ago.16.2001

by Andre E. Baptiste

Read below, a tidbit of what was said on Sports Unlimited on Saturday 12th August, 2001.

Another Major Athletic Championships is almost completed and we again have been depending on Ato Boldon to bring home the silks and glory to this country. It is distasteful and sad to read that the National Amateur Athletic Association continues to ask for funding for athletes and yet we witness no improvement.

For the last ten years, we have had one athlete that can win a medal of any colour at a Senior Championships, in the next few years we may have two or three with the advent of Darryl Brown and maybe even Marc Burns and Jacky Harper.

But the facts are that none of these athletes were as a result of any constructive work done by the NAAA, who instead of caring for our athletes are continually in the news because there is some plan takeover bid, this is not a bank, nor a major co-operation where stocks are up and shares are high. Instead in this callaloo of an organization we have an assortment of individuals that are just that and not a team.

We are just playing a guessing game while not only the rest of the world, but indeed the Caribbean continue to leap over our starving bones.

Jamaica was visible in so many track events; the Bahamas was also in evidence and both performed creditably for this region. It is a shame that the NAAA (and there can be many meanings to this triple A abbreviation) continue not to make use of the talents that abound in this country from those veterans whose knowledge and expertise are what is required, The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee although doing yeoman service in their fields, can do more, they must find a way to shake up the NAAA, because simply no one else seems interested to do this.

We don't mind if they all want to resign and do the decent thing. So NAAA, Go with Speed and Go quickly before you kill the sport of athletics even further.

Webmaster's Note:
 Ato once gain pulled through for his country men and with the teamwork of Darren Browne, Marc Burns and Jacey Harper, T&T was able to achive a Bronse medal in the 4x100 men's Relay held on Sunday 12th August, 2001.