In a landmark moment for Trinidad and Tobago sailing, Justin Bridgemohan concluded his inaugural appearance at the 2025 World Sailing Inclusion Championships with a 24th-place finish in the inclusive one-person championship division. The historic event, held at the Mussanah Sailing School in Oman on December 8, marked the Caribbean nation’s first-ever representation in para-sailing at this elite international level.
Competing under the banner of the Andrew Lewis Sailing Foundation, Bridgemohan demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout nine challenging rounds, ultimately accumulating a net score of 59. His campaign began with an unfortunate disqualification in the opening race after his vessel made contact with a marker. Undeterred by this setback, the debutant sailor mounted an impressive comeback, achieving consistently strong placements of eighth, ninth, 11th, fifth, 11th, sixth, second, and seventh in subsequent races.
Notably, without the initial disqualification, statistical analysis indicates Bridgemohan would have secured a position within the championship’s top 20 competitors. This performance becomes even more extraordinary considering the athlete has only been sailing for three months through the Andrew Lewis Sailing Academy’s local training program.
Bridgemohan’s journey to international competition began through the mentorship of coach Kristoff Stuven, a former national sailor, who recognized his potential despite the athlete’s recent introduction to the sport. In a post-competition interview from Oman, Bridgemohan appealed for public support to sustain his developing career, identifying the 2032 Brisbane Paralympics as his ultimate objective.
The pioneering sailor extended gratitude to multiple supporters including TT Paralympics Committee president Sudhir Ramesar, coach Stuven for expedition coordination, mentor Andrew Lewis, trainer Yannick Along, his family, and the Trinidad and Tobago Yachting Association for advancing para-sailing initiatives.