media_artricles :: 2014

Track & field to flex muscles at Sports Awards tonight

It could be another dominant year for track and field when the First Citizens Sports Foundation hosts the 2013 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards tonight at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s from 8 p.m.

There was no shortage of outstanding sporting moments last year, and the judges would have had a tough time deliberating, especially among the men where the competition was tight.

West Indies mystery spinner Sunil Narine bamboozled his way through opposing batsmen in international, regional and Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket. Njisane Phillip became the first Trinidad and Tobago cyclist to pick up gold at a World Cup event. Shooter Roger Daniel grabbed double gold at the World Masters. And swimmer George Bovell answered his critics with top performances at World Cups, and also grabbed bronze in the 50 metres freestyle at the long course World Championships.

But it will be hard for judges to look past Jehue Gordon’s stirring performance at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, where a dip of his head made him only the second T&T athlete to strike gold at Worlds in winning the 400 metres hurdles event.

Gordon’s potential to be a world champion had been touted since his teenage days—he narrowly missed out on bronze in the 2009 World Championships with a then national record run of 48.26 seconds.

He needed four more years before that potential would finally come to the fore. Gordon not only secured gold at Worlds but also improved his national mark with a time of 47.69.

Among the women, the regulars stood out.

Shot putter Cleopatra Borel was again T&T’s top female athlete in track and field, while Rheann Chung again showed her class on the international table tennis stage with a solid showing at the World Championships.

Despite missing out on her sixth Caribbean Championship women’s singles crown, Chung secured women’s doubles silver with Jasher De Gannes, helped the T&T women to the team title and bagged mixed doubles gold with stepdad Dexter St Louis.

West Indies Women cricketer Stacy-Ann King had a phenomenal year with the bat and ball. Having been dropped from the regional team, she responded with the most runs in virtually every local tournament, and earned her place back in the regional side with her all-round performances.

Monifa Sealy (golf), Kalifa McCollin (netball), Breana Stampfli (tennis) and Javanna Smith (chess) are some of the other female athletes with stunning showings over the last year.

But track and field has shown its strength, and few would be surprised if Gordon and Borel reign supreme tonight.

NOMINEES

Men

Rishi Kanick (automobile sports); Kerwyn Pantin (badminton); Kelton Thomas (bodybuilding); Michael Alexander (boxing); John Horsfall (canoe/kayak); Ryan Harper (chess) Sunil Narine (cricket); Njisane Phillip (cycling); Kenwyne Jones (football); Talin Rajendranath (golf); William Albert (gymnastics); Mickell Pierre (hockey); Brian Boodramsingh (horseracing); Christopher George (judo); Mark St Louis (karate); Adrian Brown (powerlifting); Stuart Johnson (rally); Graeme Alkins (rugby); Andrew Lewis (sailing); Roger Daniel (shooting); Colin Ramasra (squash); Chris Dennis (surfing); George Bovell III (swimming); Dexter St Louis (table tennis); Lenn Hypolite (taekwondo); Rakesh Sookoo (target archery); Joshua Abraham (tennis); Jehue Gordon (track & field); David Cottle (triathlon); Daneil Williams (volleyball)

Women

Virginia Chariandy-Balwant (badminton); Tamara Ribeiro-Bailey (bodybuilding); Kerchelle Hinkson (canoe/kayak), Javanna Smith (chess), Stacy Ann King (cricket); Kennya Cordner (football), Monifa Sealy (golf); Marisa Dick (gymnastics); Alanna Lewis (hockey); Janelle Alexander (karate), Kalifa Mc Collin (netball); Giselle Ann Jackman (powerlifting); Ayana Skeete (rugby); Marsha Bullen-Jones (shooting); Kerrie Sample (squash); Kristin Julien (swimming); Rheann Chung (table tennis); Neela Cezair (target archery); Breana Stampfli (tennis); Cleopatra Borel (track & field); Christiane Farah (triathlon); Sinead Jack (volleyball)

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