Source: www.newsday.co.tt by Walter Alibey
FORMER national rugby player and coach Rhett Chee Ping has said he is elated at his appointment as chairman of the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Sportt).
Yesterday the 44-year-old Chee Ping, who guided Trinidad and Tobago to the Caribbean Rugby Championship both as a player and coach, said he wants to make a difference in the lives of many young people through the avenue of sports.
Only two days ago he got the nod from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the post as Sportt Company chairman, along with numerous others including former manager of the national cricket team Omar Khan, who has been appointed as chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC).
Chee Ping told Newsday he sees the appointment as an opportunity to make a difference.
“So many people talk about making a difference but when they are given an opportunity they back out. I am not going to be like that,” Chee Ping said. “There is a lot of talent in TT and the challenge is to turn this into something valuable. It’s about how can we develop the youths in TT holistically.”
Chee Ping carries a strong background in the field of sports, having began as a swimmer at the age of nine and graduated to rugby soon after completing studies at the Barry University in the United States in 1990/91 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management.
He was forced to give up his position as coach of the national rugby team because of the increasing workload and responsibilities as a counsel member of the Caribbean Shipping Association; and on the board of directors at Medway Ltd — a local and regional shipping company.
In addition to being the president of the Shipping Association of TT, Chee Ping is also a director of Gordon Grant and Company Ltd.
He believes that while other responsibilities such as being at the helm of clubs in the domestic rugby league might be a challenge, he holds closely to his heart the duty of national coach as one that cannot be compromised.
“It’s much easier to make time for your club teams, but the difficulty in shouldering that responsibility as coach of the national team, is that you may have to keep people waiting for you etc, because of other responsibilities.”
As such he is still coach of rugby giants Trinidad Northerns, a team that has, along with rivals Caribs RFC, has dominated rugby in Trinidad and Tobago. He is hopeful of using his strong management background, as well as his ability and knowledge of moulding talent, to take development of the youth and the country by extension, to another level.
He explained that while accountability is critical, one can hardly put a price tag on the development.
He is awaiting the completion of a special audit being done on the Sportt Company before work can be started. “I intend to change things around. A simple assignment will be to recognise people’s intention to work at the company through their applications. We must at least say that we have acknowledge their applications.”
He noted that despite the scandal that has tarnished the reputation of the sport company, he will enter with a pure mind. “I will be expecting nothing when I go there to start work,” Chee Ping concluded.
GAMES
Triple jumper Alexander in historic C'wealth effort
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com By Kwame Laurence in New Delhi
Ayanna Alexander jumped into the spotlight at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, here in New Delhi, India, yesterday, the 28-year-old securing silver to become Trinidad and Tobago's most successful female athlete in Commonwealth Games history.
Alexander produced a 13.91 metres effort in the second round of the women's triple jump to finish second, behind former world champion Trecia Smith, the Jamaican retaining her Commonwealth crown with a 14.19m jump. Canada's Tabia Charles (13.84m) picked up bronze.
"It feels good," an elated Alexander told the Express, shortly after her silver success. "I wanted to come out here and glorify God with the gift he has given me, and then represent my country to the fullest. I want to make Trinidad and Tobago proud, everybody in Trinidad and Tobago proud, as well as my teammates, my family and my friends…just to fly that flag and represent Trinidad."
Alexander has long been in the shadow of T&T's more celebrated female athletes—Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Rhonda Watkins, Josanne Lucas and Cleopatra Borel-Brown.
"I've come back home a couple times and looked in the newspapers and would see that such and such is going to be triple jumping from this country, such and such is going to be triple jumping from that country, but I didn't see anything about my name. That drives me.
"And just like here, such and such was in medal contention…my name was not mentioned. That's just fuel for me. I'm just trying to make a way for myself and do the best that I can."
Yesterday, Alexander succeeded in her bid to jump out of obscurity, the US-based athlete becoming only the second female from T&T to earn precious metal at the Commonwealth Games. Silver put her at the top of the very short list--ahead of Borel-Brown, the women's shot put bronze medallist four years ago.
