An official request to the Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Sport that the Government’s housing policy should reward national athletes for their service has been submitted by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC).

Led by Brian Lewis, the TTOC believe the issue requires urgent attention, telling Government Ministers that the athletes’ service for the country at Olympic, Paralympics and World Championship level needs to be recognised in the country’s housing policy.

Under the TTOC’s proposal they would recommend athletes who deserve merit for their services to Trinidad and Tobago, in conjunction with National Sporting Organisations, with athletes then benefiting from faster housing distribution.

Athletes would be required to meet the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) mortgage criteria and honour the mortgage obligations.

They argue that athletes dedicate years of their youthful lives, making sacrifices surrounding their careers, income and family life, in order to represent the country on the highest stage possible, but their dedication currently leaves them at a social and economic disadvantage.

TTOC believe the alteration to the Government’s housing policy would not only recognise the service of the country’s athletes on the world stage, but that it would have the benefit of helping athletes transition into life away from sport.

They told the Government that the proposal would help to remove an additional burden for athletes who are moving away from the competitive sporting environment whilst additionally ensuring security and providing a home for the athlete and their family after retirement.

The TTOC said they are proposing a similar policy for national athletes to a programme run by the HDC for members of the countries protective services.

Source

An official request to the Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Sport that the Government’s housing policy should reward national athletes for their service has been submitted by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC).

Led by Brian Lewis, the TTOC believe the issue requires urgent attention, telling Government Ministers that the athletes’ service for the country at Olympic, Paralympics and World Championship level needs to be recognised in the country’s housing policy.

Under the TTOC’s proposal they would recommend athletes who deserve merit for their services to Trinidad and Tobago, in conjunction with National Sporting Organisations, with athletes then benefiting from faster housing distribution.

Athletes would be required to meet the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) mortgage criteria and honour the mortgage obligations.

They argue that athletes dedicate years of their youthful lives, making sacrifices surrounding their careers, income and family life, in order to represent the country on the highest stage possible, but their dedication currently leaves them at a social and economic disadvantage.

TTOC believe the alteration to the Government’s housing policy would not only recognise the service of the country’s athletes on the world stage, but that it would have the benefit of helping athletes transition into life away from sport.

They told the Government that the proposal would help to remove an additional burden for athletes who are moving away from the competitive sporting environment whilst additionally ensuring security and providing a home for the athlete and their family after retirement.

The TTOC said they are proposing a similar policy for national athletes to a programme run by the HDC for members of the countries protective services.

Source

Single entry standards for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games have been approved by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) at the world governing body’s Council meeting in Beijing.

Standards for 2016 World Indoor Championships were also released and next year’s Diamond League calendar approved.

The Olympic standards follow the pattern established by the IAAF for their 2015 World Championships in Beijing, in that single entry standards for each gender have been announced rather than A and B standards.

The Olympic standards are marginally higher in a number of cases.

For instance, World Championships marks for the women’s 100m of 11.33sec, men’s 400m 45.50, men’s 800m 1min 46.00sec, men’s 1500m 3:36.20, men’s high jump 2.28 metres and men’s pole vault 5.65 increase respectively at the Olympics to 11.32, 45.40, 1:45.80, 3:36.00, 2.29m and 5.70m.

This new unified qualification system was announced at the IAAF Council meeting in Monaco in November.

It is likely to improve the overall quality of the event, but may result in some countries struggling to field a wide range of competitors.

The old system allowed countries whose athletes failed to fill any of their three allotted places through gaining a higher mark to select a single athlete on the strength of a B qualifying standard.

According to the IAAF, the unified entry standards - broadly speaking, a little below old A category but above B category - will combine with invitations which will effectively tighten up overall qualification standards, allowing them to standardise entries, which will in turn help organisers to anticipate the required provision of facilities such as hotel rooms and transport.

Athletics action at Rio 2016 is due to take place from Friday August 12 to Sunday August 21.

The timetable and entry standards for the IAAF World Indoor Championships to be held in Portland, United States, from March 18 until 20, 2016, have also been decided.

The 2016 IAAF Diamond League calendar was also approved, opening with the Doha meeting on May 7 and ending with the finals in Zurich and Brussels on September 2 and 10 respectively.

