…locals second on medal table, third overall

T&T 15 & Under boys and girls water polo teams added to this country’s gold medal tally at the 2015 edition of the Central American and Caribbean Championship which ended on Tuesday with Water Polo and Open Water competition in Puerto Rico.

The Water Polo competition was contested from Saturday, T&T led by Most Valuable Player and Best Goalkeeper award recipient Zoe Van Reeken as the visitors defeated the host country 7-3 in the final.

On Monday, the Puerto Ricans had secured their spot in the final with a 14-7 win over Jamaica, with the latter taking the bronze medal.

In the round-robin phase, T&T also got the better of Puerto Rico 11-7 and Jamaica 14-2 to end with a 3-0 record.

The 15 & Under Boys gold medal decider was a much closer affair as T&T inspired by the tournament’s Most Goal and Most Valuable Player awardee Chad Rowley (28 goals), 15-13.

The win capped off an impressive tournament for the T&T 15 & Under boys who avenged a 12-17 loss to Puerto Rico in the round-robin while they blasted Jamaica 32-5 in their other match.

On Monday, T&T secured its place in the final by beating the Jamaicans 27-7 for the latter’s second bronze medal.

However, in the 18 & Under boys and girls finals, the Puerto Ricans were able to turn the tables on.

T&T, by capturing both titles, 12-8 over T&T boys and a narrow 11-10 triumph against the girls in the red, white and black swim caps.

Over in Barbados where the 5K Open Water took place, T&T failed to add to its medal tally while the day ended with the Duet and Team competitions in Synchronized Swimming.

In the 14-17 Girls Open Water 5k swim, T&T’s Sabrina David was fourth in 1:22:38.38 to trail Barbadian Alexis Clarke (1:14:41,77); Cost Rica’s Nicole Franco ((1:19:07.56) and Puerto Rico’s Karla Otero (1:20:46.61).

Briana Patterson (1(22:52.39), and Chisara Santana (1(27:18.43), T&T’s other entrants in the event got home, sixth and eighth respectively.

Gabriel Bynoe (1:16:37.52) and Sebastien Marchand (1:23:08.27) were seventh and tenth in the 14-17 boys age-group while Aleem Mohammed (1:18:37.27) sixth in the 18 & Over boys category. Keanu Otero did not finish.

In the end, Puerto Rico topped both the medal and points tables from the four disciplined contested.

In the medals race, Puerto Rico tallied 72 medals (30 gold, 23 silver, 19 bronze) ahead of T&T with 47 (29 gold, 16 silver, two bronze); Barbados with 56 (22 gold, 18 silver, 16 bronze) while Costa Rica which won the most medals overall 73 was fourth with 17 gold, 23 silver and 33 bronze.

And on the points table, Puerto Rico was a clear winner with a whopping 1,300.33 points well clear of second placed Costa Rica (1044) and T&T (808.83) which ended second and third respectively.

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This country’s senior men’s hockey team continued its build-up towards the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada later this month with 3-3 draw against host Mexico in Guanajuato, Mexico on Tuesday to conclude a four-match tour.

Getting the goals for the T&T squad was Defence Force forward Mickell Pierre, inform Paragon player Kiel Murray and Courts Malvern teenager Tariq Marcano.

With the draw, T&T ended the four match series which also included Central American and Caribbean Games champions Cuba, with one and three defeats.

On Monday, T&T, beaten by Cuba 6-1 in the CAC final last November suffered a 5-2 loss against the same with Pierre and Murray the players on target in the loss for the T&T.

The other loss for the Darren Cowie-led world 29th ranked T&T, was 1-0 to Mexico, despite having a number of chances which included a Murray penalty-stroke that was saved by the Mexican custodian.

When the three-team warm-up series flicked off on Friday last, T&T and Courts Malvern goalkeeper Andrey Rocke pulled off a number of saves in the penalty shoot-out to earn his team victory after a 1-1 draw with Cuba at the end of regulation time with Murray scoring the decisive penalty.

Speaking just before the team left Mexico for their pre-Pan Am Games camp in Canada, national coach Francis said the Mexico camp was very beneficial to his team.

