St Louis, Chung among First Citizens nominees

The ceremony will honour the top performers for 2013, and will take place under the distinguished patronage of President Anthony Carmona.

A total of 52 sports personalities (30 male and 22 female) will be vying for the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year accolades.

Here are eight of the nominees for the Sportsman and Sportswoman titles.

(TABLE TENNIS)

DEXTER ST LOUIS

Still competing at 45. Still winning.

Dexter St Louis is an international icon of table tennis as he proved (again) at the 2013 Caribbean Championships in Gros Islet, St Lucia. He reigned supreme as regional singles champion for the fifth-time thanks to an 11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 triumph over Emil Santos of the Dominican Republic. He later teamed up with step-daughter Rheann Chung to capture a seventh mixed doubles title in this competition following a 13-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-2 over the Dominican duo of Juan Vila and Eva Brito. St Louis guided his Trinidad and Tobago teammates, Curtis Humphreys and Davis Mahabir, to second-place in the men’s team competition behind the Dominican Republic. St Louis earned a bronze medal in the doubles competition, along with Humphreys.

RHEANN CHUNG

There was disappointment mixed with success for Chung at the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in St Lucia, yet she still managed another medal laden experience. Chung was leading the Dominican Republic’s Eva Brito 2-0 but Brito, Caribbean Under-21 and Under-18 champion managed to storm back and capture four straight sets, thus denying Chung a sixth Caribbean women’s singles title.

By then Chung had thrown down quite a few signature displays in St Lucia. She won a seventh Caribbean mixed doubles title with her step-father Dexter St Louis, guided Trinidad and Tobago to a 3-1 victory over Guyana in the women’s team final and earned a silver medal in the women’s doubles event with 11-year old teammate, Jasher De Gannes.

Chung also captured the women’s singles title at the Tournoi National de Poitiers on the French circuit.

(VOLLEYBALL)

DANEIL WILLIAMS

NORCECA’s Beach Volleyball Circuit brings with it a very basic but special reward — the opportunity to travel around this tropical oasis known as the Caribbean Basin, visiting exotic destinations and competing at scenic beaches.

But there is also a lot of work involved and Trinidad and Tobago’s Daniel Williams was one who knew when to knuckle down and get to work when it mattered. Along with partners Simon Blake and Fabian Whitfield, Williams earned a ranking of sixth-place overall at the end of his eight-tournament schedule for 2013, with 305 points. His best display came at Guatemala City (April 19-21), where he and Blake earned fifth-place in the men’s competition.

SINEAD JACK

She not only stood head and shoulders above most of her competition —in both a literal and figurative sense —but also made some history as well.

Sinead Jack is all of 20 years old but the 193cm tall standout is already making a big impact all-round. At the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship at Omaha, Nebraska in the USA, last September, she was named as the competition’s Best Blocker — the first ever player from this country to earn an individual award at a senior NORCECA event – as she helped Trinidad and Tobago to a sixth-place finish. She was also named to the tournament’s All-Star Team.

(BADMINTON)

KERWYN PANTIN

After witnessing some of his thunder being taken away from him during the previous two years, Kerwyn Pantin decided to strike back with lightning.

On March 28 he regained the national men’s singles title after dethroning two-time defending champion Rahul Rampersad in the semi-finals and then defeating Alistair Espinoza 21-16, 21-15 in the championship match to win his seventh TTBA national men’s crown.

At the prestigious Solo Open in May, Pantin was again in top form as he beat Espinoza (21-12, 21-13) to capture the singles trophy. Pantin then teamed up with Keston Friday to win the doubles title over the duo of Otis Fleary and Keeron Garcia.

VIRGINIA CHARIANDY-

BALWANT

The story of one of the most amazing comebacks in Trinidad and Tobago sports continues for 52-year-old Gina Chariandy-Balwant.

In January 2013, she won two gold medals at the 2013 Graham/Toms US Senior Badminton International in Miami Lakes, Florida after triumphing in both the 50s women’s doubles and 40s mixed doubles finals. At that same tournament, Chariandy-Balwant earned a bronze medal in the 50s mixed doubles contest. Additional bronze medal experiences also came at the World Masters Games in Turin, Italy (Over-35 women’s doubles and Over-35 team) and the Canadian Masters in Vancouver (Over-45 women’s doubles).

In November she collaborated with Solange Guzman to capture the silver medal in the women’s doubles competition at the Suriname International Badminton Open in Paramaribo.

(CANOE/KAYAK)

JOHN HORSFALL

With Trinidad and Tobago enjoying such a great warm climate, kayaking along any adequate body of water is not a bad thing to do on a sun-drenched day.

John Horsfall was one of the elite group of participants – from over 35 competitors in total — who enjoyed success during the 2013 Ortoire River Race on September 1. He took the 14 km long course event title in one hour, 19.36 minutes thanks to an astounding victory on his surfski over three-time defending champion, David Hackshaw. Prior to this event, Horsfall had given sound warning that he had been working his way into excellent form, after he triumphed in the second of two warm-up races, from Williams Bay to Pelican Island on August 18, in 34:07 minutes.

KERCHELLE HINKSON

At the short course 2013 Ortoire River Race, first place among the female participants went to Kerchelle Hinkson.

The 19-year-old, who was a student of Bishop Anstey Girls’ High School, also managed fourth-place overall behind male competitors Vernon Lee Kin, Sherlon Pierre and Matthew Robinson as she recorded a time of 46.44 minutes to finish ahead of Keian Huggins (47.53), the fifth-place competitor who was the second woman to cross the line in this category. Hinkson is currently aiming towards competing in the 2014 CAC Games in Veracruz, Mexico.