News
- Details
- Latest News
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has launched a new campaign to support the nation’s Olympic and Paralympics athletes including a crowd-funding website for donating gifts to the squad.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Foundation (USOPF) project, the Team USA Registry, invites fans to buy meaningful presents, such as a pair of goggles, running shoes, a boccia ball set, childcare services or plane tickets for travelling to a competition, to help offset the more than $40,000 (£26,000/€37,000) training costs for each athlete.
“Unlike most National Olympic Committees, the US Olympic Committee receives no Government funding, and we’re being outspent by our competitors at an increasing rate,” said Jon Denney, USOPF President and USOC chief development officer.
“Team USA relies on the ‘Team Behind the Team,’ - generous donors and sponsors - to help US athletes remain competitive with the rest of the world.
“The Team USA Registry offers donors a new and unique way to join Team USA on the Road to Rio.”
The TeamUSARegistry.org website means fans will have the option to shop by category, sport or amount of money they wish to spend on the athletes.
Users will also have the option to donate a gift on behalf of another person and fans will receive a shareable social media badge of acknowledgement for backing Team USA after making a donation.
Swimmer Natalie Coughlin, a 12-time Olympic medallist and former world champion, spoke of the importance of supporting the nation’s athletes, particularly ahead of Rio 2016.
“To a US Olympic or Paralympic athlete, ‘training’ requires specialised equipment, world-class coaching, sports medicine, travel expenses and nutrition services,” she said.
“This support is more important today than ever, as there are athletes who have the potential, but not the means, to achieve their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.”
To donate click here.
- Details
- Latest News
The British Olympic Association (BOA) have announced an eight-year renewal with leading sportswear brand Adidas, which will see their partnership continue up to and including the 2024 Olympic Games.
The sponsorship and licensing deal continues the BOA’s longest running domestic partnership, with the sportswear brand having produced kit for the British team since Los Angeles 1984.
“Adidas have shown over many years what an incredible track record they have in creating high-performance product for Team GB across multiple Olympic sports and we are proud to be extending our close relationship with them through to 2024 – a partnership of 40 years,” said Bill Sweeney, the BOA Chief Executive.
“This eight year deal reinforces the long-term value of the Team GB brand and represents a significant step forward in our post-London 2012 commercial programme.”
With the Rio 2016 less than 500 days away, the new deal will see Adidas continue as the Official Sportswear Partner for Team GB, providing kit for competition across across all 35 Summer and Winter Olympic sports.
In addition the sportswear brand will provide non-competition wear for athletes during the Games, as well as various international festivals and Games where Team GB are represented.
“Adidas are excited to announce the extension of our partnership with the BOA through to 2024,” said Barry Moore, Adidas UK brand director.
“We look forward to providing high-performance, innovative apparel and footwear to the British athletes as they compete on the biggest sporting stages.”
Adidas will continue to produce replica and official apparel, accessories and footwear, in their role as Official Team GB Licensee,
“The BOA is incredibly proud to have such a long standing partnership with adidas,” Sebastian Coe, the BOA chairman, said.
“To have them as part of Team GB looking ahead to PyeongChang 2018, Tokyo 2020 and beyond is vital for our continued Olympic sporting success.
“Los Angeles ‘84 holds such fond memories for me as an athlete and knowing that Adidas have been with Team GB on the journey since those Games shows the strength of the relationship between our two organisations.”
- Details
- Latest News
Scotland’s Louise Martin says that the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Evaluation Commission are “Ready to be Inspired” by Durban’s bid for the 2022 Games, as they begin a four-day visit of the South African city.
Martin will chair the five-strong Commission, who are set to meet with Government and city partners who will help with the delivery of the Games, while they will also take in several competition and non-competition venues and facilities.
“As a Commonwealth Sports Movement, we cannot fail to be excited by the prospect of a first Commonwealth Games in Africa, and warmly welcome Durban and South Africa’s bid and congratulate the Durban Bid Team and their local and national partners for all the hard work they have put in so far,” said Martin, who previously chaired the successful bid for Glasgow’s hosting of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“This Evaluation Commission, however, has a very important job to do - to analyse and gain a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of the bid and hear first-hand the plans and strategies that will be put in place to deliver an inspiring and inclusive Games for everyone in seven years time.
