Source:www.trinidadexpress.com/sport- writer: Mark Pouchet
The occasion was the inaugural Youth Olympic Games currently underway there. After qualifying as the top-seed after setting a new national record of 26.31 seconds in the semi-finals, Homer held true to the form book when he clocked 26.36 seconds in the final of the one-lap 50m backstroke event at the Singapore Sport School Olympic-sized pool. And the multiple Carifta, Caribbean Island Swimming Championship (CISC) and Central American and Caribbean Age-Group Swimming Championships (CCCAN) champion had to defy large home crowd support for Singaporean Kal Wee Ng Rainer to touch the time pad first. Ng Rainer posted a 26.45 silver medal effort, while there was a tie for third place with Kuwait's Abdulah Altuwaini and Australia's Max Ackermann both clocking 26.46. Homer's golden swim is the sport of swimming's most significant achievement on the world youth stage and is only to be outdone in the Open arena by the achievements of George Bovell with his Central American and Caribbean (CAC), Pan American and Olympic feats, including his Athens 2004 Olympic bronze medal in the 200m individual medley (IM). 
He may not be Hasely Crawford but Trinidad and Tobago's Christian Homer is now also an Olympic champion. Homer gained this country's first gold medal at an Olympic event since Montreal 1976, yesterday in Singapore.
Speaking to the Express by telephone while awaiting a mandatory drug test in the doping control area, Homer said: " I am really proud, elated, relieved, excited and very happy. It was an amazing feeling to win gold."
The deafening silence of the home crowd was interrupted by the loud cheering of the T&T contingent, including his three teammates Cadell Lyons, Kimberlee John-WIlliams and Kadeja Phillips as well as the head coach Shawn Pouchet, some of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (T&TOC) members and swimmers from the Caribbean contingent.
"They were extremely excited for me and were really supportive of me before, during and after the race. I want to thank them and everybody who supported me," he said.
Homer, who is based at the Plymouth Leander swim club in England, said he felt "extremely confident" before the race and although he was "excited" , he felt "no nerves or anything like that."
"I was just buzzing, " he said.
Describing the race, Homer said he executed his breakout from the start of the race perfectly and emerged at the surface of the water at the 15 mark ahead of the field. At the halfway mark, he said he increased his stroke rate. He started to get tired at about 40 metres, but increased his arm speed to compensate and just focused on the finish. When he touched the wall, he looked up at the scoreboard and saw first spot next to his name.
"I was ecstatic....It has not really sunk in yet probably by tomorrow, I would realise what I have achieved but it was great to represent my country and win gold. I 'm glad all the hard work paid off," the Carifta and CISC high point trophy winner concluded.
Homer's parents Charmaine and Paul Homer were also pleased with their son's efforts.
"I was very proud of him," said Paul, who is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. "He is a very focused athlete and he worked hard and achieved what he set out to do."
He continued: "But I believe this is just the beginning, a warm-up for him because his real goal is to qualify for the (senior) Olympics, so he still has a lot of hard work ahead of him."
Mother Charmaine said: "He worked hard and it paid off. I'm just hoping he continues to work hard and carry on from here."
And president of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) Gregory Collymore also had words of congratulations and encouragement for the young swimmer.
"My reaction is one of total elation. I am really happy that T&T at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games could have procured a gold medal through (Christian) Homer," Collymore said. "He has inspired the other swimmers and the transition is still in progress and he has been consistently improving on the performance chart. Yet the transition to the Olympics and World podium is still a work a in progress. The entire world is attending this championship . I wish him all the best in his future endeavours,"