Maharaj, Sandy earn Atlantic YES awards

JELANI BECKLES

CHRISTIE MARIE Maharaj and Andre Sandy won the female youth champion of the year and male youth champion of the year awards respectively, at the Atlantic Youth Excellence in Sport (YES) Awards at Hilton Hotel in Port of Spain, yesterday.

Maharaj’s brilliance in running gave her the award ahead of the other nominees. Maharaj, a student of the Pine Haven Seventh Day Adventist School, excelled on the track, road races and cross country events across the country.

Her accomplishments last year included a victory at the National Primary School 3K run. At the National Primary School Track and Field Championships, Maharaj won the 200m, 400m and 1500m events to end the meet as the champion female athlete.

She was also the victrix ludorum for the age group 13-15. The other nominees in the female youth champion category were J’Eleisha Alexander (football), Aby Bando (cricket), Makaira Wallace (triathlon) and Amelia Rajack (swimming).

Sandy’s journey from Point Fortin was worthwhile as he copped the top award among the boys for his excellence in swimming. Sandy has led Point Fortin RC to a number of top performances at school swim meets. He was given the nod ahead of other nominees Lindell Sween (football), Nick Ramlal (cricket), Imanni Matthew (track and field) and James Castagne-Hay (triathlon).

After winning the awards both Maharaj and Sandy were happy to come out victorious. Maharaj said, “It feels overwhelming. It was hard work in the morning and evening, a lot of training and with the extra hours I was able to do it.”

Sandy said, “It feels good (to win). (My strongest event is) 200m freestyle and I do 100m butterfly and 50m breaststroke.”

When he heard his name called as the winner, Sandy said it was a special feeling, “I felt very good and I was kind of nervous but God helped me through the day.”

Maharaj has set goals for herself. “I am hoping to make the Carifta team next year and possibly represent TT at an Olympic level,” she said.

Other awards were presented at the ceremony. Football administrator Gregory Johnson won the administrator of the year award, track and field coach Kelvin Nancoo earned the coach of the year, North Eastern Educational District received the fair play award for honourable performance in track and field and the Port of Spain and Environs track and field team walked away with the team of the year award.

Speaking at the ceremony were CEO of Atlantic Nigel Darlow, while curriculum officer at the Ministry of Education Dudnath Nagessar encouraged the young athletes to keep striving for success.