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

jun.01.2009

Monday 1 June- Port.of.Spain

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) will very shortly be calling all its affiliates to a meeting to discuss the quadrennial multi-sport schedule.Main item on the agenda will be the TTOC's fitness criteria and  the importance of proper preparation planning.According to TTOC president Larry Romany the economic challenges will mean that TTOC affiliates aspiring to participate at Games under the auspices of the IOC  will find themselves having to make difficult decisions.

"We are at the point  where the NSOs will be faced with the complex task of balancing development with elite.This quadrennial the focus will be on results and delivering on medal targets"
 
Romany pointed out that the TTOC  focused on development for the past twelve years and the time has come for a change in focus  in terms of team selection for upcoming games .He  highlighted the National Olympic Committee's emphasis since 1997 on athlete,coach and administrative development.
 
" A number of courses and workshops were held.Going forward the Summer Youth Olympics and Commonwealth Youth Games will now be the development vehicles"
In  the past the  Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC)  acted as the  Games where young talent was given the opportunity to gain invaluable exposure.
 
Romany said that the reality is that the CAC  is now an important event in terms of qualification for the Pan American Games and  the Caribbean Games is a showcase for the Caribbeans best athletes.
 
"In the lead up to London 2012 we cannot let up.The bar will be raised.just being happy to qualify will no longer pass muster.We want to engage our stakeholders in candid and forward thinking discussions in an effort to clarify the way forward." .
 
Meanwhile the  installation ceremony for the recently elected  TTOC executive will take place tomorrow at 6pm at President House.The President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is the patron of the National Olympic Committee.

jun.12.2009

From 15 to 18 June 2009 in Lausanne, the Olympic programme and the 2016 Olympic Games will be on the agenda of the IOC Executive Board (EB) meeting and a members’ briefing respectively.
Which new sports for the Games?
The EB will first be given presentations on the seven sports seeking inclusion in the Olympic programme. The IOC’s Olympic Programme Commission has performed an in-depth analysis of these sports, including observing them during competitions. This analysis is based on an exhaustive list of criteria approved by the IOC Session in 2004 in Athens, such as universality, popularity and image. The EB will also hear reports by the IOC administration and commissions, as well as by the Organising Committees for the upcoming editions of the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games. The IOC President’s press conference will close the EB meeting on 16 June.
Looking ahead to 2016
On 17 and 18 June, the first briefing for IOC members on the candidatures for the 2016 Games will be held. This will enable the Candidate Cities to inform all the voting members about the technical aspects of their bid. The briefing is a result of the candidate city evaluation reform process, and allows all the cities to compete on an equal footing. The IOC members will have the opportunity to put questions to the cities about their candidatures before the IOC Session in Copenhagen (Denmark), where, on 2 October 2009, the host city will be elected from among Chicago (USA), Madrid (Spain), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Tokyo (Japan).

 
jun.14.2009

GENEVA (AP) -Rugby sevens is a fashionable choice to be on the shortlist of two sports to join the Olympic Games in 2016.

The Sevens World Cup at Dubai in March showed what the short-form version of rugby could add to the games, and was apparently admired by observers sent from Olympic headquarters.

"My understanding is we got a very good report from Dubai,'' Mike Miller, bid leader and secretary general of the International Rugby Board, said on Friday.

Rugby may also have a very important friend on the International Olympic Committee executive board, which will hear pitches from the seven bidding sports on Monday.

The meeting in Lausanne is headed by IOC president Jacques Rogge, a regular in the 1970s Belgium rugby team and a passionate follower of the sport.

"Yes, he likes rugby but everyone who sees it likes it as well,'' Miller told The Associated Press, pointing to Rogge's reputation for integrity.

"He is a very honorable man and I'd say because he does like rugby he probably bends over backward to make sure we don't get any favored treatment. Maybe it works against us.''

Rogge will not have a vote on which two of rugby sevens, baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, softball and squash get to join the 26 Summer Olympic sports from 2016 onward.

The board will meet again in August to choose which two sports the full IOC membership vote on at their annual session at Copenhagen in October. That second poll could yet see both sports rejected by the members.

Rugby sevens has come a long way since the IRB launched a world series in 1999.

It is on the Asian and Commonwealth Games programs, and has been added to the Pan American Games and All Africa Games schedules for 2011.

"Rugby sevens is already a proven success in the multi-sports format,'' Miller said. "It's fast, it's exciting and easy to understand. It connects to young and family audiences. Dubai just proved all that.''

The Sevens World Cup attracted 80,000 spectators over three days of action featuring 24 men's teams and 16 women's. The Olympic proposal is for 12 teams in each gender playing over two days in stadiums shared with other sports.

"We know that when people go and see it they fall in love with it,'' Miller said. "Going to events and sitting with IOC members who hadn't necessarily seen sevens before, they were all impressed.''

Sevens was far removed from the established 15-a-side game played by three million in 116 countries, and which featured in four Olympics from 1900 to 1924.

Miller believes a gold medal would be the game's pinnacle.

