Page 40 - Team TTO PARIS 2024

Stewart, 32, first made history in 2015, when he became Ramessar, said essential equipment like competitive
the first athlete from Trinidad and Tobago to win a medal prostheses and racing wheelchairs are hugely expensive.
at the Parapan American Games. He won two gold There is the ongoing challenge of access to training
medals at the event in Toronto, Canada, setting what facilities, the absence of competitive opportunities and
were then new world records in the javelin (53.36m) and the general lack of support from the wider community.
discus (63.03m) F43.
“There are many people who aren’t totally open to
“Since 2015, this country’s Paralympic athletes have been disabled kids in sport. Some parents are imposing their
performing well at international competitions and we own disbelief on their children and this has got to
want to continue this at the Games in Paris,” said Sudhir change.”
Ramessar, the head of Trinidad and Tobago’s Paralympic
Committee. Ramessar, who has been involved with disabled sport
since 2011, is however optimistic that things will
Stewart who was described as a “fierce, dedicated improve. He was extremely proud that the
competitor” by Paralympic sports development officer Commonwealth Youth Games which took place in T&T
Micky Ruben. “He’s going to perform above normal, you in August 2023 also included para sport. It was a great
might be disappointed if he just wins,” Ruben said opportunity for T&T’s Isaiah Williams who reached the
jokingly. final of the Men’s 100 – T38 class.

The Tobagonian is the last of a group of para-athletes “The Commonwealth Youth Games is one of the few
who represented this country with pride in the last Games where there is that level of inclusivity. We were
decade. Among his peers were shotputter Carlos Greene very proud of Isaiah. He improved his times by seven
and swimmer Shanntol Ince, who in the run-up to the seconds in less than a
2012 London Olympics, were part of a high-profile media year. He is the future.
campaign that saw featured on billboards across the
country. In their wake, came another Tobagonian, sprinter “He’s 18 and we’re
Nyoshia Cain who seemed to be on a promising track. carefully planning his AKEEM STEWART
development. We hope CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Covid-19 and the challenges of training during the he will compete in the
lockdown, robbed some of these athletes of the 2025 Youth Parapan
opportunity to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Am Games in Asuncion, 2015 IPC Athletics World
Like many other athletes around the world, these Paraguay.” Championships (Doha, Qatar)
challenges and the disappointment of not competing Men's Discus Throw F44 – Bronze
in the Olympics prompted them to reconsider their Ruben is also hopeful
careers and most have opted to retire and move on for the future, and 2016 Paralympic Games
with their lives. thinks people will be (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Men's Javelin F44 Gold
encouraged to support Men's Discus Throw F44 – Silver
Akeem Stewart is a bridge between those athletes and more when they see the
a new generation of para-athletes coming up in T&T. In progress that’s being 2017 World Para Athletics
the future, we hope to see the new hopefuls like made. “We need to Championships (London,
badminton player Justin Bridgemohan, sprinters Isaiah believe the disabled Great Britain)
Williams and Johan Biput and thrower Ganesh community has Men's Javelin F44 – Gold
Baboolal. limitless possibilities,” Men's Shot Put F44 – Gold
he said. “The work, time
There are many challenges facing para-athletes in this and effort they put in is 2019 Parapan American
country and the rest of the region. T&T Paralympic no less than the Championships (Lima, Peru)
Committee president Ramessar regards the lack of able-bodied, so they Men’s Discus Throw F64 – Gold
Men’s Javelin Throw F64 – Silver
classifiers who can determine how to put athletes into really deserve to get
the correct competitive categories as a key issue. There more respect and help.” 2023 Parapan American
are only two in the region and Micky Ruben is the only Championships (Santiago, Chile)
person qualified to do so in T&T. Men's Discus Throw F64 – Gold

* The 2024 Paralympic Games run from August 28 to September 8 in Paris, France.

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