22 December , Port of Spain,
Today we launch the #10golds24 Athlete Welfare and Preparation Fund, and, as a symbolic gesture to raise awareness of this much-needed initiative, Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee President Brian Lewis will participate (walk) in the 2015 Trinidad International Marathon, scheduled for January 25th .
The path to Olympic success requires full time commitment and and unstinting dedication. To be competitive, our elite and high performance athletes, both in individual and team sports need to be able to dedicate much more time and energy to their endeavors. For this to happen they need money.
Winning a medal at the Olympics demands years of sacrifice and single minded focus.
Many of our top athletes are not financially equipped to afford the time required to realize their full potential. Simply put, without our financial support, they can't be the best that can be.
As a nation, we have a history of providing financial rewards for our athletes after they have succeeded. There are far too many untold stories of talented young men and women who, not for want of effort, have had to give up their Olympic dream because they did not have the financial support to dedicate themselves fully.
The vision of #10golds 24 (10 or more Olympic Gold medals by 2024) is to enable Trinidad and Tobago's athletes to realize their full potential and their Olympic dreams.
The #10golds24 Athlete Welfare and Preparation Fund will provide financial assistance to our Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games athletes to enable them to train, recover and compete.
The Fund will seek to provide:
#direct support (stipend) to cover day-to-day living expenses
#medal bonus to reward success
#Health and Accident Insurance: Providing world class medical support for our top athletes is of paramount importance. Injury and illness can threaten an athlete's career if not identified and dealt with quickly.
#internships with Corporate T&T to prepare for life after sport #lifeskills training.