If granted Olympic status, the IRB would scrap the Sevens World Cup and mandate clubs worldwide to release players for the tournament and qualifying events, satisfying an IOC request to bring the sport's best talent to the show.

The bid also expects to score well on a favorite Olympic theme of universality - giving smaller nations a chance to succeed.

The men's semifinals in Dubai featured Argentina, Kenya, Samoa and Wales, the eventual champions, while Fiji and Tonga were also competitive.

Kenya captain Humphrey Kayange will help make the presentation on Monday, joining Cheryl Soon, captain of the Australia women's World Cup winners, and Kazakhstan player Anastassiya Khamova.

 
jun.14.2009

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) will celebrate World Olympic Day with the now traditional Olympic Day relay run on Saturday 20th June at the King George V Park .The Tobago leg will take place on Saturday 27th June in Scarborough,Tobago.

In recent years the run has been expanded to include cycling and wheelchair events.

This year, the theme of Olympic Day will be “Move, Learn and Discover”. The National Olympic Committees(NOCs) are going to structure their activities around these three themes:

Move: Through sporting activities, the participants, young or not so young, will feel better (or will be in better shape).
Learn: Sessions with athletes will allow the public to share in their experiences, and learn and put into practice the Olympic values in their everyday life.
Discover: Athletes or volunteers will be able to help the public to discover and practice their sports together.
Registration for Olympic Day events can be done on line by visiting www.ttoc.org

Editors note:The IOC was formally established on 23 June 1894
In January 1948 at its 42nd Session in St Moritz, Switzerland, the IOC approved the idea of an Olympic Day. This celebration would be used to commemorate the creation of the IOC on 23 June 1894 in Paris.
Olympic Day was held for the first time on 23 June 1948, with a total of nine NOCs hosting ceremonies in their respective countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Great Britain, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland, Uruguay and Venezuela.
In an effort to encourage all NOCs to commemorate and celebrate Olympic Day, in 1987 the IOC Sport for All Commission launched the Olympic Day Run concept with the objective of promoting the practice of participation in sport by men, women and children from all corners of the world, regardless of athletic ability. From 45 NOCs taking part in the first edition, today over 150 NOCs worldwide participate.
 
In 2009, the IOC decided to consolidate and perpetuate this success by making Olympic Day Run into a worldwide event henceforth known as “Olympic Day”.
 
The IOC is therefore returning to its roots thanks to Olympic Day, and hopes to encourage the various sporting, cultural and educational initiatives launched by the NOCs which go beyond the Run itself. Indeed, over the years, the NOCs developed this event by inviting participants of all ages and walks of life to practise physical activity, try out new sports with athletes and volunteers, and discover, understand and put into practice the Olympic values.
 
Many NOCs also take into account their specific local features and social environment to celebrate this event country-wide. Some have incorporated the event into the school curriculum while others also organise cultural exhibitions and various activities centred on the Olympic values.
 
Olympic Day, launched on 23 June by the IOC and organised locally by the NOCs, has now become the only annual worldwide event of the Olympic Movement. It thus contributes to disseminating the values and fundamental principles of Olympism across the world.

jun.16.2009

President Barack Obama has announced the formation of the White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport.
This permanent White House office will promote the values of the Olympic Movement and encourage increased youth participation in athletics. The primary function of the Office will be to enhance awareness of the Olympic Movement through promotion of its fundamental principles at the federal level.
President Obama said, “It is an important goal of my administration to give our nation’s children every possible tool they need to grow, learn and succeed in life. A key part of this is increasing access to healthy, constructive activities like sports for our nation’s children. Too many American kids – particularly those in urban areas – have no access to organized sporting activities. Sports are an important way to instill values, judgment and teamwork in our nation’s kids, and this new office reflects our commitment to giving all our children a chance to thrive. As the International Olympic Committee moves forward with their selection process we hope that this new office can serve as a model for youth involvement worldwide.”
The White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport will:
* Recommend federal policies and programs to the President to enhance opportunities and access for youth participation in sport, with particular focus on youth in urban areas
* Foster and encourage youth sporting, educational and cultural events involving Olympic values-based programs and the participation of U.S. Olympians and Paralympians
The Office will also work in coordination with appropriate executive departments and agencies, including the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, to:
* Engage in outreach to state and local government officials, nonprofit organizations and the private sector
* Coordinate federal resources, and act as liaison to, any organizing committee for an Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted in the United States
* And work closely with the United States Olympic Committee and national sport governing bodies to increase access and opportunities for youth to participate in sports.

 
jun.16.2009

The President of the International Rugby Board (IRB), Bernard Lapasset, today led the team presenting Rugby Sevens’ case for inclusion in the Olympic Games to the IOC’s Executive Board in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Mr. Lapasset was joined by Mike Miller, Secretary General of the IRB, Agustín Pichot, former captain of the Argentina Sevens Rugby Team, Cheryl Soon, captain of the Australia Sevens team that won Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens earlier this year, Humphrey Kayange, captain of the Kenya Sevens team and Anastassiya Khamova, one of Kazakhstan’s top female players, a referee at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 and a leading figure in the Women’s Game.

