This year’s disciplines included athletics, aquatics, basketball, bocce, equestrian, football and volleyball along with a special introduction to ‘SNAG’ (Starting New At Golf).

As unified competitions become more popular within Special Olympics system, it was of course incorporated into this year’s Games, with a unified football match played along with students of the St James Secondary School.

This year, the ‘Healthy Athletes’ programme – which offers health services and information to athletes, was re-introduced to the Games.

The athletes were given free ears, eyes and mouth screenings conducted by medical students of the University of the West Indies. Local soca artiste, Erphaan Alves, was on point to cheer on the athletes and even volunteered at the Diego Martin Swimming Pool. Alves said that he thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was amazed by the talent he had seen throughout the day.

The day’s proceedings concluded with the much-anticipated concert comprising performances by Digicel Rising Star winners Kay Alleyne and Julene John as well as Jason “Fridge” Seecharan of H2O Phlo.

The evening ended with the symbolic lighting of the cauldron by athlete Rondell Quammie of the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities.

And Jugmohan returned to snatch five Starwars wickets for for a paltry seven runs in 3.4 overs to help bowl out Starwars for 113.

Cavaliers, batting first, were 36 for two wickets and struggled against the bowling of Evin Harry who took four wickets for 29 runs In their turn to bat, Starwars lost their first wicket without a run on the board.

But Harry struck 33 and Deenish Boodoo 34 in a 72-run third wicket partnership after 11.4 overs to revive the Starwars innings but faltered, losing their remaining eight wickets for 41 runs.

Other summarised scores:

STARWARS 140 – Justin Gangoo 36, Shannon Seebo 28, Krishna Ramdath 4/3, Ricky Seuchan 2/25 vs D & D LEGENDS 141/5 – Anand Sookram 30, Ricky Seuchan 38 Anthony Gangoo 2/15.

D&D LEGENDS won by five wickets.

VALLEY LINE 114/8 – Neal Samaroo 28, A.Mohammed – 23, A.Brown 3/14, V. Ramkissoon 2/14 vs METRONOMES 115/4 (17 overs) – A. Brown 44 runs, K.Jagessar 2. METRONOMES won by six wickets.

SOUTHERN EDGE 146/9 – Kyle Gookool 42, Kareem Mohammed 27, Darrion Durgadeen 3/27 Adrian Mohammed 2/11 vs UPRISING UTD 111/9 – Jefferson Foster 20, D.Singh 30. SOUTHERN EDGE won by 35 runs.

BROTHERS UTD 108/7 – Christin Seepersad 3/33 vs SPOILERS 109/6 – Ravinoop Rampersad 41, Joseph Williams 2/19. Spoilers won by four wickets.

LINX ELEVEN 159/7 – Damion Samuel 57, Satesh Mahase 21, Vashish Ramlakhan 2/17, Chandraban Sookerammy 2/ 17 vs NEW SETTLEMENT 92 – V. Dunhill 19, D.Harricharan 2/8. LINX ELEVEN won by 57 runs.

In the morning session the Under- 19 girls got TT ’s campaign off to the best possible start, trouncing Barbados 17-3. There was no stopping Victoria Gillette as she scored five goals for TT . Hailey De Leon and Jaeda Attong-Julien both scored four goals, with Yasmin Mohammed (two), Megan Stafford (one) and Tahirah Beepat (one) also finiding their names on the scoresheet.

In the afternoon session, TT eased past Jamaica 10-2 with Attong- Julien leading the way with a hat-trick. Stafford, Gillette and De Leon scored two goals apiece, while Mohammed scored one.

The victories meant TT will play in the gold medal match tomorrow.

The TT Under-16 boys, also trying to defend their title got off to a disappointing start, losing 10-8 to Barbados in the morning session.

TT got goals from Everson Latchman (three), Dante Drakes-Mckell (two), Christian Chin Lee (one), Ross Gillette (one) and Yannick Robertson (one).

The TT boys went under 10-7 to Bahamas later and will need to win their next two matches to have a chance to advance to the gold medal match. Against Bahamas, Latchman netted a beaver trick, while Drakes-Mckell, Chin Lee and Robertson scored one goal each.

Students and teachers worked together to highlight the values of prayer, love, peace, forgiveness, no violence, respect and responsibility. The walk, which was held last Friday, began at 9.15 am, under the supervision of the police, from the school’s compound and proceeded along the Maracas Royal Road to the Maracas savannah. As the walk commenced, Emmanuel Sooklal, retired principal and CAC monitor, highlighted the school’s aims and objectives for a successful walkathon.

At the conclusion of the walk, which lasted close to 50 minutes, participants joined with each other at the savannah in a time of fun and relaxation before making the trek back to the school.

Upon their return, students, parents and teachers were treated to refreshments donated by members of staff and the Maracas Presbyterian Church. The Principal Daniel Motilal thanked all those who supported the walkathon with the intention to instil the values which would serve to “Build a Brighter Community.”

Leaders and defending champions Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) will aim to continue their unbeaten run this season, when they face Alescon Comets at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair.

