Javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott may have set three new records for 2015, but the reigning Olympic champion was eliminated from the event at the World Championships here yesterday, after placing 26th out of 33 competitors. The Trinidadian athlete managed only two legal throws of 75.16 metres with his best effort of 76.83.

Walcott entered the championships as one of the pre-event favourites with a personal and season best of 90.16m but has been battling an ankle injury. “I just went out there, tried to perform well but it was just a bad competition,” he said. “No other explanation, just a bad competition. Of course, I expected better throws but I do not know what was going on.”

Walcott said his technique was off. “The distances were way off and you can see the results. There was a lack of competition for me since my ankle injury but my ankle held up good today and I am thanking God for that.  But I would have to say it was a bad competition because I was really out of it,” a downcast Walcott said.

In 2013 , Walcott also failed to progress at the World Championships in Moscow and a reflective Walcott recalled: “I guess you can say that the World Championships is not my friend. Hopefully I can forget about it and moved on, learn whatever I can and see the bigger picture. Next year is a brand new year, so hopefully I can do better in the major championships.”

As to the troublesome ankle, Walcott revealed thant it was not completely healed. “So I just have to go back and continue working on it because I do not want to start back training with any problems. I think I am going to call the season there, and continue working  on my ankle.”  

Walcott said he was sorry for disappointing his fans. “I know most people will be disappointed but this is how it is in sport. We have our ups and downs. I expected better because this is what I trained for  and although you know sometimes it feels like a wasted year, you have to take what it is and believe. Failure is a part of it. You need to fail in order to succeed sometimes as it gives you something to keep pushing forward,” stated Walcott

Walcott, 22, is optimistic about his future. “As for next year, I know I can throw long distances but I need to stay healthy. That is my major problem so that is going to be my main focus for the rest of 2015.” Another athlete to exit the stage was Sparkle Mcknight whose run in the 400 metres hurdle ame to a fighting end when she placed 5th in her heat.

“It was rough but I am grateful to having made it past the first round. My first 250m was good but my last 150m was not all that good. I think it was the tenseness and the competition that I had in the race. I made it get the better of me but it was an overall good performance for me,” McKnight said.

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Immediately after receiving funds to compete at the Pan American Cycling Championships in Chile next month, T&T swept the keirin final at the UCI (International Cycling Union) sanctioned Keirin Revenge at the Valley Preferred Cycling Centre in Pennsylvania, USA on Friday night.

T&T’s participation at the Pan American Cycling Championships from September 1-6 was uncertain, due to lack of funds at the Sport Company of T&T (SporTT). Fortunately it was revealed last week that SporTT will make the funds available for the 12-member Pan Am Cycling team.

T&T proved on Friday night in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania that they can compete with the world’s best. Three T&T cyclists including Kwesi Browne, Njisane Phillip and Jude Codrington qualified for the final, alongside Canadian Joel Archambault, Jeremy Presbury of New Zealand and American James Mellen.

Browne, who won bronze in the keirin at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games last year, won gold ahead of Phillip (silver) and Codrington (bronze) to make it a clean sweep for T&T. Quincy Alexander and Justin Roberts also competed in the keirin event, but did not qualify for the final.  

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Captain of the T&T Red Steel Dwayne Bravo has lauded the initiative by the T&T Olympic Committee to establish an Elite Athlete Welfare Fund with the aim of inspiring the nation’s athletes to win 10 or more Olympic Gold medals by 2024.

The Fund which was launched back in January was designed to complement the Elite Athlete Fund already in effect by the Government and people of T&T and managed by the Ministry of Sport.

 Bravo said, “I think it’s good. I am an athlete and I believe athletes could only do so much. They need support. If the aim is for this medal count by the 2024 Olympics, then that means they have a target in mind, they have a goal set and I think it’s important that whatever assistance they can get from government, from companies, then we are working for 2024. I think they can be successful and achieve the ten gold medals.”

With the one-year mark to Rio 2016 now in effect and prospective athletes count down the days, he said, “I just want them to give it their best shot. The Olympics is something that comes once every four years. It’s like the (ICC) Cricket World Cup for us and it’s a dream come through for any athlete to be part of the Olympics and to represent the country. 

My advice is for them to work hard…give it their best shot. Some of them go as individuals, some go as a team, but eventually the T&T Olympic team leaves as a team. It’s important that they give themselves the best chance to be in the best shape, so that they can perform to the best of their ability and also put T&T on the map, again. There is nothing better than representing your country. I love representing T&T. Whenever you’re on that big stage hearing your national anthem playing, seeing your national flag: those colours alone make your feel special.” 

Issues related to the insufficient funding of athletes and lack of access and or lack of facilities for the nation’s budding stars were among Bravo’s pet peeves.

In spite of these challenges, he called on elite athletes to get in the right frame of mind and prepare themselves well.

Bravo held the view that once local medal hopefuls prepared well, more often than not, they were going to execute and eventually reap rewards.

 “I am reading the papers and watching television and seeing these challenges athletes have for funding, for facilities. They don’t have proper training grounds, proper gyms and I think in this day and age now where sports unifies the country, we can do a lot more where facilities are concerned…where funding is concerned, because most of those athletes go about their business with basically nothing. They don’t get a big salary. In terms of facilities to prepare, to train, we don’t have it here and we expect those athletes to go out there and compete with the best in the world,” he said.

Bravo added, “Obviously, it’s going to be tough. We have the talent, but we need to have the resources to enrich those talents. We just can’t rely on natural ability and natural talent and expect to make it world-wide. I honestly believe we could do a lot more and should do a lot more.”   

He’s no big fan of netball, but the mere fact that this country’s athletes were competing in the just concluded Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia, caused him to pay great attention to the nightly television newscast and the daily newspapers for progress reports on the team.

Commenting on the outstanding performances recorded by this country’s athletes at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, the Pan American Junior Championships in Edmonton, Canada; the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Senior Championships in Costa Rica; Parapan Am Games also held in, Canada, Bravo had nothing but praise for them, including those who this time around weren’t successful at securing medals. 

“It’s not easy to take part in event that is so big and perform at the highest level, carrying the ambitions of an entire nation on your shoulders. It’s not easy! It’s good that it’s going down as one of our best Pan Am Games and with the Olympics right around the corner that in itself would give them confidence. 

“Success always gives you that comfort that you can do well at the highest level and do better. Doing what they did at the Games gives those athletes self-confidence and the self-belief that they can actually go to the Olympic and win medals, as well,” declared Bravo.  

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