T&T relinquished a two-goal lead as Mexico hit back to steal a 3-3 draw in their international friendly at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on Friday night. Just over a month ago, the Soca Warriors rallied from a similiar two goals down to steal a late 4-4 draw with “El Tri” but on Friday it took a stunning 84th minute strike from Hector Herrera to complete a Mexican comeback from two goals down before some 20,000 Mexican fans.

Despite conceding late, the “Soca Warriors” left the stadium with a burning sense of pride as they more than held their own against the reigning CONCACAF Gold Cup champion and had the partisan Mexican crowd quiet for long periods during the encounter. Stephen Hart’s men made another statement to its fans and its upcoming CONCACAF opponents in 2018 World Cup qualifying.

“It was a performance and a result that left me leaving the venue pleased tonight,” Hart said. “I thought at times we looked very organised. We were a bit indecisive at centre back a couple of times but other than that we looked very organised. I was really pleased with Glenn and how he put in a lot of work all along. We went on top but it was a great goal to tie it up. Overall I’m satisfied.” 

Both teams played without some regular starters with Kenwyne Jones and Sheldon Bateau missing for T&T while Javier Hernandez  and Andres Guardado were on the bench for Mexico and Jesus Corona and Giovani Dos Santos were not in the team. The game though had all the ingredients of a proper contest.

T&T settled quickly, causing Mexico to appear almost edgy at times and their fans were left stunned in the seventh minute when Keron Cummings’ attempted shot at goal took a deflection and fell nicely for Jonathan Glenn who made the far post run to neatly head home for 1-0 T&T lead. “It was just the start we wanted. What it did was showed us that we don’t have to chase an opponent like Mexico everytime we play them and this kind of start would help us realise this,” Hart said.

Mexico just couldn’t seem to get a foot in the door as Hart’s men remained solid, composed and were in no mood to be pushed around.

The Mexicans did have their moments but it would be T&T who surged further ahead. Glenn, making his first start for T&T, produced a clever challenge on Oswaldo Alanis that won the ball on the edge of the box before playing over for an awaiting Cummings to side foot into the net. T&T was now up 2-0 in the 39th minute. A first time scoreline since the 4-0 win for T&T in the 1974 World Cup qualifier when Everald “Gally Cummings notched a double.

“Going 2-0 up, despite them scoring just before the break was a good thing for us,” said Hart. Mexico, playing its first game under interim head coach Ricardo Ferretti, hit back before the break with Carlos Esquivel heading past captain Jan Michael Williams in the 40th. Ten minutes into the second half, Mexico levelled the scores when Raul Jimenez’s shot was headed into the net by T&T defender Daneil Cyrus.

T&T never lost control of its game and didn’t allow Mexico to pull away either. Chicago Fire’s Joevin Jones wiggled his way into the Mexican penalty area but couldn’t get his shot off before hitting the turf in what appeared to be a foul on the player. And later on  Khaleem Hyland directed his effort wide of the upright. 

Jones made amends in the 69th minute with a perfectly taken left-footed free-kick which left goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera flatfooted on his line. Hart made a few changes, bringing on Trevin Caesar, Mekeil Williams, Kevan George, Willis Plaza and Neveal Hackshaw in the second half. Mexico began to forge forward in desperate search of the equaliser and eventually got it with Herrara’s laser-like strike into the top left corner past Williams five minutes from time.

T&T will now look ahead to the October 8 international friendly away to Panama while Mexico faces Argentina in Dallas on Tuesday. T&T begins its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign on November 13 against either Antigua/Barbuda or Guatemala and will then host United States on November 17.

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They might not know it yet but all of the competitors who paraded around the track at Apia Park during the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games have something in common with some of the world’s best athletes.

Heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill of Britain and South African swimming sensation Chad Le Clos are two such members of an elite group to have won an Olympic gold medal having participated at the event in the late stages of their development.

Each can claim the Commonwealth Youth Games as an integral part of their steps towards greatness.