QPCC have won three and drawn one match this season. Most of the clubs will be without their top players who are either representing their national team in the Regional Four- Day tournament or the West Indies who are locked in a one-day series with Pakistan this weekend.

In other matches bowling off today, Central Sports will face Powergen at Invaders Ground in Felicity, First Citizens Clarke Road will battle Merry Boys at the Wilson Road Recreation Ground in Penal, while Jailal Enterprise Victoria and Tableland will lock horns at the Barrackpore West Secondary School Ground.

The same fixtures will take place tomorrow in round five of the 50- over competition, before round five of the three-day tournament concludes on April 22 and 23.

ROUND FIVE FIXTURES: Central Sports vs Powergen, Invaders Ground First Citizens Clarke Road vs Merry Boys, Wilson Road Recreation Jailal Enterprise Victoria vs Tableland, Barrackpore West Secondary Queen’s Park vs Alescon Comets, Queen’s Park Oval

Girls and boys will compete today in singles matches in the Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 categories. Among the top players in action on the opening day of the tournament are Aalisha Alexis (girls Under-14), Solange Skeene (girls Under-16, Under-14), Sebastien Byng (boys Under-12) and Cameron Wong (girls Under-14).

This tournament, which runs until Thursday, marks the 29th anniversary that Charles Chocolates is sponsoring the event.

Having never successfully chased in excess of 300 in an ODI, the inexperienced Windies side tore up the form books to overhaul a challenging target of 308 with an over to spare at the Guyana National Stadium, and take a crucial 1-0 lead in the threematch series.

Mohammed was at the heart of the sensational win, producing a magical unbeaten 91 from 58 balls to steal Man-of-the-Match honours.

Opener Kieran Powell struck a measured 61, Evin Lewis hit 47 while tail-ender Ashley Nurse smashed a cameo 15-ball 34 not out down the stretch to help see West Indies over the line.

Debutant leg-spinner Shadab Khan (2-52) and seamer Mohammed Amir (2-59) finished with two wickets apiece but were powerless to influence the outcome.

West Indies appeared condemned to their 10th straight defeat in a bilateral series when Pakistan piled up an imposing venue-record 308 for five off their 50 overs — also their highest-ever ODI total against their opponents.

Capitalising on a less than memorable Windies performance in the field, Mohammed Hafeez topscored with 88 while opener Ahmed Shezad, with 67 and veteran Shoaib Malik, with 53, also chimed in with half-centuries.

Opener Kamran Akmal slammed an entertaining 47 to give the innings a rousing start.

Off-spinner Nurse picked up four for 62 to be the hosts’ best bowler.

West Indies’ victory chances took a further hit when Chadwick Walton drove Amir to Wahab Riaz to midoff to depart for seven with the score on 23 for one in the fifth over.

However, the left-handed Powell then anchored two successive half-century stands to ensure West Indies did not fall apart at the seams.

Firstly, he put on 68 for the second wicket with Lewis, who struck three fours and two sixes in a 63-ball innings.

Powell then added a further 65 for the third wicket with Shai Hope who made a busy 24 off 34 balls with a single four and a six.

Powell emerged from a scratchy start to stroke five fours in a 86-ball stay at the crease, posting his eighth ODI half-century.

On 156 for two in the 33rd over, West Indies received a huge setback when they lost both Powell and Hope in successive overs.

Powell tamely punched the first ball of a new spell from seamer Wahab to mid-off while Hope was drawn from his crease by Shadab and stumped.

Unbeaten on one at this stage with West Indies on 158 for four in the 34th over and facing a daunting required run rate of nearly 10 an over, Mohammed single-handedly transformed the game with an exhibition of stunning ball-striking which stunned a previously buoyant Pakistan.

The 30-year-old right-hander, in only his sixth ODI, belted 11 effortless fours and three huge sixes, in a career-best knock to follow up his two half-centuries against England last month.

Along the way, he inspired two outstanding partnerships, adding 70 off 47 deliveries for the fifth wicket with Jonathan Carter (14) and another 50 with Nurse in an unbroken seventh wicket partnership which required only 27 balls.

He savaged seamer Hasan Ali for 15 runs in the 40th over to move to 46 and raised his half-century off a mere 31 balls with a pulled boundary off the first ball of the next over from Wahab.

West Indies started the last 10 overs needing 93 runs for victory but lost Carter to a catch at short third man in the 42nd over by Aamir and captain Jason Holder for 11, holding out to long-off off Shadab.

But Nurse arrived to play a blinder, lashing five fours and a massive six — the latter a mighty blow over mid-wicket off Shadab — to shift the momentum irreversibly in the Windies favour.

Earlier, Pakistan were gifted a breezy start courtesy of loose bowling from the pace duo of Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph, as Shezad and Akmal put on 85 for the first wicket.

Akmal propelled the early scoring, striking five fours and three sixes off 48 balls and looked to be powering his way to his 11th ODI half-century when he swatted a wide ball from seamer Holder to Walton at cover in the 15th over.

Shezad, meanwhile, strode to his 15th ODI half-century, posting 64 for the second wicket with Hafeez whose innings required 92 deliveries and included six fours and three sixes.

