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

Presidents hail effort of U-20s

President of the Republic, Anthony Carmona and Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Raymond Tim Kee both praised the performances of the national Under-20 women’s team who placed fourth in the 2014 CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship in the Cayman Islands on Sunday.

President Carmona said the Under-20 women “displayed grit and determination to become real contenders in the Cayman Islands qualification tournament.”

The T&T women lost 7-3 to Costa Rica in overtime in their third place playoff contest, having led 3-1 at halftime and held that lead until two minutes from the end of regulation time. They were scheduled to return home last night.

“I can tell you I felt a great sense of national pride and joy when I saw how those young women fought on behalf of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago,” Carmona said during the launch of the TTFA’s Youth Football Community Clinics at the VIP Lounge,  Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday.

Tim Kee said the women played hard and the defeat will give an indicator to the technical staff and coaches about what they need to do to ensure the team remains competitive in the future.

“From what I saw yesterday, remember we led 3-1 at half time, I get the impression that they were leg-weary, because it was a hectic schedule and that will of course point our technical staff in a direction to correct things like that,” he said.

“I know some initiatives have been taken in the past about fitness and the level of preparedness that is necessary for those types of games and I know that we made a decision to make it a policy, so you would not see a recurrence of that moving forward, but those things do not happen overnight.”

He added with caution: “I am not knocking them for lack of fitness, but I expect that by the middle of this year we will have some really fit players.”

Speaking about the TTFA’s financial position and the money the organisation still owes to various people, Tim Kee said: “We are trying to settle-up our debts.”

Asked about how much of the TTFA debt has been repaid, Tim Kee said “about 60 to 70 per cent in many regards, in other situations, especially huge debts like for (Russell) Latapy for example. We have not paid him yet but the “Soca Warriors” got a huge amount. As for the other big debts, we are trying to pay incrementally...as money comes in we try to pay it.”

Former national star and ex-coach Latapy withdrew a lawsuit against the TTFA for more than $5 million in compensation after both parties arrived at an out-of-court settlement.

And although Latapy is yet to get actual payment, Tim Kee said, “I have taken responsibility on behalf of the Association to settle a debt that before now was denied and we will see how it goes there. But I know for a fact that he will get his money.”

He also noted that the former footballer left the TTFA headquarters “pleased and satisfied” following their last meeting on Sunday.

“We depend on sponsorships and no sponsor is going to give you money to pay debts,” Tim Kee explained. “We have to utilise what they give us to put resources in place to generate income.

TTFA Director of Communications Shaun Fuentes noted that the TTFA is in the process of preparing the team for the Argentina game on June 4. He said that there is an international date in March and that the TTFA is  hoping to utalise to get some match practice.

In the meantime, he said coach (Stephen) Hart will continue to scout for players in the local Pro League and in foreign leagues.

“He (Hart) is really interested in seeing what local talent we have at our disposal. We expect to have (Leo) Beehakker back at some time and we expect him to be a huge part of this Community Clinic the TTFA is undertaking along with technical   director Anton Corneal,” Fuentes added.

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Jamaica's bobsleigh team will end their 12-year absence from the Winter Olympics next month after being awarded a place at the Sochi Games.

Driver Winston Watts and brakeman Marvin Dixon will compete in the two-man bob in Russia.

"It means the world to me," Watts, 46, told BBC Sport.

"I could not fall asleep last night just waiting to hear the news. I had a strong feeling we would get in but you never know."

Watts, who says he has spent £100,000 of his own money in an attempt to ensure qualification, added: "It means the world to Jamaica. We have dominated in summer sports like athletics and now we've qualified for the Winter Olympics."

Only 30 teams will compete in the men's two-man competition in Sochi and Jamaica's prospects of reaching the Games looked in jeopardy after Watts finished the qualification period on Sunday ranked 39th.

However, nine nations ahead of them were unable to take up the final Olympic berth as they had already qualified their maximum number of sleds - which resulted in Jamaica taking the final berth for the Games, which begin on 7 February.

Jamaica first qualified for the Winter Olympics in 1988 in Calgary, an achievement later portrayed in the 1993 Disney film "Cool Runnings", (external) and last competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Jamaica did not feature in the 2006 Turin and 2010 Vancouver Games, partly through a lack of finance, and Watts and Dixon have launched a funding appeal (external) for Sochi from the general public.

The pair also hope that the Jamaican National Olympic Committee and the Sochi Olympic organisers will provide them with some financial assistance.

Great Britain bobsleigh performance director Gary Anderson says he is delighted to see Jamaica back in the Olympic line-up.

"I know how hard Winston works, he's a great athlete and ambassador for the sport," he told BBC Sport.

"It's great to have countries that aren't traditional alpine nations competing against the bigger nations in the sport."

Watts previously competed in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 Olympics, and returned to the sport in 2012 after a six-year retirement.

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Teary-eyed, Chile Sevens head coach Emundo Olfos was hoisted aloft by his side after they booked their place at the HSBC Sevens World Series promotion play-off in Hong Kong, by performing heroics at this weekend's CONSUR Sevens in Renaca Chile.

The tournament was the third stop for South America's national teams in a three-tournament circuit that was first launched in 2013/14 by the region's governing body CONSUR, with Chile and Uruguay finishing highest of the nations outside Argentina.

