World Junior silver medallist Dylan Carter will lead an 11-member Trinidad and Tobago contingent to the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that will run from August 16 to 28 in the Chinese city. Carter, coached by one of the top US coaches Dave Salo at the University of Southern California, is one of three swimmers on the team.
Carter, who placed fifth in a new PB in the men’s 100 metres freestyle at the recently concluded Glasgow Commonwealth Games, is accompanied by Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC) gold medallists, David Mc Leod and Johnya Ferdinand.
Swimming is one of four disciplines being represented at the quadrennial Games, whose inaugural event was in Singapore in 2010. Athletics has five representatives in Jeminise Parris (100m Hurdles), Kasheif King (400m) and Akanni Hilltop (200m), Chelsea James (Shot Put) and Andwuelle Wright (Long Jump). The pair of Malika Davidson and Chelsi Ward will represent T&T in beach volleyball. And Abigail Affoo is the lone representative in sailing.
According to Iinternational Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, “Participating in the Youth Olympic Games is not simply about sport and performance. It is also about meeting people of other cultures and backgrounds, learning about important skills in an athlete’s career and about experiencing the Olympic Values”
At the Games, the athletes will participate in the Nanjing Culture and Education Programme (CEP), an integral part of the Youth Olympic games. It aims to inspire participants to become champions of life, ambassadors of their sport and advocates of the Olympic Values of excellence, respect and friendship,” a release from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee stated.
Activities will be organised in and outside of the Youth Olympic Village (YOV) for athletes and other young participants. The programme is expected to inspire the athletes to become part of the Olympic movement, embrace Olympic values and carry forward the Olympic spirit.
T&T’s Young Ambassador Jeannette Small’s role is to promote the Cultural and Education Programme and assist the T&T athletes maximise the YOG experience. Head of the delegation is chef de mission Kwanieze John, T&T’s young ambassador at the 2010 YOG.
Complete T&T YOG team
ATHLETES AND OFFICIALS
Chef de mission-Kwanieze John
Young Ambassador -Jeannette Small
Swimming
Manager /head coach Mark Pouchet
Dylan Carter -50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m back stroke
Johnya Ferdinand - 50 m free
David McLeod - 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke.
Athletics
Manager/head
coach - Nadine Hamid
Jeminise Parris - 100m Hurdles
Kasheif King- 400m
Akanni Hislop - 200m
Chelsea James - Shot Put
Andwuelle Wright - Long Jump
Beach Volleyball
Manager : Jason Dennis
Coach: Sean Morrison
Malika Davidson
Chelsi Ward
Sailing
One Dingy
Coach/Manager: Stephen Affoo
Abigail Affoo
Medical Team - Dr. Israel Dowlat, June Durham