Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott has turned down offers from the United States (US) to accept a full scholarship offered by Government to pursue tertiary studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT).
At a gala reception at the Piarco International Airport on Monday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar revealed Government will be honouring the 19-year-old for his phenomenal achievement in London last Saturday.
Among the list of rewards to Walcott was the scholarship to study whatever he desires at UTT.
Walcott was also given a house in Federation Park worth $2.5 million, 20,000 square feet of land and $1 million in cash.
To also honour him, the Toco Lighthouse was renamed the Keshorn Walcott Lighthouse, a Caribbean Airlines aircraft would be named after him, his former secondary school, Toco Composite, will also now bear his name.
Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Walcott, who was offered scholarships in the US, revealed he is staying in Trinidad and will be attending UTT.
“Yes I accepted it (the scholarship) but I’m not sure as yet (what I am studying),” he said.
Walcott, who has gone from virtual obscurity to one of the most famous people in the country, previously attended the now Keshorn Walcott Secondary School in Toco where he wrote his CXC examinations.
He later returned to the same school to pursue Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Walcott wrote his Level I exams but due to a hectic 2012 season was unable to write the final Level II exam.
Walcott competed at the National Junior Championships on June 3, the National Open Championships on June 24, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Championships on June 29 and the World Junior Championship in Spain on July 13, winning gold at every single meet.
He then flew to a pre-Olympic camp in Wales before going to the Olympics in London where he beat an impressive field which included World champion Matthias de Zordo of Germany and number one ranked Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic.
“Because we had to focus on certain goals (he couldn’t write the examinations),” Sean Roach, Walcott’s manager stated yesterday. It is unclear if Walcott will complete his CAPE studies or be allowed to study at UTT based on other entry level requirements.
Meanwhile, Walcott, who received a Blackberry smartphone from TSTT on Tuesday, following a visit to their branch on Edward Street in Port-of-Spain, revealed no endorsement deal has been finalised as yet with the telecommunications company.
The reigning World Junior champion was paraded before his adoring fans from Piarco to his hometown of Toco in a motorcade that lasted over seven hours on Monday, ending in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
The outpouring of love and support for the teenager have been tremendous with more than 7,000 turning up at the airport to greet him and thousands more lining the streets to catch a glimpse of their hero.
Asked how has this experience been for him, Walcott said he really appreciated those who made his homecoming such a grand affair.
“It feels really great. Everything has been coming along great,” he said yesterday, while he noted that rest and recuperation alone are on his mind for the near future.
By Stephon Nicholas
Source: www.newsday.co.tt