The full entry standards can be read at

IAAF Rio 2016 standards.pdf

Source

Counting the blessings at AIPS America Games

To God be the glory.
On the bus ride to the table tennis venue at the 2nd AIPS America Games here in Manaus, Brazil, I said to myself I would honour God if I got the gold medal. But I quickly checked myself. Who am I to attach conditions when it comes to how my maker blesses me?
As it turned out, I got silver, and the glory goes to God. Had I bowed out of the tournament in the semifinal round, the quarters or even at the group stage, I would still owe God a debt of gratitude. It is He who opened up doors, presenting me with the opportunity to represent One Caribbean Media (OCM) and Trinidad and Tobago.
For the second time, I played Colombian Hernando Suarez in the AIPS America Games table tennis final. In Medellin, Colombia, two years ago, Suarez beat me in three straight games. This time it was a lot closer. I won the first two games, but Suarez battled back to win the next three, successfully defending his title, 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.
I’m proud of my silver medal, and I left the venue knowing I had given my all. No one from OCM or T&T was there to witness the championship match, but I can say without fear of reproach that you were both well represented.
So, it’s silver again, and I’m grateful for putting T&T on the medal table for a second time. But that doesn’t take away from the pain. The worst placing in sport is fourth for it means just missing out on a medal. But second hurts as well, especially when gold was just a game away.
In Medellin, the table tennis tournament was staged at the end of the Games. On that occasion I was probably guilty of over-training. Twice a day was a bit much for my ageing body.
Here in Manaus, time and logistics allowed me just one training session. It worked out well. The anticipation ahead of competition is a bit much, especially since I have the tendency to over-analyse. So, jumping into early action is ample protection against the paralysis of analysis.
There was no Games transport available for training sessions, so I had to take a taxi and hope for the best. Fortunately, one of Brazil’s top para players was at the venue, and I was able to get in a few practice games close to midday on Tuesday. This guy plays at a very high standard. In fact, there are few able-bodied players in T&T who can beat him, so the preparation was more than adequate.
I went into the tournament a few hours later confident in all areas of my game.
However, during the first match in my round robin group I felt a muscle strain in my back. I refused to panic. I spoke to God, and I reflected on the excellence of Michael Jordan even when he was not physically at 100 percent.
I was guarded in my play at the group stage, and succeeded in getting past my opponents from Ecuador and Paraguay in straight games. Perhaps, you could look at the Ecuador win as revenge for T&T’s female footballers, who were stopped by the South Americans in their bid to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. I did make mention of that painful defeat in an interview with an Ecuador radio station at the end of the table tennis tournament.
In the quarter-final round, I played a Colombian with a “funny” rubber on his backhand. I knew I had to go hard at Mauricio Diaz, and not allow him to gain confidence in the “pimple” rubber. Back injury or not, he needed to feel my power. I blew past him in the opening game, and though he proved more difficult thereafter, I won in straight games, 11-1, 11-8, 11-8.
I also triumphed 3-0 in the semis, making light work of my opponent from Chile.
Then, it was time to take on the best player in the tournament. But as T&T’s best-ever player, Dexter St Louis told me in an encouraging email message, it is not the best player that wins but the best prepared. Thanks Dex.
At home, I played practice matches against Anthony “Sandfly” Brown and Terry Corbin, and had trained regularly with Richard, Wallen, Nkosi and Rodney. The camaraderie at the Community Centre in Diamond Vale, home venue of my club Solo Crusaders, keeps me training, even when I don’t want to. The support of Peter and “coach” Kevin would have come in handy here in Manaus.
And I do believe I would have won had Collin Cudjoe made the trip as manager/coach. He has a track record of success with touring T&T teams. Ask Dexter.
I was well prepared for this tournament, and it showed in the first two games. But Hernando was also prepared, and came storming back to keep his crown. My roommate/coach, Bolivian Jimmy Terrazas tried his best to help me over the line, but while I appreciated his motivational words, I needed some technical help.
Thanks Jimmy. You did your best. And so did I. My back injury did not act up in the final, the adrenaline keeping me going throughout the five games.
It was only at the end of the final that I realised how badly I wanted the win. For the first time in many years, I had to fight back tears at the end of a table tennis match.
Yes, I wanted gold. But I’m grateful to God that he blessed me with silver.

Source

Tobago athletes began their quest for a 25th straight zonal national title by capturing nine gold medals during the first day of action at the 2015 National Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo yesterday.
Leading the way for Tobago were Safiya John (Scarborough Secondary) and Asha James (Signal Hill Secondary) who won two gold medals each.
John captured the Girls Under-16 80m hurdles in 12.87 seconds ahead her Tobago teammate Schrese Trim (Signal Hill Secondary), 14.46.
John, last year’s top female athlete of the meet, then secured the high jump crown with a distance of 1.55 metres. Carifta Girls Under-18 javelin silver medallist James completed a throws double with victories in the Girls Under-18 discus (24.40m) and javelin (43.40).
Anson Moses (Boys U-16 100m hurdles-15.95), Anya Akili (Girls U-16 100m hurdles-15.45), Aaron Lewis (Boys U-20 110m hurdles-14.71), Tehealia Kennedy (Girls U-14 shot put-9.61), Kimoi Noray (Girls U-16 javelin-31.41), Chevelle McPherson (Girls U-18 long jump-4.99) and Omari Benoit (Boys Over-18 high jump-2.00) were all winners for Tobsgo.
The defending champions also won four silver and six gold medals to total 18 before the start of the 100m, 400m and 1500m events.
Port-Of-Spain led the charge among the other zones with wins for Jeminise Parris (St. Francois Girls), Clement Campbell (QRC), Kobe John (St. Anthony’s), Shaquille Singuineau (QRC). Carifta bronze medallist Parris ran away with the Girls U-20 100m hurdles (14.55), while Clement was crowned the Boys U-18 long jump champ (6.48) to add to his Carifta bronze medal.
John took the Boys U-18 110m hurdles (14.90) with Singuineau landing the boys Over-18 shot put-15.02) crown.
The meet continues today.

Source