How many know that this year marks the centenary celebrations of the legal abolition of Indian indentureship but indentureship officially ended in 1920 and not 1917 as the books tell? How many know that the slave trade flourished in part because tribal chiefs sold their own people to colonisers, so much so, that today, some West African nations have issued formal apologies to their people for their role in the the slave trade? Many such stories remain hidden from us as we perpetuate certain truths either through ignorance or personal and political agendas.

Last Saturday, The National Council for Indian Culture held their second of the Quarterly Distinguished Lecture Series.

The speaker, Professor Brinsley Samaroo, retired head of the History Department at the University of the West Indies and former fellow at The University of Trinidad and Tobago’s Academy for Arts, Letters, Culture and Public Affairs, has written extensively on labour movements in the Caribbean, Indo-Caribbean history, and migration.

His most recent book was The Price of Conscience: Howard Noel Nankivell and Labour Unrest in the British Caribbean.

Professor Samaroo noted in his opening remarks last Saturday that he was particularly pleased that the lecture was taking place in Chaguanas because most things happened in two places – Port of Spain, where everything happened, and The University of the West Indies.

He said decentralisation was necessary in order to move the centre and develop central Trinidad as a place of ideas because, “As a society, we lack ideas and thoughts.” Thus began a very important lecture, a prelude of sorts to a book by the speaker (hopefully soon to be published), on the life of Adrian Cola Rienzi or Krishna Deonarine as he was formerly known.

Today, when we think of the labour movement, the name that comes to mind is that of Uriah “Buzz” Butler. While Adrian Cola Rienzi is one that we do associate with the movement, his importance has been downplayed according to Professor Samaroo’s recent research. Among the many points raised on Rienzi’s importance was his role in not only establishing the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers’ Trade Union but in the setting up of trade unions in the Caribbean.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers’ Trade Union, founded in 1937 as the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union by Rienzi. And so the timing for such a public lecture is more than appropriate, particularly now that sugar has been knocked off the list and there is need to redefine the work space.

The question often asked of history is that of its purpose. While this column sheds some insight into the content of the lecture it does not wish to regurgitate the material of the lecture, but rather to ask the question: what exactly is the historian’s project? Or rather, what does the historian work towards and what is his role in the development of the imagination and public knowledge? Why is this story, for instance, being told now? I believe that the discovery of new knowledge is often a sign of the times. It is also often an indication of the urgency of certain narratives. The project is therefore also intuitive as much as it is prompted by the researcher’s insights into the society.

In a time of retrenchments and recession, for instance, one is now forced to redefine the work landscape, to redefine the skills required– traditional versus modern.

As such, many of the accompanying facets of work too will have to be considered such as infrastructure, education, laws etc. We are now required to think of work in a different way.

The story of the life of Adrian Cola Rienzi is, therefore, not only that of a man who lobbied for workers’ rights or about someone who argued for voting rights for the East Indian population. It is a story of the diaspora– a story of the collisions, contestations, unities, divisions, governance and law.

And like many other stories, it will inevitably leave gaps to be filled and offer the opportunity to pursue and d e v e l – op new knowl – edge.

B u t m o r e import ant l y, the story has been told.

One only has to recall her ground-breaking exercise segments on the morning magazine programme, Dateline, and her subsequent advocacy in the field, to conclude that fitness has played an intrinsic role in her life .

“I have always loved fitness,” Alcantara tells Sunday Newsday .

“It falls among my passions of literature, theatre and communications .

Fitness keeps me strong, focussed, motivated and positive. It is my lifeline to living life in balance.” And while she is satisfied with her years as an enthusiast and campaigner, Alcantara feels the time has come to take things up a notch given the prevalence of chronic lifestyle diseases in the society .

She gave staggering statistics which showed there were an estimated 140,300 cases of diabetes diagnosed in Trinidad and Tobago in 2015 and noted that obesity continued to pose a major challenge for health care practitioners .

“Today, obesity is crushing our country’s health and services sectors and is a problem that ought to be viewed as a national issue,” she said .

“In focusing on obesity and physical inactivity, and all the diseases downstream from that, there is an urgent need to instil the importance of health and fitness in our nation.” Through a new and exciting project which she calls the Fitness Revolution, Alcantara is hoping to, at the very least, begin the process of reversing such trends .