“To borrow the bid team’s slogan, we are ready to be inspired.”
CGF chief executive David Grevemberg, who formerly held the same post at Glasgow 2014 will also be part of the Commission, alongside Andrew Ryan, executive director of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and a former Glasgow 2014 and current Gold Coast 2018 Coordination Commission member.
The experienced panel is completed by Ian Hooper, director of sport and special projects at Glasgow Life and Maxwell de Silva, secretary general of the Sri Lankan Commonwealth Games Association and National Olympic Committee.
Tubby Reddy, the Durban 2022 Bid Committee chief executive, predicted the Evaluation Commission will be impressed during their stay in the port city.
“There is no doubt that we have put up a quality bid which will far exceed the expectations of the CGF,” Reddy said.
“We have been meticulous and sensitive to all the demands from the City as well as from the CGF, and we believe that Durban has produced a world-class bid.
“Our belief in bringing the Games to Africa remains firm and very optimistic.”
The Commission will prepare a Bid Evaluation Report, following the visit to the sole bidder for the 2022 Games after Edmonton in Canada withdrew from the race, with the report set to be presented to CGF members no later than a month before the CGF General Assembly is due to take place in Auckland on September 2.
Durban’s bid is due to be voted on by the Commonwealth’s 71 nations and territories at the Assembly, while a vote will also be held to decide the CGF President, with Martin aiming to replace current incumbent Prince Imran of Malaysia, who is seeking a second term.
Mark Alexander, chairman of the Durban 2022 Commonwealth Games Bid Committee believes that Durban will be able to highlight its capability to host the Games to the Commission throughout their visit.
“This is an another important step towards bringing the Games to Durban and a very significant milestone in the Bid process which, we believe, will go a long way in convincing the CGF assessment team that the City is ready and that we are able to meet our commitments that we presented to the CGF in London in March 2015,” Alexander said.
“We are confident that the City’s Bid team is fully prepared for the Evaluation Commission’s visit and that Durban will be the host city for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.”
- Details
- Latest News
Ryan O’Neal of Guardian Group made a strong debut in the CariFin Games as he emerged the first leg leader after the completion of the CariFin Games One Lap Savannah event last week.- Details
- Latest News
...stun Mexico 30-16 in regional final
T&T’s Calypso Warriors yesterday officially regained its claim as the most successful tier three rugby union team in the region, by lifting the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association (Nacra) Rugby Championship for the third time with a 30-16 win over Mexico at St mary’s ground in St Clair.
As with the North Zone championship win over Guyana two weeks ago, yesterday’s grand finale had its nervous moments from the home perspective but any doubt of a T&T win was put to rest late on with a brilliant solo try from Agboola Silverthorn.
No stranger to an impressive try, Silverthorn stole the show after receiving a pass from Andrew Taylor at mid-field, before darting past two sets of Mexico players, using tremendous agility and strength. Taylor converted to close the scoring.
That was T&T’s only try of the period and one that followed two second half tries from a revived Mexico, a team largely dominated in the first.
T&T went into the break with a comfortable 23-6 advantage, after Samuel Roberts (10th minute) and Jonathan O’Connor (31st) scored one try each, the latter of which was converted by Taylor, as well as another two penalties from Taylor. In the final minute of the first half, T&T was awarded five more points by the referee after a Mexico player was found guilty of pulling a try-bound Silverthorn by the hair.
O’Connor’s pushover try at the hour-hour mark, followed a minute after Mexico’s Marcus Flegmann was directed to the sin bin for an attempted punch at Ernest Wright.
Mexico was a different team after the break, probably inspired by a blow-out from the coach, Ruben Duque.
After the whistle sounded for the restart, Mexico resurfaced this time with a try from a fired up Flegmann, the same player temporarily ejected in the first half.
