-12 in a Sunday night showdown.

The last day of matches at the Olympic Stadium were delayed after a thunderstorm stopped play during the men's semi-final between New Zealand and Fiji.

But the weather couldn't dampen the spirits of the New Zealanders, who will fly home from Moscow with both trophies.

After the final whistle, New Zealand captain DJ Forbes said: "This is truly a humbling experience and I'm almost lost for words. I'm just so proud of the boys. This win is for the boys, the management here and everyone back home. It's really great to get another trophy."

New Zealand's women's captain Huriana Manuel was ecstatic after the final whistle: "It feels amazing to be world champions. We have worked so hard for each other and we left it all out there on the field. I am so proud."

"The weather conditions were hard but we expected that. We have something special in our team. It is more than rugby – we play for each other and that is all that matters."

Earlier, in the men's competition, hosts Russia sent the home crowd into raptures when they won the Bowl final by beating Japan, and Canada overcame Samoa to win the Plate final. The battle for third place was won by Fiji who overcame Kenya 29-5.

Fiji had further cause for celebration after they beat the Netherlands to win the women's Bowl final, while a try near the end from Sharni Williams helped Australia beat England to win the Plate. USA beat Spain to finish the tournament in third place.

As the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 came to an end, IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Players from 28 nations came to this wonderful venue here in Moscow and captivated us with their talent, skill and values."

"New stars were born and stars from past Rugby World Cup Sevens amazed us again. As we celebrate the success of an event that has broken new frontiers and taken our sport to new audiences, let us together wish the best for these players as they aim for the 2016 Olympic Games.

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Former South African president Nelson Mandela is currently in a critical health condition. And as the world turns its attention toward one of the great men of the last 100 years, his legacy will find renewed appreciation. A new angle. In a sense, new life. The full spectrum of his impact will come back into view -- including a strand sometimes overlooked: Mandela's belief in the power of sports.

One of the most remarkable moments of Nelson Mandela's passion for sports happened exactly 18 years ago. He had just become South Africa's first black president of the post-Apartheid era and he was determined to use sports as a way of uniting a segregated country. And on June 24, 1995, he strode onto the field at Johannesburg Elis Park stadium in an emblematic No. 6 green Springbok shirt and was subject to a standing ovation from a capacity crowd before the kick-off of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.

South Africa won their first World Cup that day, following a 15-12 win over New Zealand All-Black team. After the title, Mandela presented the trophy to then-South African captain François Pienaar, who called the victory as a win not only for the 62,000 fans present at the stadium, but for "All 43 million South Africans."


In the aftermath of his contribution to sports, and on a number of occasions, Nelson Mandela poetically spelled out one of the most symbolic speeches in sports history.

"Sport" he said in the speech, "has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

When, due to failing health, Mandela was last seen in public, the occasion was the 2010 Football World Cup held in South Africa: the biggest sport event staged in Africa.

But among all sports, basketball has always held a special place for Mandela -- as much for the game itself as basketball's ability to affect what happens off the court. Since the inception of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders (BWB) programme in 2003 in Johannesburg, South Africa, several basketball personalities (executives, players, head coach, campers, etc) have met Mandela, and discussed the the value of basketball in disadvantaged communities. Designed to help support poor communities through its NBA Cares projects, BWB's ambitions dovetailed with Mandela's.

Now, with Mandela fighting a lung infection in a Pretoria hospital, his wife Graça Machel by his bedside, it's the great man who needs our support.

Jacob Zuma, the current president of South Africa, visited Madiba (Mandela's clan name) last Sunday. On Monday, Zuma met the media to say that "All of us in the country should accept the fact that Madiba is now old. As he ages, his health will... trouble him and I think what we need to do as a country is to pray for him."

Mac Maharaj, Mr Zuma's spokesman, told the BBC on Sunday: "I think there is need to be sombre about the news. There is a need not to hold out false hopes but at the same time let's keep him in our thoughts and let's will him more strength," he said.

For his belief in sports, what Madiba really needs at this difficult moment of his life is a worldwide standing ovation of encouragement.

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D’Angelo Harris won the Boys’ Under-13 Youth Development race at the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) Olympic Day, on Saturday.

Kyle Caraby came in second in the race with Deshawn Petrovanie taking third spot. In the corresponding event for girls, Ashley Whiteman topped the field, with Adrianna Seyjagat and Rynelle D’Abreau finishing second and third, respectively.

Under-13

Boys’

1. D’Angelo Harris

2. Kyle Caraby

3. Deshawn Petrovanie

Girls’

1. Ashley Whiteman

2. Adrianna Seyjagat

3. Rynelle D’Abreau

Under-11

Boys’

1. Ryan D’Abreau

2. Matthew Hinds

3. Derell Petrovanie

Girls’

1. Sylese Christian

2. Tehya Sealey

Under-9

Boys’

1. Ryan Maharaj

2. Elijah Moses

3. Malik Cudjoe

Girls’

1. Alexia Wilson

Under-7

Boys’

1. Amari Dollaway

2. Zion Harris

3. Geraldo Mohan

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Baptiste looks a genuine double threat for Worlds