She said the project, set to debut on television in mid-September, will focus on communities, targeting not just the exercise buffs but children and those who generally desire to lead healthy lives. “The Fitness Revolution will target the kids, our most vulnerable. We have to teach them the importance of nutrition and exercise in fun ways so that they avoid the pitfalls of obesity and diabetes which are so rampant today. So, there will be lots of competitions and opportunities for us to work together for the benefit of all.” But The Fitness Revolution, she said, would not be a one-man show as experts in various disciplines – nutrition, weight-training, pilates, capoeira, zumba and other areas – have graciously consented to be a part of the project .

They include top national body-builder/gym owner Dexter Simon; registered yoga teacher Abdullah Mohammed; pilates instructor Madeleine Miller and technical director of Hip Hop International Ian Levia .

Simon, who has won numerous awards, told Spotlight his focus would be on abdominal exercises as well as shoulders, bicep and tricep workouts .

The fitness trainer, who has acquired a huge local and foreign-based clientele over the years, said he would also provide tips on dieting and the approach to training so that people could get optimal results from their workout .

“During the segments, I will provide words of inspiration to the people, not only focusing on training,” said Simon, who has been involved in sport and fitness for about two decades .

“It is not just about what we do but what we could inspire others to do from seeing our efforts and our commitment.” Simon said his goal would be to promote holistic living .

More than a television programme, Alcantara said the health and fitness outreach initiative would pivot social media platforms, events and workshops where the experienced professionals could interact directly with the public .

“The Revolution will educate and inform children and adults of all ages. We want to reach the nation so that together we all learn more about living and enjoying healthy lives.” Observing that much has happened in terms of technology and fitness over the years, Alcantara said the Fitness Revolution would build on the Fit For Life series but would move in a more dynamic and technology-driven direction .

Alcantara, the Fitness Revolution’s producer, was confident that the project would fulfil its mandate .

“There are so many health and wellness programmes, websites and shows around nowadays, a virtual plethora of resources that anyone can access,” Alcantara said. “Yet, I continue to receive feedback from so many people on a daily basis about how hard it is to find the programme that works best for them, how to incorporate a fitness regimen into their busy lives and the overall motivation to keep going and maintain a healthy lifestyle.” She added: “I feel what has been missing is that thread that pulls all of the disjointed elements of wellness together and ties it to the actual day to day reality of a person .

“This is what we are all seeking, a way to become better, healthier, more productive and happier without sacrificing and compromising on the essential components of our lives .

“And we all know, it is almost impossible to experience that happiness and peace if the body is unwell.” The managing director of Media Methods Limited, Alcantara became a household name in the 1970s and 80s as the mild-mannered co-host of the television programme, Dateline, which aired on Trinidad & Tobago Television (TTT) .

During her latter years on the set, she introduced a fitness segment to the show, a rarity on local television at that time .

Later, when she started her own production company, Alcantara created Fit For Life, which dealt, in a more specific way, on exercise and elements of health and fitness .

“The Fit For Life programme was an amazing life experience,” Alcantara said. “It allowed me to interact with fitness professionals across the country and to find ways through which to educate and motivate viewers with respect to living healthy lives.” “It was a journey of evolution and learning and it allowed the brand to build credibility .

For that, I am truly grateful.” Coincidentally, TTT, which was closed in January 2005 because of financial difficulties, is set to return with a focus on exclusively local programming and Government information .

Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie announced on Thursday that State-owned Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG) would be shut down to pave the way for the return of a new and improved TTT .

Alcantara, who welcomed the move, said although TTT had been shut down and replaced by CNMG, its legacy remained etched in the minds of a wide cross-section of the citizenry .

“A brand is a brand and CNMG never really took off, perhaps because of the newness of the name and its struggle to compete. It eventually went the same way as the other stations.” Asked if she would consider offering the Fitness Revolution to TTT when it comes on stream, Alcantara is maintaining a wait-andsee approach .

“I can’t see that it will be a bad thing. TTT had always been a known station and I think it will be a lovely platform for people involved in film and local culture to put their work out there,” she said .