“Our team was very excited about presenting to the IOC Executive Board today. Our rehearsals as a team in the last few weeks were very beneficial and I feel that we left a positive impression of a united and committed team with the members. We shared our Olympic vision and highlighted Rugby Sevens’ case for Olympic Games inclusion, which we firmly believe would be good for the Olympic Games and good for Rugby,” said Mr Lapasset.

“We are committed to the continued global growth and development of the sport and its values and it is this aim that underpins our current campaign to secure the introduction of Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games, beginning in 2016,” added Lapasset.

Humphrey Kayange, captain of the Kenya Sevens team, believes that Olympic Games inclusion has the potential to offer medal opportunities to more nations around the world as well as bring a new fan base of enthusiastic young people to the Games.

“Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai showed that the so-called smaller sporting nations can compete with the biggest in the world. Countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe, Samoa, Tonga, and Uruguay proved they are capable of beating the best. Playing at an Olympic Games would offer these countries a real chance of medals and a further opportunity to be part of the global sporting family.”

“Sevens supporters are like nothing I have seen before. They are passionate, dedicated and love sport. I know that once an Olympic Sevens tournament has finished, the Rugby fans would stay and enjoy all that the world’s greatest sporting celebration has to offer.”

Australia captain and Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 gold medallist Cheryl Soon, believes that Olympic Games inclusion would provide a further boost to a women’s game that continues to go from strength to strength.

“All my teammates and colleagues on the Sevens circuit play at the highest level of our sport. We want to play alongside the world’s top athletes competing at the highest level of their sport. It would be a privilege to do so."

Agustín Pichot, a bronze medallist at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2001, reinforced the support of players for the campaign. He said: “I have spoken with many of my fellow top players and each one agrees that competing at the Olympic Games would be an amazing experience. We would all be there and would be proud to call ourselves Olympians”.

Anastassiya Khamova, captain of the Kazakhstan Sevens team and a top figure in the women’s game, indicated that a Rugby Sevens tournament at the Olympic Games would provide the impetus for the further growth of Women’s Rugby.

“Women’s Rugby is a strong sport and in excellent health. I was one of 32 administrators and senior players at the first ever IRB international conference on Women’s Rugby in London in 2007. Every single one of us agreed that Sevens in the Olympic Games would be the greatest catalyst to the growth of the women’s game and the best thing that could possibly happen to our Sport.”

Mike Miller said: “We believe that Rugby Sevens has much to offer the Olympic Movement. We would bring a modern, youthful and skilful sport that can be added easily, efficiently and cost-effectively to the Olympic Programme. The Sevens format – seven players per team, two seven-minute halves, 24 matches a day – is made for television, made for sponsors and most importantly loved by fans and players alike.”

Note to Editors:

Rugby was originally introduced to the Olympic Games by Pierre de Coubertin in 1900 and continued to be played at the 1908, 1920 and 1924 Games. The sport shares the values of the Olympic Movement and offers new potential for growth to help the Movement to thrive and reach more young fans worldwide. Rugby is one of seven sports which will be voted on by the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen in October 2009 for inclusion in the Olympic Programme beginning in 2016.
Source: www.irb.com

jun.16.2009

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided today to suspend the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Kuwait, effective 1 August 2009, in order to protect the Olympic Movement in Kuwait from interference by the Kuwaiti public authorities.

This deferred suspension allows time for the public authorities responsible for sport in Kuwait to amend a national sports law currently in force that is not compatible with the principles and rules of the Olympic Movement. The law prevents the NOC and the Kuwait Olympic Movement as a whole from complying with the principle of autonomy of sports organisations as set out in the Olympic Charter.

The IOC, together with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Kuwait Olympic Committee, has tried for nearly two years to find an appropriate and concerted solution with the local and government authorities in Kuwait. However, the IOC was informed that the government authorities were not in a position to respect their commitments within the set deadlines.

Consequently, on the basis of the provision of the Olympic Charter (Rule 28.9 in particular), and in order to protect the Olympic Movement in Kuwait, the IOC Executive Board ruled as follows:

The Kuwait Olympic Committee will be suspended on 1 August 2009 if, by 31 July 2009 at midnight (CET), the process of amending the local law is not duly finalised, as per the agreements signed and the written commitment from the Kuwaiti authorities.

“It is critical that this situation is resolved as soon as possible for the sake of sport and in particular the Kuwaiti athletes,” said Pere Miró, director of the IOC’s department of NOC relations “I am hopeful that satisfactory measures will be put into place before the 31 July deadline in order to avoid the implementation of such a sanction.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Also, Rule 28.9 of the Olympic Charter states that “the IOC Executive Board may take any appropriate decisions for the protection of the Olympic Movement in the country of an NOC, including suspension of or withdrawal of recognition from such NOC if the constitution, law or other regulations in force in the country concerned, or any act by any governmental or other body causes the activity of the NOC or the making or expression of its will to be hampered.”

