3
table of contents 02 Chairman’s Remarks
03 Programme
04 Awards Criteria
05 2015 Nominees
41 Past Awardees
45 Past Jeffrey Stollmeyer Winners
46 Panel Members
48 Autographs
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
chairman’s remarks It’s Celebration Time again. True to its guiding motto, the First Citizens Sports Foundation is recognizing Excellence and High achievement in Sport for the year just ended. And what a glorious year for sport it was. As we pay homage to these young men and women who continue to fly our flag high all around the globe, we are humbled by the continued significance of the trophies and accolades that we distribute each and every year, since the Foundation was first launched in 1962. The Theme chosen for these Awards is “Spotlight on Gold”. This theme is intended to reflect the brilliance of the many talented young men and women who represent our country in the sporting arena capturing gold and other awards on the world stage. 2016 is a year when the Olympics will be held in Brazil. We look forward to our teams’ performances and success. To the Non-Olympic teams representing Trinidad and Tobago, we are following your exploits closely and wish you to know that your success is just as important to us. May God bless you all and may God bless Our Nation.
dr. keith clifford CHAIRMAN
2
programme Arrival of Guests Arrival of Their Excellencies Justice Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona S.c President Of The Republic Of Trinidad And Tobago and Mrs. Reema Carmona National Anthem
presentation of the nominees for 2015 Address The Chairman Of The First Citizens Sports Foundation Dr. Keith Clifford
the lystra d. lewis award Address The Minister Of Sport And Youth Affairs The Honourable Darryl Smith
the jeffery stollmeyer memorial award top ten sportsmen and sportswomen of 2015 Announcement of
the sportsman and sportswoman of the year 2015 Cocktails
3
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
awards criteria Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year This award is bestowed upon an outstanding male and female athlete who has contributed to the development and recognition of sport not only in Trinidad and Tobago but at an international level. Successful athletes in this category must: • Be nationals of Trinidad and Tobago • Have established an outstanding bench mark or record at an International Competition and /or World Competition, particularly among international competitors • Have exceptional performances at National Competitions that can be considered outstanding among other national athletes • Produce results that are easily verifiable • Have attained these achievements between January to December of the year under review
The Jeffrey Stollmeyer Award This award is given to a National Governing Sports Body which has showcased initiatives, and made significant improvements, not only in its Administration, but towards the development of its athletes. The Sporting Body must have met the following criteria: • It must have become more efficient and effective in the execution of administrative procedures and policies • It must demonstrate a strong sustainable development program • It must have a measurable level of growth within the sport over the period • It must demonstrate sound financial accountability • The mesaurables of the Sporting Body must be achieved between January to December of the year under review
The Lystra Lewis Award Named after a national sporting icon who achieved international recognition for her administrative competence and the promotion of netball beyond national and regional boundaries, this award may be: • Given at the discretion of the Panel of the First Citizens Sports Foundation • Presented to an individual, team or group whose performance(s) have impacted significantly on the national sport landscape • A reward that acknowledges excellence in any sporting sphere • Given for any given time frame
4
5
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Sportsman of the Year
2015 nominees
6
1.
Nigel Carlan Thomas Paul
Amateur Boxing
2.
Parasan Ramsumair
Archery
3.
Keshorn Walcott
Athletics
4.
Machel Cedenio
Athletics
5.
Marc Gill
Automobile Sports
6.
Alistair Espinoza
Badminton
7.
Kelton Thomas
Bodybuilding
8.
Satyam Maharaj
Canoe/Kayak
9.
Kevin Cupid
Chess
10.
Darren Michael Bravo
Cricket
11.
Njisane Nicholas Phillips
Cycling
12.
Kenwyne Jones
Football
13.
Talin Rajendranath
Golf
14.
Andrey Rocke
Hockey
15.
Prayven Badrie
Horseracing
16.
Christopher George
Judo
17.
Edward Ryan Rajmoolie
Karate
18.
Wilmana Akeem Stewart
Paralympics
19.
Adrian Barry Brown
Powerlifting
20.
Donald Gopaul
Rally
21.
Agboola Mengistu Silverthorn
Rugby
22.
Andrew Lewis
Sailing
23.
Roger Peter Daniel
Shooting/Rifle
24.
Kale Alexander Wilson
Squash
25.
George Bovell III
Swimming
26.
Aaron Wilson
Table Tennis
27.
Edson Breedy
Taekwondo
28.
Vaughn Wilson
Tennis
29.
Jason Castelloe
Triathlon
30.
Fabien Whitfield
Volleyball
Sportswoman of the Year
2015 nominees
1.
Neela Cezair
Archery
2.
Cleopatra Borel
Athletics
3.
Maria Tara Paratapsingh
Automobile Sports
4.
Avril Plaza-Marcelle
Badminton
5.
Vanessa Hill
Bodybuilding
6.
Keian Huggins
Canoe/Kayak
7.
Aditi Soondarsingh
Chess
8.
Britney Cooper
Cricket
9.
Jodi Goodridge
Cycling
10.
Arin King
Football
11.
Monifa Sealy
Golf
12.
Marissa Roseanna Dick
Gymnastics
13.
Alanna Lewis
Hockey
14.
Nicole Lambie
Karate
15.
Rhonda John Davis
Netball
16.
Salisha Rahim
Powerlifting
17.
Ornella George
Rugby
18.
Kelly-Ann Arrindell
Sailing
19.
Marsha Bullen-Jones
Shooting
20.
Charlotte Knaggs
Squash
21.
Cherelle Thompson
Swimming
22.
Linda Partap-Boodhan
Table Tennis
23.
Breana Stampfli
Tennis
24.
Jenna Ross
Triathlon
25.
Sinead Jack
Volleyball
7
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Amateur Boxing |
Trinidad &Tobago Amateur Boxing Association
Nigel Paul When Longdenville’s Nigel Paul traveled to Doha, Qatar to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the 2015 AIBA World Championships, he would have encountered an event no longer dominated by Cuba, the USA and the USSR as it was in the past. The supersession of these one-time superpowers of amateur boxing in favour of fighters from the ex-Soviet republics and a greater division of success across the global board has unleashed a huge wave of opportunities for the likes of Paul, who gained valuable experience by competing in this event, getting to the quarter-finals of the AMBC American Confederation Championships in Vargas, Venezuela and capturing the superheavyweight gold medal at the Caribbean Development Championships in Georgetown, Guyana. At home, Paul also took the super-heavyweight crown at the National Championships, last March, which all means that he will be entering the Americas qualification tournament for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on an excellent run of form.
8
Archery |
Trinidad & Tobago Target Archery Federation
Parasan Ramsumair With its demands on patience, focus and good hand-eye coordination, archery, whether at the hunting, military or competitive-sport level, requires its participants to go the extramile when it comes to the mental devotion to excellence. Hence, it is a major triumph when individuals such as Parasan Ramsumair enjoy a break-out year. The Gasparillo resident won the men’s recurve bow title at both the TTTAF Indoor and Outdoor Championships in Chaguanas and Tucker Valley, respectively. At the Southern Caribbean Championships, staged at the latter venue, he earned fifth-place finishes in both the recurve bow 18 metres and field shoots and helped Trinidad and Tobago to the silver medal in the Southern Caribbean Cup B Team event. Ramsumair also claimed victory at the Olympic Pre-Trial competition at Tucker Valley on December 6, as well as the BiMonthly Shoot of April 19 and he took third-place in the Federal Shoot on October 25.