A former national goalkeeper, Francis said, “The camp was very productive and we were able to play high quality matches where they were able to see the speed of the game at the international level and we were adapted to it with great effect.”

He added, “It is also noteworthy that we have some very young players and they also adapted pretty well to the level. We are still in the process of working on a lot of stuff tactically and using players in different roles and positions to see how they will react to match situations at the Pan American Games and it was really great to see how they responded.”

Yesterday, the T&T squad departed Mexico for Toronto for another camp before entering the Games Village on July.

For the tri-nation series in Mexico, T&T was without Australian-based duo, Akim Toussaint and Stefan Mouttet as well as Aidan De Gannes with the reserve trio of Lyndell Byer, Teague Marcano and Jordan Vieira making the trip,

But barring any injuries to any member of the team, Byer, Marcano (Teague) and Vieira will return to T&T tomorrow with Toussaint, Mouttet and De Gannes joining the team in Canada.

For the eight-team Pan American Games, T&T will be without injured standout and most capped player, Kwandwane Browne, who will serve as an assistant to Francis will campaign in Pool A against Argentina, Cuba and USA.

Browne’s Olympic Games hopes and T&T chances of a medal finish at the Pan American Games suffered a blow early last month when he sustained a torn achilles tendon left leg injury, forcing the 18-year national team veteran with over 300-appearance to his name, out of the tournament in Canada.

However, having completed his surgery and started his recovery which will take between six and nine months, Browne, the current England Under-21 assistant coach and coach for National League Premier Division’s Canterbury, will now serve the T&T men’s team in the role as an assistant coach to Francis.

He has represented T&T at four Commonwealth Games as well as four Pan American Games and three Pan American Cup, and in 2012/13 won the award for England Hockey High Performance Coach of the Season.

His last competitive outing for T&T at the FIH World League Round Two qualifiers in San Diego, California in March.

Squad

T&T men: Stefan Mouttet, Akim Toussaint, Dillet Gilkes, Aidan De Gannes, Ishmael Campbell, Darren Cowie, Shaquille Daniel, Solomon Eccles, Kristien Emmanuel, Tariq Marcano, Che Modeste, Kiel Murray, Mickell Pierre, Jordan Reynos, Andrey Rocke, Christopher Scipio.

Technical staff: Glenn “Fido” Francis (coach), Kwandwane Browne (assistant coach), Kirth Davis (manager), Nicholas Baldeosingh (videographer)

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Prisons Commissioner Sterling Stewart says NGOs like Vision on Mission (VoM) were very important for the reintegration of ex-offenders into society.

In a passionate address, Stewart, at VoM’s award ceremony at Central Bank auditorium on Tuesday night, said in his 37 years in the prisons, he recognised one of the weaknesses of the system was after-care.

“When I speak and interact with the offenders, they always have good intentions, but the road to hell is always paved in good intentions. When they are released, that re-integration part of it, what do they have to go back to? No family support, no jobs and that is why this partnership with NGOS like Vision on Mission is so important, because we have the same mission,” he said.

He noted one of the main missions of a prison officer is to prepare the prisoners for reintegration into society as law-abiding citizens, but he admitted that was a challenge as some of the prisoners were “out of timing”.

“They come in here and want to tell you how to run your area, don’t search them, don’t touch them, don’t talk to them. It’s the last stand, I have to protect, the community, I have to protect society and I have an opportunity to do that through programmes, through the way we interact with them, through Vision on Mission,” he said.

As he spoke, Stewart had the support of the audience as they clapped and cheered him on. He admitted that the job as a prison officer was a risky one, but he was not afraid as he quoted a scripture from the Bible. “The Lord is on my side, I will not fear what can man do unto me?” he said.

“They are rebelling against authority...for us to carry out our lawful duties, our life is at risk and it’s time people recognise correctional officers and the sacrifice they have to make on a daily basis,” he said.

Thirteen minutes into his speech, Stewart was about to be notified by a VoN official that his time was almost up, but he quickly backed away and said, it was his time to talk and he continued quoting scriptures.

“When you’re talking about restoration, rehabilitation, reformation, you have to talk about God. When you leave prison, that transition, they need people to shape them; to love them, that’s why Vision on Mission is so important. We need everyone on board as it’s a mission for right thinking people,” he said.

