media_artricles :: 2016

Happy to represent Trinidad

Junior Sportswoman of the Year Khalifa St Fort

Khalifa St Fort certainly enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2015, which culminated in her winning the 2015 Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) Junior Sportswoman of the Year award, at a ceremony held at the Port of Spain Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Port of Spain, last Tuesday.

The young sprinter who turns 18 in February, burst onto the scene this year when she captured silver at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, in July.

She streaked to an 11.19-second finish in the 100-metre final, which set a national Under-18 record in the process; a time which not only has turned heads locally but has raised hopes of her breaking into this year’s Olympic team.

The athlete who always sports a wide grin, said she had a lot of confidence coming into 2016, partic­ularly with local sprint legend Ato Boldon’s guidance.

“I 100 per cent have confidence in myself, as well as my coach and my parents,” she said. “They would not put me in any predicament that I cannot handle, and I feel that he (Boldon) has mentally and physically prepared me for every race.”

St Fort was elated to be able to represent T&T and was even more happy with her award.

“Winning this award tonight motivates me to do well in Rio 2016,” she said. “Last season was absolutely amazing, I had a great time and I’m very honoured to represent Tri­idad and Tobago.”

The youngster, who was born in the US to a Trinidadian mother, intends to train hard in her push towards the Games in Rio de Janeiro this year.

“The plan is to train hard and to of course avoid injury, and just work hard so I can do well in trials so I can represent Trinidad in 2016 at the Rio Olympics.”

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