"Definitely the start of great things ahead," Alexander declared. "It was an opportunity, a chance to compete hard and put myself out there, and I took advantage of the opportunity. Ayanna Alexander is here!"
Smith grabbed gold yesterday with her only legal jump of the competition. Alexander, on the other hand, had the most impressive series of the 11 athletes on show—13.68, 13.91, 13.68, 13.81, 13.82 and 13.87.
Lalonde Gordon, the lone T&T quartermiler here in New Delhi, finished strong in the third and final men's 400m semifinal heat, crossing the line in a personal best 46.33 seconds to secure fourth spot in the race. The clocking, though, was not fast enough to earn him a lane in today's final.
Alexander will be back at the Nehru Stadium today for the women's long jump qualifying competition. Watkins is also among the athletes who will bid for a berth in tomorrow's final.
Borel-Brown chases precious metal in the women's shot put, and Emmanuel Callender faces the starter in the opening round of the men's 200m.
If Borel-Brown can reproduce the form that saw her clear 19 metres at three meets in Europe in August, she will surely become T&T's first female multi-medallist at the Commonwealth Games.
Daniel just short
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com By Kwame Laurence in New Delhi
Roger Daniel just missed out on a third trip to a Commonwealth Games rostrum when he finished fourth in the men's 10 metres air pistol singles event, at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, here in New Delhi, India, yesterday.
The Trinidad and Tobago shooter finished fourth with a score of 673.1, a mere 0.9 short of the 674 total posted by bronze medallist Daniel Repacholi, of Australia. India's Omkar Singh grabbed gold with a score of 681.8, while silver went to Singapore's Bin Gai (676.2).
At the end of the qualification round, Daniel was third with 577, two more than Repacholi. Singh finished first, scoring 584 to equal the Games record, while Gai totalled 580 for second spot.
The other T&T shooter, Rhodney Allen was 14th with a score of 563.
Repacholi was the best of the eight shooters in the final, the Australian outscoring Daniel 99 to 96.1 to edge into third position.
At the 2006 Games, Daniel bagged bronze in the 50m pistol singles. And on Tuesday, he teamed up with Allen for third spot in the 50m pistol pairs event. Yesterday, bronze number three was snatched from the T&T soldier's grasp.
Daniel and Allen are listed for action today in the men's 25m centrefire pistol pairs. And Robert Auerbach will be on show in stage one of the men's singles trap.
Njisane Phillip, Christopher Sellier and Thireef Smart combined for fifth spot in the men's team sprint, at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, yesterday, the final day of track cycling at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The T&T team clocked 47.391 seconds in the qualifying event to trail Australia (44.488), New Zealand (44.583), Malaysia (45.378) and Scotland (46.724).
Australia went on to claim gold in a Games record 43.772, beating New Zealand (44.239) into second spot. In the bronze medal race, Malaysia (45.040) defeated Scotland (46.273).
Emile Abraham completed a little more than half of the scratch race final. With 38 laps to go in the 20-kilometre event, the T&T cyclist was lapped by the race leader. And it was not long before the main bunch reeled him in as well, the red flag going up to signal the end of Abraham's challenge, his hopes of completing the 40-lap race dashed.
Afterwards, Abraham told the Express the cancellation of a proposed pre-Games training camp contributed to his sub-par performance.
"The day before we were supposed to leave we got word that the training camp was cancelled due to lack of funds. It would have been my final stepping stone prior to here. When the training camp was denied it put us in a certain position because we were all counting on that. Each athlete always has a specific programme that they look forward to, and when things don't go that way it kind of screws up the entire preparation.
"We still came out here," he continued, "and put our best foot forward. We tried to represent the country as best as we can and I'm just happy to have made the final. I didn't do as well as I planned but I've got to look forward to the road race [on Sunday]."
Super heavyweight boxer Tariq Abdul Haqq was dominant in his duel with Pakistan's Meer Khan, at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium. Haqq won 10-1 to book a quarterfinal showdown with New Zealand's Joseph Parker.