When he ended, the audience gave him a standing ovation.

Meanwhile, VoM’s Chief Executive Officer, Wayne Chance, expressed concern that society was quickly moving away from the core values of honouring and respecting what is right and those who practiced doing the right thing.

“If we continue to see the breaking down of these core values and principles, the future hopes and aspirations of many will be difficult, especially for those who have had a colourful background,” he said.

He appealed to those in society to make a strong effort to uphold and respect and honour and reward anyone who practised what was right.

“If we don’t stand up and support what is right, those in prison, those in the communities, would feel that studying and going to learn a trade and doing all that is right to be successful, to be respected is in vain. We have a responsibility to uphold these core values so that the future of this nation will always be in good hands,” he said.

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The St Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee (SKNOC) are set to launch their nine-year strategic plan ahead of a busy period for the organisation.

With the help of facilitator Dr Peter Davis, the governing body will begin with working sessions, due to be held today, which will determine the content of the plan.

It is hoped it will help with the sporting development of the nation ahead of major Games, including next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and the plan will run until 2024.

The announcement comes before SKNOC release details of their team for the Pan American Games in the Canadian city of Toronto, due to be revealed tomorrow.

The event, which runs from July 10 to 26, is expected to be attended by recently-elected President Timothy Harris, along with Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards.

Following the announcement of the Pan American Games team, SKNOC will present the St Kitts and Nevis Amateur Athletics Association (SKNAAA) with a cheque for $50,000 (£32,000/€44,700) in order to help with costs surrounding the CARIFTA Games, which took place in the nation in April, on Tuesday (June 30).

On the same day, SKNOC are due to officially put the brand new Toyota Bus into service, funded by money from the Olympic Solidarity initiative.

The news follows celebrations held to mark Olympic Day, which included a traditional run around the nation and other activities such as worships at various different churches.

In his Olympic Day message, SKNOC President Alphonso Bridgewater also paid tribute to the late Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) President Mario Vázquez Raña, who passed away in February.

“It is the very first Olympic celebration we shall experience since the passing, earlier this year, of the indomitable spirit and titanic sports figure of Don Mario Vasquez Rana, President of the Pan American Sports Organization, and President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) among other leadership positions,” he wrote.

“We shall miss the imposing yet reassuring presence Don Mario, his passion for sports in general and anything related to the Pan American family, in particular; his obstinacy of purpose, his perennial pride, his negotiating prowess, his financial prudence and his abiding penchant for loyalty.”

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VETERAN SWIMMER George Bovell III and ace cyclist Njisane Phillip have been chosen among the Trinidad and Tobago competitors for the Pan American Games 2015, which will be contested from July 10-26 in Toronto, Canada.

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) released the names of 80 athletes from 13 disciplines — aquatics, badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling, golf, gymnastics, men’s hockey, judo, football (both men’s and women’s teams), sailing, shooting, taekwondo.

But the TTOC, in a media release issued yesterday, stated, “we await confirmation of the athletics team as the NGC-Sagicor National Association of Athletics Administration (NAAA) Open Track and Field Championships concluded this weekend. News on the athletics team will be released on July 3.”

The NAAA is expected to name a bunch of 40 athletes, to complete the field of 120 participants at the Pan Am Games.

Trinidad and Tobago will be seeking to do much better than they did in the last Pan Am Games, when they returned home with four medals — two silver (Daniel and Cleopatra Borel in the women’s shot put) and two bronze (Phillip and Emmanuel Callender in the men’s 100m).



Trinidad and Tobago Pan Am Team -

AQUATICS: George Bovell III, Dylan Carter, Christian Marsden.

BADMINTON: Nicholas Bonkowsky.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Daneil Williams, Fabien Whitfield, Ayana Dyette, Malika Davidson.

BOXING: Chimere Taylor.

CYCLING: Njisane Phillip, Quincy Alexander, Jude Codrington, Justin Roberts, Varun Maharajh, Emile Abraham.

GOLF: Monifa Sealy, Christina Ferreira, Talin Rajendranath, Sachin Kumar.

GYMNASTICS: William Albert, Marisa Dick.