They join a tough competition in Hong Kong also featuring Tunisia, Zimbabwe (CAR/Africa); Hong Kong, Japan (ARFU/Asia); Italy, Russia (FIRA/Europe); American Samoa, Cook Islands (FORU/Oceania); Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago (NACRA/North American & Caribbean), and from which only one team will win promotion to the Series. It promises to be emotionally-charged and high drama at the Hong Kong Stadium.

The three South American tournaments which allowed Chile and Uruguay to reach this hallowed stage were the Super Seven del NEA and the Dove Men's Sevens in Mar del Plata – both Argentina – and the Viña Sevens in Chile. Further proof that, with the Olympic Games coming to Rio de Janeiro in 2016, CONSUR nations are now working with their respective Olympic Committees to achieve success in Rugby Sevens.

“In order to give our member unions more competition we have joined well established club and provincial tournaments and assisted towards having an international section,” explained CONSUR President and IRB Council Member Carlos Barbieri.

“The initial feedback is that it was very successful and we will try to make it stronger and better for the next year. This is a great way to give teams the opportunities they need,” concluded Barbieri.

Chile went unbeaten in the Renaca tournament, twice beating the Argentine 'Pampas VII' development side en route to the title. On day one they beat Peru 45-0, before beating the Argentine side 21-7, while in the other poolm, Uruguay beat Paraguay 5-0 and Brazil 15-5.

With the two places in Hong Kong up for grabs, the top four sides from the pools went into a round robin. In front of a sizable crowd, Chile showed their intentions with a 33-0 win against a Brazilian side that played well below their capabilities. Uruguay beat the Argentine Pampas 15-7, before they faced Chile, who won 19-14 thanks to a try from Tomas Laniszewski in the dying seconds.

A participant at the Rugby World Cup Sevens last year, Uruguay then took on Brazil, themselves working their way into the shortened game's elite, and the match ended 14-7 to Uruguay.

“It was very important for us to qualify for Hong Kong,” said Juan de Freitas, the only player from the Uruguayan fifteens squad released for the Sevens. “Of course the goal this year is to qualify for the Rugby World Cup 2015, but the skills and fitness I can get in sevens will help me personally.”

Uruguay then watched the last match knowing they could still win the title, but Chile had other ideas and took the trophy with a second defeat of the Argentine 'Pampas' select, a try and conversion by Francisco González the only difference in the narrow, much celebrated, 7-5 victory.

With the ODESUR Games also taking place in March, Olfos was pleased his side were able to demonstrate their ability at this tournament.

“We are gearing towards the ODESUR Games,” explains Olfos. “It is a project that started in 2011 and is now starting to show its benefits.”

“We have had a lot of help from the Chilean Olympic Committee and that we managed to return their faith is very important,” added the former national sevens and fifteens representative who has been running the sevens side since 2007.

12 teams will head to the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens with a chance of qualifying as a core side on the HSBC Sevens World Series: Chile, Uruguay, Japan, Hong Kong, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Russia, Italy, the Cook Islands, American Samoa, Zimbabwe and Tunisia.

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National rugby player Kwanieze John has been selected as the Chef de Mission for the T&T team at the upcoming second Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China from August 16-28.

At a press conference held yesterday at the T&T Olympic House in Port of Spain, president of the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) Brian Lewis, was pleased to announce John as the first active national athlete and youngest in the history of T&T to be selected for the position.

He said, “It’s the first time that an active national athlete will be given the tremendous responsibility, opportunity and honour to lead a T&T olympic committee delegation to a major games. We are very confident that it is keeping with our emphasis on youth, our emphasis on motivating young women and young girls to be involved in sport.”

John, 25, who was the young ambassador for T&T at the 2010 games, is ready for the challenge. She stated: “It is an honour for me to be appointed Chef De Mission, as Mr Lewis expressed its a tremendous responsibilty and one in which I accepted with ease.”

The role of the Chef De Mission is to help the team prepare for the games, ensuring each athlete’s coach and manager is up-to-date with olympic information. John believes that her four years experience on the olympic committee will assist her with the role as Chef De Mission.

A team of 13 T&T athletes in six sports will travel to China in August. In the first edition of the Youth Olympics in 2010, T&T swimmer Christian Homer won gold.

One of top athletes on the current team will be swimmer Dylan Carter, who is coming off a successful season. Carter won silver in the boys 50m butterfly at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai, last August. T&T will also have representatives in track and field, beach volleyball, triathlon, table tennis and gymnastics.

Supporting John at the youth games, will be Jeannette Small, who will act as T&T’s young ambassador. Small’s duty is to get the athletes involved in activities, such as the culture and education programme. Small, who studied sports management at UWI, said she is looking forward to the experience.

Other members of the team includes Tracey Pierre, Asha De Freitas and T&T Olympic athlete Cleopatra Borel. Pierre will act as the sports nutritionist, ensuring a healthy diet for the athletes, while De Freitas will be the team’s certified athletic trainer, focusing on injury management and injury prevention. Borel will help in developing T&T’s athlete commission.

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Glasgow 2014 has today (Tuesday January 14) confirmed the teams and pools for the Rugby Sevens competition at this summer’s Commonwealth Games.

The sixteen teams who will strive for the coveted Gold medal in front of packed audiences at Ibrox Stadium are Australia, Canada, Cook Islands, England, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Wales.

Reigning champions New Zealand, who have won all four Commonwealth Gold medals to date, have been drawn in Pool A alongside Canada, Nigeria and Scotland.

South Africa (Pool B) and Australia (Pool D) were both among the medals at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and, together with Samoa (Pool C) and England (Pool D), are among the nations determined to challenge the mighty All-Blacks’ dominance in Glasgow.