The right-handed Shezad had faced 83 balls and counted six boundaries when he charged Nurse in the 28th over, missed a heave and was bowled.

Babar Azam (13) fell cheaply when he swept Nurse to Joseph at square leg but Hafeez and Shoaib revived Pakistan in an enterprising 89-run, fourth wicket partnership which ensured the visitors posted their highest- ever ODI total against the Windies.

It was a familiar tale for the Red Force with their batsmen struggling to put a strong score on the board.

At press time in the day.night affair, the Red Force were 142 for six with Imran Khan and Roshon Primus at the crease.

In the reverse fixture, Barbados had comfortably defeated the Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair. TT are currently languishing at the bottom of the standings while Barbados are second.

Williams is the founder of the Miss Plus Size Universe, a pageant which focuses on non-traditional ideas of beauty.

The fifth annual competition will be held on May 6 at the Government Campus Plaza Auditorium, Richmond Street, Port-of- Spain. The pageant was first held in Barbados in 2011 and then in TT for the last three years.

“I remember from a child my mom was plus-sized and she was very beautiful. And each time my mom dressed she would ask us, ‘am I looking good?’ She was very beautiful and I saw the low self-esteem because of her size and I said no woman is going to have to ask me that question again. I believe a woman is beautiful, whether she is big, yes or no,” she said.

Empowering Women “I also remember travelling on LIAT to Antigua and this lady came on the flight and a gentleman asked her, ‘why didn’t you pay for two seats?’ And I saw the look on her face and to this date, it is as if I am still living this experience and I felt I would use the experience to empower women and to ensure another woman is not abused or looked at in that way ever.” Standards of beauty the world over have been experiencing radical change. In 2016, for the first time, a plus-sized model was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in February.

Model, body activist and designer Ashley Graham made history as the first plus-sized model to land the prestigious magazine cover, according to an April 2016 article in kitchencollabortaive.com.

Miss Plus Size Universe pageant is dedicated to the empowerment of full-sized women around the globe. The reigning title holder is Clarissa Edwards from St Vincent.

Williams, who is a talk show host in St Vincent, is no stranger to beauty pageants, having also organised the Miss Big and Beautiful in St Vincent. She was nominated in 2016 for a DeeDee/Ent Humanitarian Award last year and received an Extraordinary People’s award for pageant director of the year last year.

Williams spends time between TT and St Vincent and the Grenadines. But for her, the pageant is an empowerment tool, meant to remind women and the world that size matters little.

“[With] the pageant itself…we are trying to encourage healthy lifestyles and to also empower women to feel better about themselves and for the public to understand it is not only food that makes you fat. These women can be confident and to send a message to the business community that not because of someone’s size that you refuse them employment.” Sponsorship Williams wants women to be comfortable in their own skin.

She hopes that this year’s winner will take the message of empowerment to schools and communities across the country and the world.

“We are trying to have our winner from the pageant be the speaker in her community.

We also want her to talk to her community about HIV/ Aids, cancer awareness, to have her speak out against violence whether it is female or male. But to be that outstanding figure in her community.” Williams and the Miss Plus Size Universe pageant have partnered with a number of international organisations such as the We for We Women’s organisation in India and Women of Mission, International, New York. The winner of this year’s pageant is expected to speak at a number of international engagements with which the beauty organisation has partnered.

While the pageant has gained viewership from around the globe, streamed through comseetv.

com, Caribbean Broadcasting Network and through the then Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism, sponsorship remains a problem.

Williams is hoping for government support and sponsorship given that the previous administration headed by then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar sponsored the event through the then Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism.

She has also spoken to the Tourism Ministry pointing out that it is a worthwhile investment since it has garnered international interest.

A Google search shows that the event has been written about by sites such as www.

aboutthatcurvylife.

com and beautypageant.

indiatimes.com as recently as March 13 this year.

Williams said organisations in Belgium, Zimbabwe, Puerto Rico, India and Singapore, among others, have also expressed an interest in becoming franchise holders of the pageant.

The pageant already has 16 confirmed contestants including from Brazil, Peru, Zimbabwe, the US, Antigua, Barbados, St Vincent, St Lucia, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Thailand and Singapore. It is expected to have a slate of 25 beauties.

The winner will receive US$3,000. The money will be paid in tranches, with $1,000 presented on the night, another $1,000 in the second half of the reigning year and the final amount in the queen’s last three months of her reign.

Other prizes include a trophy, special television/ media appearances and a one-year scholarship in cosmetology.

Two other queens will be crowned this year –a continental queen and a Miss Social Media (the girl who utilised social media to receive the most votes).

Out of the pageant, a Miss Plus-Size Women’s Conference has also been born and is expected to be held in TT in August for one week.

For more info: misslpuscaribbeanuniverse@ live.com.

They all thought it was a storybook wedding that started with love at first sight a few years ago and ended with wedding bliss last week Thursday.

Following the service at the St Joseph Catholic Church, guests made their way to the sprawling Drew Manor in Santa Cruz for a lavish reception.

People from a number of sectors were present to witness the newly-wed couple take their vows and and also to help them celebrate the occasion.