分类： sports

In an impressive display of athletic prowess, national middle-distance runners Nicholas Romany and Aniqah Bailey emerged victorious at the fourth annual Hardest Mile race held on December 26. The event provided thrilling alternative entertainment for spectators during the Boxing Day horse-racing festivities at Santa Rosa Park in Arima.

Over 100 determined runners tackled the demanding sandy terrain in pursuit of conquering the challenging one-mile course. Nicholas Romany demonstrated exceptional strategic racing, timing his final move perfectly to overtake Christopher Mitchell on the last bend. Romany crossed the finish line in an impressive 5 minutes and 1 second, securing the men’s title. Mitchell, who had maintained the lead for much of the race, finished just three seconds behind at 5:04 to claim second place.

Darius Harding captured third position in the men’s category with a time of 5:07, followed by Keron Ali (5:18) and former Carifta boys’ under-20 5,000-meter champion Tafari Waldron (5:29) in fourth and fifth places respectively.

Seventeen-year-old Aniqah Bailey delivered a remarkable performance in the women’s category, successfully defending her title with a significantly improved time of 5:52 compared to her previous winning time of 6:57. The rising star Nyla Kerr, aged just 14, claimed second place with a time of 6:04, demonstrating exceptional promise for future competitions.

The women’s category saw intense competition for third place, with Alexia John (6:29) narrowly edging out April Francis (6:31). Twelve-year-old Chennai Moore completed the top five with a time of 6:41, also earning second place in the girls’ under-14 age group behind Kerr.

Additional age category winners included Haqpera Khafra (women’s 20-29), Guswil George (men’s 40-49), Bauke Groen (men’s 50-59), and Beatrice Charles, who impressed in the women’s 60-plus category. The event showcased both elite athletic talent and inspiring participation across multiple age groups, highlighting the growing popularity of alternative sporting events during traditional holiday celebrations.

In a remarkable career resurgence, Trinidad and Tobago’s javelin sensation Keshorn Walcott has ascended to the pinnacle of his sport once again, capturing the World Athletics Championships gold medal in Tokyo with a spectacular 88.16-meter throw on September 18, 2025. This triumphant achievement culminated an extraordinary season that began with uncertainty but transformed into glory through strategic coaching changes and mental transformation.

The 32-year-old Olympic champion attributes his successful comeback to German biomechanics expert Dr. Klaus Bartonietz, whom he partnered with early in 2025. ‘I took a risk. As they say, no risk, no story,’ Walcott revealed during his acceptance speech after receiving Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s Sportsman of the Year award on December 29—his third such honor following previous wins in 2012 and 2016.

Walcott’s journey to world championship gold required overcoming psychological barriers that had previously hindered his performance at global competitions. ‘I went to every World Championship believing it wasn’t for me,’ he confessed. ‘Most of the time, every World Championship year, I would be having some sort of injury or some sort of problems.’

The Toco-born athlete described how a shift in mindset proved crucial: ‘This time, it was about really believing that it was possible. I just needed to make some small changes.’ This mental breakthrough, combined with Bartonietz’s technical expertise, created the perfect formula for success.

With his world championship victory now complement his Olympic gold (2012) and bronze (2016), Walcott has set ambitious targets for the 2026 season. He aims to surpass the 90-meter barrier—a feat he previously accomplished a decade ago in Lausanne with a national record of 90.16m. The upcoming season presents multiple opportunities for excellence, including the Central American and Caribbean Games, Commonwealth Games, Diamond League circuit, and the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

Despite his renewed success, Walcott maintains that no achievement can replicate the euphoria of his unexpected Olympic gold as a teenager in London. Nevertheless, he expressed profound gratitude for the recent recognition from his national Olympic committee, acknowledging the significance of having his dedication and hard work validated by the sporting community.

In a strategic move ahead of the 2026 TT Cricket Board Premiership I season, Bess Motors Marchin Patriots have secured the signature of dynamic Trinidad and Tobago Red Force opening batsman Kamil Pooran. The 29-year-old right-handed batter brings substantial first-class experience to last season’s runners-up, having featured in eight First-Class matches and four List A appearances throughout his career.

Pooran’s acquisition represents a significant coup for the Patriots, as the explosive batsman played pivotal roles in Central Sports’ consecutive Premiership I championship victories in 2024 and 2025. His recent form has been particularly impressive, highlighted by a match-winning performance in the inaugural West Indies T20 Breakout League final where he smashed 73 runs from just 44 deliveries to propel TT Legions to the title. Additionally, Pooran contributed to Trinidad and Tobago’s silver-medal campaign at the recent Bolivarian Games in early December.

The Patriots officially announced the signing through their social media channels on December 18, expressing enthusiasm about their new acquisition. The club’s statement emphasized Pooran’s proven track record as a pressure player ready for the big stage, noting that his addition would substantially enhance both the quality and depth of their batting lineup while elevating team standards.

This signing strengthens an already formidable Patriots squad that features multiple award-winning performers, including Evin Lewis—last season’s Premiership I Cricketer of the Year who amassed over 600 runs—and Kashtri Singh, both of whom were among the league’s top five cricketers for the 2025 campaign.