The mission of the IOC is to promote Olympism throughout the world and to lead the Olympic Movement. The Olympic Charter states that NOCs must preserve their autonomy and resist pressure of any kind - including, but not limited to, political, legal, religious or economic pressures — which may prevent them from complying with the Olympic Charter.

jun.19.2009

Port.of.Spain-19 June 2009

With twenty-two days to go before the 12 July opening ceremony.It is a heartbreaking moment says Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) president Larry Romany.

Romany was commenting on the decision taken by the T&T Government that due to the Influenza A H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus the twin-island Republic was withdrawing as host nation for the inaugural Caribbean Games.

The announcement was made earlier today at a press conference hosted by the T&T Minister of Health,Senator Jerry Narace .Also in attendance and speaking at the conference were T&T Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs,Gary Hunt,Mrs Denise Demming,chair of the Caribbean Games 2009 Local Organizing Committee and Elton Prescott,Honorary Secretary-General of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees(CANOC).

Romany confirmed that the TTOC supports the decision taken by the T&T Government.

"Siince the virus was first identified and detected in the USA last April, the TTOC was mindful of the risk potential the H1N1 virus could pose to the 2009 Caribbean Games.

These concerns were further heightened on 11 June when the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared a global H1N1 flu pandemic.

The T&T Olympic chief stated that the priority has to be the well-being of the athletes, coaches, administrators, officials and volunteers from the twenty-seven Caribbean nations.

“It is a blow for the Caribbean Olympic Movement. You are looking at nine years of planning and dreaming. Words cannot adequately describe the disappointment. However, we must remain resolute and indomitable”

“It has been a deeply emotional experience .Our collective dedication and commitment to the Olympic movement, the Olympic ideals,spirit and values has been put to the test.It was an honour and a privilege for T&T to be asked to host the inaugural Caribbean Games.

What the Caribbean Games meant to the region's youth and athletes inspired us [T&T] to undertake our responsibilities and obligations with a deep sense of mission and purpose.There was a lot of expectation and responsibility placed on us[T&T]”.

Romany said he would like to apologise to all the athletes , coaches and Olympic Committees throughout the Caribbean for the disappointment and inconvenience caused.

“I know the hard working and dedicated Caribbean Games 2009 Organizing Committee Board of Directors, staff and volunteers who have so valiantly responded to the call will feel a profound sense of disappointment. But the risks regarding the realities of H1N1 has to be accepted and addressed”

Romany thanked the local, regional and international sponsors and partners who would have stepped forward to offer support either monetary or value-in-kind. He also noted the support given by the Minister of Sport, Gary Hunt and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs.

“I am sure it was not an easy decision for Minister Hunt and his colleagues to make”

The TTOC president acknowledged that the eventual fate of the 2009 Caribbean Games will be decided by the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC).

“The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has communicated its position. It is now left to CANOC to determine the status of the 2009 Caribbean Games” said Romany




