OLYMPIC 400m hurdles finalist, Jehue Gordon, was not too pleased on Thursday evening following a reception held by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the Diplomatic Centre for this country’s Olympians.

The Prime Minister used the occasion to announce a $300,000 reward for each member of this country’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams which earned bronze at the London Games. George Bovell III, a bronze medallist at the 2004 Games, also received $300,000 for his accomplishment eight years ago while the soon to be built National Aquatic Centre will now be named the George Bovell Aquatic Centre.

After the reception, Gordon took to social networking site Twitter to express his sentiments.

“Guess only the medallists and George Bovell are the only ones worthy to be honoured…Trini yes,” he tweeted.

The tweet attracted a lot of attention from Gordon’s followers with some urging him to not get discouraged while others warned him to not express his apparent disappointment so openly on Twitter.

The former World Junior gold medallist later attempted to clarify his tweet, posting “I’m not ‘toating’, it’s everyone who felt like this. We don’t need money you know…just appreciation for what we do.”

The original tweet was later deleted while attempts to reach Gordon for a comment were futile. Olympic bronze medallist, Richard Thompson, gave his two cents on the issue of rewarding Olympic finalists who did not finish in the top three.

Thompson, speaking to the media after receiving a National Award for his Olympic accomplishment feels the other finalists deserved some sort of gift as well.

“I do believe the finalists should be rewarded as well because just making it to the Olympics is very difficult and making it to a final is even more difficult. That in itself is a huge accomplishment because the entire world sees that flag on the line when you’re in the final,” he declared.

Taking a more reserved stance was 4x400m medallist, Jarrin Solomon who is just grateful to receive the cash from the Government.

“That is not really for us to decide. We all take what we got and we’re just grateful for that.

“As far as the finalists go, I know they all worked really hard and did well at the Olympics as well. We were able to come away with a medal while they made the final which in itself is a big feat. What the Prime Minister does we don’t have any say but I know everybody did their best at the Olympics,” he remarked.

By STEPHON NICHOLAS

Source: www.newsday.co.tt