Welterweight Aaron Prince was also on show, yesterday. He was beaten 11-3 by India's Dilbag Singh.
The T&T men's hockey team lost to South Africa in a Group B fixture, at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The scoreline, though, was one they could be proud of, the South Africans, ranked 12th in the world, winning 5-3.
Though way down at 29 on the rankings list, T&T were on level terms with their opponents at the halftime interval. Captain Kwandwane Browne scored in the 10th minute to equalise for T&T following a South Africa strike five minutes earlier. And four minutes before the break, Wayne Legerton was on target for a second T&T equaliser.
The 2-2 halftime score was a victory in itself for T&T.
By the 50th minute of the game, South Africa were up 4-2. But T&T remained in contention thanks to Legerton's second item, in the 52nd. The only other goal, however, was scored by Taine Paton, the South African finding the target in the very last minute of the match.
Kwan and company return to the Dhyan Chand Stadium today for a showdown with Canada.
The T&T hockey women were whipped 7-0 by India, yesterday, in their final Group A fixture. T&T lost all four matches to finish at the bottom of the five-team table.
Joshua McLeod, Caryle Blondell and Cadell Lyons were all eliminated in the opening round of the men's 50m freestyle, at the Dr. S.P.M. Aquatics Complex.
McLeod was the fastest of the three T&T swimmers, touching the wall in 23.86 seconds to finish seventh in heat eight and 18th overall. The top 16 swimmers secured semifinal berths.
Blondell and Lyons were 22nd and 25th, respectively, clocking 24.18 and 24.30.
Para-swimmer Shanntol Ince will be in the pool today, competing in the women's 100m butterfly S9.
And at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex, T&T's netballers face Malawi in a Group A fixture.
Serrette predicts more medals
Source: www.guardian.co.tt
President of the National Association of Athletic Administration (NAAA), Ephraim Serrette, said that the performances of sprinters Aaron Armstrong and Emmanuel Callender in yesterday’s 100 metres final should help them to get funding from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs’ Elite Athletes Assistance Programme (EAAP). Armstrong won the bronze medal in a time of 10.24 while Callendar placed fourth. The race was won by Jamaican Lerone Clarke (10.12) with England’s Mark Lewis-Francis (10.20) finishing second. The EAAP assists in covering athletes’ expenses as they relate to travel, accommodation, nutritional supplies and medical care for international competition.
Serrette pointed out that since the event was relatively low keyed (the Commonwealth’s top 11 sprinters of 2010 declined to participate), it opened up the chance for Armstrong and Callendar to boost their status.
“I told them before they departed that it was an opportunity for them to get recognition,” he said. “The funding they get is based on their placings at international events so they should be joining the EAAP.”It was T&T’s fourth 100m bronze medal at the Games. Olympic gold medallist Hasely Crawford twice finished third (in 1970 in Edinburgh and 1978 in Edmonton), while Marc Burns was second runner up in Melbourne in 2006.
Ato Boldon won the 100m gold in Kula Lampur in 1998. Serrette added that the results reinforced his belief that athletics is the country’s strongest sport. “Track and field continues to bring T&T results and we are maintaining that presence on the world stage,” he said. “I’m glad to see that we are recognised as a sport that brings glory to T&T, be it at regional or international meets.” He went on to predict that more medals were coming for T&T via its 4x100m team, Cleopatra Borel-Browne (shot put) and Rhonda Watkins (long jump).
100m bronze for Armstrong
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com By Kwame Laurence in New Delhi
Aaron Armstrong followed in the footsteps of an esteemed group of Trinidad and Tobago sprinters when he struck bronze in the Commonwealth Games men's 100 metres dash, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, here in New Delhi, India, yesterday.
Armstrong became only the sixth person from T&T to secure a Commonwealth 100 medal, when he crossed the line in 10.24 seconds, edging teammate Emmanuel Callender (10.25) into fourth spot.
Way back in 1954, Mike Agostini grabbed gold for T&T in the 100 yards. Twelve years later, Edwin Roberts earned bronze in the same event. Hasely Crawford claimed 100m bronze in 1970 and again in 1978. Ato Boldon emerged as Commonwealth Games sprint champion at the 1998 Games. And four years ago, Marc Burns bagged 100m bronze.