“But, I can’t say what their plan will be. In any event, a focus on local culture is always good.” Unlike the Fit For Life series she pioneered, Alcantara said the the Fitness Revolution has gone a step further by providing resources, information and guidance to address the critical components of daily life with a view to creating balance, improved health and happiness .

Alcantara said while exercise routines and physical fitness were a focal point of the Revolution, the programme would also address mental health, stress management, self-esteem, daily inspiration and time management .

“The Revolution looks at the whole person, the whole being, the balance within the self and outside of the self in our daily lives.” Alcantara hopes the project will receive support from the relevant ministries “so that we can reach communities in meaningful ways.” “I am confident that the Fitness Revolution will inspire and motivate us to live healthier lives and I look forward to bringing it on stream.”

And Jones, bound for Germany in January, is ready to shoulder the responsibility, adding that he sees the importance of delivering the goods and meeting the expectations.

The Seattle Sounders left back took part in yesterday morning’s training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Couva and immediately began to take aim at the Hondurans.

“It’s a massively important game for us. I think everybody is clear about that,” Jones said.

“The last time we played them it was not a pretty experience for us.

We conceded early and we couldn’t get ourselves back into the match and this time we need to make them know how that experience feels. We are at home and I think we can get it together and pull off a performance that will bring us three points,” he continued.

“I think I owe the country in the hex now. In the past few games, I had what I would say not awful but bad performances .This is like a final to us. We need three points to stay alive. I had a good week of preparation between ball work and fitness. I am looking forward to the game and very excited about it,” Jones added.

He mentioned that there has been constant dialogue between himself and fellow midfielder Kevin Molino about the forthcoming fixtures.

“Everyday, myself and Kevin have been talking about these games. And about how making it to a World Cup can change our lives.

I think that is in the back of our minds but first we need to take care of business on the pitch and that is the main focus now for Friday and then onto Panama,” Jones said.

“Looking back at the last match with Honduras (in November 2016), it’s not much we want to remember but I wasn’t pleased with the way I performed and now it’s a chance to step up. Hopefully by God’s grace and with the right approach we can get it down right on the day and give the fans something to be happy about and keep our chances alive,” the former W Connection man added.

In related news, Honduras have recalled veteran striker Carlo Costly for Friday’s match. The Olimpia player has returned to the national team after an 18-month absence, coach Jorge Luis Pinto has said.

The 35-year-old quit international football in March 2016 after publicly falling out with Pinto, but the pair have settled their differences, the former Colombia and Costa Rica manager told a media conference on Friday.

“Carlo is playing his best football in years. We hope that he can carry on that form for the national team,” Pinto said. “As the coach, I know what I should do, and he knows what he needs to do on the pitch.

We’ve brought him in to the team at an opportune time.” Honduras are currently fifth in the CONCACAF standings with five points, nine points behind leaders Mexico. TT are rooted at the bottom with three points.

Honduras squad (clubs in brackets) GOALKEEPERS: Donis Escober (Olimpia), Luis Lopez (Real Espana), Ricardo Canales (Vida).

DEFENDERS: Bryan Beckeles (Necaxa), Maynor Figueroa (Dallas), Henry Figueroa and Felix Crisanto (Motagua), Carlos Sanchez (Honduras Progreso), Jhonny Palacios (Olimpia), Ever Alvarado (Olimpia), Emilio Izaguirre (Al-Fayha, Arabia), Jhonny Leveron (Marathon).

MIDFIELDERS: Bryan Acosta (Tenerife, Espana), Jorge Claros (Real Espana), Alexander Lopez (Olimpia), Alfredo Mejia (Xanthi, China), Oliver Morazan, (Juticalpa), Esdras Padilla (Juticalpa), Sergio Pena (Real Sociedad), Carlos Discua (Motagua), Boniek García (Houston), Juan Delgado (Honduras Progreso).

FORWARDS: Anthony Lozano (Barcelona B), Rony Martinez (Baoding Yingli Yitong), Alberth Elis (Houston), Romnell Quioto (Houston), Carlo Costly (Olimpia), Ovidio Lanza (Juticalpa), Eddie Hernandez (Motagua).

