President of Piranha Aquatics, Al Roberts, has congratulated Trinidad and Tobago swimmer George Bovell III on his outstanding performance at the recent World Champion-ships in Barcelona, Spain. Roberts lauded Bovell for “his scintillating performance as the premier sporting ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed, the region at the World Championships.”

Roberts, an attorney-at-law, also stated in a message to Bovell: “Please also convey to your other three club-mates on the national team, Nicholas (Bovell), Sharntelle (McLean), and Ayeisha (Colleymore), our sincere congratulations on their returning their personal best times. “And congratulations as well to your management team of George Bovell II as manager and  Anil Roberts as head coach, on their excellent handling of the team.”

As the final preliminary round of the Pole 9 cricket competition came to an at the weekend, several teams secured their second round berth. Among them were Furniture Boys, one of the tournament favourites. Playing against Flames, Furniture Boys cruised to an easy victory. Batting first, Flames could only muster a mere 63 for eight wickets. S Battoo had excellent figures of four for 10, and was ably supported by F Kumar, two for 17. In return  Furniture Boys rushed to victory in 10 overs scoring 67 for five. Richard Kelly (17) and S Battoo (17) led the way for Furniture Boys.

POLE 9 CRICKET SCORES
Flames 96/9 (V Maharaj 28, R.Seebaran 3/12)  defeated Police 43/10 (D Hannooman 16, F Karim 3/5, S Maraj 2/6) — By 53 runs.
Real St 73/10 (Z Ali 13, A. Ali 3/2) lost to Furniture Boys 74/4 (S Balroop 25, W Ramoutar 14 n.o.) — By 6 wkts.
Antrax 91/10 (I Ali 21, J Baksh 18) defeated Savannah Boys 87/10 (R Williams 18, J Baksh 5/13, W Burgess 2/21) — By 4 runs.
Nur-E-Islam 160/10 (Z Jumar 32, S. Mohammed 26) defeated Xavier 41/6 – By 119 runs.

Real Dimension women footballers stamped their authority on the visiting Queen’s Park Rangers of Grenada with a 4-1 beating at the Burrokeets Ground. This follows their 1-0 win over the Grenadian women two Fridays ago. Channtel Regis scored a double early in the second half after Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the first half. This opened the floodgates as Afiya Castle and Kerry Bailey helped themselves to a goal each and their team to a comfortable win.

Trinidad Northern defeated Police Sports Club 38-12 on Sunday to launch the Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union’s 2003 season at St Ann’s. Northerners came on strong in the first half slamming Police with four tries which left the score at 24-0. But Police came into their own in the second half with two tries and a lone conversion from Allan Fraser. Superior to their opponents, the Northerners added a conversion of their own and two late tries to complete the victory. Dexter Snaggs with three tries and one each from James Walkins and Micky Browner secured the win for Northern. Caribs won by default in the other Championship Division fixture as Defence Force were unable to field a team.

IVY DAVIS netted 11 goals from 14 attempts as Magic Touch edged Harlem 13-12 in the finals of the American-style knockout contest, in the Inters Division, as the Republic Bank-sponsored Laventille Netball League jumped off. The Harlem defence was unable to stop Davis from making inroads but, at the St Paul’s Street Multi-Purpose Facility, Port-of-Spain on Monday night, Veronica Baptiste shot a perfect seven from seven while Port-of-Spain Netball League (POSNL) queen Raisa Thorne had five from six for Harlem. Action continue in the “A1” and “A2” American-style knockout and league competitions, with matches alternating daily at the St Paul’s Street Multi-Purpose Complex and Woodbrook Youth Facility.

SPOTTING winners on Emancipation Day, Friday, at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, Day 23 of the Arima Race Club racing season will test turfites to the limit. There are 123 horses entered on the day’s 11-race programme, and in each, any of at least three horses could take the top prize. Co-features of the day are the President’s Cup over 1900 metres and the Oaks Stakes over 2000 metres. Triple crown winner of 2001 Carnival Messiah hold the engagement with the “penny stamp” weight of 46 kilos. Wilma Primus’ star which is trained by the highly successful Glenn Mendez must hold an outstanding chance. But he must get by noted American-bred stayer Phantom Bidder who has pleased at gallops. The improving imported filly Dottie’s Way, also lightly weighted, is set to make her mark among the top flight, but then there is Sugar Mike who has been going quite well at gallops and the consistent Millenium Reign, last year’s Derby king who conquered stablemate Phantom Bidder last time out receiving five kilos. 