Neela Cezair Much like USA archery legend, Darrell Pace, Neela Cezair singled herself out with excellence and prodigious quality at a young age and has continued to enhance her own status with each passing year. Cezair, 23, set a new national record score of 555 in the women’s compound bow 18 metres event at the TTTAF National Indoor Championships at the Central Indoor Arena in Chaguanas where she went on to capture the overall women’s compound bow title. At the outdoor national championships at Tucker Valley, she also won the female compound crown. In addition, she also earned second place in both the compound mixed teams event and the ranking rounds. With a clear focus on continuously improving her craft, Cezair, who is studying Sports Science at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, Barbados, spent five weeks training at the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Complex in Yankton, South Dakota.
9
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Athletics |
National Association of Athletic Administrations
Keshorn Walcott Ninety metres - a barrier mostly traversed by the very best exponents of the javelin throw. Keshorn Walcott became a member of this almost exclusive club, last July 9, during the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he threw his javelin a national, meet and personal best record 90.16 metres to win the event ahead of the Czech Republic’s Vitezslav Vesely (87.97) and Tero Pitkamaki (87.44) of Finland. Walcott followed up this performance by winning the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Toronto with a throw of 83.27 metres that was good enough to top the podium as the silver and bronze medals went to Riley Dolezal (USA) and Julio Cesar de Oliviera (Brazil), respectively. Apart from the Athletissima, Walcott also demonstrated outstanding form at other IAAF Diamond League competitions with third-place finishes at the Golden Gala – Pietro Mennea in Rome and the British Athletics Grand Prix in Birmingham, England. He also won the men’s javelin title at the NAAA Championships.
Machel Cedenio Most did not see it coming. Even considering the silver medal that he claimed in the Pan American Games men’s 400 metres, two days prior. In the final leg of the 4x400 metres relay final on July 25, Machel Cedenio fought valiantly to maintain Trinidad and Tobago’s third-place position: then he stepped up a gear during the final 100 metres and surged past his rivals to secure the gold medal ahead of Cuba and the USA. Stunningly, the then-19-year old proceeded to do it again at the DN Galan, an IAAF Diamond League event in Stockholm, Sweden on July 30. Trailing the field going into the final straight, Cedenio executed another fantastic finishing kick to steal victory in 44.97 seconds. It was the icing on a season during which Cedenio achieved 400 metres victories in George Town, Cayman Islands - in a personal best time of 44.36 seconds on May 16 - and in Ponce, Puerto Rico on May 23.
10
Cleopatra Borel It seems as if Hasely Crawford Stadium is Cleopatra Borel’s office. If she is not training inside it, she’s in the warm-up area just outside. Her round-the-clock commitment to her craft consistently pays off and the 37-year old was an example to her younger competition at the Pan American Games in Toronto, the site of her gold medal victory in the women’s shot put, with a throw of 18.67 metres that put her ahead of silver medalist Jillian Camarena-Williams (USA) and Natalia Duco (Chile), who took the bronze. Borel, who achieved a season’s best throw of 19.26 metres to claim victory at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial in Szekesfehervar, Hungary on July 7, was also in fine form on the IAAF Diamond League circuit with a second-place performance at the British Athletics Grand Prix in Birmingham, England, a third-place display at the London Grand Prix and a fourth-place finish at the Meeting Areva in Paris.
11
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Automobile Sports |
Trinidad &Tobago Automobile Sports Association
Marc Gill Some of history’s most-successful drivers such as seven-time NASCAR Championship winner, Richard Petty, Juan-Manuel Fangio, the first star of Formula One racing with five World Drivers’ Championships and three-time victor, Nelson Piquet, had either a lifelong yearning for motor racing, were born into the tradition or fell into both categories – just like Marc Gill. The latter’s determination paid off with an even better series of displays in the 2015 Caribbean Motorsport Racing Championship than he returned during a fine debut the previous year. Gill guided his K20-powered Honda Civic Type R to the CMRC Group 2 Championship title at the end of a series that took place in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Guyana. Gill earned six runner-up finishes and three third-place positions. He racked up a total of 189 points to take the title away from Barbados’ Mark Thompson (118) while the Guyanese, Shairaz Roshandin, completed the top three.
Maria Partapsingh Like Mario Andretti, who was able to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR, along with midget cars and sprint cars, it is not just the fine performances that were turned in by Maria Partapsingh in 2015, but the variety of mediums in which she excelled. With her Mitsubishi Evolution 6, she captured the 58 second Championship for 2015 while she took part in the ARA Drag & Wind competition and racked up two first-place finishes, along with three second position performances. She also drove Mitsubishi Evolution 6 and Mitsubishi Evolution 8 in drag racing events on August 1 and October 3 – 4 and recorded best times of 13.6 seconds and 12.8 seconds, respectively. Partapsingh also represented Trinidad and Tobago in two races during the 2015 Caribbean Motorsport Racing Championship and recorded 12th and 11th place finishes.
12
Badminton |
Trinidad &Tobago Badminton Association
Alistair Espinoza For the way in which he managed to carry on the good work into another year, a round of applause definitely needs to be targeted at Alistair Espinoza. At the Caribbean Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, he played his part in Trinidad and Tobago finishing third in the overall team competition. Apart from capturing a bronze medal with Will Lee at the inaugural Trinidad and Tobago International championships at the Eastern Regional Indoor Complex in Tacarigua, last May, Espinoza also paired up with Nicholas Bonkowsky to earn a bronze medal in the doubles at the Suriname International in November. In local competition, Espinoza earned four titles; he landed the doubles and mixed doubles crowns during the TTBA Championships at the Central Regional Indoor Complex in Chaguanas in March and he captured the singles and mixed doubles crowns at the Solo Open Championships at the same venue, the following September.
Avril Plaza-Marcelle One of the established faces on the local badminton scene going back to the early-2000s, it was Avril Plaza-Marcelle’s ability to maintain a consistent presence near the top of almost every event in which she competed in that made all the difference, last year. At the Caribbean Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she took home the silver medal from the women’s doubles competition – along with her partner Leanna Castanada - earned a bronze medals in the women’s singles competition and the team event. There was another bronze performance in the women’s doubles at the Trinidad and Tobago International in Tacarigua – this time with Kamasha Robertson Plaza-Marcelle also kept her name in the news reports during the local competitions in which she participated by earning two silver medals – including finishing runner-up to Solangel Guzman in the women’s singles event at the Solo Badminton Open in Chaguanas – and three bronze medals.
13
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Bodybuilding |
Trinidad &Tobago Bodybuilders Federation
Kelton Thomas There is a reason why Kelton Thomas finds himself at the top, year in, year out: focus. Alright, yes. There is also tenacity, determination, discipline and long-term planning. You are not going to achieve your goals without dipping into each of these barrels for sustenance. Thomas continued to serve as an example for others to follow as he challenged the world and held his own. He earned a fifth-place finish in the lightweight (70 kg) division at the Joe Weider Amateur Mr. Olympia in Malaga, Spain, last June and also locked up sixth-place positions at Arnold Classic Europe in Madrid, the Joe Weider Olympia in England and the IFBB World Championships in Benidorm, Spain in the 75 kg category. Thomas also demonstrated his qualities locally: during the TTBBF Championships at the Cascadia Hotel in St. Ann’s on August 22, he captured the men’s 70 kg title ahead of Sanjay Lutchman and Cori Baynes.