The nuclear scientist who resides in Kingston, Ontario, with her husband, Canadian Ted Bailey and their four children ages two to eight, had been appointed for one term, until December 31, to the inaugural board of directors of the Tourism Kingston (Ontario) Board made up of representatives from the community and city council.

The board sets the strategic direction for the Tourism Kingston Organisation, the destination marketing organisation for the city.

It undertakes tourism marketing and development initiatives to ensure that Kingston remains a destination of choice for visitors from all over the world.

Tourism marketing activities are directed towards promoting the competitive advantages the city holds in areas of leisure, travel trade, meetings and conventions and sport tourism.

As a young university undergraduate, Bowles-Mortley volunteered with an organisation called Youth Diversion Programme and continues as an active member.

One of Youth Diversion’s mandates is to help at-risk youth and give them a restorative approach to be better people.

In June, Bowles-Mortley received the Distinction of Service Award from the Province of Ontario, Canada, for ten years of volunteerism in its Youth Diversion programme.

Accolades already bestowed on this “nuclear” woman in this programme include the Andrea Van Blaricom Volunteer of the Year Award, Youth Division, Kingston, Ontario in 2006, Volunteer Service Awards for five-year service and dedication as a volunteer in Ontario in 2010, and member of the Youth Justice Committee designated by the Ministry of the Attorney General in 2011.

It is an alternative to formal proceedings under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

A police officer or crown attorney can request that a youth participate in the programme instead of going through court.

The committee is selected out of a panel of volunteers who are interested in working with young people and who support the programme’s philosophy.

The aim is to include people who reflect the diverse composition of the community.

As a director of The Herbarium Limited, founded by her mother Cheryl Bowles, which manufacturers Cher Mere natural personal products in TT, Bowles-Mortley is responsible for the introduction of the Cher Mere INatural line specifically created for natural hair grooming.

In 2013 this “millennial” woman opened Cher Mere Canada and runs spas in Kingston, Ontario. More than half of organic shoppers are millennials with children. Parents 18 to 34 represent the largest group of organic consumers in the United States.

It was on Bowles-Mortley’s recommendation that Cher Mere enhanced its organic line to cater for this trend.

“I am now carrying the flame and my goal is to internationalise the brand,” Bowles-Mortley said.

The first four products recently launched in Bowles-Mortley’s new line of products using Trinidad cocoa, moringa and charcoal, called Spa Naturals, are a cuticle crème and three masks all 100 per cent natural with no chemicals.

“We will roll out other products, such as, body oil, massage oil and advanced skin treatments in this line,” Bowles-Mortley said. “The men have not been left out as a treatment for beards is in the pipeline.” Without difficulty, the nuclear scientist swings into explanation of her use of, “Trinidad cocoa which is the best quality in the world for the chocolate mask… It is rich in antioxidants which is beneficial as an anti-aging product for rejuvenating the skin and reducing the wrinkle bandwidth.

“All parts of the moringa plant are beneficial for the moringa mask, which purifies the skin and is also rich in antioxidants, natural vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

It’s a gorgeous skin mask for all types of skin.” Bowles-Mor t l ey continued, “And finally, the charcoal mask detoxifies the skin, reduces impurities so pores look smaller and is great for oily to combination skin which may have blemishes and dark marks.” B ow l e s – M o r t – ley wears numerous hats, yet enjoys being healthy and staying fit through running, boxing and astanga yoga.

She is a firm believer that “all work and no play makes one a dull person” having participated in the ING Ottawa Half-Marathon; Beat Beethoven run and the Wolfe Island 10K Classic Run.

All this and Bowles-Mortley still finds time to be a hands-on mom and is about to take her children on a Canadian vacation road trip.

What next is in store for this nuclear Trini millennial?

I first met Deborah at The Bomb newspaper where we worked as colleagues with Cecil Parris and Irene Medina. We formed a formidable team that had the Bomb rocking along with Louis Lee Sing, Horace Monsegue, Rod Lewis and the late Trever Smith. The Bomb throbbed with delight as our readers’ week began on Fridays.

As young journalists we wrote on every topic and toiled under the late great journalist, Patrick “Choko” Chookolingo, for meagre pay but that didn’t daunt our spirits.