HOCKEY (MEN): Darren Cowie, Solomon Eccles, Shaquille Daniel, Mickel Pierre, Akim Toussaint, Che Modeste, Christopher Scipio, Dillet Gilkes, Jordon Reyos, Aidan De Gannes, Kiel Murray, Stefan Mouttet, Tariq Marcano, Andrey Rocke, Kristien Emmanuel, Ishmael Campbell.

JUDO: Christopher George.

FOOTBALL (MEN): Montell Joseph, Shannon Gomez, Maurice Ford, Alvin Jones, Jesus Perez, Neveal Hackshaw, Jomal Williams, Tristan Hodge, Nathaniel Garcia, Kadeem Corbin, Shakeil Henry, Xavier Rajpaul, Dwight Quintero, Jelani Felix, Neil Benjamin, Dario Holmes, Aikim Andrews, Jovan Sample.

FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S): Kennya Cordner, Tasha St Louis, Karyn Forbes, Kimika Forbes, Maylee Attin Johnson, Rhea Belgrave, Janine Francois, Arin King, Patrice Superville, Dernelle Mascall, Mariah Shade, Khadidra Debessette, Ayanna Russell, Ahkeela Mollon, Brianna Ryce, Shalette Alexander, Lauryn Hutchinson, Shinelle Henry.

SAILING: Andrew Lewis, Kelly-Ann Arrindell.

SHOOTING: Marlon Moses, Anthony Maraj, Roger Daniel.

TAEKWONDO: Dorian Alexander.

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Olympic bronze medallist George Bovell III, cyclist Njisane Phillip and shooter Roger Daniel are among the athletes named to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the July 10-26 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

In a press release, yesterday, the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) listed a team of 80 athletes in 13 sports – aquatics, badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling, football, golf, gymnastics, hockey, judo, sailing, shooting and taekwondo.

The track and field team has not yet been named.

“We await confirmation of the final athletics (track and field) team,” the TTOC release explained, “as the NGC-Sagicor National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Open Track and Field Championships concluded this weekend. News on the final athletics team will be released on 3rd July 2015.” Diane Henderson is the T&T chef de mission for the Pan American Games.

Trinidad and Tobago team:

Aquatics: George Bovell III, Dylan Carter, Christian Marsden

Badminton: Nicholas Bonkowsky

Beach Volleyball: Daneil Williams, Fabien Whitfield, Ayana Dyette, Malika Davidson

Boxing: Chimere Taylor

Cycling: Njisane Phillip, Quincy Alexander, Jude Codrington, Justin Roberts, Varun Maharajh, Emile Abraham

Football (men): Montell Joseph, Shannon Gomez, Maurice Ford, Alvin Jones, Jesus Perez, Neveal Hackshaw, Jomal Williams, Tristan Hodge, Nathaniel Garcia, Kadeem Corbin, Shakeil Henry, Xavier Rajpaul, Dwight Quintero, Jelani Felix, Neil Benjamin, Dario Holmes, Aikim Andrews, Jovan Sample

Football (women): Kennya Cordner, Tasha St Louis, Karyn Forbes, Kimika Forbes, Maylee Attin Johnson, Rhea Belgrave, Janine Francois, Arin King, Patrice Superville, Dernelle Mascall, Mariah Shade, Khadidra Debessette, Ayanna Russell, Ahkeela Mollon, Brianna Ryce, Shalette Alexander, Lauryn Hutchinson, Shinelle Henry

Golf: Monifa Sealy, Christina Ferreira, Talin Rajendranath, Sachin Kumar

Gymnastics: William Albert, Marisa Dick

Hockey (men): Darren Cowie, Solomon Eccles, Shaquille Daniel, Mickel Pierre, Akim Toussaint, Che Modeste, Christopher Scipio, Dillet Gilkes, Jordon Reyos, Aidan De Gannes, Kiel Murray, Stefan Mouttet, Tariq Marcano, Andrey Rocke, Kristien Emmanuel, Ishmael Campbell

Judo: Christopher George

Sailing: Andrew Lewis, Kelly-Ann Arrindell

Shooting: Marlon Moses, Anthony Maraj, Roger Daniel

Taekwondo: Dorian Alexander

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