Vanessa Hill Another one of several repeat nominees in this year’s First Citizens Sports Foundation Awards, Vanessa Hill’s consistency boils down to the qualities of focus and determination to hold the edge over her peers when it came to competition. This she did at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, where she won the gold medal in the women’s 166 cm C division. She also claimed two titles at the JC’s Gym & BFASM Inter-Island Championships in St. Martin: the bikini overall and the bikini fitness class B competition. At the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus Ohio, she earned second spot in the women’s 167 cm bikini fitness event with a score of 14 that placed her behind the champion from New Zealand, Katya Nosova (8). Hill followed up this display with a fourth-place performance in the over-163 cm section at Arnold Classic Brazil. At the TTBBF Championships in St. Ann’s, Hill captured the overall women’s bikini and A class bikini titles.
14
Canoe/Kayak |
Trinidad & Tobago Canoe/ Kayak Federation
Satyam Maharaj While one may be tempted to speculate that possessing a ripped upper body is the edge-giver in competitive kayaking, the truth is that few of the most successful participants sport anything more than a slender physique. Indeed, Satyam Maharaj’s continuing ascension has a lot more to do with repetitive training, foresight and yearning for success. His four days-a-week training regime paid off with victory in the long course (14 km) event at the Ortoire River Race on October 17. He steered his Olympic-style kayak through a close hustle to the finish point ahead of John Horsfall and Matthew Robinson. Maharaj, in the end, maintained his concentration and form all the way to the end to notch up another important win. Maharaj was also successful in two Five Islands Races which served as warm-ups for the Ortoire River Race. He won the second event on October 10, as he went one better than the runner-up position that he earned on September 12.
Keian Huggins Trinidad’s south-east is normally an idyllic utopia of fantastic beaches and intriguing swampland, but it was also the scene of a very special moment for Keian Huggins. She was the only female participant in the long course challenge, over 14 km, at the Ortoire River Race, yet Huggins confirmed her quality by claiming fourth-place overall. Her clocking of one hour, 30 minutes, nine seconds – just six seconds outside of the top three male finishers, Satyam Maharaj, John Horsfall and Matthew Robinson - was a testament to her serious potential. Yet the fact that she was also the top female participant and fourth-place overall finisher in the Five Islands Races of September 12 and October 10, should have served as a warning to her rivals. But Huggins’ advantage also lies in the excellent technique that she has mastered, as well as the command of her Olympicmodel kayak that she has exhibited, particularly during last October’s Ortoire River Race success.
15
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Chess |
Trinidad &Tobago Chess Association
Kevin Cupid Chess is all about the mind games: understanding the moves, anticipating the opponent and applying the appropriate response to the situation: it gives any competitor the chance to wield mental power like a true warrior, even someone who appears as outwardly unassuming as Kevin Cupid. The 24-year old captured the national men’s chess championship title as he finished on nine points, with just one loss and two draws, and ahead of Joshua Johnson and Adrian Winter Atwell, the third and fourth-place finishers, respectively. Cupid also demonstrated his top form in other events across the Trinidad and Tobago community, such as the Knight’s Open, Paladins Open and DeVerteuil Open Blitz tournaments, in which he each earned second-place finishes. Cupid, who helped coach Trinidad and Tobago to third place in the Central American and Caribbean Youth Chess Festival, also performed well himself at the Srefidensi Chess Masters event in Paramaribo, Suriname, where he earned 3.5 points out of nine.
Aditi Soondarsingh Sometimes the living legends are immediately obvious – Maradona, Jordan, Gretsky, Lara – while others establish their greatness over a period of time, in a more comet-like than meteoric fashion (though the class is still undeniable) - Tigana, Dumars, Forsberg, Gomes. Aditi Soondarsingh may just, only just, fall into this latter category. Soondarsingh regained her TTCA national women’s chess title after she racked up eight points after nine unbeaten rounds and edged out Javanna Smith by a half-point with Shannon Yearwood taking third spot. It is Soondarsingh’s ninth Trinidad and Tobago women’s title – a feat that definitely sets the 27-year old apart as one of the most outstanding female chess players in the country’s history. Soondarsingh also shared the women’s title at the Srefidensi Chess Open tournament in Suriname; she collected four out of seven points in the process. Back on home soil, she took second place amongst the women in the Paladins Lucozade Open and third-place in the Paladins Club Tournament. 16
Cricket |
Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board
Trinidad &Tobago Women’s Cricket Association
Darren Bravo A game changer for his teams at different levels during 2015, Darren Bravo consistently rose to the fore in the top order with a series of spectacular – and trophy-winning – displays. Last April-May, he came to the fore during the home test series against England by hitting 237 runs. His knocks of 69 and 82 against the tourists at St. George’s and Bridgetown, respectively, were all part of a surprising 1-1 draw earned by West Indies. Bravo also enjoyed a brief but solid ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand where he scored an unbeaten 49 in a 150-run victory over Pakistan at Christchurch. Bravo also played major roles in Trinidad and Tobago’s Nagico Super50 tournament triumph on home soil – scoring 109 runs, including 55 in a 17-run first round victory versus Jamaica – as well as hitting 291 runs during the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel’s capture of the Caribbean Premier League title.
Britney Cooper One of the more crucial elements of competitive sport is managing to follow-up a great year or season with an equally or even more fruitful escapade during the subsequent term. That is exactly what Britney Cooper was able to pull off in 2015 when she was selected to six one-day internationals and six Twenty20 games for the West Indies women’s team. In her second ODI appearance against Sri Lanka in Colombo, last May, Cooper earned a Player of the Match award after scoring 46 and helping West Indies to a 31-run victory. It was all a just reward for another solid season in the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Premiership, in which she led the way for her team, Phoenix, by scoring a competition-high 434 runs, posting the league’s highest individual score (191 not out) and topping the batting averages (108.50). Cooper also represented Trinidad and Tobago at the WICB Regional Women’s Championship at home and led the home team to third-place.
17
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Cycling |
Trinidad &Tobago Cycling Federation
Njisane Phillip In similar vein to track legends such as France’s Daniel Morelon and Pierre Trentin, Niels Fredborg of Denmark and the German, Jens Fiedler, Njisane Phillip has consistently singled himself out as a cut above most of his competition. Just one season after enduring a kidney ailment, Phillip demonstrated his single-mindedness in returning to the top by earning a silver medal in the men’s sprint at the Pan American Games in Toronto, after finishing runner-up to Hugo Barrette (Canada). Phillip also placed second in the same event at the Pan American Elite Track Championships in Santiago, Chile, where he finished behind rival, Colombia’s Fabian Puerta. Phillip did find himself in winner’s row at the inaugural Caribbean Track Championships in Havana, Cuba, where he captured the gold medal ahead of Puerta and another familiar foe in the notable Venezuelan, Hersony Canelon. At home, Phillip reigned supreme at the TTCF Track Championships with title victories in both the sprint and keirin.