And while they may have seen Ceremonies on an Olympic and world scale, even they would have been impressed had they seen the heart-warming spectacle presented by Samoa 2015 as the fifth edition of the event officially opened in style here this evening, in spite of a technical glitch which caused a short delay following the closure of formal proceedings.

Bathed in beautiful sunlight and with a stunning backdrop of the picturesque Samoan hills and mountains, Apia Park played a wonderful host to a Ceremony that was purely traditional from the get-go.

Unlike many other similar spectacles, no outside production company was brought in - it was conducted entirely by locals and Samoan residents - making it a true reflection of a culture many of us in the Western world remain so fascinated and intrigued by.

And those Samoans delivered a Ceremony for their nation to be proud of.

While there was no star international singing sensation or American rapping artist to steal the show, the spectacle was packed full of tradition and a true sense of community was prominent throughout.

In keeping with the traditional format of Ceremonies such as this one, it opened with the Athletes Parade, where 2011 host nation Isle of Man led out the convoy of each of the teams from the 66 competing Commonwealth countries.

Each nation was given a rapturous reception by those in attendance, with special ovations handed to the likes of Australia, hosts for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, England and Scotland, a nation that has become synonymous with the Games themselves in recent times.

As if to really hit home the message of how small Samoa is as a nation, the crowd gasped in unison as Bangladesh entered the fray, accompanied by the announcer declaring the Asian country has a population of 160 million people.

But nothing could quite match the arrival of the host nation, who were cheered as soon as their placard became visible on the left-hand side of the track.

The welcome of the 117 home athletes - the largest contingent at the Games - provided another reminder of a how much the country has got behind staging the Commonwealth Youth Games since it was awarded the hosting rights six years ago.

Three nations were in fact unable to take part in the parade due to not having arrived in Samoa on time, one of which being Dominica, a country ravaged by tropical storms in recent times, the latest of which killed 20 people.

Their participation is another method of showing the way in which sport can triumph against all odds, although the same cannot be said for Sierra Leone, whose athletes and officials were refused visas due to fears over the Ebola virus by the Samoan Government, despite lobbying from the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Not perhaps the advert for the Games they would have liked.

Yet those concerns, coupled with the disappointment of St Lucia’s withdrawal from hosting the 2017 event, were forgotten on a night where Samoa was given the opportunity to present its culture and enthusiasm for sport to the world.

Samoa is no minnow in the sporting stratosphere - it has hosted the Pacific Games on two separate occasions, in 1983 and 2007, and its rugby team are just outside of the top 10 on the latest world rankings.

But even Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi went as far as saying it is the biggest sporting event they have ever held, which just goes to show the passion they have for the Games - a fervour which was evident throughout the course of the Ceremony.

Following the closure of formal proceedings, which included speeches from Malielegaoi and newly-elected CGF President Louise Martin, the Ceremony itself began, with rampant drum music hyping up the expectations of the crowd as those involved with the spectacle graced the field of play, ready to dazzle those inside the quaint venue.

It was at this point no-one moved for a good five minutes or so, with each participant remaining still as a sense of confusion washed over the Apia Park grandstand.

Was this all part of the act?

Unfortunately for the producers of the Ceremony, it wasn’t as it quickly became apparent that something had gone wrong.

It must be mentioned, however, that with the absence of a world-renowned production company, absolute perfection could not be guaranteed, and those who were made to wait patiently on the lush green grass brushed the slight malfunction off effortlessly to pick up the Ceremony’s momentum, created by a rapturously-received Athletes Parade.

Once play had restarted, so to speak, the dancers and other participants got the festivities underway, blending entertainment with informative content about the nation’s history.

Accompanied with all the razzmatazz of song and dance, the spectacle as a whole in fact got better after the delay as the centre of the field was lit up by flames by performers using fire to present a traditional Samoan dance to the crowd.

A stirring rendition of the Commonwealth Youth Games theme song “Here I Am” was then belted out by some of the best young singers Samoa has to offer, bringing a superb Ceremony to a fitting end.

Attention now turns to the sporting competition, which begins on Monday (September 7) owing to the strong religious views of Samoan people and Martin, who ousted rival Prime Imran of Malaysia to land the CGF hot-seat at the organisation’s recent General Assembly in Auckland, is hoping the Games can continue to be a unique stand-alone event which gives the athletes the best possible multi-sport event experience.

