Jereem Richards, Akeem Stewart, Nyoshia Cain, Michelle-Lee Ahye and Teniel Campbell are among the frontrunners for major accolades at the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) 23rd Annual Awards Gala at the Hyatt Regency, from 6 pm tonight.
Richards and Stewart are among the favourites to win the sportsman of the year award, while Cain, Ahye and Campbell have their eyes on the sportswoman of the year award.
The other awards that would be given out are the junior sportsman and junior sportswoman of the year awards, the people’s choice athlete of the year, the sports personality of the year, the Alexander B Chapman and the inaugural Future is Female award. The popular Best Dressed male and female awards also create quite a stir.
The feature speaker will be a TT Olympian who will share their inspirational story of the power of conviction in living your dream.
Richards is the undoubted favourite for the top gong after a breakthrough year in track and field at the 2017 London World Championships in August. Richards earned bronze in the men’s 200-metre event in 20.11 seconds, then teamed with Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon and Machel Cedenio to win this country’s first gold medal in the 4x400m event at the World Championships.
Para athlete Stewart also had a memorable year. At the 2017 World Para Championships held in July, Stewart won two gold medals and broke two world records in the process. In the F44 men’s javelin, Stewart won gold in a new world record of 57.61 metres, and delivered another world record-breaking performance when he copped gold in the men’s F44 shot put event in 19.08m. Richards and Stewart have already won top national awards this year, with Richards winning Chaconia Gold and Stewart getting Hummingbird Gold.
Cain was also a medallist at the 2017 World Para Championships. In the T44 100m event, Cain took bronze in 13.25, while she finished sixth in the T44 long jump. Ahye did not win a medal at the 2017 London World Championships but she continued to be a consistent athlete in the women’s sprint events. At the World Championships, Ahye finished sixth in the women’s 100m final in 11.01, and fellow national athlete Kelly-Ann Baptiste was eighth in 11.09.
Campbell won two gold medals at the 2017 Elite Women’s Caribbean Road Cycling Championships in Martinique. Campbell, a former top junior cyclist, won the individual time trial and women’s road race.
There are numerous junior athletes who would be hoping to win the junior sportsman and junior sportswoman of the year awards.
Among the boys, Adell Colthrust had multiple gold medal performances in the 100m event; Tyriq Horsford also had multiple podium finishes in javelin; Jeron Thompson made strides in swimming; cyclist Nicholas Paul also performed at a high level.
Among the girls, track and field sprinter Khalifa St Fort, shot put athlete Ianna Roach and heptathlon/long jump athlete Tyra Gittens all had creditable performances during the year.