The gelding will get only three kilos this time around for his two-and-a-quarter length victory.To thicken the plot, Invincibility the other Grant Lourencvo-trained entrant, holds the engagement. Sweet Tempo who is also trained by Mendez should go to post asa favourite to take the Oaks, despite her disappointing seventh in the Midsummer Classic. This filly has shown exceptional form at gallops and should not be missed, especially as she is one of the few to have won over a distance of ground. Millenium Dancer, Cornerstone who will be sent to post by champion trainer John O’Brien, and Fireastorm appears to be The Tempo’s main challengers in the race worth $75,000.

Here are the runners, weights and riders for the 11 races:
RACE 1: (12.00 NOON) – W.I. BRED 2 Y.O. MAIDENS & WINNERS OF ONE RACE – 1000 METRES – 1. Music Man 52 R Ragoonath; 2. Java In Stuyle 51 R Singh; 3. Melanie My Love 50 N Samaroo; 4. Juanistheman52 W Galviz; 5. Laura’s Boy 50 R Chadee; 6. Deadsure 50 R Freeman; 7. Salsa Moves 52 F Razack; 8. Sunday Jewel 48.5 L Munoz; 9. All Set For Battle 55 J Arneaud; 10. Java Takeover 50 R Mangalee.
RACE 2:  (12.35 PM) –  W.I. BRED 3 Y.O. NON-WINNERS OF TWO RACES – 1200 METRES – 1. Hatrick 48.5 W Galviz; 2. Super Grey 54.5 W Bharath; 3. Beautiful Mind 56.5 J Arneaud; 4. Hyarima 48.5 F Razack; 5. Fantastic Lad 44.5 B Harding; 6. Sir Vidia 49.5 L Keizer; 7. Return To Glory 53.5 R Thomas; 8. Finest Gem 45.5 R Jadoo.
RACE 3: (1.11 PM) –  3 Y.O. & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING -1350 METRES – 1. Alibi Iki 51.5 R Jadoo; 2. Groomsman 53.5 R Mangalee; 3. Badpayjamesee 52.5 L. Keizer; 4. I’m No Hunter 45.5 L. Munoz; 5. Bonus Point 52.5 G Laban; 6. Soca Tempo 48.5 W Bharath; 7. Golden Boy 55.5 B Harding; 8. Erin Dancer 43.5 R Thomas; 9. Ula 50.5 N Samaroo.
RACE 4: (1.47 PM) – 3 Y.O. & OVEER OPTIONAL CLAIMING – 1100 METRES (TURF) – 1. Stormy Season 52.5 H Emamalie; 2. Touch Wood 51.5 S Rodrigo; 3. Lazar Wolf 51.5 R Singh; 4. Hillside Symphony 55.5 R Jadoo; 5. Gaucho 45.5 R Freeman; 6. Cat Woman 46.5 W Bharath; 7. Durability 49.5 N Samaroo; 8. Take Charge 52.5 N Abrego; 9. Cash Reward 52.5 R Jadoo; 10. Brandy 46.5 R Thomas; 11. Ronaldo (Res. 1) 47.5 D Gaff; 12. Uncle Joe 51.5 R Ragoonath; 13. Redoubled 52.5 J Arneaud.
RACE 5: (2.23 PM) – 3 Y.O. & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING – 1100 METRES (TURF) – 1. Rhythm Divine 51.5 L. Munoz; 2. New Star 50.5 G Laban; 3. Singinginthewind 50.5 R Freeman; 4. Bon Voyage 49.5 J. Arneaud; 5. Joint Venture 49.5 N Samaroo; 6. Outburst 44.5 R Ragoonath; 7. A Firm Relief 52.5 F Razack; 8. Living In Hope 52.5 W Bharath; 9. Queen’s Band 52.5 W Galviz; 10. Torointo Star 52.5 H Emamalie; 11. Politics 50.5 R Jadoo; 12. Richie Rich 51.5 R Mangalee; 13. Bandinthong 53.5 R Thomas.