"Means a lot," Armstrong told the Express, "to come out here and represent Trinidad and Tobago, for all the support that they give us. And to be in the same category as those guys is truly a blessing, because I look up to Hasely Crawford, even my dad (former T&T sprinter Ainsley Armstrong) and everybody that's paved the way for us."
Jamaica's Lerone Clarke won impressively, stopping the clock at 10.12 seconds for a comfortable cushion on Englishman Mark Lewis-Francis, the silver medallist in 10.20.
"This is my biggest victory," Clarke declared. "Commonwealth Games is a big competition, and this is my debut meet running the 100 metres for Jamaica, so I'm proud to actually be the Commonwealth champion. I came into the race with confidence. I ran all my phases right and all my rounds right, and was able to deliver."
Though pleased to be among the top three, Armstrong was disappointed about the colour of his medal.
"The expectation was to win. For this year the goal was to be ready for Commonwealth. I was set up for a big one, but had a little tangle up with the guy from Canada (Sam Effah). We locked arms…it threw me off because my strong point is the end of the race."
In the semi-final round, Armstrong displayed his finishing power, coming from behind to win heat one in 10.14 seconds, the same time recorded by second-placed Clarke.
Callender won the second heat, also in 10.14, ahead of Effah (10.16) and Lewis-Francis (10.17). In the championship race, however, Callender was slow to react to the gun, leaving himself with too much to do. The T&T sprinter battled to the line, but came up just short, Armstrong beating him by one-hundredth of a second.
Callender is listed to compete in the 200m as well and should be among the contenders for precious metal. He also has a good shot at medalling in the 4x100m relay.
"The 100 is a little more stress," said Armstrong, "a little more tension. When the relays come it's time to have fun. We're going to go out there, give it our best, and the plan is to win a gold and bring it back home to Trinidad."
Ayanna Hutchinson bowed out in the women's 100m semis.
The experienced T&T sprinter enjoyed a good start, and looked to be in a battle for the second spot and an automatic berth in the final. But Hutchinson tied up badly in the latter stages of the race, and had to settle for fourth in 11.58 seconds. The clocking was not good enough to secure qualification as a "fastest loser".
In the final, Nigeria's Osayemi Oludamola struck gold in 11.32 seconds. Vincentian Natasha Mayers (11.37) earned silver and England's Katherine Endacott (11.44) bronze.
Australia's Sally Pearson actually crossed the line first but was later disqualified after a false start review determined that she had jumped the gun the first time the sprinters left the blocks, and should not have faced the starter a second time.
Laura Turner was disqualified for the false start, but the England athlete ran under protest. As it turned out, both Turner and Pearson jumped the gun, the referee's decision to disqualify the "race winner"--following an English protest--cutting short the Australian's celebrations.
T&T athletes Lalonde Gordon and Ayanna Alexander will be on show at the Nehru Stadium today. Gordon runs way out in lane nine in the third and final men's 400m semi-final heat, while Alexander bids for precious metal in the women's triple jump.
In yesterday's one-lap preliminaries, Gordon clocked 47.07 seconds to finish third in heat five, advancing automatically to the semis.
Birthday girl Barker on target as T&T win 77-26
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com By Kwame Laurence in New Delhi
Trinidad and Tobago netball captain Janelle Barker celebrated her 33rd birthday in style, at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex, here in New Delhi, India, yesterday. The experienced goal shoot was on fire, scoring 46 of her 47 attempts to lead her team to a 77-26 victory over the host nation in their Commonwealth Games Group A showdown.
Joelisa Cooper contributed 16 goals, while team baby, 16-year-old Samantha Wallace chipped in with 15.
T&T now have two wins and one defeat. In their opener, on Monday, they went under to Jamaica, 75-36, but bounced back with a narrow 52-51 triumph over Samoa on Wednesday.
In yesterday's other Group A fixture, Australia got the better of Jamaica 60-46.