jun.29.2009


By Adrian Hill - www.insidethegames.com

The accolade of a place in the Olympic Games is so cherished and sought-after that the decision to be made by the International Olympic Committee on which two sports will be admitted in 2016 is not one to be taken lightly.
The voters are human beings, not machines, so there is bound to be some subjective thought at work as baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash are considered following presentations made to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne yesterday – whatever the protestations to the contrary.
Sport is an emotive subject, after all that’s why we all love it so much. Show me someone who professes to enjoy all competitive activity equally and I would cast doubt on their true feelings. No matter how impressive the participation figures, demographics, commercial appeal, "universality" or adherence to Olympian ideals, everyone will have their favourites among the eclectic list of seven.
It’s to be hoped that those human leanings will be tempered by cold analysis of the facts, as I will attempt to do here. My personal interest is in rugby, golf and squash for professional, spectator and playing reasons – there you go, there are my "vested interests".
Baseball – It’s obvious that the American television market is the trump card in, appropriately, the pitch of "America’s Game". It should not be under-estimated how much weight this carries and Chicago is among the favourites to host in 2016. However, it cannot be considered a truly global sport, it fell off the list of Olympic sports when its big stars didn’t turn up and there is the drugs issue. It has to be said, though, that this is just as much a factor in some of the established Olympic sports.
Verdict - NO
Golf - Worldwide television appeal, a commercial goldmine and would add a touch of glamour to the programme. Supporters also argue that if Roger Federer and Michael Jordan can play in the Olympic Games, then why not Tiger Woods? But would the leading players fancy it? They already cut back their playing programmes to fit in with the schedule of the Majors and an Olympics in July or August would interfere with this. Isn’t it just a sport for the middle class upwards, due to the equipment, time and money needed to play? Another factor to consider is the facilities required. A city such as Rio de Janeiro would have to build a Championship quality course – would there be a legacy from that?
Verdict – YES (money talks...)
Karate – A sport for everyone and enjoyed by millions in every part of the globe. No need for a costly new arena. But aren’t there enough combat and martial art sports in the Olympics? Perhaps judo, taekwondo and karate should be combined as "Martial Arts", just as trampolining fits in with gymnastics, and water polo, diving and synchro join forces with swimming as "Aquatics". This may be its best chance of inclusion.
Verdict – NO (not as a stand-alone sport)
Roller Sports – Another true global activity and would hand the IOC a valuable youth audience. No sport would sum up more accurately the traditional close of Games call for the "Youth of the world to gather in four year’s time". The novelty value of events totally unrelated to anything else in the Games would be appealing to the casual Olympic spectator and TV viewer, plus there would be no venue costs. On the down side is that some of the disciplines are technical events involving judges, a lack of worldwide media profile and it could be considered a contrived inclusion with no one single focus. With Skateboarding, inline, roller hockey, artistic, racing – where does the non-afficionado go?
Verdict – NO
Rugby Sevens – With the perceived policy of adding one team and one individual sport, rugby may only really be competing with baseball and softball. This would leave its major rivals – golf and squash – to battle it out for the other place. The event would be a massive cash cow in terms of ticket sales, with rugby’s proven travelling support adding vitality to the Games in its first week and making use of the athletics stadium, which often lies idle until the track and field traditionally begins in the middle of the Games fortnight. Competitive teams from every continent, becoming more and more popular with Women and a fast-moving, but easy to understand, sport. It would also give countries such as Fiji and Samoa what may be their only realistic shot at a medal. The negatives lie in a lack of interest in key television markets such as the United States, China and India, the perception that the main event (15-a-side) is not being served up plus the top nations being from a small cabal of Western Europe, Oceania and Southern Africa.
Verdict - YES (due to the physical nature of the sport, 15-a-side would not be practical in a two-week timeframe, so Sevens it is)
Softball – Although now totally separate from baseball, it basically derives its strong points from a similar place – the US. Has a stronger case than its "cousin", as is seen as more appealing to Women and the young, and does not have the albatross of drugs on its shoulders. A proven winner with spectators at previous Games and would be the undoubted pinnacle of its players’ careers. However, its power base is in the Americas, so has limited global appeal.
Verdict – NO
Squash – Perhaps the best all-round bid with few weaknesses compared to its competitors. A global participation sport with leading practitioners from a variety of nations, limited venue costs as the world governing body would provide "drop-in" courts, has the potential to reach a very wide demographic, fast and active sport and is part of nearly all the other major multi-sport festivals. On the other hand, is perceived as being not the greatest television spectacle (although the march of HD technology may improve that come 2016) and, like Karate, suffers from the feeling that there sufficient closely related sports in the Games.
Verdict – NO (near-miss, but more worthy than some of the established sports)
So, there you have it – golf and rugby sevens, with squash very close. Maybe it goes to prove that subjective thought will be crucial.
Here’s a closing thought for you, though perhaps too radical for the IOC....With no more room in the Summer Games, why does its winter cousin have to be just about snow and ice? Sports such as badminton, fencing, handball, squash and table tennis are all synonymous with being played during the winter months and would make the Winter Olympics a more global event.

 
jun.29.2009










José Ramón Fernández  has been re-elected president of the Cuban Olympic Committee for the 2009-2012 term, in which the London Olympics will be the main goal.Fernández, 85, was elected unanimously by the 38 presidents of national federations.He has held the post since 1997.The 1976 double Olympic champion Alberto Juantorena was reelected vice president, together with Roberto León Richards, a former gymnast and vice president of the National Sports Institute (INDER).Ruperto Herrera will be the new general secretary and the treasurer José Luis Rivas.Other committee members include Mario Granda, Conrado Martínez, José Peláez, María Caridad Colón, Legna Verdecia, Cecilia Juara and Daíma Beltrán.Also, there are International Olympic Committee members Reinaldo González and Yumilka Ruiz, and as appointees, INDER President Christian Jiménez, Misael Lima as executive director, Pedro Cabrera as press director, René Romero as technical director and Oscar Acosta in charge of marketing.Fernández, who is also a Vice-President of Cuba's Council of Ministers, said that for London 2012 Cuba will concentrate on boxing, athletics, judo, wrestling, volleyball, football and basketball.Cuba finished 28th in the medals table at the Beijing Olympics last years with 24 medals, two of them gold, their worst performances in a Games that they have attended for 40 years.
 
Source: www.insidethegames.com

 
jun.30.2009

Trinidad and Tobago is among the first sixteen (16) National Olympic Committees (NOCs) whose young nominees have been selected to participate in the inaugural Young Reporter’s Training Camp (YRTC) as part the Education pillar of the first ever Youth Olympic Games (YOG). The Games will be held in Singapore from August 14th to 26th 2010.

The Training Camp is organized by Singapore’s Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts (MICA) and has as its objective, “to promote the Olympic spirit and values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect among youths from all over the world, through the twin pillars of sports & culture and education.”

Keisha Singh, a form four student of the Diego Martin North Secondary school received the YRTC Selection Committee’s nod of approval to attend the Camp. The YRTC taps on the Friends@YOG School – NOC Twinning Programme, another initiative of the Games Organizing Committee, which twins Singapore Primary and Secondary schools with those of schools nominated by the NOC. This year, the Diego Martin North Secondary school has been “Twinned” with Teck Whye Secondary school in Singapore.