Jodi Goodridge Another member of Trinidad and Tobago’s exciting young cycling generation, Jodi Goodridge wasted little time in making a regular impact at the senior level. The 21-year old from Malabar made her presence felt during the Caribbean Track Championships in Havana, Cuba, last May, when she earned silver medals in the women’s keirin and team sprint - with Trinidad and Tobago cycling mate, Aziza Browne - as well as bronze medals in the individual sprint and the 500 metres time trial. Goodridge also achieved some fair results during her debut appearance at the Pan Am Championships in Santiago, Chile with a personal best time of 12.200 seconds in the flying 200. She also participated in the women’s team sprint final and earned ninth spot in the 500 metres time trial. Goodridge also dominated her peers at the TTCF Championships at the Arima Velodrome: she captured national women’s titles in both the sprint – defeating Browne in the final - and the keirin.
18
Football |
Trinidad & Tobago Football Association
Kenwyne Jones Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City. With ten minutes to go and Trinidad and Tobago leading its host 1-0, full back Joevin Jones launched in a long ball from the left and his namesake, Kenwyne Jones, made an exquisitely timed run to hit a first-time, right-footed volley past Guatemalan goalie, Paulo Cesar Motta, to extend Trinidad and Tobago’s lead and pave the way for an eventual 2-1 victory in the teams’ opening CONCACAF semi-final round World Cup qualifying game. Jones, who also scored in an epic 4-4 draw with Mexico during Trinidad and Tobago’s run to the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA and Canada, as well as in a 2-1 friendly victory over Panama, also bagged four goals for Cardiff City in January 2015, one strike while on loan at Bournemouth – whom he helped to win the English Championship division and earn promotion to the Premier League - and five more back at Cardiff City up to December.
Arin King As she led the way from the back, once again, Arin King continued to be a difference maker for both country and club. The defender helped the Soca Princesses to win the Caribbean leg of the Olympic Games qualifying competition at home. This competition included 6-0 and 8-1 play-off thrashings of St. Lucia, a 2-1 extra time semi-final victory over Jamaica and a 1-0 victory over Puerto Rico in the final at Ato Boldon Stadium. King also played her role in a very respectable showing at the Pan American Games in Toronto: a 2-2 with Argentina and a 1-1 tie with Colombia were followed by a 3-1 loss to eventual bronze medalist, Mexico. King also had the distinction of being the first draft selection of the inaugural Women’s Premier League in Trinidad and Tobago. She would go on to help her team, Dragons, to a third-place finish in the WPL behind Fuego and Angels.
19
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Golf |
Trinidad &Tobago Golf Association
Talin Rajendranath For many of us who venture onto the links from time to time, there are all those impetuous desires: to crush the ball into oblivion at the tee, to constantly send that sphere flying into the heavens and into the next county and to sink a hole-in-one – or, at the very least, an eagle – every time the green appears on the radar. Of course, competitive golfers such as Talin Rajendranath are more likely to have a more measured approach. This he exhibited in efficient fashion at the Patriot Intercollegiate tournament at Laurel Hill Golf Club in Lorton, Virginia, where the University of West Florida senior finished second overall with a career low seven-under par total of 206 (70-70-66); his efforts helped the West Florida men’s golf team to clinch the Patriot Intercollegiate title by a record 13 strokes. Rajendranath also finished seventh at the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships in Jamaica to help Trinidad and Tobago to win the overall crown.
Monifa Sealy Having established her name in local golfing circles as an undisputed talent and leader by example, Monifa Sealy has transferred her act to a broader stage and has been making quite the impression. Prior to her graduation, she carried her University of Central Florida team to its first American Athletic Conference women’s title by posting a three-under par 213 (70-71-72) – in spite of playing through a hairline fracture – at the conference championship in Palm Coast, Florida. Apart from Sealy winning the individual crown after a play-off, the Central Florida Knights finished ahead of SMU (second) and Houston (third). Sealy was also outstanding at the National Women’s Golf Association Timacuan tour event at Lake Mary, Florida, last October, when she tied for second-place with an even-par 216. The 23-year old also enjoyed a third-place performance during her professional debut at the NWGA Mission Hills Palmer tournament at Rancho Mirage, California in July, after stroking her way to a six under-par 210.
20
Gymastics |
Trinidad & Tobago Gymnastics Federation
Marisa Dick It is not an understatement to observe that the discipline of gymnastics in Trinidad and Tobago is on the rise – and that Marisa Dick has made a major contribution in this regard. Dick, who has grown up in Canada, made full use of familiar conditions in Toronto, during last summer’s Pan American Games. She earned 14th place in the women’s individual all-around after she claimed a total of 51.250 points after her performances on the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and the floor exercise. Dick also participated at the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland and placed 77th in the individual all-around qualification. Along with teammate, Thema Williams, Dick earned a berth in the Olympic Games test event in Rio de Janeiro. There was also an outstanding performance at the TTGF Championships where her skills were evaluated before a group of international judges during an important moment for gymnastics in this country.
21
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Hockey |
Trinidad &Tobago Hockey Board
Andrey Rocke Like their football counterparts, field hockey’s goalkeepers do not garner as much of the spotlight as some of their outfield colleagues. But, of course, the game has produced its notable shot-stoppers such as Richard Allen who only conceded two goals in three Olympic Games, while competing for India’s gold medal-winning teams in 1928, 1932 and 1936. In a similar vein, Andrey Rocke, also had a major effect on his squad’s fortunes. He was outstanding during the FIH Hockey World League second round tournament in San Diego, California where Trinidad and Tobago had to endure some stiff challenges from Russia, Canada, the USA, Ireland and Italy. His reflexes, plus on and off-field leadership, also helped his team at the Pan American Games in Toronto, where Trinidad and Tobago eventually took seventh-place with a 13-0 mauling of Cuba. Rocke, who plays for Malvern in the TTHB Men’s Championship Division, also proved his worth during a three-team tournament involving Mexico and Cuba, last June.
Alanna Lewis Quite visibly in a league of her own whenever taking to the outdoor field or indoor court, Alanna Lewis’ skill set and leadership qualities certainly counted as game winners, as her teammates were sure to testify. Lewis led straight from both the back and midfield as she helped Paragon to successfully defend its TTHB national women’s championship title, ahead of runner-up Harvard Checkers and third-placed Magnolia. She also played her part as Paragon also managed to retain its national indoor crown. The national women’s co-captain was also influential for the Trinidad and Tobago team during its second round tournament in Montevideo, Uruguay, during the FIH women’s World League competition; her unit managed a 5-0 hammering of Kenya during pool play and also scored a 3-2 play-off triumph over the Dominican Republic before eventually placing sixth in the competition. Lewis was particularly outstanding during a pool affair against France – she made some crucial defensive blocks – as well as the quarterfinal versus Italy. 22
Horseracing |
Trinidad & Tobago Racing Authority
Prayven Badrie Crime of Passion was widely viewed as an almost sure lock to make history. But Prayven Badrie, on top Control Unit had other ideas and turned out to be the one who stole victory. Crime was attempting to tie a 41-year old record by winning the Stewards Cup for the third year in a row at Santa Rosa Park, last December 4. But the American-bred five year old wound up looking at the tail of Control Unit with Badrie very much in command. It was all very much in keeping with the type of year enjoyed by the Tacarigua resident, who shared the TTRA Champion Jockey of the Year title after clinching 49 victories from a total of 291 mounts, with 52 second-place finishes and $2,278,734.50 in earnings. Apart from his win in the Stewards Cup, Badrie also enjoyed major triumphs in the SFA Trial Stakes, Sugar Mike Stakes and Mentone Stakes, while guiding Osceola Parkway, Danube Waltz and Clermont County, respectively.
