media_artricles :: 2014

Stewart continues to impress in shot put

Akeem Stewart emerged as a big name in para athletics in November last year, with an impressive shot-put triumph in Medellin, Colombia, at the Il Campeonato Paralimpico de Atletisimo Games. He threw 17.49 metres in his class.

Quiet and gentle, this young man from Tobago went through a vigorous classification session in order to compete as a para athlete for the first time in Colombia.

Competition at para games is determined by the type and extent of an athlete’s impairment. This classification is determined by teams of medical and technical experts at specific games worldwide.

Being an F43 athlete, the Colombia performance placed Stewart less than one metre shy of the International Paralympic world record, a goal he has set his sights on as he moves toward more stringent competitions.

In 2014, Stewart quietly continues to forge ahead on his journey to excellence. Competing in open competition against able-bodied athletes, he has shown his prowess here at home, taking top honours at the Falcon Games in April and again at the International Twilight Games last Friday.

Stewart threw 17.11 metres at the Fal­con Games and improved to 17.98m at the Twilight Games.

The Tobago field athlete is well on his way to attaining his personal goals of making Trinidad and Tobago proud at both the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Stewart is expected to compete again next Tuesday in Barbados.

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