The four Pools confirmed by the International Rugby Board and Commonwealth Games Federation are:
•    Pool A – New Zealand, Canada, Scotland, Nigeria
•    Pool B – South Africa, Kenya, Cook Islands, Trinidad and Tobago
•    Pool C – Samoa, Wales, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia
•    Pool D – England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Uganda

A total of 45 games will be contested across two days of fierce competition at Ibrox Stadium in a fast and furious contest which requires teamwork, skill and stamina as two teams with seven athletes on the pitch go toe to toe for glory in games which last just 14 minutes.

Greg Warnecke, Head of Sport at Glasgow 2014 said:
“Glasgow will welcome most of the world’s best Rugby Sevens nations to compete at the Games. The standard of competition will be world-class, the action is fast-paced and with all of the teams playing in each session of competition, it guarantees a feast of rugby action and a brilliant atmosphere all round.”

IRB Chairman, Bernard Lapasset, said:
"For 16 years now Rugby Sevens has enjoyed being a key part of the Commonwealth Games. To compete alongside their compatriots in a multisport environment is a matter of huge pride and honour for our rugby players, who are making giant strides in this new Olympic era. We wish our Rugby athletes all the best in this magnificent international event."


Limited opportunities still remain to be part of the Rugby Sevens crowd at Ibrox with ticket prices starting from just £15 for adults. Tickets are on sale on a first-come, first-served basis online at glasgow2014.com or via the Ticketing Hotline at 0844 826 2014.

The full competition schedule – detailing dates and times of matches - will be announced next month.

It’s important to treat people well, to have faith in them.

The little things that can make a difference don’t always receive the attention they deserve.

We let things slide. They appear trivial to those on the outside but they are important when building an environment that will facilitate success.

Little things such as respect.

In any organisation, group, sector, club or team, you have to have strong values and beliefs. They must be collective, collaborative and supportive. Everyone in the group must feel respected.

I am not talking about individuals; I am talking about letting things slide as a whole.

Sometimes it can slip without you noticing and only becomes clear when it has all gone wrong.

Were we honest enough? Did we address the problems?

The number of hours people put in to make sport work, everybody matters. They should be made to feel that their needs, concerns and issues matter.

Before we begin to talk about providing our elite athletes with the tools that they need to climb the podium, there are basic issues that can’t be ignored. Nothing must be left to chance. The difference between winning and losing is a fine line. But is that what it’s all about? Winning and

losing?

For many, excellence and discussion about excellence in sport gives the impression that elite sport and medals are the be all and end all of sport.

Sport isn’t only about being a champion.

Participating for the sheer love and joy must remain at the very core of sport.

Even professional sportsmen and women, for whom it’s a career, can’t lose the joy and passion. The moment that happens, the dip in performance becomes noticeable.

Achieving excellence is near impossible if passion and enthusiasm is lost.

It’s important that in our quest to provide our sportsmen and women with the tools to provide them with the best training programmes and preparation, we keep in mind that the love and passion must not be sacrificed.

At times coaches, trainers, managers and administrators can be accused of over thinking and over analyzing. Their demeanour and attitude can give the impression that sport is no longer about play and fun.

Somewhere along the line in our determination to be the best, to use sport to make a positive difference and to develop a sport industry, we may be losing sight of the fact that sport is play and fun.

The TTOC recently conducted research and the information on registered participants is not the kind that makes for a pretty picture. Under 35s are not participating in organised sports as they should.

It’s obvious that the love affair between T&T youths and sport is broken. Are participation rates in organised sports at its lowest level in the history of T&T sport?

We must not take the fun out of sport.

Those who wish to participate in sport for the sheer enjoyment of it must feel that they are more than welcomed and that sport is not an elite only club.


Brian Lewis is the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee www.ttoc.org.The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.

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Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were named Jamaica’s top sporting personalities for 2013 at the RJR Foundation National Sportsman and Sportwoman awards on Friday.
Both athletes were also crowned the IAAF World Athletes of the Year last December.
Bolt copped his fifth straight Sportsman of the Year award, following his outstanding performances at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow where he won three gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres and the 4x100 metres relay.
“For me, this year was a wonderful year. It was hard; a lot of ups and downs, but overall it was a great season,” said Bolt.
“You guys have showed me so much love, and the energy that I have gotten this year is just continuing to grow in so many ways.”
Fraser-Pryce, who also won three gold medals in Moscow, thanked fans for their support during the year
“I would like to say thanks to the RJR Foundation and its selection committee for choosing me again this year, it’s very sweet,” she said.
“It was a hard year. It was a year that met my expectations, seeing that I worked hard. I was fully committed to the task ahead and I completed it.
“It was an effort from me that was collective; my managers, my teammates as well, my coaches and, of course, my family and my friends,” said Fraser-Pryce.
Among the other winners were netball administrator Molly Rhone, who won the prestigious Sagicor Iconic Award; veteran jockey Winston Griffiths was presented with the Chairman’s Award and schoolboy Javon Francis received the People’s Choice Performance of the Year award.

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U-20 women advance to CONCACAF semis

• GEORGE TOWN


Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Princesses advanced to the CONCACAF Final Round of Qualification in the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championships for the first time after outplaying hosts Cayman Island 4-0 on Sunday at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.

T&T next face Mexico tonight for top honours in the group. They will contest the semi-finals next week where a win will automatically qualify them for the 2014 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada. If they fall short in the “semis,” they can still qualify by winning the third place playoff.

