media_artricles :: 2015

Giving back

Thompson inspires next generation of T&T sprinters

Fifty primary school youngsters were treated with a master-class of professional sprinting training tips as Atlantic Sports Ambassador, and multiple Olympic medallist Richard Thompson, spearheaded their Track and Field Development Camp at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Saturday.

“When I partnered with Atlantic a year ago, this was a vision of mine to give back through various camps,” Thompson said regarding the session. “I did a camp just about two weeks ago and the focus was a bit different in that we targeted teenagers who are possibly on the verge of going to university.”

Saturday's camp, however, catered mostly to a younger group of athletes from the 8-12 age range, and five children were chosen by Atlantic from different primary school districts around the country.

The T&T Olympian and current national 100-metre record holder conducted several drills with the children including push-ups, various forms of abdominals, his own personalised routine called the “Torpedo Circuit”, as well as a series of relays to close off the morning.

Ethan Forde was one of the youngsters that stood out in the sessions. The 13-year-old, a student of Fatima College, is currently the Atlantic Athlete of the Year and looks to have a promising future in track and field.

“I actually had the pleasure of meeting him and giving him the award,” Thompson told the press. “He's a well-spoken young man, very focused, very hard-working and I expect to see good things from him in the future if he stays on the right path.”

Forde told the media that Thompson is his idol and hopes to emulate him someday. The T&T sprinter was happy to be an inspiration to the future generation. “It's actually good to have an impact on people and to know I can make a difference, whether it's physically being there with them or just from my accomplishments on the track.

Thompson also emphasised the importance grassroots-level training for the future of the sport, particularly with the mission to win ten gold medals by 2024.

“I think it's extremely integral that we build from the ground up,” he said. “We're trying to target some of the younger ones because they will be the ones we expect to win the gold medals by 2024. Not Keston Bledman, not Richard Thompson, not Marc Burns.

Brian Lewis is on a great campaign, and my dad always told me when I was younger to aim for the stars and worst-case scenario you end up on the rooftops, but you're still higher than ground level.”

Thompson intends to continue spreading his knowledge and expertise across schools despite Saturday's camp being the last of its kind for the year. He said that he will be heading to El Dorado Secondary on Friday, as he is familiar with their programme from his secondary school days.

At the end of the training, the pupils received certificates from not only Thompson, but also from fellow Atlantic Sports Ambassadors; T&T cricketer Sunil Narine and Keshorn Walcott, who famously threw his way to an Olympic gold medal in the javelin event at London 2012.

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