Bovells make FCB awards history

GEORGE BOVELL III and his father George II became the first father-son combination, in fact the first parent-child duo, to earn the annual Sports Personality of the Year awards. George II copped the award for his outstanding swimming performances in 1969, when the function was organised by the West Indies Tobacco Company (WITCO). Thirty-five years later, his son George III copped the prestigious prize, at Monday’s ceremony at Queen’s Hall in Port-of-Spain.

Bovell was rewarded for  his third-place finish in the men’s 200-metre Individual Medley at the Athens Olympics last year. With George III preparing with his Auburn University team for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Swimming Championships in Minneapolis, his father accepted the award on his behalf. “For me, as his father, I’m very proud of his achievements and I hope it is an inspiration for all young swimmers and athletes that if they stay the course, they can become champions,” said George II. Did George II envision himself returning to the stage nearly four decades later? “Never,” was his reply. “When I won in 1969, I was the most surprised person there and I think, in fact, my wife (Barbadian-born runner Barbara) was a far better athlete than I was,” he added.

When asked how will George III feel about the award, his father replied: “I think it means the world for him. He has been nominated several times and to be chosen, especially when you’re chosen over an athlete like Brian Lara, that’s a tremendous honour,” added the elder Bovell. How has the life of Bovell III changed since his bronze-medal achievement at Athens? “George is a very down-to-earth kind of person,” responded his father. “The training regime of a swimmer, maybe a cyclist (is) the only athlete that puts in that kind of hours,” he said. “It’s very tough,” he added. “Balancing his academics and his swimming is a full-time job.” Another member of the Bovell clan, younger brother Nicholas, is also one of Trinidad and Tobago’s top swimmers, but he has always been in the shadow of his elder sibling. “Nicholas has always tried to compete and be as good as George,” said their father. “George keeps raising the barrier all the time. Nicholas gets discouraged at times but he had an injury (last year) and he wasn’t able to show off how good he was,” added Bovell II.

“He’s back swimming now and we hope that, by next year, he can have achievements that he is proud off.” By dint of her ninth-place finish at the hammer throw at Athens, Candice Scott repeated her 2003 success by claiming the Sportswoman of the Year Award. But the humble Scott stressed: “I don’t let these things get to my head.”  Looking back at the Olympics, she admitted that it was her greatest accomplishment. “But I also have World Games coming up (in Helsinki, Finland in August) so I’m working towards that.” Stating that 2004 was her best year in track and field, Scott is hoping that, in the future. “I want to see how far I can go, which includes breaking the 70-metre barrier,” she said. Scott’s best throw has been 69.94m at Athens. Bovell and Scott joined 2003 Sportsman of the Year Brian Lara, Canadian-based golfer Stephen Ames, national hockey captain Kwandwane Brown, sprinter Jamil James, bodybuilding star  Dareem Charles, rifle shooter Roger Daniel and the table-tennis pair of Dexter St Louis and stepdaughter Rheann Chung as the Top Ten Personalities of the Year.

Another big award winner on the night was the National Amateur Athletic Association (NAAA) who, for the first time in their history, collected the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Memorial Award for the top sporting organisation. NAAA president Ken Doldron said: “When one could look back at the history of track and field and the administration of the NAAA, it must be one of the things that we’re proud about, to move from what we were perceived to be at the bottom of the ladder, in terms of our image to the public. “And, in 2004,” he continued, “to come away with the top award for organisation and managing our affairs, especially our financial affairs, I think it’s a contribution to the entire executive and members of the association.” The NAAA are currently preparing for the hosting of the 2005 Carifta Games, which will be held at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago from Saturday until Monday.

“To say it’s a challenge is really putting it mildly,” Doldron noted. “It’s a tremendous challenge to get a Games organised in Tobago, particularly over the Easter weekend when there’s quite a lot of activities taking place in Tobago.” He continued: “Not withstanding that, I think we’ve weathered the storm. We’re definitely ready for the Games.” With over 500 athletes expected to compete, Doldron emphasised: “We can safely say that all our athletes will be properly housed.” Copping the inaugural Lystra D Lewis Sportsmanship Award, for “display of empathy and kindness so seldom found in the sometimes overly competitive atmosphere of the game” was Matthew Ramirez. Ramirez, the captain of 2004 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) East Zone and “Big 5” winners St Augustine, gained fame following the “Big 5” semi-final against Mucurapo, at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, on October 19.

After a tense penalty shootout, Mucurapo’s Shervon Jack sent his shot overbar, which resulted in St Augustine prevailing by an 8-7 margin. But Ramirez left his celebrating team-mates to console the beleaguered Jack. Reflecting on the incident, Ramirez noted: “That was how I was brought up. I was brought up among a lot of old people, brought up in the right way. It was just a natural reaction,” he added. Commenting on the award, Ramirez stated: “Being the first award (recipient) is amazing. This is my first occasion coming here. I hope it wouldn’t be my last. I’m hoping (for) bigger things to come.”
Among his aims in the future is getting selected on the national team for the next World Cup.