Keisha was outstanding among other nominees from her school given her strengths as a leader and team player. The Selection Committee reported that “After careful evaluation and deliberation of each candidate’s potential, we have chosen [Keisha Singh], based not only her academic achievement, but also her extra-curricular records.” It was this vital balance of study and sport that the TTOC believes gave Keisha the valuable edge and afforded her this singular opportunity to participate in the inaugural Camp.

Participants of the Camp will be given professional training in broadcast and print journalism, photojournalism, motion graphics and broadcast design. Participants will also acquire important skills in news reporting and usage of multimedia tools. The TTOC anticipates that Miss Singh will use this important experience to impart to others and to propel her career in sport journalism in Trinidad and Tobago on successfully completing her studies. The Diego Martin North Secondary student left for Singapore last Saturday 25th June to be part first run of the ten (10) day Camp which takes place from June 28th to July 12th.

The President of the TTOC, Michael Romany extends his congratulations and best wishes to Keisha.

To learn more about the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games visit them at www.singapore2010.org

 

jul.01.2009

The International Rugby Board and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) have joined forces to fund an exciting new initiative aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Rugby Sevens in North America.

The four-year coach education programme, developed in collaboration with the North America West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA), will further boost the level of Rugby Sevens in two of the six Commonwealth Regions in the build up to the Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Canada and the USA have traditionally dominated competitions between countries in NAWIRA but with Sevens increasingly gaining ground in new markets around the world, many non-traditional Rugby nations are focusing on developing the high-octane, crowd-pulling form of the Game.

Nations such as Trinidad Tobago, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands have lately been further encouraged by Rugby Sevens’ inclusion in the Pan American Games and the campaign for Olympic Games re-inclusion to make their mark in a sport which bases much of its appeal on its genuine competitiveness between nations from around the world.

“This is a very exciting time for Rugby Sevens with many of our Unions investing in dedicated Sevens development programmes. This initiative with the CGF is a timely boost for Rugby as we look ahead to another exciting Commonwealth Games in Delhi next year and the outcome of our Olympic Campaign,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

“The IRB invests over US$5 million annually in NAWIRA Member Unions through individual Union development and High Performance grants, Regional tournament support and administration grants.

However, we believe that a specific need exists to boost competitiveness in Sevens and the new tailored Rugby Sevens Coach Education Programme is designed to contribute to achieving that aim."

“In the longer term, we hope to see more teams from these two Commonwealth Regions in a better position to compete and challenge for medals in future Commonwealth Games,” added Lapasset.

The coaching programme will begin in 2010 with a three-day training course that will be available to all NAWIRA Commonwealth Member National Coaches. This will be followed by a series of courses in 2011 targeted to member countries whose performances indicate that they have the potential to qualify for future Commonwealth Games. An additional course is planned for 2012 and in 2013, member coaches that were not targeted in 2011 will receive further education and mentoring in their country.

“The CGF has signed up to this initiative to strengthen its relationship with International Sports Federations and support a number of targeted regional development programmes in the build up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014,” said Mike Hooper, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

“We believe that such a programme will help to enhance the quality of the Rugby Sevens competition in 2014 and support our mission to assist in the development of sport throughout the Commonwealth.”

Note to Editors:

€ Rugby Sevens was introduced to the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur 1998
€ The Rugby Sevens final at the Commonwealth Games 2006 in Melbourne was a record crowd for the seven-a-side format with 150,000 attending the three competition days.
€ 16 teams take part in the Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens tournament, including the host nation
€ The next Commonwealth Games will be held in Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014
€ NAWIRA Commonwealth Members (Trinidad Tobago, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Jamaica, St Vincent The Grenadines, St Lucia, British Virgin Islands, Turks Caicos, Canada, Bermuda, Guyana)
 
Source: www.irb.com

 

jul.04.2009

SPRINTER Emmanuel Callender secured Trinidad and Tobago’s first gold medal of the Central American and Caribbean Games in Havana, Cuba last night.

The Beijing Olympian beat a challenging field for the top position in the Men’s 100 Metres dash in a time of 10.08 seconds.

His time was also a personal best for the TT sprinter who was among the successful TT 4x100 metres relay team to claim silver medal at last year’s Olympic Games in China. His teammate Keston Bledman who was also on the successful relay team at the Bird’s Nest Stadium, also produced a good performance for his sixth place finish in the 100 metres event.

Bledman produced a time of 10.29 seconds for his placing and will be hoping to rebound with a medal in the relays which start today.

Also receiving a medal last night for the twin-island republic was Semoy Hackett in the Women’s 100 Metres dash and Aleesha Barber in the 100 Metre Hurdles.

Hackett secured the silver medal after returning a quick time of 11.35 seconds in the women 100 metres finals while Barber also earned silver by finishing second in a time of 13.12 seconds in the 100 Metres Hurdles. Meanwhile no TT athletes qualified for the 400 metres events last night.
Source: www.newsday.co.tt

 
jul.04.2009

TRINIDAD and Tobago sprinter Renny Quow won gold at the Bilett Games, Oslo, Norway yetserday clocking an impressive 45.13 seconds to win the Men’s 400m final.