“We don’t want people to compare these Games to the main Commonwealth Games. This is a unique event,” CGF President Martin told insidethegames.

“I don’t want this to become a replica of the main Games - I want it to educate these athletes on other cultures on other communities.

“In four or five years they might be competing at the Commonwealth Games and this gives them excellent preparation for that.”

As if to further illustrate the mantra of athletes being at the core of the event, neither the CGF nor the organisers will be keeping a medals table as the federation, led by the views of Martin, who calls the Commonwealth Youth Games her “baby”, feel the event is about individual performance rather than collective totals.

It is about honing their skills and giving them an experience of a multi-sport event so they can go on to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ennis-Hill and Le Clos.

Judging from the Opening Ceremony and the state of the venues, it looks like all of the 904 athletes who will compete for gold over the next week or so have been given the perfect platform to do just that.

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St Lucia’s withdrawal from hosting the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games was a “big disappointment”, newly-elected Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Louise Martin said today, while claiming a successful event here will encourage more countries to enter the race to replace the Caribbean nation.

Speaking ahead of the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 Games, which takes place later today, Martin, who was chosen as the new CGF President at the organisation’s General Assembly in Auckland, hopes the spectacle put on by Samoa over the next seven days will prompt further interest in future editions of the event.

The Caribbean island had been awarded the 2017 Games in November 2011 but its preparations were hit by doubts over venues and financial concerns, particularly over the lack of a stadium to host athletics.

Their decision to pull out was made during the CGF General Assembly in a video message from St Lucia's Prime Minister Kenny Anthony.

Canada and Scotland are said to have expressed an interest in hosting the 2017 Games, with Martin saying there are a further two who have been in contact.

“It was a big disappointment not just for us as a Federation but also the St Lucian people,” Martin told insidethegames.

“They tried very hard to get it sorted but they have given us enough time to find someone else to host it and I’m convinced we’ll have a great host in 2017.

“This event has so much potential and I know there are countries who will be inspired by what they see here in Samoa and will want to take the Commonwealth Youth Games on in future.”

Despite hosting the Pacific Games on two occasions - in 1983 and 2007 - Samoan President Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also chair of the Organising Committee, believes the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games will be the biggest sporting event ever to be held on the island.

Around 1000 athletes, aged between 14 and 18, from 66 Commonwealth nations will compete for 107 gold medals during the competition, with Samoa’s contingent of 117 set to be the largest to participate.

“This is the biggest sporting event that we have ever hosted,” he said.

“Samoa is proud to once again lead the Pacific in a regional first as we host the Commonwealth Youth Games and welcome more than 1,000 athletes and officials from across the globe.

“After the successful United Nations Small Island Developing States Conference last year, we are confident that all athletes, officials and new visitors to our country will take away fond memories, new friendships and great experiences of their time in Samoa.

“Hosting the Games is a big task but we joyfully take responsibility for it.”

The Opening Ceremony takes place at the Apia Sports Complex tonight and will be streamed live by local broadcaster TV 1 Samoa.

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...blind, courageous, gifted, determined

Loosing your ability to see must be one of the toughest challenges to overcome. Just imagine losing your sight in your early thirties like Carlos Greene.

Born and raised in Waterloo, Carapichaima, central Trinidad, where he resides with his family, 46-year-old Greene became blind in 2000, within the space of four months, due to acute glaucoma. Losing his sight and his subsequent determination to overcome his disability has led to Greene, a Humming Bird Silver Medal awardee, becoming a top paralympic athlete over the years.

Greene recently represented us at the Toronto Parapan Games where he missed medaling by a narrow margin (ten centimetres) in the shot put event since an injury prevented him from competing in his pet event—powerlifting, for which he has become well known on the world circuit.

When Greene became blind over 14 years ago, he found an emotional outlet through exercise (the gym in particular). It quickly became a form of therapy for him. He said that when he exercises, he is on a natural "high". His instructors at the gym encouraged him to enter a competition and he has never looked back since.

