dic.31.2009
By WALTER ALIBEY - www.newsday.co.tt
ATHLETES Josanne Lucas and Renny Quow, were named as the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively at a gala ceremony at the Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s on Tuesday.
Lucas had been the frontrunner for the award after her bronze medal performance at the IAAF World Championship in Berlin, Germany last August in a new national record of 53:20 seconds.
This achievement followed her run at the Grande Premio Brasil Caixa Meet in May in 55:24 seconds.
On Tuesday night Lucas received the award from the TTOC’s president Larry Romany. Lucas said afterwards that her intention was to better her performances in the coming year.
Meanwhile Quow was not present to receive his award but his father Rupert Quow made the trek up to the podium to receive the award from the Olympic Committee chief.
Like Lucas, Quow had been the first choice for the TTOC’s top award after his gutsy run from sixth position in the final of the 400 metres at the World Championships, to finish third for the bronze medal.
The Junior Central American and Caribbean (CAC) and National 400 metre champion in 2006 also became the seventh Trinidad and Tobago quarter miler to have joined the sub-45 club by clocking 44.89 seconds for a second place finish in the 400 metres at a Barcelona, Spain 2008 Track and Field Meet.
Meanwhile Trinidad and Tobago’s cricket captain Daren Ganga also received recognition for his inspirational leadership role in guiding the TT cricketers to the final of the Airtel Twenty/20 Champions League in India a few months ago. The text-book style batsman was presented with the Alexander B Chapman Award for “outstanding contribution to sport and Olympism, particularly in the promotion of Olympic ideals”. The award also recognised achievements or contributions in any sport by a person or individuals acting jointly or an organisation, group or team which epitomises all or any of the following fundamental principles of Olympism as found in the Olympic Charter.
Ganga led the local cricketers to a series of eye-opening performances in only their debut at the Indian championship.
The TT cricketers were beaten in the final by New South Wales Blues but received the lion’s share of individual trophies and awards.
Meanwhile talented junior 400 metres hurdler Jehue Gordon also walked away with the award for the Junior Sportsman of the Year crown while swimmer Kimberlee John-Williams was the obvious choice for the Junior Sportswoman of the Year trophy.
National and Joe Public footballer Kerry Baptiste also received the Sports Personality of the Year award.
The prolific striker scored an amazing 48 goals for his team in the TT Pro League this season to earn himself the award.