RACE 6: (3.00 PM) – 3 Y.O. & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING – 1250 METRES – 1. Once In A Lifetime 48.5 H Emamalie; 2. Justice 51.5 W Galviz; 3. Spin N’Squeeze 51.5 J Arneaud; 4. Cotonou 47.5 G Laban; 5. Yankee Eagle 55.5 N Abrego; 6. Regent Boy 48.5 W Bharath; 7. Bobs Treasure 53.5 R Freeman; 8. Indian Game 54.5 N Samaroo; 9. Tour D’Argent 47.5 R Thomas; 10. El Borracho53.5 S Rodrigo; 11. Jena’s Delight 45.5 F Razack; 12. Mystile 50.5 L. Munoz; 13 Kay-Gee-Bee 53.5 D Gaff; 14. Shezabute 49.5 R Jadoo; 15. Indian Trouble 46.5 R Mangalee.
RACE 7: (3.36 PM) – W.I. BRED 3 Y.O. MAIDENS – 1300 METRES – 1. Principle 44.5 L Munoz; 2. Van Nistelrooy 53.5 N Abrego; 3. Silk Runner 51.5 G Laban; 4. Small Axe 44.5 N Samaroo; 5. Desert Rose 53.5 V Charles; 6. Honey Belle 52.5 B Harding; 7. Running Trick (Res. 1) 45.5 R Freeman; 8. Panama Canal 56.5 S Todrigo; 9. Trying Something 52.5 F Razack; 10. Creme Caramel 53.5 R Jadoo; 11. Cheerleader 50.5 R Singh; 12. Classy Kim 53.5 R Thomas; 13. Serah’s Trick 50.5 W Galviz; 14. Tora Bora55.5 R Badal; 15. Never Ever Worrie 53.5 W Bharath; 16. Tea Time Doc 53.5 J Arneaud; 17. Dare To Dream 54.5 D Gaff.
RACE 8: (4.10 PM)  – PRESIDENT’S CUP (GROUP 2) – 1900 METRES – 1. Dottie’s Way 48 R Thomaas; 2. Carnival Messiah 46 R Jadoo; 3. Phantom Bidder 53.5 N Abrego; 4. Sugar Mike 56.5 B Harding; 5. Millenium Reign 50.5 W Galviz; 6. Golden Shufleur 50 L. Munoz; 7. Invincibility 52 H Emamalie.
RACE 9: (4.40 PM) – W.I BRED 3 Y.O. & OVER WINNERS & IMPORTED 3 Y.O. & OVER – ALLOWANCE – 1200 METRES – Isle Be True 50.5 H Emamalie; 2. Man of class56.5 L Munoz; 3. Movietowne Magic 50.5 R Jadoo; 4. Champagne Wager 56.5 S Rodrigo; 5. Punto A Punto 51.5 W Bharath; 6. Fortunate Flag 54.5 R Thomas; 7. Gold Conveyor 50.5 B Harding.
RACE 10: (5.15 PM) – THE OAKS STAKES – W.I. BRED 3 Y.O. FILLIES – 2000 METRES – 1. Joan Of Arc 55 L Munoz; 2. Wild Life 55 R Freeman; 3. Cornerstone 55 N Abrego; 4. Full Of Promises 55 S Rodrigo; 5. My Apohrodite 55 H Emamalie; 6. Millenium Dancer 55 B Harding; 7. Golden Honour 55 V Charlkes; 8. Sweet Tempo 55 W Galviz; 9. Firestorm 55 R Jadoo; Reign Of Fire 55 J Arneaud.
RACE 11: (5.50 PM) – RESTRICTED HANDICAP – W.I. BRED 3 Y.O. & OVER WINNERS & IMPORTED 3 Y.O. & OVER. – 1. Ring Dang Do 47 W Bharath; 2. Squee Zintru 46.5 N Samaroo; 3. Kalyan 46.5 R Thomas; 4. Bite De Bullet 54.5 S Rodrigo; 5. Game High 53.5 B Harding; 6. Lifge In Russia 48.5 F Razack; 7. Bajan Connection 49 G Laban; 8. Mandela 55.5 R Singh; 9. Splitting Image 53.5 H Emamalie; 10. Maid Of Honour 51.5 W Galviz; 11. Gaza Strip 50 R Jadoo; 12. Piece Of Cake 52.5 L Munoz; 13. Honor Bound 56.5 J Arneaud; 14. Squeezed Moment 48 L Keizer.