The 2026 TT Cricket Board Premiership I season is scheduled to commence on January 24, with the reinforced Marchin Patriots positioned as strong contenders for the championship.

In a significant development for Trinidad and Tobago cycling, elite sprinters Njisane Phillip and Makaira Wallace of JLD Cycling Academy, alongside professional enduro rider Alexi Costa-Ramirez, have received a High Court directive to present a settlement proposal to the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF). This judicial instruction emerged from a virtual hearing presided over by Justice Westmin James on December 30, focusing on the federation’s controversial scheduling of national selection trials for the Pan American Track Championships.

The court-mandated proposal aims to resolve the dispute surrounding the TTCF’s announcement of mandatory trials scheduled for January 17—a date that falls fewer than 12 weeks before the prestigious continental championships. The athletes, represented by attorney Dr. Emir Crowne, previously sought an injunction against the trials, asserting that the timing contravenes the federation’s constitutional provisions and established selection protocols.

Central to the cyclists’ legal challenge is their claim that the TTCF’s own policies explicitly require national trials to be conducted at least 12 weeks prior to international competitions. They further argue that this abrupt scheduling departure from established practices could potentially jeopardize Olympic qualification opportunities, which frequently depend on meticulously planned continental championship timelines.

TTCF president Rowena Williams acknowledged that no definitive decisions were reached during the hearing but expressed optimism regarding reaching a mutual agreement by January 2. The federation maintains that trials represent a legitimate selection methodology, noting that previous team selections have incorporated both competitive trials and discretionary choices. The TTCF additionally asserts that the January trial date received proper authorization through a council meeting attended by all three athletes involved in the current dispute.

Should the settlement negotiations prove unsuccessful, Justice James indicated the High Court stands prepared to issue a prompt ruling on the matter, potentially setting a significant precedent for athlete-federation relations in Trinidad and Tobago sports governance.

In a display of holiday-season athletic excellence, Trinidad and Tobago’s premier 3×3 basketball talents dominated Basketball Fan TT’s annual Christmas Cup competition on Boxing Day. The quartet comprising Chike Augustine, Tyrik Singh, and twin brothers Ahkeel ‘Smally’ Boyd and Ahkeem ‘Fatto’ Boyd, competing under the team name ‘Bad Santa’, captured the tournament championship with a decisive 18-11 victory over Oil Birds in the final showdown.

The event, hosted at Bon Air Basketball Court in Arouca, provided spectators with high-energy entertainment as the nationally recognized players demonstrated their court prowess. The victory marks back-to-back Christmas Cup titles for Singh, who previously triumphed in the 2024 edition with his former team ‘Three Wise Men’ alongside teammates Jason Friday and Jelani Valley.

Adding to his team’s accomplishments, Ahkeem ‘Fatto’ Boyd secured individual honors by claiming the tournament’s three-point shooting contest championship. His perimeter marksmanship, recently showcased while representing Trinidad and Tobago at the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup tournament in León, Mexico last November, proved superior against formidable competition.

Beyond the athletic achievements, the event served charitable purposes through a successful food donation drive. Participants and patrons contributed both perishable and non-perishable food items, with all non-perishable donations designated for charitable distribution selected by the winning Bad Santa team.

Basketball Fan TT extended gratitude to local sponsors and community supporters including Bon Air/Arouca/Cane Farm councillor Maria Baptiste, who provided the venue and entertainment infrastructure. The organization also acknowledged contributions from Action Sounds, Bless Convenience for the People Mini Mart, Chords on Steel, Country House Supermarkets, Kiss Baking Company, Los Alumnos de San Juan, PartyVerse Supplies, and numerous volunteers who ensured the event’s success.

The Harvard Cricket Clinic, a renowned Trinidad and Tobago youth development institution, will commemorate its 60th anniversary by paying tribute to founding coach Lenny Kirton throughout its 2026 season starting January 4th. The organization announced on December 29th the establishment of a $5,000 memorial bursary in Kirton’s name, to be awarded to the most outstanding graduate at June 2026’s closing ceremony.

The bursary criteria extend beyond cricketing prowess, emphasizing holistic development including discipline, educational achievement, and social skills. This approach reflects Kirton’s philosophy during his tenure, where he mentored future West Indies stars including Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, and batting legend Brian Lara. Remarkably, the clinic also nurtured 400-meter hurdles world champion Jehue Gordon before his track and field ascendancy.

Kirton, who passed away in April 2020 at age 82, was remembered as instrumental in maintaining focus on education and social development alongside athletic training. His sister Juliet Brooks expressed appreciation for the recognition, noting her brother’s private nature but believing the honor would have pleased him given his dedication to youth development.

The clinic’s new leadership team consists of former Trinidad and Tobago youth captain Lester Cassimy and ex-sports editor Valentino Singh, both 1970s alumni of Kirton’s program. They acknowledge cricket’s evolution from amateur pastime to professional career path in Trinidad and Tobago, promising operational modernization while preserving the clinic’s developmental ethos.

Supported by former national youth player Umesh Persad, Nadine Gonzales, and ten accredited coaches, the revitalized program will feature professional coaching, modern techniques, athletic conditioning, sports psychology, competitive match experience, performance analytics, and leadership development for participants aged 5-18.