Head coach Izler Brown was elated to her team reach the semi-finals, the first time in the history of T&T’s participation in Concacaf qualification.

“I’m really happy for them. They played with heart and they got the first part of the job done which was to advance beyond the group phase,” Browne told TTFA Media.

“I think the girls played hard and the inclusion of the foreign-based players was a plus or us as their  contributions were significant. They fitted in well and combined really good with the home-based players.

“The team is taking it one game at a time. We will refocus now on our next task which will be finishing the group stage on a positive note against Mexico and then look ahead to the semi-finals,” Browne added

Sunday Brown’s charges were off to a flying start, scoring in the second minute before some fans had a chance to settle into their seats.

Patrice Campbell dribbled down the left and delivered a pass that snaked through the box to Shanisa Camejo, whose right-footed shot beat goalkeeper Kristina Seymour.

Fifteen minutes later, the visitors increased their lead after Cayman Islands conceded an own goal from a pass into the box that a Caymanian defender was able to get a foot on. The ball, however, rebounded off teammate Jetena Bodden and looped over Seymour into the net.

Five minutes before the break, T&T went ahead 3-0 after Campbell took a right-sided corner kick that Khadidra Debesette was able to head just inside the left post.

The Caribbean runners-up struck early in the second half to score their fourth goal after the Caymans had difficulty clearing out of their own penalty area.

Brianna Ryce eventually ended up with the ball on the right and sent it towards goal for Anique Walker to covert.

The win guaranteed that the Soca Princesses and Mexico will progress from Group B with a game to spare, while Honduras and Cayman have been eliminated from contention.

Though both sides have six points from two games, the Mexicans have a hold on the group’s top spot thanks to superior difference (+15 to +6).

T&T, who have not conceded a goal in three straight CONCACAF Under-20 games dating back to 2010, had never emerged from the competition’s group stage in five previous attempts.


Trinidad and Tobago lineup: Tenesha Palmer (GK), Khadisha Debesette, Shanelle Warrick, Daniella Findley, Liana Hines, Brianna Ryce, Khadidra Debesette, Patrice Campbell, Shanisa Camejo, Shenelle Henry, Anique Walker .


Substitutes: Emma Abdul, Donika Murray , Tsaianne Leander

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The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) first fitness test for athletes and national teams preparing for the upcoming XX Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2014 will be held on Saturday 18th January, 2014 9:00am at the Jean Pierre Complex.



The TTOC is collaborating with the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago High Performance Unit (HPU) which is headed by Executive Manager, Elite Development and Performance Unit Mr. Tobias Ottley.



Mr. Ottley and his HPU team will supervise Saturday’s fitness test (beep test).





Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee

121 Abercromby Street

Port of Spain

TEL: (868) 625-4380, 625-1285, 623-7637

FAX: (868) 625-3049

Deloitte projects double-digit growth with no sign of demand easing for European football leagues and big four US sports

The market for global sports rights will hit £16bn in 2014, a rise of 14% on last year, as demand for top-flight European football and Major League baseball entices hefty investments from broadcasters.

Deloitte said in a report that it saw no end to the rush for premium sports rights, with revenue growth driven by new broadcast deals for the English Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga and US baseball. The accounting company added that sports rights payments will outpace global pay TV revenues, which are expected to grow 4% this year, with premium sports content more valued than ever as a lure for audiences.

Last year BT dropped a bombshell on the sports world when it secured the rights to broadcast Champions League and Europa League football for £900m from next year, more than double the existing £400m deal with ITV and BSkyB.

European football will contribute 46% of the 2014 rights total with £6.5bn, Deloitte said, with the Premier League accounting for £1.9bn. The growth in cost of sports rights has accelerated this year, having grown by an average of 5% over the past four years before the projected double-digit leap in 2014.

Austin Houlihan, a senior consultant in sports business at Deloitte, said new market entrants "looking for attractive differentiating sports content" were driving up fees as they take on established players such as BSkyB.

Houlihan said there was no sign that the "premium sports rights bubble" was about to burst: "Premium live sport delivers large audiences, typically characterised by an attractive demographic profile. It drives subscriptions and generates advertising for broadcasters, particularly in an increasingly altered media landscape. In some cases, premium sports broadcast rights fees have been insulated from wider economic pressures by multi-year contracts.

"Television and premium sports are well-matched for each other: at the highest level, sport is great unscripted live drama for television. Constant advances in technology are leading to ever more sophisticated, compelling ways in which sports can be portrayed."

Deloitte said 75% of the rights windfall will be generated by 10 competitions: the leading domestic football leagues in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, the Champions League, and the US ice hockey, baseball, American football and basketball leagues.

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AS has been the case for the majority of years in the last decade or so, Dexter St Louis and Rheann Chung will represent the Trinidad and Tobago Table Tennis Association (T&TTTA) in the First Citizens Sports Awards.

The France-based duo were voted 2013 Players of the Year during yesterday’s T&TTTA awards function at Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena, Chaguanas, and will attempt to be crowned Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year when the prestigious ceremony takes place at a date yet to be announced.

Arun Roopnarine and Jasher De Gannes will represent the sport in the First Citizens Junior Sports Awards.

Roopnarine finished tops in both the Under-18 and 21 categories and came within 120 points of dethroning Curtis Humphreys as the top senior locally-based player in the country.