His wife of 21 years and his three daughters are a tremendous source of inspiration to him. He is adamant about showing his children and others that a disability is no excuse to not strive to be the best. He also believes that his discipline, his training, and his eventual success will be a source of inspiration for all.

Over the past nine years, he has competed and medalled at several regional and international competitions. At the majority of these competitions Carlos was the only blind competitor. Among the many places he has competed are Guatemala, New Zealand, Aruba, Florida, Delhi, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, London and most recently, at the Parapan Games in Toronto.

Some of his gold medal performances: 2008 at the IBSA International Blind Sports Association/IPF World Powerlifting Championships, Miami, Florida, where he broke 11 world records to become the first powerlifter to win a gold medal for T&T in a World Championship Event; 2009, the IBSA International Blind Sports Association/IPF 2009 World Powerlifting Championships, Miami, Florida, breaking seven world records; 2011, North American Powerlifting Federation/International Powerlifting Federation (NAPF/IPF) Championships, Miami, Florida; 2013, 11th Annual North American Powerlifting Federation/International Powerlifting Federation (NAPF/IPF) Championships.

 In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012, he was nominated for the “Sportsman of the Year” Award. Thus far, he is the Caribbean’s only blind professional powerlifter. In July 2012, Greene participated in the American track and field paralympic trial, where he won a Silver Medal in the shot put and Bronze Medal in the discus event. He is currently in training for the 2016 Paralympics Games, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Q: Tell us a bit more about yourself. For example, where did you grow up, your schooling, meeting your wife, your children/family?
A: Carlos Greene was born in a little sugar cane and fishing village called Waterloo. I have five brothers and two sisters. I spent my first few years with my grandparents. I have always been involved in sport from a young age, and I have always been involved in community work.
I went to Waterloo Presbyterian School and represented the school in football, cricket, volleyball and running. Then I went to Chaguanas Junior Secondary and continued to represent in football, cricket, running and table tennis. I graduated from Junior Secondary and I received an award for physical education.

Then I went to Carapichaima Senior Comprehensive, where I represented in football, badminton and running, and eventually captained the football team. I then spent two years at the Presto Presto Youth Camp where I studied tailoring and represented the camp in running and table tennis.I met my wife in October 1989, and we got married in August 1993. We have three beautiful children, Rebekah, Reanna and Renee. Reanna was just successful in her SEA exam and she passed for her first choice, Bishop Anstey High School, Port-of-Spain. I am so proud of her.

As a blind person, what are some of the challenges you face both in your daily life and in your sport?
As a blind person, especially living in T&T, it is hard because the physical infrastructure (eg sidewalks, no building codes) is not designed for us. Vendors in the street block walkways, sidewalk DJs make it impossible to hear when you walk the street, disrespect by the heads of the same sporting associations that we represent. I have appealed to the authorities and even spoken to those sidewalk DJs. I keep pushing and not accepting the limits that are placed on me. I do see some little glimpses of hope that can make a better future.

When and how did you come to be involved in the sport of powerlifting?
After joining the gym in January 2003, I remembered a young instructor by the name of Justin Joseph telling me, “Do you know how strong you are? I have seen men in here for years and have never see them move weights like you. You should compete in an upcoming powerlifting championship.” 

He left only to return with the head instructor, Juan Carve, and my personal instructor, Kevin Da Costa, only to ask, "Would you think about competing?" My immediate response was, "I have nothing to lose." And the journey into the life of Carlos Greene, the strong man, began. I remember clearly 2004, 2005, there were no championships in T&T, then I heard of the North American Powerlifting Federation hosting a championship in Puerto Rico in 2006.

Immediately, I began to prepare for this championship. Then two months before the championship, I fell into an open manhole. The next three months was spent in bed, and thoughts of my powerlifting championship were dying. The moment I felt a bit better, I was in the gym. I missed the 2006 championship, but my heart was now set on the 2007 championship in Guatemala. In 2011, a new desire erupted in me to be the first blind person from the Caribbean to win a paralympic medal. By 2012, I was competing in the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

What are your most prized possessions: one tangible, one intangible?
Intangible is the human spirit. Many people always ask me how I overcame, and I cannot take much praise for it because I got that strength from something within that was built in from creator God. When parents talk to me, they say thank you for inspiring my son and making an impact on society. My tangible possessions are the numerous medals and awards and honors that were given to me as I represented T&T, and won at various events.