23
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Judo |
Judo Trinidad &Tobago
Christopher George Setting high standards and raising the bar. In a nutshell, that is what Christopher George did en route to establishing himself as Trinidad and Tobago’s premier judoka and holding his own against the world. Of course, there was more to it than that, but there was no doubting that these two factors are amongst the ingredients for sustaining his success. He captured titles at two judo tournaments in New York City: the Jason Morris Cup and the Big Apple Classic. At the Quebec Open in Montreal, he earned a bronze medal in the over-100 kg division, along with Canadian Ignacio Rodriguez and behind titlist Nedjo Sarenac (Canada) and Rafael Ferrer (Puerto Rico). George, who also represented Trinidad and Tobago in the 100 kg division at the World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, the Pan American Games in Toronto and the Pan American Judo Championships in Edmonton, re-asserted his domestic reputation by winning his class at the national championships.
24
Karate |
Trinidad & Tobago Karate Union
Edward Rajmoolie Rooted in Chinese Shaolin boxing from the sixth-century, used as a mode of defense by residents of Okinawa around 1500, transferred to Japan in the 1920s by Funakoshi Gichin and refined into its different, competitive derivatives, karate is both an exercise in discipline and an opportunity for individuals to establish their own credentials as elite fighters. These include the likes of Edward Rajmoolie, who experienced a tremendous breakthrough year in 2015. At the inaugural Caribbean Karate Federation Championships in Paramaribo, Suriname, he earned a trio of bronze medals in the individual kata and 75 kg kumite, plus the team kumite event with Trinidad and Tobago. He then followed this up with another bronze medal – in the kumite – at the Curacao Open. The 26-year old also enhanced his local standing by winning the title in his section at the TTKU Championships and earning a silver medal at a TTKU-sanctioned competition, last July.
Dr. Nicole Lambie Within every society and discipline, there are those individuals and entities that set the standards for creativity, innovation and excellence. The karate scene within this country definitely fits within this mould. Dr. Nicole Lambie is one of the doyennes of this sport in Trinidad and Tobago and there is still no letting up for her competition, both within this twin-isle nation as well as internationally. She captured the women’s kata title at the Caribbean Championships in Paramaribo, Suriname, last June, ahead of teammate Tamara Joseph. She later followed up this effort by winning another gold medal in the women’s kata at the Curacao Open in October. Lambie, who has performed with the chac-chac as part of the parang group, Los Parranderos de UWI, also let her hands – and her feet – do the talking in domestic tournaments. She maintained her standing by capturing the gold medal in the women’s kata at the TTKU Championships on March 28.
25
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Netball |
Trinidad &Tobago Netball Association
Rhonda John-Davis It is pretty interesting to note that the game of netball was actually invented in the USA before being introduced to England in 1895 and becoming a staple within the British Commonwealth. One of the discipline’s major gatherings is the INF World Cup and it was at last year’s edition in Australia, that Trinidad and Tobago’s veteran, Rhonda John-Davis, lavished the spotlight. In her fifth, consecutive appearance at this event and achieving a record 156 caps, she helped her team to ninth-place in a competition in which victories were recorded over Barbados, Zambia, Singapore, Samoa and Scotland. She finished the tournament as the leader in goal assists. Davis, who also represented Trinidad and Tobago in a tournament involving England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and South Africa, earned kudos at the end of the All-Sectors Netball League’s Premiership Division competition; she was named to the league’s All-Star Team and was recognised as the Most Valuable Player for her team, Police.
26
Paralympics |
Trinidad & Tobago Paralympic Committee
Akeem Stewart Overcoming challenges is at the very heart of competitive sports; for athletes with disabilities, the obstacles may extend beyond the lines of the field of action - making their successes all the more special. It was an amazing year for Akeem Stewart, who established two F43 world records while competing in F44 events at the ParaPan American Games in Toronto. The 23- year old recorded throws of 60.36 metres in the first round and 63.03 metres in the final, while achieving the gold medal in the discus. These efforts totally obliterated the eight-year old mark of 45.77 metres. Stewart also returned a new global-leading mark in the F43 javelin with a throw of 53.36 metres, while winning the F44 gold medal as well. The Tobagonian managed to follow this up with an impressive performance at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar, where he earned a bronze medal in the F44 discus.
27
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Powerlifting |
Trinidad & Tobago Powerlifting Federation
Adrian Brown Ever since he established himself as Trinidad and Tobago’s signature powerlifter by the beginning of the current decade, Adrian Brown has successfully managed to find several ways of maintaining his status as simply the best. At the Pan American Championships in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, last September, he won the gold medal in the men’s masters 105 kg class, while he established five new Pan American masters records in the process and was awarded a silver medal for the open men’s 105 kg deadlift. He also took home the overall bronze medal in the men’s open 105 kg division. At the NAPF North American Championships in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada in July, the 41-year old captured the masters 105 kg gold medal and the men’s open silver medal for the same weight division and established eight records in the bargain – one North American masters and seven Trinidad and Tobago masters marks.
Salisha Rahim As powerlifting in Trinidad and Tobago continues to expand in popularity, more names are being added to the annals of success: individuals that are playing their part in thickening the roots of the sport in this country while, at the same time, establishing a positive reputation in international competition. Nineteen-year old Salisha Rahim’s contribution came at the Pan American Championships in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, last September, when she made an immediate statement by winning the gold medal in the women’s 63 kg subjuniors division. In the process, Rahim established four Trinidad and Tobago female subjunior and open records in the benchpress and deadlift. It was a proud achievement for the Rio Claro resident who places as much of her heart and soul into training as possible. As she demonstrated through her achievements in Brazil, she can definitely be viewed as one of the Trinidad and Tobago Powerlifting Federation’s athletes for the future.
28
Rally |
Trinidad & Tobago Rally Club
Donald Gopaul From the regular cross district jaunts to trans-continental events such as the over 31,000 km London, England to Sydney, Australia race of 1977, rallies are always a major challenge. So it is all the more amazing when drivers experience the kind of wild success that Donald Gopaul did last year. He managed to win the 2-wheel drive category in each of the TTRC High Speed Stage Rallys that he participated in: Shakedown (March 8), Into the Dark (July 4), Track Attack (August 9), Split Ballot (September 20) and the Rally Finale on October 17. The run of success solidified Gopaul and his team of codrivers, Randy Mohammed and Jeffrey Johnson, as the 2WD champion for 2015. For an anecdote, Gopaul managed to triumph at the Shakedown, in spite of losing the rear left tire on his Mitsubishi, during the race: he got to the pit, replaced the tire and finished the event with a class victory!
29
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Rugby |
Trinidad &Tobago Rugby Football Union
Agboola Silverthorn With his strength and speed, Agboola Silverthorn, is certainly an imposing sight whenever he embarks upon his powerful and punishing runs. The centre’s opponents in the 2015 NACRA Championship for 15-a-side teams are sure to agree, especially as the 23-year old played a major part in Trinidad and Tobago’s triumph. Following a 44-7 pasting of Barbados and a 22-20 win over Guyana to win the NACRA South title, Silverthorn and his teammates surpassed Mexico 30-16 in the final at St. Mary’s College Ground in St. Clair, where Silverthorn capped things off with a try involving a 60 metre run. He also stood out during the NACRA Sevens Championship, a qualifying competition for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. At the domestic level, Silverthorn influenced a fine season for his team, Rainbow: winner of the Big Four competition, second place in the Championship Division - with eleven tries scored by Silverthorn - and runner-up in the TTRFU knockout competition, which featured seven tries from Silverthorn.