Caribbean Under-13 champion De Gannes was fifth in the senior rankings and the Tobagonian, who picked up a bronze medal in her age-group in the Latin American Junior Championships, also finished No. 1 in the Under-13 and 15 divisions.

As usual, St Louis and his step-daughter Chung did not play in any local tournaments, but they were again major factors as Trinidad and Tobago placed second overall in the Caribbean Championships in St Lucia in August.

St Louis was crowned singles champ for the fifth time, but Chung failed to capture her sixth title when she was upset in the final after taking the first two games.

The two combined for their seventh mixed doubles crown and Chung secured another gold medal when she teamed with Aleena Edwards and Linda Partap-Boodhan for the team title.

The 27-year-old Chung and 12-year-old De Gannes picked up the silver medal in doubles, while St Louis picked up bronze alongside Humphreys, whose brother Alaric and Under-21 bronze medallist Roopnarine also notched a medal of this colour in doubles.

David Mahabir, who was crowned national champ at age 62 a few weeks before, ended with two silver medals as the Canada-based player lost in the over-50 final and combined with St Louis and Curtis Humphreys to place second in the team event.

Edwards, a bronze medallist in singles, dominated the local tournaments, winning the National Championships for the tenth time as well as the other three tournaments she competed in.

Humphreys finished No.1 for the second straight year, but Edwards replaced Brittany Joseph, who fell to No. 3.

However the youngster who was crowned national champ at the tender age of 14 last year finished as the top Under-21 player of the year.

Joseph was second as Nalini Boodoo topped the Under-18 category, while boys’ Under-18 runner-up Aaron Wilson retained the title as the leading Under-15 player and was third overall in the senior rankings.

Tobagonians Derron Douglas and Joshua Maxwell finished on top in the Under-11 and 13 age-groups, respectively, while Shreys Maharaj was the leading female Under-11 player of the season.

Boodoo and Joseph not only finished No.1 in the Under-18 and 21 categories, respectively, it was their very first year competing in the age groups and they also received prizes for highest debut.

The male equivalent honour went to Savresh Mungal, who finished No. 2 in his first year in the Under-21 division.

De Gannes, who climbed from No. 11 to the top spot in the Under-15 division, and Luc D’Young, up from No. 45 to No. 9 in the Under-13 category, received the prizes for most significant rise in the rankings.

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National cyclist Njisane Phillip has been dismissed from hospital and given the all-clear to train again.

The top cyclist was released from the Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Centre in California yesterday morning.

After the results of a final Lasix renal scan and steadily dropping creatinine levels, the medical team, headed by nephrologist Dr Steven Sawelson and urologist Dr Timothy Lesser, authorised Phillip’s discharge.  

According to a  Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago statement yesterday, while the cyclist will need weekly follow-up visits to monitor his progress, it was revealed that his kidney problems are likely a result of his own anatomy.

The statement added that  barring further testing, the kidney issue should not cause additional problems in the future. The statement also said that Phillip has also been cleared to resume training and plans to compete at the UCI Track World Championships in Colombia in March.  

The 2012 Olympian and World Cup silver medallist said: “I have been given a second chance and have a new lease on life.  When we were unsure what was happening, I could not believe that my cycling career may have been over. I cannot express how happy I am that I can still compete, and so soon.  I’m anxious to get back on the track and continue to make Trinidad and Tobago proud.”

Philllip added: The love and support I received from family, friends, fellow athletes and fans is something I won’t ever forget. It is what drives me. Thank you all!”

Phillip was admitted to hospital on January 3, when he complained about stomach pains.

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The International Rugby Board has confirmed that it is to suspend all direct financial support to the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) with immediate effect until the Union adopts key financial reporting, administration and governance reforms.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the FRU are yet to pay new Sevens head coach Ben Ryan any of his salary since he took over the national side this season.

"The decision was reluctantly made after the Union failed to implement recommended measures to provide assurances to the IRB that it was appropriately moving to address significant concerns regarding the administration and governance of the Union," read a statement from the IRB.

"The recommendations arose from an IRB Major Union Review which was conducted after the Union requested emergency financial assistance in May last year.

"The IRB and the FORU Regional Association have formally expressed concerns that the financial position of the Union is unsustainable and could create instability and impact on the management of the Union and key IRB-funded development and high performance programmes.

"The IRB committed GB£1.1million (FJ$3.3million) in direct funding to the FRU in 2013 and significant additional financial assistance to participate in international tournaments in 2013.

"The IRB remains committed to Rugby in Fiji and the performance of the men's and women's national Fifteens and Sevens teams and will work closely with FORU and the FRU to ensure that all administration and governance reforms are delivered and funding is reinstated."

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Barry Luces of Rigtech Sonics, riding with a heavy heart, won the first T&T Cycling Federation road race of the year yesterday.

Luces’ father Kent Luces, a former national cyclist, passed away at age 63 on Tuesday from a heart attack. Barry broke the tape first in the 60 km trek from the Mucurapo Foreshore, Audrey Jeffers Highway to Couva, and back to the Foreshore. James Hadeed (Heatwave) and Paul Deverteuil (Corkies) finished second and third respectively.

Among the ladies, Christiane Farah took the top prize ahead of Bike Smith duo Tamiko Butler and Keiana Lester. Due to requests by the T&T Police Service, tinymites and junior women were not allowed to compete.

The funeral of Kent Luces will take place today at 3 pm at Guides Funeral Home, Coffee Street, San Fernando.