Deborah, the daughter of journalistic great George John, had a cheerful and chirpy personality which sustained the crew in difficult times. However, we learned the rudiments of journalism under Choko, who was a hard taskmaster.

Like Deborah, I worked on the newly-established Sun Newspaper under editor Lance Baptiste. It was on the Sun desk Deborah distinguished herself as a feature writer, dealing with pan, calypso and the arts. No wonder she moved up the ladder to publication/features editor at the Express newspaper.

She was indeed a cheerful soul.

Condolences to her family and media friends.

KEITH ANDERSON via email

Since the country’s Independence in 1962, athletics has been the main medal winner at the Olympic Games .

Athletics has been the only category in which the country has medalled, except for one bronze in swimming by George Bovell in 2004. What about Keshorn Walcott’s javelin gold in the 2012 London Olympics you ask? That too is athletics, which consists of both track and field events including hurdles, shot put, javelin throw, hammer throw, discus throw, long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault and other sports .

In fact, the focus on athletics has been so great that 181 of 255 slots have been filled by its participants .

(Slots is the designation as some athletes participate in more than one event.) Sunday Newsday recently spoke with Dr Basil Ince, Caribbean sports historian, past president of the National Association of Athletics Administration and former minister of external affairs, to get his take on athletics in TT .

In 1959, Ince, 84, won gold and silver medals in the 400m and 4x400m relays respectively at the Pan American Games. Also, in 1976, he served as the manager of the TT track team for the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, where Hasely Crawford won gold in the 100m race .

Ince was also the first Trinidadian to be ranked in the top ten of the world’s best 400-metre sprinters .

Even within athletics however, Ince said the “field” in track and field, was not as popular and not as developed as track for several reasons .

The first, according to Ince, is that there were very few local professional coaches in these events. Today, he believes local universities should be training and putting out educated coaches to be placed in every school. “When you are a baby, you crawl, then walk, then run. No one had to coach you and tell you how to do it. You just run. In field, it’s different .

You have to have technical coaches and we never really had those sorts of coaches in Trinidad and Tobago.” Ince added that while track was less technical, proper coaching was still necessary. He said the early winners in international track came from Queen’s Royal College (QRC ). These included sprinters such as himself, Wendell Mottley, Edward Skinner, McDonald Bailey and others .

He said the reason QRC had so many international successes was because the coach there, John Grell, had studied abroad and returned to work at the school, and there was a succession of excellent coaches .

“I have been advocating for some time that one of the policies in the country should be to develop athletes in the schools, from primary to secondary. There should be a trained physical education teacher, someone with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, in each school.” The other main reason that track became more popular, was because field events were not very important in the United States .

He said in the late 1940s and the 1950s, most Caribbean runners were trained in the US because athletic scholarships were available to them .

In fact, he said over the years, 90 per cent of the Caribbean athletes who won medals in the Olympic Games and World Championships, including field events, were trained in the US .

“The States is a magnet because you get a scholarship, you can get an education and there are coaches to train them,” Ince said. “It is easy to point out the exceptions because there are so few of them. Keshorn Walcott and Jehue Gordon. I can’t think of anyone else offhand .

“Even in Jamaica, everyone was trained in the US until all these new people like Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Elaine Thompson. That is because Jamaica now has a coaching school for track and field, and is putting out coaches.” Ince said a lot of people in TT did the long jump, hurdles, pole vault and other field events. He said TT had been participating in CARIFTA (Caribbean Free Trade Association) games in field events, including javelin, for years but it was only when Walcott “hit the big time” and won Olympic gold that the event became more popular with upcoming athletes .

He also lamented that if an athlete won a medal in anything other than the Olympics or the World Championships, they received little recognition or support for their achievements .

He said the fact that there were participants in these games proved interest but, again, the country did not have the trained coaches to push athletes to the professional level .

However, he stressed that regularity of competition was also necessary to improve and excel as the environment provided motivation to achieve a goal .

Sporting grounds Ince told Sunday Newsday that the local physical infrastructure was “not that bad.” He recalled his days in the 40s and 50s when runners trained on small grounds across the country with lanes marked out in the grass. “It was only when Hasley Crawford won the gold in ‘76 that the stadium was erected in his honour and the country had a proper track.” Now, there were five main stadiums with proper tracks across TT but he said they were not really necessary to train sprinters .

