media_artricles :: 2016

Youth Awards champs aiming for strong 2016 seasons

JERON THOMPSON and Khalifa St Fort, the respective male and female winners of the First Citizens Sports Foundation 2015 Youth Awards, are both looking for strong 2016 seasons.

The 15-year-old Thompson and the 17-year-old St Fort (were also successful at the 2015 Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) Awards in December, having been named as the top junior athletes (male and female).

Thompson, who will turn 16 on Independence Day (August 31), commented at the recent First Citizens Youth Awards, "in 2016 I am going to qualify for (both) CARIFTA and Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC), hopefully medalling more than three times in each, excluding the relays." He continued, "and I have my hopes to qualify for the Short Course World Championships in Canada in December." The Atlantic Aquatics swimmer, who claimed six medals (one gold, four silver and one bronze) at the 2015 CARIFTA Championships, and five medals (four gold and a silver) at the CCCAN Championships - both in Barbados - added, "my main event would either be 50 or 100 (metre) breaststroke, which I'm really pushing for, to be my qualifier for the World Championships in December." Reflecting on his 2015 season, the Trinity College East student noted, "since 2014 I made up my mind that 2015 was going to be my most successful year. And thank God for my training, all the hard work. It (was) one of my most successful years. "I medalled in both CARIFTA and CCCAN Championships, as well as (making the finals) in the Junior Commonwealth Games and breaking many national records," added Thompson. "So I'm very proud of that." The American-born St Fort, speaking about her plans for the 2016 season, pointed out, "I plan on doing Olympic trials, doubling the 100 and 200 (metres), and hoping that I can qualify for Rio 2016, as well as the 4x100." St Fort, who captured gold in the women 100m at the 2015 Pan American Junior Championships in Edmonton, Canada, said she will also be featuring on the indoor circuit this year. She also got silver in the 100m at the IAAF Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia and bronze with the women 4x100m relay team at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China.

"I felt that I actually excelled and went above my expectations," was how she described her 2015 season.

"I look forward to breaking my barriers this year." About 2015, she emphasised, "it definitely gave me the confidence to know that I can compete at that level and I look forward to competing at that level for a very long time." While she aspires to become TT's first female Olympic medallist, St Fort said she will be competing in "the 100 metres, 200 metres, as well as the 4x100 (relay). I'm trying to do everything and compete to the best of my ability." Asked about her heavy Trinidadian accent, St Fort remarked, "my mother is a Trinidadian, she was born in San Fernando. I've been coming here since I was small and it was in my dreams to represent Trinidad and Tobago." TT great Ato Boldon, who earned medals in the 100m and 200m at both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, serves as St Fort's coach.

"Ato is so amazing and I'm so fortunate to have him in my life," said St Fort. "He's a great coach, he's a great mentor and everything that I need as a coach."

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