RESULTS


Men Open
Barry Luces - Sonics
James Hadeed - Heatwave
Paul Deverteuil - Corkies
Stephen Mangroo - The Braves
Michael Phillips - Mikes Bikes
Gevan Samuel - The Braves
Jymes Bridges - Team DPS

Ladies Open
Christiane Farah
Tamiko Butler - Bike Smith
Keiana Lester - Bike Smith
Dominique Lovell - AWCC

Junior Male
Akil Campbell - Sonics
Kazim Charles Walcott - Madonna
Zachary Orr - Bike Smith
Justin Mitchell - Slipstream

Masters 40-49
Mark Singh - Slipstream
Audie Murphy - Team Foundation
Scott Fabres -Team SR
Dexter Nicholls-Team SR

Masters 50-59
Wayne Samuel - Southclaine
Courtney Mark - Corkie
Hatim Mustapha -Team SR
Gary Delzin - Slipstream

Masters 60+
Godfrey Clyne - Southclaine
Andrew Coker - Unattached
Earl Mc Leod - Heatwave
Rafael Guterrez - Unattached (Venezuela)

Juvenile Males
Tyler Cole- Sonics
Lorenzo Orosco-Slipstream
Ramon Belmontes-The Braves
Brandon Gittens-Sonics

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National senior female sprinter, Michelle-Lee Ahye, featured at the National Association of Athletics Administrations’ (NAAA) Annual Awards 2013 when she copped the “Women Open Track” award last Saturday at Capital Plaza in Port of Spain.

In May, Ahye was fifth at the 2013 IAAF World Challenge Beijing100 metres event in a time of 11.36 seconds, behind Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare before she followed up a month later with a personal best 11.06 at National Open Track and Field Championship at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, where she clinched silver behind Kelly Ann Baptiste.

She closed her season with a fifth place in the women’s 100m semi-finals at the World Championships in Russia.

Among the junior athletes, Hezekiel Romeo of Rebirth and Burnley’s Shaunna Downey took the Boys and Girls U-20 Field awards, respectively.

Romeo earned Carifta gold with a throw of 18.66 metres in the shot put while Downey threw the javelin 41.95m for Carifta bronze.

Kadeem Campbell (Memphis), Jeminise Parris (Memphis), Chelsea James (Falcons) and Andwuelle Wright were standouts at the Under-17 level, with Campbell and Parris copping the Boys and Girls Track awards while Wright and James notched the Boys and Girls Field awards, respectively.

Campbell won the sprint double at last year’s Southern Games along with a silver medal run in the Hampton Games 400m.

Parris was a bit more impressive with Carifta gold in the 300m hurdles in 43.24 seconds; Carifta bronze in the 100m hurdles in 14.64; double gold in the 100m and 400m hurdles events at Junior Championships; and a semi-finalist in the 100m hurdles at the World Youth Championships in the Ukraine last July.

Wright won Carifta gold in the long jump with as best effort of 7.29m and was also golden at the Junior Championship, while James set a Carifta record with her golden throw of 14.48m in the shot put.


Age award categories:



Men Open Track – Jehue Gordon (Memphis Pioneers)

Women Open Track – Michelle-Lee Ahye (Rebirth)

Men Open Field – Chris Hercules (Memphis Pioneers)

Women Open Field – Cleopatra Borel (Rebirth)

Boys U-20 Track – Mark London (Zenith)

Girls U-20 Track – Dominique Williams – (Neon Trackers)

Boys U-20 Field – Hezekiel Romeo (Rebirth)

Girls U-20 Field – Shuanna Downey (Burnley)

Boys U-17 Track – Kadeem Campbell (Memphis)

Girls U-17 Track – Jeminise Parris (Memphis)

Boys U-17 Field – Andwuelle Wright

Girls U-17 Field – Chelsea James (Falcons)

Boys U-15 Track – Adel Colthrust (Southern Athletics)

Girls U-15 Track – Jenea Spinks (Neon Trackers)

Boys U-13 – Timothy Frederick (Point Fortin Civic Jets)

Girls U-13 – Shaniece Francois (Neon Trackers)

Boys U-11 – Devin Augustine (Point Fortin Civic Jets)

Girls U-11 – Shaniqua Bascombe (Cougars)

Boys U-9 – Elijah John (Cougars)

Girls U-9 – Kiana Llewellyn (Cougars)

Road Running (Male) – Richard Jones

Road Running (Female) – Tonya Nero

Cross Country (Male) – Kendis Bullard

Cross Country (Female) – Jenelle Nedd

Champion Clubs:

Juvenile – Cougars

Junior – Memphis

Senior – Memphis

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Jehue Gordon cautious about Commonwealth prospects

National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) “Male Athlete of the Year”, Jehue Gordon, said he felt honoured to be one to have raised the bar for the country’s young athletes. But he shied away from making predictions about this year’s Commonwealth Games.

Gordon told the Express during Saturday’s NAAA Annual Awards function at Capital Plaza in Port of Spain that once the bar could be raised anytime he stepped out on the track, then he’s willing to do it.

The Memphis Pioneers hurdler grabbed gold at last August’s World Championships in Russia when he set a world leading time and new national record of 47.69 seconds in the 400 metre hurdles final.

“It’s really to motivate the younger ones to continue to produce at the world level because everything doesn’t end at the Carifta level or the Pan Am level,” Gordon said, adding that you don’t just want to be regional, you want to be known internationally.

“I just want to set the bar for everyone else to come and raise it higher than I did.”

