Salandy in France for handball finals Members

He told the gathering: “We have been developing our team rapidly over the last few years.

Thanks to the executive committee who have been working very hard to make this happen.” Salandy also expressed gratitude for the support given by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the International Federation.

“We look forward to TT being in the World Championships in the next few years,” he declared.

Piquart told guests at the reception last week: “This World Championship tournament in France 2017, and indeed our own gathering here tonight, are evidence that sport is a great unifier of peoples.

Handball may be a big sport in France, but here tonight, we are witness to another stage in the development of the sport in Trinidad and Tobago. We at the Embassy of France are honoured to be host to tonight’s exciting stage in the evolution of this sport in Trinidad and Tobago.

We know that this evolution will continue to be in good hands, under the capable and energetic leadership of the Trinidad and Tobago Handball Association and its energetic president, Mr Roger Salandy.” He then wished Salandy bon voyage, on the eve of his departure to Paris for the final stages of festival of handball.

Earlier the Ambassador said France occupies a prominent place in the world of sport. With 42 medals of which 10 were gold, France ended in seventh place among the most successful nations at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

He said: “It is also true that it was a Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, who is credited with having revived the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, after more than 2000 years of inactivity. So you can imagine that this is a very exciting time for French sport, particularly for players and fans of the sport of handball, considering that France, apart from hosting these World Championships, also comes into this tournament as defending champion.” Piquart added that, in the context of team sports in France, handball accounts for the third highest number, over half a million, of registered players and over 35 percent of the players are women.

He also stated that French men’s and women’s national teams have won 14 titles in total from among the Mediterranean, European, Olympic, and World Championships.

Salandy then explained the rudiments of handball to guests via a video presentation.