media_artricles :: 2014

Gordon, Jackman clinch First Citizens awards

In what turned out to be the surprise of the night, Giselle Ann Jackman was adjudged the 2013 First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s on Friday night.

It was a virtual guarantee that hurdler Jehue Gordon would walk away with the Sportsman of the Year trophy, but Jackman, a 20-year-old powerlifter who only took up the sport a couple of years ago, had the audience virtually stunned when her name was announced as the victorious female winner of the prestigious award.

Her major feat for 2013 was a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships in Orlando, Florida, in the women’s 72-kilogramme class, with a total lift of 330kg, trailing Ladys Burgos of Puerto Rico (442.5kg) and Judimeire Delago of Brazil (395kg).

Gordon, on the other hand, made the biggest impression among local sporting personalities in 2013, having triumphed in the men’s 400-metre hurdles final at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia, with a time of 47.69 seconds, with Michael Tinsley of the United States second in 47.70.

In the top ten nominees, the only women to challenge Jackman were veteran shot-putter Cleopatra Borel and golfer Monifa Sealy, while the major men contenders were Gordon, former winners Roger Daniel (rifle shooting) and George Bovell III (swimming), Njisane Phillip (cycling), Sunil Narine (cricket), Adrian Brown (powerlifting) and Lenn Hypolite (taekwondo).

The Jeffrey Stollmeyer Award, for the leading sporting administration, went to the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) while the Lystra Lewis Award, for the top team, went to the national women’s 4x400-metre relay team (Alena Brooks, Romona Modeste, Shawna Fermin, Sparkle McKnight and Dominique Williams).

Chairman of the Sports Foundation Dr Keith Clifford, in his address, bemoaned the lack of organisations who submitted their names for the Stollmeyer Award.

“There are dozens of national governing bodies in Trinidad and Tobago yet only a small percentage submit,” he said. “We, particularly, encourage small and newer organisations to pay careful attention to this in the future.”

He continued, “there is also a disparity between the number of male and female athletes who are recommended for the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year. On this occasion, there were 30 male nominees but only 22 ladies.”

National Security Minister Gary Griffith spoke on behalf of Sports Minister Anil Roberts, who was absent due to Parliament duties. “There is indeed a relationship between sports and security,” said Griffith. “I wish we can stop considering sports as an extra-curricular activity and instead as a co-curricular activity.

“The more persons that play sport, the less crime that we would have.”

Among the dignitaries in attendance were President Anthony Carmona and his wife Reema, Port-of-Spain Mayor Raymond Tim Kee and Chief Justice Ivor Archie.

Past and present television newscasters Wendell Constantine and Michelle-Ann Awai were the co-hosts of the show while legendary singer David Rudder was the guest performer.

Top