Newly crowned women’s regional junior volleyball champions, Trinidad and Tobago have qualified to participate in the North and Central America and Caribbean (NORCECA) championships which will be held in Montreal, Canada next year. This announcement was made by Mushtaque Mohammed, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TTVF) and Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA). Mohammed was speaking at the welcome reception held by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs at the  Piarco International Airport on Monday when the successful TT women and junior men returned from Martinique. The v-ball official disclosed that by virtue of finishing first at the just concluded CAZOVA championships Trinidad and Tobago (women) and Netherland Antilles (male) will represent the Caribbean region at the NORECA championships.

This is an historic development as it the first time that the best junior teams from these parts will match skills and strategies with their counterparts from United States of America, Canada, Cuba, Puerto Rico Santo Domingo, Mexico and Guatemala. Mohammed thanked the parents of all team members as well as the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and other corporate sponsors who helped to finance both teams to the biennial championships. The ministry’s Communica-tions Officer Maurisa Findley and sports officer Paul Newallo greeted the volleyballers as well as TT swimmers including the outstanding George Bovell who placed fifth in the 200 Individual Medley race at the World Swimming Championships held in  Barcelona, Spain. Finley deputised for the minister who was in Tobago. She congratulated the successful volleyballers.

“On behalf of the minister and other officers at the  Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and all of Trinidad and Tobago, I wish to congratulate all of you on your triumph. We are proud of your achievements at the Caribbean Junior Volleyball Championships and we want to wish the team other successes in future,” said Findley. Also congratulated was George Bovell Jnr “for showing the world that we have top class swimmers in this country.” Both the swimmers and volleyballers were presented with a special purified water labelled  “Water One” which is bottled locally by Oasis One Brands Limited. Among the celebrants were ace spiker KellyAnn Billingy who copped the “Most Valuable Female Player” and “Best Hitter” awards plus her Glamorgan Club teammates Jenna Ferguson who was voted “Best Libero” and Marina Camps who collected the “Best Receiver” prize.

The Trinbago Wheelers Cycle Club have reported a positive response to this year’s Tobago Cycling Classic and expect the participation of 100 international and a record number of local cyclists. This represents a 100 percent increase from last year. About 50 international support personnel are also expected to attend the five- day event which covers several routes through Tobago. It has already attracted 20 international cycling teams and is an important stride for this country’s annual sport tourism industry.

With over ten years of experience the club’s vision for the Tobago Classic race is to bring it to the level of other regional and international sporting events. The teams already registered are the Aire Valley Racing Team (England), the Anguilla National Team, the Barbados National Team, Dynamo Tirol (Austria), Bouwelse Wielervrienden (Belgium), Espoir Cycliste Ducossais (Martinique), Innsbrucker Schwalben (Austria), Midweek cycling Club (Canada), National Capital Velo Club (USA), Orlando Velo Cycling Team (USA), Randall Cycling Team (Canada), St Lucia National Team, St Vincent National Team, Team Aero Space Engineering/Toshiba (USA), Team Excelsior (Guadeloupe), Webcor Cycling Team (USA), Curacao National Team, Puerto Rico National Team, Guyana National Team and the US Combine Team.

TRINIDAD AND Tobago Under-23 football team will square off against Bahamas in the opening round of qualifiers, in the CONCACAF group, for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The TT squad, under coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier, will meet the Bahamians in the two-match elimination series, on September 5 and 7, at the BFA National Stadium, Nassau. Twenty teams are competing in a two-leg series, which will last until October 12, while Honduras and the United States will receive byes to the second round, scheduled for mid-November. El Salvador and St Lucia have also progressed to the second phase without kicking a ball, as Puerto Rico, who were due to meet the Salvadoreans, withdrew from the competition while St Lucia’s expected opponents Antigua are under suspension from FIFA.

The ten first-round winners will meet in the second round series, with the seven top teams joining Mexico for the final qualification round, in Mexico, from February 2-12 2004. At the end of the final qualifiers, the group winner and runner-up will advance to the Olympics Games. Other First Round Fixtures — September 6 & 10: Nicaragua vs Panama; September 6 & 12: Grenada vs Cayman Islands; September 7 & 10: US Virgin Islands vs Canada; September 7 & 11: Dominica vs St Kitts; September 7 & 12: Suriname vs Guatemala; Guyana vs Barbados; Dominican Republic vs Haiti; Cuba vs Jamaica; September 13 & 15: Costa Rica vs Belize.

FORMER Trinidad and Tobago youth team goalkeeper Moriba Baker has obtained two undergraduate degrees — a Bsc in Behavioral Science at Law from the University of Wisconsin, USA and a BA in Spanish from the University of Madrid, Spain, in a five-year stint of tertiary education. Baker, who received a full athletic scholarship in 1998 after his footballing days at St Benedict’s College, La Romain, is currently at the University of Indiana where he is pursuing Sports Management and Marketing at the post-graduate level. During his days at St Benedict’s, where he received seven O’Level passes, Baker was the team’s captain and goalkeeper in the 1997 and 1998 Secondary School Football League (SSFL). He also represented the Trinidad and Tobago Under-17 team during the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers in 1996. The San Fernando native is the son of accountant Clyde Baker and curriculum officer Merle Baker while his brother Mobafa was the UWI Guild president from 2002-2003.