Brown, Scott top NAAA Athletes 2003

NATIONAL sprint star Darrel Brown, as expected, was named the “Male Athlete of the Year” by the National Amateur Athletic Association (NAAA) during their 2003 prize-giving ceremony at the La Joya Auditorium, St Joseph, on Saturday night. The 19-year-old, from the recently-formed Silver Bullet Athletic Club, was also presented with an award for the Most Outstanding Performance for the Year after he became the youngest medallist at the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Senior Championships in Paris, France, when he took silver in the 100-metre final in a time of 10.08 seconds. During the earlier rounds of the prestigious meet last August Brown, currently based at Auburn University, Alabama, clocked a world junior record time of 10.01.

It was also no surprise when 23-year-old Candice Scott was adjudged the “Female Athlete of the Year” due to her bronze medal performance at the Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic with an effort of 69.06 metres. The first local woman medallist in the history of the Games, the University of Florida student also showed her versatility last year, taking gold in the shot put during the National Senior Championships with a throw of 15.89m. In Scott’s absence, NAAA Public Relations Officer Nadine Hamid received the trophy on her behalf. Delivering the feature address at Saturday’s ceremony was NAAA president Ken Doldron, who expressed his gratitude for the track and field fraternity for their efforts in 2003, including the successful staging of the 32nd annual CARIFTA Track and Field Championships. He urged youths to get involved in sport instead of indulging in juvenile delinquency, adding “we cannot and must not fail them.” Preaching a similar message was Douglas Camacho, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), who urged the youths “to be positive role models and embrace sport as a vehicle for youth development.” Camacho, while heaping praises on the NAAA for their hosting of the CARIFTA event, pleaded to the audience “let us change the image the public, the corporate sector and Government has for sport in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Honours roll: BEST ATHLETE — Under-11: Nephema Callender (Memphis), Kevin Skinner (Memphis) and Kevon Solomon (Air Bon Sonics); U-13: Cassie Capiatha (Memphis), Declan Grappie (Concorde); U-15 (track): Jurnelle Francis (Burnley), Jervon John (Phoenix); U-15 (field): McKinney David (Point Fortin), James Eastman (Morvant Jets); U-17 (track): Pilar McShine (Success), Jamal James (Phoenix); U-17 (field): Rhonda Watkins (Bishop Anstey),Kellon Marshall (Dovers); U-20 (track): Wanda Hutson (Memphis) and Kelliann Baptiste (Zenith), Darrel Brown (Silver Bullet); U-20 (field): Sheron Mark (Bishop); Shawn Thomas (Zenith); Open (track): Darrel Brown, Fana Ashby (Concorde); Open (field): Candice Scott, Dave Stoute (Simplex); ROAD RUNNING: Pilar McShine, Curtis Cox (Athletic Central); Combined Events: Charisse Bacchus (Bishop), Mickey Reuben (Point Fortin).