Ornella George The Trinidad and Tobago women’s rugby team has traditionally been a solid proposition for its opponents; with the likes of Ornella George making some lively contributions, there is quite a lot of optimism that the squad will continue to hold its own. George was the most outstanding player during Trinidad and Tobago’s third-place finish at the NACRA Women’s Sevens Championship in the USA, a qualifying event for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. First-round victories over Guyana (3412) and Bahamas (30-0), a 27-7 defeat of the Cayman Islands in the quarterfinals and a 12-10 triumph over Jamaica in the thirdplace game were the highlights as George and her teammates finished behind champion USA and runner-up Mexico and earned another chance at Olympic qualification in another tournament to be held in Ireland, next June. George also enjoyed a great year in local tournaments with her team, Police, which she helped to win the Women’s Championship Division crown and advance to the knockout final. 30
Sailing |
Trinidad & Tobago Sailing Association
Andrew Lewis Andrew Lewis’ story has been as much about his ability and hard work on the high seas as it is an example of courage in the face of the serious challenges that have been laid in front of him. With his seventh-place finish in the men’s laser class race at the Pan American Games in Toronto, last July, Lewis had earned qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro with a year to prepare. A fourth-place position in the CORK Olympic Classes Regatta was an excellent follow up. He then captured tenth position at the ISAF World Cup. Taking into account the number six ranking he earned at the Canadian Laser Championships, last June, it had been a great year all round. While injuries sustained in a fall at his Rio de Janeiro apartment on December 12 did interrupt his preparations, the mishap has not stymied Andrew’s determination to represent Trinidad and Tobago at what will be his second Olympic Games.
Kelly-Ann Arrindell Having made her name as an outstanding junior sailor, Kelly-Ann Arrindell has arrived at the marker whereby promise is replaced by sustained career success. By the looks of things so far, she is definitely plotting the right course on her nautical chart at the moment. Arrindell, 19, earned fifth-place in the women’s laser radial division at the Pan American Games in Toronto and held her own at a series of senior level events. These included the CORK Olympic Classes Regatta in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, during August, when she finished sixth, as well as the Canadian Laser Championships in June, which saw an eighth-place performance. She also participated in the ISAF World Cup event in Miami, Florida in January and took 71st position. Arrindell was outstanding at a Caribbean-region event, the Semaine Nautique de Schoelcher in Martinique, in February, when she copped second position amongst women as well as tenth-place overall.
31
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Shooting |
Trinidad Rifle Association
Roger Daniel A natural from the very beginning, Roger Daniel has experienced success from the first shooting competition in which he entered; since breaking into the national spotlight during the 1990s, he has embarked on an odyssey in which he has established himself as one of the premier marksmen in the Americas and a regular face in international competition. At the Copa del Caribe in Salinas, Puerto Rico, he captured the gold medal in the men’s 50 metres pistol, earned second place amongst the challengers in the 10 metres pistol and 25 metres centre fire events and clinched a bronze medal in the 25 metres air pistol competition. Daniel later competed in both the 10 metres and 50 metres pistol at the Pan American Games in Toronto as well as the ISSF World Cup. At the national championships, Daniel captured titles in the 10 metres pistol and 25 metres centre fire sections and finished third in the 50 metres pistol.
Marsha Bullen-Jones More than just establishing herself as Trinidad and Tobago’s top female shooter at the present moment, Marsha Bullen-Jones has continued to travel throughout the Americas and beyond on a campaign to create a picture perfect image of a top-class marksman. During the shootouts at the Copa del Caribe in Salinas, Puerto Rico, last June, Bullen-Jones, a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, emerged with a fourth-place performance in the women’s 10 metres air pistol, as well as a sixthplace position in the 25 metres pistol competition. She also represented Trinidad and Tobago at the ISSF World Cup event in Fort Benning, Georgia in the USA. At the TRA National Championships in September, Bullen-Jones fired her way to the gold medal in the women’s 10 metres air pistol challenge and earned third spot in the 50 metres pistol event.
32
Squash |
Trinidad & Tobago Squash Association
Kale Wilson Following Colin Ramasra’s decision to retire from competitive squash, there was an open void at the top of the men’s game in this country, with an opportunity for a select group of candidates to fill the gap. Out of this number, Kale Wilson may very well be the best long-term prospect. The 23-year old helped himself and his Trinidad and Tobago teammates, Joshua Pinard, Don Lee, Chayse McQuan and brothers Nku and Mandela Patrick, to the final of the men’s team competition at the CASA Caribbean Championships in George Town, Cayman Islands, back in August – a challenge that Jamaica won in the end. Nevertheless, Wilson enjoyed a fine tournament overall by reaching the quarterfinals of the men’s singles competition. Competing in the Professional Squash Association World Tour, Wilson earned two quarterfinal appearances. He achieved local supremacy by winning the national men’s title by defeating Nku Patrick 11-8, 11-5, 11-13, 22-20 in the singles final at the TTSA Championships.
Charlotte Knaggs Like the men’s scene, women’s squash in Trinidad and Tobago is also in the midst of a transition, with the veterans continuing to see young exciting prospects joining their ranks over the past six years. The latest competitor to have earned the title of hot-shot for the future is Charlotte Knaggs. Knaggs, 20, a sophomore at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, made it to the women’s singles quarterfinals at the CASA Caribbean Championships in George Town, Cayman Islands. She also helped her fellow Trinidad and Tobago representatives, Rhea Khan, Marie-Claire Barcant, Amy Gillezeau, Faith Gillezeau and Alexandria Yearwood to fourth-place in the women’s team competition, behind Guyana, Barbados and the Cayman Islands. During the TTSA Championships at the Cascadia Club in St. Ann’s, last June, Knaggs captured the national women’s singles crown with an 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 triumph over women’s squash legend Rhea Khan, who was thwarted in her effort to win a 19th Trinidad and Tobago title. 33
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Swimming |
Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad &Tobago
George Bovell III Having swam past more career mile markers than most, especially at the age of 32, one cannot deny George Bovell III’s claim to be Trinidad and Tobago’s greatest-ever swimmer. With a bronze medal earned in the men’s 50 metres freestyle at the Pan American Games in Toronto – Bovell represents a clear-cut example of maximising one’s swimming career. Placing behind the USA’s Josh Schneider and Brazilian Bruno Fratus was basically Bovell continuing to be relevant on the international scene. The same applies to his performances at the Belgian Open Championships in Antwerp, last May, when he finished second in both the 50 metres backstroke and 50 metres breaststroke and established a national record of 27.69 seconds in the latter. When he makes another march at the Olympics opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro in August, Bovell will be serving as an example to all athletes: when he takes his first dive, he will be cementing his own legend within Trinidad and Tobago swimming.