Then, on the hour mark, Felician Guerra had the honour of a temporary ejection himself, taking one for the T&T team, after failing to roll away after a tackle and with repeated warnings from the referee.
In the 67th minute, soon before Guerra returned, Mexico capitalised once again from the mounted pressure with a try from Simon Pierre.
Thereafter, T&T regained composure and some control, but did not look dangerous enough to extend the advantage. But it did come, and following a piece of magic from Silverthorn, a member of T&T’s sevens team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, last year.
After a typically solid performance, T&T captain Adam Frederick gave his take on the match, but played down any suggestion that his team was played exceptionally well, at least in the second half.
“It could’ve been better. I always say that we could do better. But, the first half, I mean, there were no problems in the first half. It was effortless; it just came natural to us,” he said. “(In) the second half, we kind of went down. It wasn’t the best (half).”
Over the two periods, T&T’s chemistry had visibly improved from the narrow win over Guyana. There were fewer unforced errors and blunders. The passing and off-the-ball movement from T&T were fluid and quick, and the Warriors’ tackling, for the most part, was full and assertive.
Frederick, however, is adaman that as a whole, elementary improvements are necessary for this country to progress in international rugby.
“Catches on the kick-offs, the basic things, the restarts are the basic things that let us down. We need to be a little more secure.
“We definitely improved at each passing game. The boys have grown well together. It was our main focus and sticking to the game plan that actually did it for us.”
He, his teammates and the staff went on to lift the Nacra trophy for the first time in seven year. But just before, in a most fitting and pore-raising tribute to one of their former teammates, Frederick and company surrounded Jason “Moon” Clarke to celebrate with him as they performed their ritual chant. Clark, also a former Caribs stand-out was involved in an car accident three years ago, which left him paralysed and in a wheelchair.
- Details
- Latest News
The national Rugby squad will be entering unchartered territory on Saturday when they face off against Mexico for the title of North America and Caribbean Rugby (NACRA) Champions, on the St Mary’s College Ground in St Clair. The annual championship decider pits the Northern pool champions against the winners of the Southern pool; TT, the recently-crowned Southern champions, and Mexico, their northern counterparts, have never met on a rugby field.
Mexico have produced impressive scores in winning their first Northern Championship; they outscored the USA South 50-25 in Mexico in early March, and followed with a 24-3 win over the Cayman Islands in Grand Cayman. TT started with a 44-7 rout of Barbados, and edged Guyana 22-20 to claim the Southern title.
Rugby fans can expect to see improvements in the home team. Following their win over Guyana, concerns were raised about the TT’s problems in handling the ball under pressure. National team head coach Larry Mendez said he would be working on the players’ physicality and composure, among other things. Additionally, TTRFU president Leslie Figaro said yesterday that TT were able to obtain a copy of the Mexican win over the Cayman Islanders. “We watched it, and we are structuring our game to counteract their strengths,” he told Newsday.
Plans to have the match played at the Hasely Crawford Stadium were stymied because of a Masters Track and Field event booked for the same day; however, Figaro believes the St Mary’s Ground could work to their advantage because of the closeness of the pavilion and the fact that spectators on the ground will be close to the action, just as it was when they defeated Guyana on the Fatima College Ground.
The Match Referee and one Touch Judge will be from the Cayman Islands, while the other will be a Guyanese; the game is scheduled to kick off at 3 pm.
TT team (from): Adam Frederick (Captain), Samuel Roberts, Travis Carmichael, Kareem Figaro, Wayne Kelly, Samuel Skeete, Joseph Quashie, Akiel Smith, Shakeer Flemming, Andrew Taylor, Ernest Wright, Jerome Poon Tip, Kirby Hosang, Felician Guerra, Agboola Silverthorn, Anderson Joseph, Keshorn Walker, Andre Cabrera, Andrew Welch, Jamal Clark, Jesse Richards, Johnason Alleyne, Aason Lewis, James Phillip, Christopher Hudson, Jonathon O’Connor, Brandon Goodridge.