What advice would you give to someone contemplating a vocation/career such as yours?
Firstly, I would tell them do not look at the glamour that comes across on the TV. The life of the athlete is not easy, one bad move or one injury and it can all be over. I will never discourage a young person that is coming into sport.  I would also tell them to add education as a tool, believe in yourself and work hard, and it will all be possible.

What are a couple of your most memorable performances?
My first two memorable performances were my first two major championships, Guatemala 2007 and Christchurch, New Zealand, 2007. I remember working hard to go to Guatemala and walking the streets and people asking me “Why are you here?” And when I told them, they said that it is impossible for me to compete as a blind man.

I remember in Guatemala, one Saturday evening, when my name and country was called. I walked out with the coach, he said to me that I am on my own now and my knees buckled. I called on all my strength as I walked under the bar, and as the judge said squat and I squat, the crowd erupted.

It was almost the same in New Zealand six months later. I did not win, I came second on both occasions. However, everyone said that I was the real winner. Everyone wanted photos with me, and I could not even get to the washroom because I was bombarded. The New Zealand power lifting federation said they have never seen someone impact an entire arena like that.

Powerlifting isn’t just about moving a heavy thing—it’s about understanding how your body works in relation to timing and momentum and inertia, and basically the physics of movement. 

Tell us about that.
It is proven that when someone loses his sight, that coordination and direction also goes with it. Other than the dynamics to maintain a straight line with the weights, you have to train your body to stand erect and focus on that invisible line, it takes a lot of practice and determination and courage. Many people attempted to do the squat with their eyes closed and they were all unsuccessful for many different reason. I remember one coach saying he took the shot put and closed his eyes, and he couldn’t think of what was the next thing to do.

Tell us about your inspiration to do what you do so well.
Each person is born with specific gifts and talents and that is who or what makes you who you are. To me, it just comes naturally. When it all happened, I still can’t fully answer. I remember the first time I was asked to do powerlifting and I accepted the challenge, and I looked for someone to coach me with the shot put for five years, and then Lester Osuna answered the challenge.

Also, I had a dream from childhood to be a motivational speaker, and for many years, I did not have the courage to stand on a stage and face people. After a while, just like clockwork, everything began coming together. I believe it was the moment when I deleted “Can’t" from my vocabulary. We can be our largest obstacle and even deter ourselves from becoming the person who God has determined we should be.

Of all your accolades, prizes and awards, which do you rate as extremely special?
The Hummingbird Silver Medal that I received in the 2010 Independence Award ceremony. Because as a child, I looked at the Witco sportsman and sportswoman award and Independence award ceremony and dreamt that someday that the President of our twin island republic will pin a medal on my chest.

What is the best compliment you have ever received?
In 2012, I represented T&T at the Arnold Sports Festival in the Pro Deadlift category. Each year they chose five lifters from different parts of the world to compete on this stage. I was invited in 2012 and a few days after arriving at the Arnold Sports Festival, I met one of the organisers, Brad Gillingham, a world champion and hall of famer and world record holder.

He said to me that afternoon that they were looking for people to be invited to the event and, for some reason, my name stood out in his head and when he mentioned it, all the organisers agreed. He then said, “Carlos, I am honoured to have you at this event.”

Upcoming events?
I am focused on the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Before that, I may participate at the world Track and Field Paralympic Games in October, and other championships, yet to be decided, that would build up to Rio 2016.
 
What advice would you give to aspiring athletes?
Be focused, determined, persevere, and follow your dreams. Life as an athlete is not easy but once we are determined to make it, sport has the ability to transform a simple person into a legend, with lots of rewarding moments.