Cherelle Thompson Even as George Bovell seeks to consolidate his iconic status at the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, there is a focus on the next generation of swimmers, who are continuously seeking to emulate and surpass his great achievements one day. These include Cherelle Thompson, who enjoyed a glorious finish to her career at the University of Tennessee. She was named to the All-American selection for the second year in a row and made it to both the SEC Academic Honour Roll and the SEC Community Service Team. The Princes Town resident earned a bronze medal in the 200 yards freestyle relay at the SEC Championships, where she established a career-best 50.92 seconds during the preliminaries of the 100 yard freestyle. Thompson, who anchored a consolation final victory in the 200 yard freestyle relay at the NCAA Championships, competed at the Canadian Trials and placed sixth in the 50 metres, narrowly missing qualification for the Pan American Games.
34
Table Tennis |
Trinidad & Tobago Table Tennis Association
Aaron Wilson Aaron Wilson may be Trinidad and Tobago’s most outstanding junior tennis player at present but, really and truly, his achievements are now straddling both sides of the youth-senior divide. Wilson, 17, managed to earn bronze medals in the men’s open singles, men’s under-21 singles and the men’s team competitions at the Caribbean Championships in Riviere-Salee, Martinique in July. It was an excellent follow-up to the under-18 singles crown that he won with a 12-10, 11-9, 11-4, 6-11, 11-6 victory over Puerto Rico’s Sebastian Echevarria at the Caribbean Junior Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; he also helped himself and his Trinidad and Tobago teammates, Arun Roopnarine and Shaquille Mitchell, to the runner-up position in the men’s team competition. In local tournaments, Wilson also flexed his pecs by winning the senior, under-21 and under-18 singles crowns at the Silver Bowl in Chaguanas and the men’s division in the RMSL Super Singles competition.
Linda Partap-Boodhan It can never be too-late to enjoy an A-list year, - just ask 40-year old Linda Partap-Boodhan. An experienced and very worthy team player, the Talparo resident played a major part in Trinidad and Tobago earning third-place in the women’s team competition at the Caribbean Championships in Riviere-Salee, Martinique, last July. Along with her colleagues, Aleena Edwards, Catherine Spicer and Brittany Joseph, PartapBoodhan helped to land the bronze medal behind gold medalist Cuba and runner-up, Dominican Republic. These three teams would also top the overall medal standings in the same order. Partap-Boodhan captured three singles titles out of the five local competitions in which she participated during 2015: she won the women’s singles crown at the Silver Bowl in Chaguanas on May 10, thanks to a come-from-behind 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 over Merle Baggoo; on September 27, she took home the honours from the Tobago Open; for good measure, Partap-Boodhan also enjoyed victory at the Solo National Senior Championships. 35
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Taekwondo |
Trinidad &Tobago Taekwondo Association
Edson Breedy Just two occasions. Two moments in which Trinidad and Tobago taekwondo shared the world’s greatest sporting stage through two of its greatest practitioners: Cheryl Ann Sankar and Chinedum Osuji, who appeared in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, respectively. Edson Breedy would very much like to be both – great and an Olympian – and his achievements in 2015 did not hurt his case. The 29-year old, who has taken two years off from his medical studies in order to pursue his Olympic dreams, won the men’s middleweight gold medal at the World Open Taekwondo Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. After gaining some valuable experience at the World Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia, Breedy returned to home soil to continue his breakthrough at the inaugural Trinidad and Tobago International Open at Macoya’s Centre of Excellence in October; this doctor-to-be prescribed a double dose by again claiming top spot in his division, thanks to a 9-8 victory over the USA’s Tyler Kennedy.
36
Tennis |
Tennis Association of Trinidad & Tobago
Vaughn Wilson Having established himself as one of the leaders of Trinidad and Tobago’s tennis program in a relatively short space of time, Vaughn Wilson continued to demonstrate his status in no uncertain terms. During the Davis Cup Americas Group III tournament at the Cancha Estadio Centro de Alto Rendimiento Fred Maduro in Panama City, Panama, Wilson recorded singles victories over Bahamas’ Rodney Carey (6-3, 7-6 [6]) and Gavin Manders (3-6, 6-1, 6-1) of Bermuda, which Trinidad and Tobago defeated 2-1. The Tobagonian also made a major statement on home soil as he captured the TATT national men’s singles title at the Eddie Taylor Public Courts in St. Clair. Wilson overcame Joshua Abraham in straight sets, 7-6 (3), 6-3 to clinch the crown. Along with his fellow top-ranker out of Tobago, Yohansey Williams, Wilson has already been making an impact on the next generation as coaches, thanks to the successful operation of the High Performance Training Academy that they own and manage.
Breana Stampfli Her reputation has been hotter than Venus, with an execution method that’s as cold as a drop-shot. Breana Stampfli may be all of 20, but she has been a meteor within the Trinidad and Tobago tennis galaxy and she sizzled through the Fed Cup Americas Group II competition at the Centro Nacional de Tenis in Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic, where she recorded two singles victories and one doubles triumph as she helped Trinidad and Tobago to 3-0 and 2-1 wins over the Bahamas and Costa Rica, respectively, to earn a promotional play-off tie with Peru that the South Americans won 2-0. Stampfli more than made her presence felt at home, as she captured the women’s singles title at the TATT Championships by usurping reigning champion Olivia Bennett with a 6-3, 6-1 triumph; she then partnered with Bennett to capture the doubles crown with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Shenelle Mohammed and Keneel Teasdale.
37
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Triathlon |
Trinidad &Tobago Triathlon Federation
Jason Costelloe In a discipline that involves long distance swimming, cycling and running, any sort of advantage is welcome. Capitalising on his strength in cycling – he does happen to be a hotshot mountain biker - Jason Costelloe copped the overall title at the Nevis Sprint Triathlon with his victory in the long distance event on November 14. On October 31, he won the sprint division and took second-place overall at the CCT Triathlon Festival in a time of one hour, 14 minutes, 47 seconds – 19.04 minutes ahead of the next competitor. At the Massy Rainbow Cup International Triathlon at Courland Bay Heritage Park in Tobago on June 13, he was the first Trinidad and Tobago competitor to cross the finish line in the Olympic distance event with a time of 2: 29.04 to take eighth place. His cycling time of 1:10.21 was the fourth-best amongst all competitors. This achievement earned him the men’s TTTF National Triathlon Olympic distance crown.
Jenna Ross From warm tropical to frigid temperate-type marine and terrestrial conditions, triathlon participants face a multitude of environments and this is where character can be so important. A notably focused and determined competitor, Jenna Ross put these qualities to good use during a year in which she collected a fair share of rewards for these traits. She was the top Trinidad and Tobago finisher amongst the females and fourth overall over the Olympic distance at the Massy Rainbow Cup International Triathlon in Tobago with a clocking of two hours, 47 minutes, 44 seconds for a 20th place finish and the TTTF women’s Olympic distance crown for 2015. Back in April, she won the women’s sprint title at the TTTF National Duathlon Championships with a time of 1:11.19. On November 9, Ross and her 3JK teammates, Kimberly Farah, Justin Scott and Kirk Hern, captured the Tag Team Triathlon, organized by the Rainbow Club at Las Cuevas on November 29, in 1:21.06.
38
Volleyball |
Trinidad & Tobago Volleyball Federation
Fabien Whitfield Toco has lately been a hotbed when it has come to producing athletes who have represented the red, white and black with distinction and Fabien Whitfield has certainly been making Trinidad and Tobago proud. Together with fellow resident and beach volleyball partner, Daneil Williams, Whitfield was part of an impressive showing on the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour. The duo competed in all seven circuit events and earned consecutive third-place finishes at Tavares, Florida and Pigeon Point, St. Lucia. The pair also won the Olympic Games qualifying competition first round tournament at Saith Park in Chaguanas in May, following a 2-1 victory over Jamaica’s representatives Donovan Richards and Christopher Walters in the final. Whitfield subsequently played a major role in advancement to the elimination round of the Pan American Games in Toronto, where Trinidad and Tobago went out at the hands of the eventual gold medalists from Mexico, before defeating Nicaragua and Venezuela en route to a ninth-place position.
