jun.27.2008
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (T&TOC) president Larry Romany has heaped praises on the athletes who have earned the right to represent the country at the August 8-24 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Speaking at a farewell function on Wednesday evening, at BHP Billiton, Invaders Bay, Port of Spain, the local Olympic boss said he is looking forward to "great things" at the 2008 Olympics. He also encouraged the Beijing hopefuls in attendance-including two-time Olympian Ayanna Hutchinson-to prepare themselves for the experience of a lifetime.
"Ayanna, if you think that Sydney (2000) was a big thing, wait until you get to Beijing. The Chinese have decided to make this better than anybody has ever experienced.
"And young guys like Rondell Sorillo, Emmanuel Callender, Zwede Hewitt, young ladies like Annie Alexander, Aleesha Barber and Josanne Lucas...Be like a sponge and accept the aura of what you think and what you feel is true greatness because you will be among the greatest athletes on the face of the planet.
"No one who has not been to an Olympic Games," Romany continued, "can imagine what to expect, but don't let the whole thing get the better of you."
The T&TOC president urged the athletes to utilise the resources at their disposal.
"You have Hasely Crawford who is going to be with the team, you have (sports psychologist) Margaret Ottley who will be with the team. Talk to people about it, talk to people about the pressure that you're going to be under because you're going to be under tremendous pressure.
"It's not an easy thing to go into a stadium and have 80,000 people cheering, whether you win or lose. Just the murmur in 80,000 people is more than you can imagine, and it is something that you need to start thinking about and start preparing for."
On Wednesday evening, Romany expressed his gratitude to three corporate sponsors.
"BHP Billiton is a tremendous corporate partner of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee and have helped us tremendously over the last four years.
"We also have joined recently with bmobile, and they too have shown a tremendous desire to ensure, that from a community level, sport really makes a difference.
"Our partners in Guardian Life have been with us over 12 years now, and they have paid yeoman service...it's unmeasurable how much they have done for sport in Trinidad and Tobago."
BHP Billiton Trinidad and Tobago president Vincent Pereira gave details of his company's association with Beijing 2008.
"We are the metal for medals sponsor for the Games. What that means is that we are providing all of the metal for minting the gold, silver and bronze medals at the Olympic Games...6,000 medals for the Olympics and Paralympics and 51,000 commemorative medals."
Pereira also wished T&T's Olympic hopefuls the best of luck in Beijing. "...and hope they bring some of that BHP metal back to Trinidad."
Romany said he is very grateful to the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) and the T&TOC's immediate past president.
"The product that you see with regard to our Olympic team this year is a product of Mr Douglas Camacho's presidency and the work he has done, and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee has done, with the Government...we are now starting to reap these rewards.
"We have a team with much promise," Romany continued, "we have a team that at the end of the day can bring medals." Sports Minister Gary Hunt concurred.
"...it's my belief as well that we have the best team ever that we've presented at the Olympics. We anticipate our athletes returning home with precious metal of all colours."
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com
Written by Kwame Laurence