At the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, T&T cyclist Njisane Phillip finished fifth in the men's sprint. In the quarterfinal round, Phillip lost in two straight rides to New Zealand's Eddie Dawkins, but rebounded to beat Scotland's Ross Edgar, Canadian Travis Smith and England's David Daniell in the race to determine positions five to eight. Edgar was sixth, Smith seventh and Daniell eighth.
Shane Perkins beat his teammate Scott Sunderland 2-0 in the sprint finals for a one-two Australia finish. New Zealand's Sam Webster claimed the bronze with a 2-0 triumph over Dawkins.
Emile Abraham finished eighth in heat two in the qualification event for the men's 15-kilometre scratch race. The placing earned the T&T cyclist a berth in today's 24-man final.
Phillip, Christopher Sellier and Thireef Smart will also be on the track, bidding for honours in the men's team sprint.
At the Dr. S.P.M. Aquatics Complex, 15-year-old para-swimmer Shanntol Ince copped sixth spot in the women's 100 metres freestyle S9 final. The youngest swimmer in the field, Ince got home in one minute, 14.00 seconds.
South Africa's Natalie Du Toit, one of the most well known para-athletes on the planet, triumphed in a Games record 1:02.36 to complete the 50 free/100 free double. England's Stephanie Millward (1:03.69) snapped up silver, ahead of Australian Ellie Cole (1:05.20).
In the preliminary round, Ince, the first T&T para-athlete to compete at a major mainstream international Games, finished third in heat one and sixth overall in 1:14.01.
On Tuesday, Ince was fifth in the women's 50 free S9 final.
Cherelle Thompson clocked 26.70 seconds to finish sixth in heat two and 12th overall in the women's 50m freestyle semis. The T&T swimmer was 11th fastest in the heats, touching the wall in 26.65 seconds.
Jarryd Gregoire was 15th overall in the men's 100m butterfly semis in 56.53 seconds, while his teammate, Cadell Lyons was 16th in 56.73.
In the heats, Lyons (55.86) and Gregoire (56.55) were 14th and 16th, respectively. Another T&T swimmer, Joshua McLeod (56.68) was 18th and did not advance to the semis.
Christian Homer was 17th fastest in the men's 100m backstroke heats, the 17-year-old swimmer clocking 1:00.33.
Late last night (T&T time), Lyons, McLeod and Caryle Blondell were in action in the men's 50m freestyle heats.
Shooters Roger Daniel and Rhodney Allen combined for sixth spot in the men's 10m air pistol pairs event, at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range. Daniel scored 568 and Allen 553 for a total of 1,121.
India secured gold with a Games record 1,163, forcing England (1,143) to settle for silver. Singapore (1,139) bagged bronze.
Daniel and Allen, who teamed up on Tuesday for bronze in the 50m pistol pairs, will be in action today in the 10m air pistol singles event.
At the Talkatora Indoor Stadium, T&T boxer Andrew Fermin was disqualified at 2:17 in the third and final round of his light heavyweight bout with Samoa's Filimaua Hala.
Super heavyweight Tariq Abdul Haqq and welterweight Aaron Prince will bid for quarterfinal berths today. Haqq squares off against Pakistan's Meer Khan, while Prince tackles India's Dilbag Singh.
In squash, Colin Ramasra was beaten in straight games by Scotland's Alan Clyne in their men's singles classic plate semifinal duel, at the Siri Fort Sports Complex. The match lasted 15 minutes, Clyne getting the better of the T&T pro 11-3, 11-6, 11-3.
At the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, T&T's hockey women lost for the third time in as many matches.
But though they were beaten 6-1 by Scotland in the Group A contest, T&T could take heart from a couple firsts. Charlene Williams was on target one minute from the end of the game for T&T's first goal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games tournament. And it was the first time the hockey women avoided double figures here in New Delhi, following 12-0 and 11-0 whippings at the hands of South Africa and Australia, respectively.
T&T will be back on the pitch today for their clash with India. And the hockey men face South Africa in a Group B match-up.