Gordon, who has six more courses to complete his Bachelor’s degree at the University of the West Indies (UWI), said he’s looking forward to graduating from school and becoming a full-time athlete.

“I’m trying to see how best I can accommodate it and once everything goes to plan, hopefully next year I’ll be a full time professional athlete.

“I’m really limiting myself in terms of my capabilities as I’m not able to do some stuff because of the amount of time I have to sacrifice for school, so right now is really about trying to balance both and find some kind of middle ground.

The 22-year-old world beater is looking ahead at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 – August 3, but is doing so with caution.

“This would be my first time at the Commonwealth Games so I really don’t know what to expect. I know people have their own expectations of me but I have my own expectations of myself, so I am taking it one step at a time.

“The World Championships is over and what happened is already in the past, we’ve already started from the bottom trying to head back up to the top again,” Gordon said.

“Female Athlete of the Year” Cleopatra Borel also feels “really inspired” by the younger athletes.

“I’ve been working really hard towards 2014, so coming here it’s just that extra push and motivational boost for me to keep going, and I’m sure for the other athletes as well,” she said, adding that she’s back to really enjoying her event and enjoying training so she’s looking forward to great things in 2014.

Borel said she feels a sense of achievement as a local shot putter but hopes that her exploits along with those of Candice Scott and Keshorn Walcott, will inspire more young athletes to gravitate towards field disciplines.

“I think it’s great because when I started the field event was not very well known locally, but now I walk down the streets and people know who I am, they know my event so I feel like I’ve brought some sort of light to the throwing event and the talent that we have here.

She said that while Trinidad and Tobago has been grooming more field athletes, there is a need to go out  and get even more.

“We have a true talent for these technical events but they take a lot of time and patience to learn and execute, so I hope that even more athletes would choose to do field events.”

Like Gordon, Borel was cautiously optimistic about the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

“I’ll be doing my very best and the medals will land where they land. I plan on doing my best.” she said.

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Trinidad and Tobago ace cyclist Njisane Phillip remains hopsitalised in California, United States with what has been described as a kidney-related problem.
Phillip was hospitalised at the California Hospital Medical Centre on Friday with stomach pains but was to be moved to a specialist hospital.
Yesterday, Phillip’s stepfather, a guarded Phillip Whiteman confirmed that the cyclist had a kidney problem but added that there was “no muscle damage” to Njisane and that he was not on dialysis.
Whiteman added that tests are still being run on his stepson since the cause of the problem had not yet been ascertained.
Yesterday, some of Phillip’s fellow atheletes, including world champion 400 metres hurdler Jehue Gordon tweeted their support, Gordon encouraging people to keep the cyclist in their prayers.
Phillip is coming off major success in 2013 when he became the first T&T cyclist to win a medal in the UCI (International Cycling Union) World Cup series winning silver in the match sprint event in Manchester which he followed up with a new national and Pan American record of 9.643 seconds in the Flying 200m which is the qualifying event for the match sprint at the Aguascalientes leg of the World Cup in Mexico last December.

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Last Saturday, I attended the National Association of Athletics Administrators (NAAA) awards function at Capital Plaza. I am always inspired and motivated experiencing firsthand the passion and energy of the children, youth and young people involved in the sport as they celebrate their achievements.

Track and field is the premier Olympic sport in Trinidad and Tobago.It’s a status that the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) can’t help but respect, recognise and appreciate. The TTOC would be disingenuous and dishonest if it were to look at the success of track and field at the Olympic Games over the years and deny to itself and others the contribution made by track and field to the T&T Olympic movement.

Track and field’s contribution to the Olympic, sporting, cultural and social landscape can’t be diminished or questioned.

No human being is perfect. It’s natural therefore that any organisation made up of human beings will not be perfect. All of us without exception can improve and do better. There is a tendency to allow the negative aspects to overshadow the good.

As we start the New Year, I urge the T&T sport fraternity, and more so the T&T Olympic movement, to focus on the big picture. Let’s make 2014 a golden year of sport, a year when the power of sport makes a positive difference, is visible and clear to the national community.

The contribution that sport can make requires the sporting fraternity to put aside selfish and narrow minded attitudes.

T&T sport should not be sending mixed signals. It is either integrity, honesty, friendship, fairplay and respect are unwavering values or not.

The capacity to make decisions goes hand in hand with self-knowledge.

Perfection is not of this world, but we must remain true to doing what we surely must know deep within our being is the right thing. It shouldn’t be a matter of convenience, fear or a lack of self-belief to accept, tolerate or condone behaviour that we know to be wrong.

We need a clear sense of purpose to help us focus our energies. We have to be smart, resourceful and committed.

An Olympic medal is a big deal.

For many countries it’s the true battleground and the quest for Olympic glory is a priority. Track and field will continue to lead the way for T&T.

I sometimes feel sport in T&T is like a game of Jenga. At the beginning of the game, the tower is relatively steady. Then by our negative behaviour and attitude we remove one of the stabilising blocks from the bottom of the tower to add something to the top.

The Jenga tower gets a little taller, but we have also made it a little less safe.

Negative attitudes are like a game of Jenga that gets out of hand and fuels itself, taking more pieces from the bottom to add to the top of the tower. The tower’s height is significant, but its foundation becomes wobbly.

Eventually, one of the pieces that we remove from the bottom is going to cause the whole tower to collapse. And we never know which piece is going to do that until it’s too late.

If we want to build something lasting, we must build with solid principles and values.