He added that when he went to the US to study, he noticed almost every high school had a track but he did not believe that it put our runners at a disadvantage .

Instead, he believed more well-marked recreation grounds were needed so athletes would not have to go far to train, as long as the track was not rocky, bumpy or had holes so as to reduce injuries, running on grass was fine .

“Track people only need a pair of shoes, a shorts and a vest, and they could go anywhere and run. Field people need more .

Both the public and private sectors have to help erect structures on recreation grounds, maybe build some showers, and supply equipment.” Ince said a lack of support for sports had always been an issue including arranging and promoting meets, equipment, places to train, and scholarships .

He recognised that Government had a lot to do with a relatively small amount of money .

Therefore, he suggested to athletes that they participate in as many meets as they could, win, and then go to Government or private institutions and ask for support .

In that case, the likelihood of a positive response would be increased if the institutions had proof that the athlete was a good investment .

That is why, he said, it was important to have the facilities, coaches and equipment in every school as that system would give children a good base, the opportunity to excel after school and to, possibly, one day, represent the country internationally .

And there are now many more opportunities for youths to prove themselves than there were in Ince’s time. He said back then there were the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the Pan American Games .

He recalled that in 1983 the World Championships started and after that, a number of youth games were created which allowed youths to travel the world, gain experience and better prepare them for professional sportsmanship .

Para athletics According to one website, TT first participated in the Paralympic Games in 1984, sending eight athletes to compete in athletics, swimming and weightlifting .

That year, Rachael Marshall won two gold medals and one bronze in athletics and swimming respectively .

TT again sent representatives in 1988, and 2012. In 2016, TT was represented by Akeem Stewart, Nyoshia Cain, and Shanntol Ince, in athletics and swimming. There, Stewart won gold in the men’s javelin and silver in the men’s discus, while Cain won bronze in the Women’s 100-metre race .

In July at the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017, Stewart, 25, won two more gold medals .

He broke his own world record in the men’s javelin throw and set a new one in the men’s shot put .

He competes in both open and para athletics and is the holder of the open shot put national record .

Stewart told Sunday Newsday that, in his experience, Government did not support athletes in their training but would provide them with plane tickets to compete for national events. He personally received financial support from private entities .

He said when he started training in field events, he invested in his personal equipment although it was very expensive .

He also used substitutes for certain equipment such as weight plates as discus, and lamp poles as weights .

“There were a lot of problems but I never let that hold me back .

I was self-motivated and determined.” The bigger problem that was “killing the field events” was a lack of competition as there were only three to five local meets annually .

“That is very tough because if the athlete does not have enough competitions before the major championship, you are sending the athlete to fail. So it’s tough,” he said .

Ince said over the decades there had been very little improvement when it came to support for field athletes. He said there had been an increase of interest in the field events since Walcott’s gold medal and so he donated some of his older equipment for the use of younger athletes at track and field clubs in Tobago .

Recognising the difficulties Stewart had, and still has to face, Ince said, “Akeem is charting the way for other people who compete in paralympic sports. Now people are more aware of it… When you are paving the way it’s harder for you than for everybody else.”

SPRINT STATS

Olympic Games

1964 Tokyo

* Wendell Mottley–400m, silver

* Edwin Roberts—200m, bronze

* Wendell Mottley, Kent Bernard, Edwin Roberts, Edwin

Skinner–4x400m relay, bronze

1976 Montreal

* Hasely Crawford–100m, gold

1996 Atlanta

* Ato Boldon–100m, 200m, bronze

2000 Sydney

* Ato Boldon–100m, silver/200m, bronze

2008 Beijing

* Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender,

Richard Thompson, Aaron Armstrong–4x100m relay, gold

(upgraded from silver after US stripped of medal for doping offences)

