TRINIDAD AND Tobago will be the host nation of the 30th Commonwealth Sports Awards, which is carded to take place on October 20.

And the prestigious ceremony, which will honour the sporting achievements of men and women across the Commonwealth region, will be staged at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain.

The event was launched yesterday at the President’s Box, Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of- Spain with Anthony Harford, marketing director of the organising firm All Sport Promotions, commenting, “in terms of the four people, that we’re allowed in Trinidad and Tobago to honour, a committee will be set up to select these four people.

He continued, “it will not be done by (All Sport) at all, rather a group of maybe four or five people, carefully selected, chaired and presided over by the TTOC (Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee).

Harford went on to state, “Don Quarrie has accepted an invitation to attend. We’re trying to locate Valery Borzov who was the other person to finish in the top three at the 1976 (Olympic Games) 100 metres. If we could locate him, through the Russian Olympic Committee, then we’ll certainly invite him to be here.

“We even plan to have Hasely Crawford as a special guest of honour with us. We have not spoken to Mr Crawford as yet (but) this is one of the things that we plan to have, the three people from the ’76 100-metre final to be present with us, if they accept our invitation.”

The eight main categories at the function are Outstanding Male and Female Athletes, Outstanding Male and Female Athletes with Disability, Outstanding Young Achiever, Sports Administrator of the Year, Most Outstanding Team and Lifetime Achievement Award.

“In terms of the Lifetime Achievement segment of the Awards, Merlene Ottey has accepted to be here,” Harford said. “She’s one of the people to be honoured for Lifetime Achievement. And we have a short list of several persons who are being considered now. That would be narrowed down to three.

“Another person who has been added to the list recently is Oscar Pistorious for his amazing achievement of having now qualified for the Olympics in 2012.” There is added significance of the event as “(it) is part of the 50th anniversary of Independence and more than 50 percent is being covered by the 50th Anniversary Committee.

“Through sponsorships and sale of tables, we’re hoping to make the other 50 percent. We expect that this event will cost us $1.8 million,” added Harford.

Other dignitaries in attendance were Dr Iva Gloudon, Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to Jamaica; Larry Romany, president of the TTOC and Al Hamilton, Founder of the Commonwealth Sports Awards Foundation.

By Joel Bailey

Source: www.newsday.co.tt