Coach: Larry Mendez
Assistant Coaches: Dale Trotman, Willett Pantor
Manager: Ronald Annandsingh
Fitness Coordinator: Derek Ashby-Williams
Physiotherapist: Kemba Noel-London
- Details
- Latest News
T&T’s women pair Apphia Glasgow and La Teisha Joseph, competing in Cayman Islands for the first time, will do so, with their main aim of preparing for next weekend’s CAZOVA Women’s first round 2016 Rio Olympic Qualifiers to be staged at Ochio Rios Bay Beach, Jamiaca, April 30 to May 5. The two earned T&T’s lone spot to compete in Cayman by winning the the five-stage T&TVF qualifiers ahead of Ayana Dyette and Nancy Joseph while Elki Phillip and Shenelle Gordon were third.
Last season, the women’s crown went to USA’s Tealle Hunkus and Kimberly McGiven-Dicello who defeated a resilient Canadian pair of Melissa Humana and Taylor Pischke in three sets, 21-23, 21-10, 15-9. But both teams are not in the Cayman Islands this year paving the way for Cuba’s Lianma Flores and Leila Martinez and USA’s Traci Weamer and Kendra Vanzwieten.
Last year, Flores and Martinez won the gold medal in Varadero, Cuba, a silver medal in T&T and the bronze in Antigua Guatemala. They also captured the title at the CAC Games in Veracruz. Weamer and Vanzwieten last year won a silver medal in Antigua Guatemala. Vanzwieten also won silver and bronze medals with Allison Daley in Manzanillo, Mexico and North Bay, Canada, respectively.
The countries represented in the competition are Barbados, Belize, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, T&T and USA.
- Details
- Latest News
23 picked for IAAF World Relays
- Details
- Latest News
SportAccord President Marius Vizer has apologised for the manner of his outburst against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) here this week, but defended his content before arguing how "everyone in the world of sport must be free to have an opinion".
Speaking at this morning's General Assembly of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), Vizer was involved in a lengthy diatribe with ASOIF head Francesco Ricci Bitti, during which he was admonished for not checking the best way of "putting attention on what he wishes to achieve".
Vizer, here in his capacity as President of the the International Judo Federation (IJF), appeared humble but relatively composed when entering the room this morning, making sure he greeted representatives from virtually all of the other sports.
After requesting to changes to the proposed agenda to have his say, Vizer expressed regret "regarding my way and moment to choose this opportunity."
He added: "But, regarding the content, I express my voice and that is my opinion.
"I am sorry but think everyone in the world of sport is free to have an opinion, because that is the rule of sport."
This follows news yesterday that 27 of the 28 Olympic Summer Federations have suspended their SportAccord membership in response to Vizer's fierce criticism of the IOC system at Monday's (April 20) SportAccord General Assembly here, with the IJF the only exception.
In a strong response to Vizer's words, Ricci Bitti, also the International Tennis Federation President, claimed they believe the IOC is a "strong machine" and that it is a "waste of time trying to destabilise it".
He then said that, while the door remains open, SportAccord must be changed to avoid duplication with other bodies such as ASOIF, strongly criticising the presentation given during the General Assembly that highlighted a wide platform of measures.
"What we need is a SportAccord that gives the sport movement an added value, but not one that does not make us waste time," said the Italian.
He praised the SportAccord Convention as a "great initiative" , and said he hoped to work together to enable it to continue, while multi-sport events such as the Mind and Beach Games were also praised.
But SportAccord must be "more humble and practical", he said, citing the example of the body's work to combat integrity and match fixing as an unnecessary project because it essentially replicates work already being undertaken by the IOC.
Discussions on how to do this will begin tomorrow, he pledged, but predicted it would not be an easy process.
ASOIF vice-president and International Handball Federation head Hassan Mostafa called for a special meeting to be held between four key stakeholders in order to solve the dispute.
These are Vizer, Ricci Bitti, IOC President Thomas Bach and Association of National Olympic Committees chief Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, it was proposed.
TEAM TTO PARTNERS
