media_centre :: 2011

Roberts: Elite athletes must compete

NAAA National Championship launch

Kwame Laurence :: Trinidad Express Newspapers :: 09.06.2011

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Anil Roberts is insisting that all elite track and field athletes compete at the June 25-26 National Senior/Open Championships.

Speaking at yesterday's launch, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Port of Spain, Roberts said athletes are obligated to show off their wares at the two-day meet.

"All the best athletes must come home and run. You want funding, you call everyday, you write everyday, you want taxpayers' money. It's not a right.

"The people want hospital beds, we have 175,000 people living on less than $665 a month, we have pensioners who need their $3,000. We are competing for every dollar we get. So when athletes feel they deserve funding, that's not how it works. You get what you deserve, based on your work ethic, on your pride and love for country, on how you perform.

"So to those athletes," Roberts continued, "who will try to feign injury and not run in your National Championships, you have a coach as Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, so it's not going to be that easy. You must run at your Championships, or else you may be penalised for not performing.

"We are watching the trends as we move forward. And for all other athletes, whether it's cycling, swimming, who feel they cannot represent Trinidad and Tobago, no problem. If you don't want to, go to Sagicor and get some funding. But as long as you get funding from your people, from your taxpayers, you must treat that responsibility with the utmost respect that it deserves. Red, white and black is critical."

But Roberts, who coaches 2004 Olympic 200 metres individual medley bronze medallist George Bovell III, stressed that "no athlete in Trinidad and Tobago will ever be penalised for being legitimately injured".

The National Championships will be staged at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, on a brand new Mondo track. Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Ashwin Creed, said yesterday the laying of the track will be completed next week.

"The Sport Company (sportt) is charged with the responsibility for the refurbishment of the stadium, the relaying of the track. It's on schedule. We expect a delivery around the 16th or 17th of June, once there are no challenges with the weather. We are almost 80 per cent ready. Let's pray for good weather to ensure that we meet the delivery time."

National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) secretary and Games Committee chairman, Alan Baboolal, explained that countries hoping to qualify for the World Championships in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay events will have the opportunity to do so at T&T's National Championships.

"The IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) once again has granted us permission to use the Championships as a relay qualifier."

T&T earned silver in the men's 4x100m relay, at the 2008 Olympics and 2009 World Championships.

Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender, Darrel Brown and Aaron Armstrong are among the sprinters who will be bidding for selection on the T&T sprint relay team for the August 27-September 4 World Championships, in Daegu, Korea.

At the National Championships, Team T&T will square off against St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda and Puerto Rico.

"Still waiting word on Brazil and Japan.

"We're going to have invitational 100 male and female events and invitational 400 male and female," Baboolal continued. "For instance, we'll have Daniel Bailey coming from Antigua. He will not compete in our open 100, but in an invitational.

"Denzel Ramirez just ran under 15 (minutes). So, we're going to bring five Kenyans and two Venezuelans for the 5,000. They will also compete in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. We'll bring two or three athletes, around 50/51 seconds, to help Jehue Gordon (in the 400m hurdles). Ayanna Alexander, we will bring some people to assist her with the triple jump. And we told (half-miler) Melissa De Leon if she doesn't see the kind of competition she's looking for (at home), get us some athletes and we'll bring them."

Yesterday's function also served as a launch for the NAAA's new website, www.ttnaaa.org. The impressive website was designed by former marathon runner Shane Collens. Collens also designed the NAAA's new logo.

T&T Olympic Committee (T&TOC) president, Larry Romany, praised NAAA president Ephraim Serrette and his executive.

"Track and field has been the carrier of the flag in sport in Trinidad and Tobago for a long time. Of the 14 medals we have won at the Olympic Games, track and field has won over 70 per cent of those medals, and continues to perform. We expect great things from the team (at the Olympics) next year.

"Mr Serrette has moved it (NAAA) from one level to the next level. He's somebody that has a lot of creativity and a lot of ideas. And it's no surprise to me today that you would be launching a new logo and a new website--things that inform the public as to what you're actually doing. The executive of track and field must be commended for this effort."

While Minister Roberts also lauded the NAAA, he challenged track and field's local governing body to do even better.

"They have been very good over the years. The NAAA is one of our best associations. They are functioning well, but good is not great."

The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs has sponsored the 2011 National Championships to the tune of $400,000, while Sagicor has contributed $150,000.

Hyatt Regency and Blue Waters are also sponsors of the two-day meet.

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