* Richard Thompson, 100m, silver

2012 London

* Keshorn Walcott— javelin throw, gold

* Marc Burns, Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender,

Richard Thompson— 4x100m relay, silver

* Lalonde Gordon—400m, bronze

* Lalonde Gordon, Jarrin Solomon, Renny Quow, Deon

Lendore, Machel Cedenio, Ade Alleyne-Forte—4x400m relay, bronze

2016 Rio De Janeiro

Keshorn Walcott—javelin throw, bronze

World Championships

1995 Gothenburg

* Ato Boldon—100m, bronze

1997 Athens

* Ato Boldon—200m, gold

2001 Edmonton

* Ato Boldon—100m, bronze

* Marc Burns, Ato Boldon, Jacey Harper, Darrel Brown—

4x100m relay, silver

2003 Saint-Denis

* Darrel Brown—100m, silver

2005 Helsinki

* Kevon Pierre, Marc Burns, Jacey Harper, Darrel Brown–

-4x100m, silver

2009 Berlin

* Renny Quow—400m, bronze

* Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender, Richard

Thompson, Keston Bledman, 4x100m, silver

2013 Moscow

* Jehue Gordon—400m hurdles, gold

2015 Beijing

* Renny Quow, Lalonde Gordon, Deon Lendore, Machel

Cedenio, Jarrin Solomon—4x400m, silver

2017 London

* Jareem Richards—200m bronze

* Jarrin Solomon, Jereem Richards, Machel Cedenio,

Lalonde Gordon, Renny Quow–4x400m, gold

Jamaican Valaine Clarke and Indian Amritalakshmi Shanmugam defeated Jones and Tom Yew 6-2, 6-1 to advance to today’s final. In the other semifinal, American Jackeline Lopez and Ariana Salgueiro-Estela of Puerto Rico outlasted American Odette Beagrie and Japanese Remika Ohashi 7-6, 7-6.

On Thursday, Kamran McIntosh- Ross of TT defeated his countryman Nathan Valdez 6-3, 6-1 to win the boys Under-14 singles title. Alexis Bruce of TT could not win the girls Under-14 singles title, after falling to Sarinah Maduro of Curacao 6-1, 6-4.

In an all-TT final, Isabel Abraham and Keesa Lee Young lifted the girls doubles Under-14 title after defeating Aalisha Alexis and Shauna Valentine 7-5, 7-5.

In the boys doubles Under-14 final, Kyle Kerry and Ethan Wong of TT went down 4-6, 2-6 to Aidan Bousquet and Maxx William of St Lucia.

Today is the final day of the Under-18 tournament with matches serving off at 9 am.

Jamiel Hardware (fifth minute) and Fabien Reid (56th) found the back of the net for Jamaica while defender Kevon Villaroel (10th) replied for the hosts, who used this game as preparations for their forthcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Zone Final Round Qualifiers against Honduras (at home on September 1) and Panama (away on September 5).

“I was a bit disappointed with the first goal that we conceded,” said Lawrence, during the post-game media interview. “I thought it was too soft. It’s not the way that we wanted to start the game.

“(Afterwards) the boys did well to get themselves back into the game,” continued the TT coach. “I think we had too many chances.

“We need to start putting away all these chances because, at the end of the day, goals win matches. Jamaica (then) made it very difficult for us.

The boys stuck at it.” Lawrence, as well as the TT players, were noticeably at odds with decisions made by Guyanese referee Sherwin Johnson, including Reid’s decisive goal, which he allowed, despite huge protestations by hosts.

Lawrence pointed out, “We looked at it on the video clip. It came off the guy’s shoulder. I think it was a fair goal.

“We thought it was (a) hand ball at the time so I compliment (the referee) on that. At least he got one thing right,” he added.

Marcus Joseph was recalled to the national team, and he had a mixed performance as the lone striker. According to Lawrence, “I think it took him a bit long to settle into the game. He wasn’t himself, the Marcus that I know. I think he rushed things a little bit.” Another player recalled by Lawrence was winger Cordell Cato, who missed the pair of qualifiers in June – away to the United States and Costa Rica, for disciplinary reasons. “It would have been difficult for him on the night because he hasn’t played for a while,” Lawrence said. “But I thought he gave everything. The idea was to give him 70 minutes but he said to me ‘I’m going to go the whole 90 minutes’.