The 21-year-old, TT’s top quarter-miler continued his rich vein of form after winning the 400m event at the National Championships last month to beat a field which included Leslie Djhone of France who was fifth in the 400m final at the Beijing Olympics last year.

Quow was seventh in that final but showed he has improved since then to beat the Frenchman into second place.

Djhone crossed the finish line in 45.37 while Gary Kikaya of Konga placed third in 45.53.

National women’s 100m champion Kelly Ann Baptiste, was TT’s other medallist at the prestigious meet, earning the silver in the Women’s 100m final, in a time of 11.14.

Olympic silver medallist Kerron Stewart of Jamaica outclassed the field to win the gold in a blistering 10.99 while Bahamian Chandra Stirrup claimed the bronze, sprinting home in 11.15. Commonwealth Games double gold medallist Sherri Ann Brooks of Jamaica was fourth in 11.27.

Former Men’s 100m world record holder Asafa Powell cruised to victory in his pet event, taking the gold in a slow 10.07. Daniel Bailey of Antigua was second, also in 10.07 while Jamaica’s Michael Frater had to settle for the bronze in 10.08. TT’s Marc Burns was fourth in 10.13.

Powell overcame a poor start to win in a photo finish but fell short of clocking his 50th time under 10 seconds.

“I didn’t feel as strong as I normally do,” Powell said. “I didn’t get a great start. I was way behind. I got to the front somehow, but I didn’t finish as strong as normal.

“But a win is always a win. I can’t complain. I beat some good guys today, guys who have run under 10 seconds. I can’t be too hard on myself.”

It was Powell’s second race after returning from an ankle injury. “It’s not 100 percent,” he said. “I’m still a bit cautious. I have two more races next week. Hopefully I can do better and better in both.”

Powell had hoped to join Maurice Greene of the United States as the only sprinter with 50 sub-10 second races. Greene tops the all-time list with 53. Powell, who set four world records between 2005-07, has the second fastest time in history (9.72). His countryman Usain Bolt holds the world record at 9.69.

Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia, who has set 14 world outdoor records, won the women’s pole vault at a disappointing 4.71. The competition was stopped for about an hour because of a thunderstorm.

Sanya Richards of the United States won the women’s 400 metres in 49.23 seconds for the fastest time of the year. Richards, who has not lost a 400 in the Golden League since Zurich 2004, also tied the Bislett Stadium record that Czech Tatjana Kocembova set in 1983.

Shericka Williams, the Olympic silver medalist from Jamaica, finished second in 49.98. Christine Ohuruogu of Britain, the reigning Olympic and world champion, wound up a disappointing sixth in 51.19.

It was the first major race of the season for Ohuruogu. The Bislett meet is the second of six in the Golden League series.

Five events for men and five for women will be part of the Golden League’s $1-million jackpot.

The men will compete in the 100 metres, 400, 3,000-5,000, 110 hurdles and javelin, while the women will contest the 100, 400, 100 hurdles, high jump and pole vault.

Any athlete that wins those events at each of the six Golden League meetings will claim at least part of the US$1 million jackpot.

If no one wins all six of their events, athletes with five victories will share US$500,000. (AP)

jul.05.2009


TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Men 4x100 Metres Relay team got their revenge on regional neighbours Jamaica in the final at the Central American and Caribbean ( CAC) Track and Field Championships  in Cuba last night by winning the gold medal in the event.

And the Jamaicans who defeated TT in the final of the 4x100 metres relays at last year’s Olympic Games in Beijing China secured the silver medal.

The Trinidad and Tobago team of Emmanuel Callender, Jervon Toppin, Rondel Sorrillo and Keston Bledman produced a quick 38.73 seconds time for the top spot. Meanwhile the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s 4x100 Metres Relay team also picked up another medal for the twin-island republic by finishing third for the bronze medal in a time of 43.75 seconds.

The women’s team of Sasha Springer, Reyare Thomas, Semoy Hackette and Ayanna Hutchinson had been one of the favourites for the top spot which was won by St Kitts and Nevis

Meanwhile the talented Garvyn Nero earned a place in the final of the Men’s 800 Metres where he finished fifth. Nero the national champion in the event returned a time of one minute, 49.55 seconds .He has another chance for  a medal on today’s final day of competition in the Cuban capital Havana.

Also in with a chance of a medal will be Jehue Gordon and Emmanuel Mayers in today’s final of the 400 Metres Hurdles.

Both men qualified for the final after Gordon placed third in his semifinal heat and Mayers fifth in his race respectively.

 
jul.06.2009

Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) president Larry Romany has expressed condolences to the family,friends and the netball fraternity on the passing of Lystra Lewis.Romany described Lewis as an icon and legend of local ,regional and international sport,and netball in particular.
"The contribution made by Lystra Lewis has left an indelible mark. 1979,remains one of the greatest achievements attained by a T&T national team. Her impact and contribution has left a legacy that remains the benchmark for all NSOs ,the TTOC included"

"Her determination ,indomitable will and passion for netball,sport and her country are what will be remembered most by those who interacted with her.On a personal note she always had a word or two of advice,caution or encouragement to give to me. She had strong opinions about many things and was never afraid to say what was on her mind"

 
jul.11.2009

Renny Quow was Trinidad and Tobago's best performer in the IAAF Golden League Golden Gala meet in Rome, Italy yesterday, clocking 45.02 to finish third over 400 metres.