When push comes to shove we have to start talking about what we believe in, what we think is true, and why. We have to stop playing Jenga with T&T Sport because one wrong move and everything will come crashing down.

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World champion swimmer is Express Individual of the Year 2013

George Bovell is the Express Individual of the Year 2013.

Bovell believes 2013 has been his “greatest year ever in swimming”, despite having represented Trinidad and Tobago in four consecu­tive Olympic Games, including winning this country’s first ever medal for swimming at that level.

This year, the 30-year-old copped 13 medals at the FINA World Cup, comprising of one gold, five silver and seven bronze.

He grabbed bronze in the 2013 FINA World Championships and also won the 2013 edition of the Jax 50 sprint challenge that featured a bevy of Olympic talent.

While filming an advertisement at Paria Falls on Trinidad’s north coast, Bovell even managed to save a deer from drowning.

He has also conducted several free swimming clinics across the country.

Bovell was selected as the Express Indivi­dual of the Year 2013 by a panel of judges comprising Express editors and managers in recognition of his “phenomenal” year.

Every year for over the last 20 years the Express has sought to find and recognise that one person or group who made a significant impact in people’s lives, a group or person who would have contributed to society, who would have triumphed against all odds, who would have stood out in the crowd and, most of all, who would deserve recognition.

Bovell was selected as that person.

The public was also invited to submit nomi­nations for all the awards, which included the Youth of the Year, which went to calypsonian Jeromy Rodriguez of Moruga (see story below); and the Community Group of the Year was earned by the St Vincent Ferrer Society, also of Moruga (see Page 4).

Speaking to the Express yesterday from St Lucia, Bovell, described the award as “an incredible honour”.

“I hope I can live up to these expectations again in 2014. I am really honoured to be named and I hope to keep pushing. We are going to do some more free swim clinics. I have two world champions and Olympic medallists coming down (to Trinidad and Tobago),” Bovell said.

“I am going to do the Uganda initiative again, bigger and better, hopefully touch some more lives, and I am going to keep pushing hard in my swimming,” he said.

Bovell participated in the Swim Against Malaria initiative in Uganda in 2013.

In terms of competition, Bovell rated his bronze medal win at the 50-metre freestyle event at the FINA World Championships as his best for 2013 and possibly his best ever.

He set a national record with a time of 21.51 at the event.

“For me it (the World Championship bronze medal swim) is more satisfying than my Olympic medal because I started becoming a sprinter out of an injury,” Bovell said.

The injury hampered Bovell’s performance in the individual-medley events.

“Gradually I climbed up through the ranks and now to be one of the top most respected premier swimmers in the blue-ribbon event of the sport is just something that I will be incredibly satisfied with as long as I live,” Bovell said. “It has been an incredible journey and I hope to stay here and keep pushing even higher, the cup being (the Olympic Games in) 2016,” he said.

Bovell was in St Lucia to perform the role of best man at the wedding of his coach, Sport Minister Anil Roberts.

“For someone to be your best man means that you love and respect everything about them and George Bovell is a tremendous individual, much more than a former world record holder, Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist, four-time NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) champion, Panam (Pan American) champion. He is a great man, an intelligent man, a selfless human being and you can tell by the way he gives back,” Roberts said.

“Bovell is still working hard to represent Trinidad and Tobago, but at any point in time you call him for assistance, to talk to kids, to motivate children, to provide knowledge, to share information, he is always there. The first one ready to serve,” he added.

“So all in all he is the entire package. He is an inspiration. I want my children to turn out just like George Bovell because he is somebody that parents, people of the country can be totally proud of,” Roberts said.

Roberts said for Bovell to be named the Express Individual of the Year for 2013, “the number one newspaper, is incredible and a deep honour for him and for me”.

“I am very proud of him,” Roberts added.

Roberts said Bovell was able to “bounce back from abject disappointment to have an incredible 2013”.

“Sporting-wise, this year was another red-letter year for George. I compare this year to 2004, when he won the bronze medal in Athens at the Olympics.

“He is really getting better and better. He keeps improving and studying more, learning more and also his charity work, his motivational work, giving back. Everything put together has been tremendous,” Roberts said.



The medals 2013



CANADA CUP



• Gold Medal in 100 metre freestyle: 50.13 seconds

• Gold Medal in 50 metre breast stroke: 28.22 seconds

• Gold Medal in 50 metre butterfly: 25.08 seconds



FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP



• Bronze Medal in the 50 metre freestyle: 21.51 seconds



FINA WORLD CUP



Eindhoven

• Bronze Medal in 50 metre freestyle: 21.00 seconds

• Gold Medal in 100 metre individual medley: 51.15 seconds



Berlin

• Bronze Medal in 100 metre individual medley: 51.65 seconds



Moscow

• Bronze Medal in 50 metre freestyle: 21.49 secs

• Bronze medal in the 100 metre individual medley: 52.88 seconds



Dubai

• Silver Medal in 50 metre freestyle: 21.32 seconds

• Bronze Medal in the 100 metre individual medley: 52.38 seconds



Doha

• Bronze Medal in the 100 metre individual medley: 51.87 seconds



Singapore

• Silver Medal in the 50 metre freestyle: 21.20 seconds

• Silver Medal in the 100 metre individual medley: 51.75 seconds



Tokyo

• Bronze Medal in the 50 metre freestyle: 21.21 seconds

• Silver Medal in the 100 metre individual medley: 51.65 seconds



Beijing

• Silver Medal in the 100 metre individual medley: 51.72 seconds

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