I think it will be good for him, going into the Honduras game.” Jamaica coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, commenting on the game, noted, “It wasn’t all about a win situation. We wanted to help our Caribbean neighbours in terms of giving them a good practice game, going into their two World Cup qualifying games. I think we did just that. The added bonus is just the victory.”

Roach and fellow fast bowler Shannon Gabriel took four for 71 and four for 51 respectively to dismiss England for 258 on day one yesterday. At the close West Indies were 19/1 after 12 overs in reply with Kraigg Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo at the crease.

Roach is hoping the West Indies can put the regional team in a strong position today after surviving a tricky period under lights yesterday. “It could have been more (wickets) obviously.

Batting under lights is never easy, but I will say well played to Kraigg and nightwatchman Bishoo and I think that once these guys can stick out there and put up a fight against the English we can get a lead and try to win this Test match,” he said.

Roach, who was proud of his effort, said it was also great to see Gabriel playing again after recovering from injury. “It is really good to see Shannon fit and raring to go. He has been our best bowler for the last year and I will say well bowled to him for his four-for. For me I felt really good as well today (yesterday) and I just want to continue doing what I am doing, working hard and getting more wickets for the West Indies.” Roach said team meetings over the last few days helped the West Indies.

“We had a very strong team meeting, a very open team meeting so the guys know what we are about for the rest of this tour. It is all about going out there putting your best foot forward, working hard and performing for the West Indies.”

Rajarajan’s rise through the badminton world rankings has been impressive this year. Currently living and training in Denmark, he noted that it was the mental aspect of his game that has been the impetus for his improved performances in 2017. There were times in the past he noted, that he would lose close matches but has since turned that trend around with a more confident approach to his game. Rajarajan has made many sacrifices as he seeks to break into the top 16 in the world and earn a place on a very competitive Indian team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

His regimen includes training twice per day, six days per week for between four to six hours per day. He cites the quality training he receives in Denmark as the reason for his move from India within the last year. This ambitious 20 year old business student has hopes of breaking into the top 100 in the world by end of the year.

Jamaican Samuel O’Brien Ricketts competed in three semifinal matches Thursday night and advanced to one final. The determined Jamaican came up against a veteran of the game Kevin Cordon.

After an easy first set win for Cordon, Ricketts, buoyed by the crowd, upped his game and left a clearly frustrated Cordon working harder than he might have expected against his less celebrated opponent. At one point banging his racquet on the court in frustration, Cordon eventually won the second set, taking the match 21-12 21-19. Ricketts would have a similar result in the mixed doubles as he, along with his partner Katherine Wynter, could not get past the No. 4 seeds lost to the Bruno Barrueto Deza and Ines Castillo as they lost in a tough three-set match, 18-21 21-15 21-18. He progressed in the men’s doubles however with a 13-21 21-19 21-8 victory over fellow Jamaicans Denis Coke and Anthony Mcnee.

The top seeds in the women’s draw remained on course to meet in the finals as American Jamie Subandhi had her toughest match to date as she defeated Peruvian Fernanda Saponara Rivva, 21-11 23-21. No. 4 Daniela Macias had a much tougher time against her compatriot Paula La Torre Regal.

The players, who clearly knew each other’s game well, traded points in the first set with the fourth seed losing 24-22. She regained her composure player and pulled back the match in a hard fought second set, 21-19. Macias went on to take the match 22-24 21-19 21-11.

The Women’s Doubles will see Peru vying for gold against the Dominican Republic. The Peruvian pair of Nishimura and Macias was too strong for the American duo of Lee and Lee, defeating them 21-11 21-16. The Barbadians Riviera and Williams gave a good account in the first set losing out to Jimenez and Sanchez from the Dominican Republic 20-22. The second set proved to be an anticlimax as too many errors crept into the Bajan game and they lost the match 22- 20 21-14.

The Men’s Doubles will pit Ricketts and Henry against the Americans Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew as the Americans had an easy win against Fanus/Thorpe (Barbados) 21-9 21-8. In the final matches of the night two Peruvian mixed doubles pairs defeated their semifinal opponents to reach last night’s final.

Daniel la Torre Regal and Danica Nishimura faced Barruetto Deza and Castillo for the rights to be crowned the best mixed doubles pair in the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation.