GAMES

AS the nation celebrates the success of gold medal Olympian, 19-year-old Keshorn Walcott, another teenager has promised to work hard to secure a medal when she competes at the London 2012 Paralympics later this month.

Physically challenged national swimmer Shanntol Ince will be competing in the 400-metre freestyle, 100-metre butterfly, and 100-metre backstroke events.

Shanntol, the Express Individual of the Year 2011, was born with a right leg significantly shorter than the left, but has astounded many by excelling in the pool.

The 17-year-old created history by becoming the country's first Paralympic athlete to compete at last year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.

She also won bronze medals at the Parapan Games held in Guadalajara, Mexico last November in the 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle.

Ince has also excelled at academics, passing all the subjects she wrote for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination this year.

Ince, of Claxton Bay, is also an ambassador in the Ministry of the People and Social Development Disability Programme where she is chosen to act as a spokesperson for persons with disabilities.

The Paralympics is held immediately following the Olympics and involves athletes with physical disabilities, including those with mobility and visual impairment, and amputees.

Ince told the Express yesterday that it was exciting and nerve-racking to have seen the athletes compete in the Olympics, and she was inspired by each effort.

She said Walcott's gold medal javelin throw "was pretty amazing to me".

Ince, who spoke with the Express from her home yesterday, said, "words can't describe how I feel right now. I feel very excited and nervous.

But I am prepared. I have been training hard. I will try my best. I am going to do my best.

Yes I am looking for gold but that is not my main focus. My main focus is to be the best I can, and not try to put too much pressure on myself because I can get really nervous at times, especially while waiting."

The last time this country won precious metal was at the New York 1984 Paralympics.

In that year, Rachael Marshall, whose hometown is Toco, won two gold medals in javelin throw and shot put, and a bronze in the 100 metres freestyle in swimming.

Marshall is the only Trinidad and Tobago national to win medals at the Paralympics the two times this country participated. This year will be the third time the country is participating in the Paralympics, and the first in 24 years.

Ince said she had increased her training from two hours, six days a week, to training for four hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in addition to the two hours on the other days.

She trains with the Marlins Swim Club with sessions at the 50 metre pool at St Anthony's College in Westmoorings. The one other Paralympic athlete competing in London is visually impaired Carlos Greene, in the shot put and discus throwing events.

The two athletes leave for the competition on August 24 and return on September 11.

The games officially begin on August 27 and end on September 9.

Five persons will accompany the athletes on the journey, among them president of Trinidad and Tobago Paralympics Committee, Kenneth McKell, his wife Debra McKell who is the Committee's administrative officer, and coaches Franz Huggins and Lester Osouna.

Ince's father St Paul Ince said although he would not be able to travel to London to be with his daughter, he would be watching every event on television.

He added, "It is indeed and honour for her to be able to reach that far."

By Sue-Ann Wayow

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

The first one was won by Hasley Crawford in the 100 metre sprint in Montreal, 36 years ago.

'On behalf of the people of Trinidad & Tobago, we thank you, Keshorn, and may the Lord continue to bless you,'Persad-Bissessar shouted into a microphone over the chanting crowd.

Walcott, who is from the tiny Trinidadian farming village of Toco, looked slightly stunned by the outpouring of gratitude from his countrymen.

'I was proud to carry the flag of T&T and thanks to everyone for all the support and thanks to Mum and Dad, my brothers and sister,' said Walcott, who was the world junior champion in javelin before his big weekend win at the London Olympics.

Other dignitaries from countries all over the world turned out to greet the returning athletes, including Algeria's sports minister Hachemi Dijar, who was there to greet the country's only medal winner Taoufik Makhloufi when he landed back from the London games. Makhloufi won gold in the men's 1500m final.

Meanwhile Qatar's bronze medal winners received a warm welcome from Shiekh Joann bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the son of the Emir of Qatar.

Nasser al-Attiyah took bronze in the skeet men's final in the shooting at London 2012, while high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim also returned to Qatar decorated with a bronze medal.

Brazilian medal-winners touched down on home soil bearing the Olympic flag from London, making the start of four years of preparations ahead of the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio mayor Eduardo Paes waved the flag, which is emblazoned with the five Olympic rings, as he and other officials disembarked from their flight back from London.

Mr Paes said it was an 'important moment' for Rio and the country as a whole.

'I see the arrival of this Olympic flag as not the start, but the consolidation of an important process of transformation for the city of Rio de Janeiro,' he said.

'Rio is a city that spent the lion's share of its history, much more time than it should have, looking towards the past. I'm sure that this process of transformation, this turning toward the future, has been consolidated here.'

The man responsible for shaping Keshorn Walcott into an Olympic gold medallist, Cuban throws coach Ismael Lopez, says there is no limit to the heights the talented teenager can attain.

"His best quality is dedication, so we can achieve anything. Wow. I feel very happy. I'm very proud of Keshorn. I don't have words to describe."

Walcott became only the second Trinidad and Tobago athlete in Olympic history to strike gold, when he won the men's javelin with an 84.58 metres throw, at the Olympic Stadium, here in London, England, on Saturday.

Walcott's winning throw was a 1.75-metre improvement on his pre-Olympic personal best—82.83m. The 84.58m effort is a new Pan American junior (under-20) and national senior record. It lifted Walcott into second spot on the all-time global under-20 list, behind Latvia's Zigismunds Sirmais, the world junior record holder at 84.69m.

Lopez told the Express he was not surprised by Walcott's London 2012 performance.

"For me, I expected the junior world record. We were working at making his first throw relaxed. If the first throw is good, it makes things easier."

As planned, Walcott was relaxed for his first round effort, throwing the javelin 83.51m. In round two, he improved to 84.58m—the throw that would earn T&T its first taste of Olympic gold since Hasely Crawford's men's 100m triumph in 1976.

Dexter Voisin, the T&T track and field manager at London 2012, said that Walcott's triumph could not have been anticipated.

"It was a surprise to anybody. I sat among European coaches and saw amazement in their faces.

"This shows that once you put your mind to something and stick to the game plan, you can achieve anything. Keshorn is a very disciplined guy, takes training very seriously, listens to his coach, and has a strong mind. He's the ideal athlete."

T&T chef de mission, Annette Knott, also praised the 19-year-old Toco thrower.

"Quiet confidence. He works hard, without any fuss."

Walcott has had an arduous but highly rewarding season, striking gold at the Carifta Games, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Championships, World Junior Championships, and now the Olympic Games.

Lopez said his athlete will now get a well-deserved rest, before beginning preparations for the 2013 season.

"We have to take care of him. Keshorn was invited to two meets in Europe, but he'll go home. For him, the season is finished."

Walcott's main focus in 2013 will be the World Championships, in Moscow, Russia. Hitting the 90-metre mark is also among the thrower's goals for next season.

Lopez said he is looking forward to the continued support of the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (sportt).

"I'm grateful for the camp in Cuba in April and May that they paid for. It made a big difference in Keshorn's preparations."

He said the pre-Olympic camp in Cardiff, Wales, was beneficial as well.

"It had all the facilities, everything, and played a key part in Keshorn's performance."

While Walcott has a rare gift for hurling the spear, Lopez is convinced there are other potential Olympic champions in T&T waiting to be discovered.

"There are more like him, but something needs to be in place to develop field events. We need facilities. The throwers and jumpers cannot always train at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Because of football games, the field is not always available. A field events facility is needed."

Lopez said throwing talent abounds in both Toco and Tobago.

"You have to look long-term. Start at 12/13. At that age, you have the time to teach different skills for throws. At age 15/16, the athletes can specialise in a particular throw."

If Lopez has his way, the Walcott win—arguably the biggest surprise of London 2012—will not be a one-off occurrence never to be repeated, but rather, the first of many global field successes for a nation that has built its Olympic reputation on the track.

By Keshorn Walcott

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

A truly memorable Olympic Games came to an end yesterday here in London, England, with T&T still celebrating its four medals—one gold and three bronze. Keshorn Walcott, in his debut, created the frenzy when he inspired T&T’s second-ever Olympic gold medal with a spectacular performance in the in the Men’s Javelin. Walcott’s tremendous feat later inspired the local 4x100 metres relay team of Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender and Marc Burns, to third place. It was also a special occasion for another debutant Lalonde Gordon, who picked up two bronze medals, first in the individual 400m, before combining with Jarrin Solomon, Deon Lendore and Ade Alleyne-Forte in the 4x400m relay final. T&T was not the only Caribbean country in a celebratory mode, as triple-gold medallist Usain Bolt led the Jamaican contingent which surely had a lot to cheer about, as well as Kirani James’ Grenada and Chris Brown’s Bahamas. Jamaica’s overall medal tally was 12—four gold, four silver and four bronze while James gave Grenada its first medal at the Games in the 400m, and Bahamas topped the 4x400m, a beautiful ending for the Caribbean.

Their performances caught the attention of former T&T sprinter medallist Ato Boldon, a four-time Olympic medal winner himself. “You cannot doubt that the Caribbean has had an absolutely phenomenal games. A phenomenal games for me is not just Shelly–Ann Fraser-Pryce and Usain Bolt, who you’d expect to come here and do well because they have done well here before,” said Boldon.  “Obviously, Kirani James winning Grenada’s first Olympic medal and its gold, Keshorn Walcott from T&T, just the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen from a T&T national. “Lalonde Gordon’s bronze in the 400m was special. T&T relays, both getting third and Jamaica world’s record. Overall it was phenomenal performance.” Despite being pleased with the achievements of the youngsters, Boldon called on each country to start preparing now for the future. “To come to your first Olympic Games as a teenager and win a medal—specifically T&T, we have a bad habit of not making things that are really great in our sporting past be that catalyst to make things be better. “In both T&T and Grenada, it would really be a dis-service to Keshorn and Kirani, if 10, 15 or 20 years from now you can’t point back and say 10 or 15 years ago when that happen we did ‘x’ and that is why we have three or four medallists now.”

Boldon said it was obvious eveyone would want to celebrate this great achievement. “My concern, (is that) it is not a reason to exhale.” He encouraged the other Caribbean heads to follow in the footsteps of Jamaica. “Jamaica never takes their foot off the gas. If Jamaica came home from London with 20 medals, they will be trying to figure out how to get 25. I would like to see the powers that be, the government, get serious about Olympic athletes.” At the closing ceremony last night, George Bovell carried the T&T flag. Bovell, who made his fourth appearance at the Games, competed in the final of the 50 metre freestyle event and finished seventh. He represented T&T at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. At the 2004 edition, he won a bronze medal in the men's 200 Individual medley (IM). It was also the first-ever Olympic swimming medal for the country, and T&T's only medal from the 2004 Olympics. Bovell also carried the T&T flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.