Sinead Jack Every sports team experiences a generational change, so the more adequately talented replacements available during the rebuilding process, the better. So it has proven for the Trinidad and Tobago national women’s volleyball squad with the likes of Sinead Jack. The middle blocker’s steady rise as a player of profound ability was on full display at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship in Mexico, during late September-early October. Jack’s efficiency had a major influence on this country’s seventh-place finish in this competition: she saved the best for last as she scored 14 points during the seventh-place game against Costa Rica that Trinidad and Tobago won 3-0. Jack also experienced great success at club level with her Russian team, VC Uralochka-NTMK Yekaterinburg, which she helped to the play-offs of the current season of the CEV European Women’s Champions League, after earning a top-two finish in its first round pool along with Switzerland’s Volero Zurich and ahead of Vizura Beograd (Serbia) and RC Cannes (France). 39
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Amateur Boxing |
40
Trinidad &Tobago Amateur Boxing Association
41
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Past Award Winners YEAR
NAME
SPORT
1962
Roger Gibbon
Cycling
1963
Derryck Murray
Cricket
1964
Wendell Mottley
Athletics
1965
Roger Gibbon
Cycling
1966
Wendell Mottley
Athletics
1967
Roger Gibbon
Cycling
1968
Edwin Roberts
Athletics
1969
George Bovell II
Swimming
Joey Carew
Cricket
Charlie Davis
Cricket
Joan Porter
Athletics
Hasley Crawford
Athletics
Enid Brown
Netball
Bernard Julien
Cricket
Everard Cummings
Football
Leela Calpu
Table Tennis
Charlie Joseph
Athletics
Beena Narwani
Badminton
Derryck Murray
Cricket
Jean Pierre
Netball
Hasley Crawford
Athletics
Esther Hope
Athletics
Hasley Crawford
Athletics
Richard Fernandes
Swimming
Nadira Abdool
Table Tennis
Larry Gomes
Cricket
Althea Thomas
Cricket
Eddie Marcelle
Boxing
Maria Nunes
Golf
1971 1972 1973
1974 1975 1976 1977
1978 1979
42
YEAR
NAME
SPORT
1980
Patricia Bartlette
Swimming
Michael Solomon
Athletics
Claude Noel
Boxing
Patricia Bartlette
Swimming
Shawn Tavares
Chess
Elizabeth Dennis
Cricket
Leslie Stewart
Boxing
Gillian Forde
Athletics
Larry Gomes
Cricket
Elizabeth Gibson
Tennis
Leslie Stewart
Boxing
Debra O’Connor
Badminton
Gene Samuel
Cycling
Debra O’Connor
Badminton
Hazel Taylor
Netball
Gene Samuel
Cycling
Hazel Taylor
Netball
Augustine Logie
Cricket
Karen Greenridge
Tennis
Ian Bishop
Cricket
Euphemia Huggins
Athletics
Ian Bishop
Cricket
Debra O’Connor
Badminton
Gene Samuel
Cycling
Bridgette Adams
Netball
Ian Morris
Athletics
Elizabeth Gibson
Tennis
Brian Lara
Cricket
Debra O’Connor
Badminton
Brian Lara
Cricket
Siobhan Cropper
Swimming
Ato Boldon
Athletics
Cheryl Ann Sankar
Taekwondo
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
43
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
YEAR
NAME
SPORT
1996
Ato Boldon
Athletics
Cheryl Ann Sankar
Taekwondo
Ato Boldon
Athletics
Siobhan Cropper
Swimming
Ato Boldon
Athletics
Siobhan Cropper
Swimming
Brian Lara
Cricket
Siobhan Cropper
Swimming
Ato Boldon
Athletics
Fana Ashby
Athletics
Brian Lara
Cricket
Rheann Chung
Table Tennis
Darrel Brown
Athletics
Cleopatra Borel-Brown
Athletics
Brian Lara
Cricket
Candice Scott
Athletics
George Bovell III
Swimming
Candice Scott
Athletics
Brian Lara
Cricket
Candice Scott
Athletics
Stephen Ames
Golf
Jizelle Salandy
Boxing
Stephen Ames
Golf
Cleopatra Borel-Brown
Athletics
Richard Thompson
Athletics
Jizelle Salandy
Boxing
Renny Chow
Athletics
Josanne Lucas
Athletics
Roger Daniel
Shooting
Cleopatra Borel-Brown
Athletics
Roger Daniel
Shooting
Kelly-Ann Bapitste
Athletics
Keshorn Walcott
Athletics
Kelly-Ann Baptiste
Athletics
Jehue Gordon
Athletics
Giselle Ann Jackman
Powerlifting
George Bovell III
Swimming
Cleopatra Borel
Athletics
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
44
Jeffery Stollmeyer Memorial Award The First Citizens Sports Foundation is pleased to announce outstanding Sport Associations that have been nominated for the Jeffery Stollmeyer Memorial Award. This award was introduced in 1990 in the memory of the late Jeffery Stollmeyer who was himself an outstanding sportsman.
Previous Winners ADMINISTRATORS 1990 Mr. Alloy Lequay 1991 Mr. Ramwar Vishnu Mangalsingh 1992 Dr. Iva Gloudon 1993 Mr. Mushtaque Mohammed
Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control Trinidad and Tobago Automobile Sports Association Trinidad and Tobago Woman’s Hockey Association Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation
ASSOCIATIONS 1994 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control 1995 Trinidad and Tobago Taekwondo Association 1996 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control 1997 Tennis Association of Trinidad and Tobago 1998 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control 1999 Tennis Association of Trinidad and Tobago 2000 Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation 2001 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control 2002 Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board 2003 Trinidad and Tobago Woman’s Cricket Board 2004 National Amateur Athletic Association 2005 Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board 2006 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control 2007 Trinidad and Tobago Gold Association 2008 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control 2009 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control 2010 National Association of Athletics Administrators Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association 2011 National Association of Athletics Administrators 2012 Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation 2013 Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation 2014 National Association of Athletics Administrators (Large Category) Trinidad and Tobago Target Archery Federation (Small Category)
45
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Panel Members
46
Dr. Keith Clifford Chairman
Mr. Alexander Chapman, HBM
Dr. Terry Ali
Mr. Mark Mungal
Mrs. Catherine Forde
Mr. Edwin Skinner, HBM
Mr. Kwame Laurence
Mr. Wayne Smart
Ms. Candice Scott
Mrs. Sherril Peters, CM
Mrs. Ann Browne-John
Mr. Douglas Barzey
Company Representative Mr. Dexter Charles C/O First Citizens Group Corporate Communications 2nd Floor, DHL Building Churchill Roosevelt Highway El Socorro
Mrs. Trudy Louison Communications Officer Tel: 1-868-638-5917 ext 5863 Email: sport@firstcitizenstt.com Website: www.firstcitizens-sportsfoundation.com 47
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
Autographs
48
// sportsman & sportswoman of the year awards 2015
2