Quow finished behind speedy Bahamian quarter-miler Chris Brown, who broke the tape in 44.81, and Irishman David Gillick, who got home in 44.82.

Richard Thompson placed seventh in the men's 100m final in 10.05, after clocking 10.04 to finish third in Heat Four, behind Antigua and Barbuda's Daniel Bailey and former World record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica. American Tyson Gay won the title in a world best 9.77, while Powell was second in 9.88. Fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake (9.96) was third.

Among the women, Kelly-Ann Baptiste was fifth in the women's 100m dash in 11.06, won by Olympic silver medallist, Jamaican Kerron Stewart in 10.75. Stewart's compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser, the Olympic champ, was second in 10.91.

T&T's Josanne Lucas finished in seventh spot out of nine competitors, her time being 55.54. Poland's Anna Jesien (54.31), USA's Sheena Tosta (54.57) and Melaine Walker (54.58) of Jamaica took the top three spots respectively.

jul.12.2009

A sum of $17m has been lost by T&T due to the cancellation of the inaugural Caribbean Games. This was revealed by Dennise Demming, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2009 Games during a press conference, hosted by the Caribbean National Olympic Committee (CANOC) executive at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Wrightson Road in Port of Spain, yesterday.

 

Demming said: “At the LOC we have been trying to minimize our losses after the cancellation. But if we were to put a figure of the level of expenditure so far it would be in the region of $17m.”

 

She stated that it was hard to put a final figure on the amount because of several lingering contractual negotiations. Demming said: “Remember the games were only cancelled 24 days before it was scheduled to begin. We had paid deposits for all our contracts like hotel rooms and food.

 

While there are clauses to get back those deposits its hard to know exactly how much we can get back. So the final cost will only be known when we finish these things.” Demming also revealed that the budget for the Games had risen beyond the budget of $35m which the LOC met when it had been appointed in 2007 by then Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes.

 

“When this LOC was appointed in 2007 we were give a budget of US $6m or TT $36m with which to operate. That figure had been calculated since 2005 and was an indicative budget meaning that there was no calculation put in place for inflation and other factors,” said Demming

 

She added “After we reviewed the budget we came up with a move realistic figure of $50m in 2008.” This new figure according to Demming was being met by sponsors in collaboration with the T&T Government. She however stated that because of the global financial crisis in 2009 many of the sponsors either cut back on the sums which they had previously committed or pulled out altogether from the sponsorship of the event.

 

“Things changed in 2009 we had sponsors pulling out of the event entirely while others said they were not in the position to commit the same amounts they had before. We came to a point where we were in a real crunch for money at one point,” said Demming. As a cost cutting measure according to Demming government had set up a Ministerial Committee for the Games
 

 
jul.16.2009

 On day three of the Pan American Junior Cycling Championships in Mexico  Njisane Phillip won T&T’s first ever gold medal in the Match Sprint at the event. Having taken the silver medal at the last championships which took place in Ecuador last year, Phillip was successful in defeating Venezuela’s Duque Willy in the final to take the gold medals this time around. The national sprint champion, however, needing three rides to defeat Willy.

After Phillip won the first, Willy powered past him to win the second with a time of 10.805 seconds forcing a third and deciding ride in the event. In the third round, Phillip, who had on Tuesday qualified for the semifinal with the fastest time of the quarterfinal 10.60, clocked a similar time of 10.631 to defeat Willy. Third place in the event went to Ecuador’s Intriago Esteban, who defeated Mexico’s Elias Ruben in two straight rides after he suffered a similar straight-round defeat to Phillip in the semifinal. Esteban’s best time in the third place match-up was 10.99.
T&T had two other representatives in the event— Quincy Alexander and Thireef Smart—both of whom did not make it into the semifinal.

On Tuesday, Alexander clocked a time of 11.18 to place fifth overall in the event, while Smart returned a time of 11.70 to place ninth overall. T&T’s Varun Maharaj also competed yesterday in the Points Race, becoming the first T&T national to complete the 72 lap event. Maharaj put in a good performance to finish in tenth place overall. Also competing in the points race for T&T was Rudy Ashton, who was able to complete only 20 laps. On the first day of the championships, T&T won the bronze medal in the Team Sprint. Led by Phillip, team T&T clocked a time of one minute, 04.531 seconds to secure the team’s first medal at the meet.

Also featuring in this country’s bronze medal winning performance were Smart and Alexander, who became T&T's youngest ever medallist at the Pan Am Cycling Championships. First place in the event went to Mexico, finishing in a time of 1.03.335 with Venezuela second in 1.03.584. T&T’s riders will again be in competition today. Phillip will be in action in the opening round of the Keirin, the same event in which he won bronze at the last championships with Alexander also expected to take part.