What goals and/or plans do you still have?
Some of the goals that I still have are to see a stadium built in my area (maybe with my name on it), becoming a full-time motivational speaker, and running programmes in schools and correctional institutions for young people.

Describe yourself in two words, one beginning with C, the other with G, your initials.
The two words that will easily characterise me using my initials are Courageous and Gifted...if I may say so! (Laughing).

NOTE: The T&T Blind Welfare Association, of which Greene is a council member, recently launched its 100th year (1914-2014) commemorative publication. In it, Greene’s success story is highlighted.

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High Performance Table Tennis Coach and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Course Conductor Aleksey Yefremov of Belarus will continue his training sessions today in Tobago. This after the European who is being hosted by the T&T Table Tennis Association (TTTTA) conducted training sessions to invited players in Trinidad from Friday until yesterday.

A former national coach of India and Guatemala, Yefremov  certifies the highest grade of coaches for ITTF and conducts training camps worldwide. As a Belarus player he was a teammate of Vladimir Samsanov, a top world ranked player.

On Friday, he conducted sessions in the morning at Preysal Secondary School for the top Under Cadet and Mini Cadet players and continued in the afternoon sessions with the top Junior and Cadet players.

On Saturday, he held sessions  for juniors and Cadets at the Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena seniors in the afternoon at Preysal before moving to T&TEC Sports Club, Flament Street, Port-of-Spain on Sunday and Preysal on Monday. From until yesterday, he conducted sessions at CRISA and will now do sessions  in Tobago from today and Sunday at  Scarborough Secondary School.

Club coaches, national coaches and individual player coaches are invited to attend the sessions with their charges.

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TRINIDAD AND Tobago football team coach Stephen Hart has slammed the decision by English League Two club Barnet FC to deny permission to wingback Gavin Hoyte to represent the “Soca Warriors” in their friendly football international against Mexico tomorrow at the Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah, United States.

In fact, Hart made it emphatically clear that he will not tolerate any form of disrespect by players and/ or clubs towards the team, especially with the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers slated to get going later this year.

According to a media release from the TT Football Association (TT FA) yesterday, “up to Friday Hoyte was in contact with the TT team manager William Wallace and all seemed set for his travel until he didn’t show up for his flight out of London along with fellow English-based pro Andre Boucaud.

Hoyte later admitted that the club had asked him to miss the encounter.

But there was no communication from the club and Wallace was not pleased that the decision was only taken at such a late stage.” Hart, in a media interview yesterday, confessed, “I was not pleased with how his club handled it. Basically they bullied the player. They told him he would be available and they would release him and then just hours before he is supposed to get on the plane they refuse to let him go and then you place the player in a situation where he is in a scrap with the club and the manager.

“I think that was very unprofessional and quite frankly they showed disrespect to the Trinidad and Tobago international programme because I am sure if it was England who called him, or Ireland or Wales, they would let him go,” Hart added. “It is certainly a situation that I am not going to look upon lightly with other players as well if it comes up. I will enter discussions with Gavin because he has to also put his foot down with the club.” The national team coach went on to say, “They didn’t say yes from the beginning because then they knew we could refer to the FIFA statutes.

Quite clearly going into World Cup is extremely important players are on top of their game and playing regularly for their clubs and of course we want to have proper relationships with the involved parties.

“There will be no situation like this come World Cup qualifying because we will have to know from the onset whether the player is coming or not and take action accordingly depending on the matter at hand,” Hart stated.

Hoyte’s brother Justin has been a regular member of the national team but he was not selected for tomorrow’s fixture.

Referring to the ongoing training camp at Salt Lake City, Hart noted, “I’m glad we got these days in because the altitude takes a bit of getting used to for the players.

They aren’t struggling but they have to adapt.” About the recalled trio of Trevin Caesar, Neveal Hackshaw and Marcus Joseph, the former Canada coach said, “they have done well. Caesar is coming in with a renewed energy and passion. I like how he has trained. Hackshaw has always been a player that seems to be all business. For a young man he has a very good professional attitude and I like that. “A lot of players when they look around at the squad, they realise there are new faces and there are positions to play for and fight for and this is essential for our team to move forward.”

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