Triathlon boss bemoans end of Keep Moving Sundays

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Triathlon Federation (TTTF) Paul Hee Houng, said the sport of triathlon has been affected following the termination of the Keep Moving Family and Fitness Sunday programme recently.

Due to financial constraints, the Keep Moving Family and Fitness Sunday programme, organised by former national cyclist Michael Phillips, came to a halt at the Diego Martin Highway.

Several triathlon clubs used the programme for training and competitions every Sunday. The junior national team trained there last year prior to competing at the CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships in Barbados.

“The impact is huge, we have not even had a chance to meet yet and talk more about it,” Hee Houng said, “Fortunately, though, as the Federation, we took steps to move our duathlons from there and we actually want to take them down to the Brian Lara Stadium (in Tarouba) on the driveway. We are making arrangements with UDECOTT to use that facility.”

The TTTF also uses the National Cycling Centre and the National Aquatic Centre in Couva for triathlon events. Hee Houng said five or six clubs comprising between 70 and 80 people would be affected by the closing of the programme on the Diego Martin Highway.

Hee Houng is confident that the affected clubs will adjust by finding somewhere else to train if the programme is not restarted.

“I think immediately, the clubs that are affected and the triathletes that are affected would have to make some adjustment. I don’t think it puts a dent in the enthusiasm for the sport. They will just make arrangements and maybe head further west down to Chaguaramas where they used to be before.”

Hee Houng said he was aware that the Sunday programme was struggling to stay afloat.

“It is a massive impact (on triathlon)...I spoke to Michael Phillips before he announced it maybe a month before. Based on what he was telling me, I heard it was not sustainable, so I thought it was inevitable that it would have to close unless he found new sponsorship, and given the economic climate that was not going to happen.”

Hee Houng, however, thanked Phillips for his support of triathlon over the years. “Mike has been a great supporter and he works very closely with us. Having a bike shop, quite a lot of our athletes use his services, and in addition to that he is a gem of person. So during his time when he was chairman of SporTT, and even up to now, he worked closely with us to see what other opportunities there are to grow the sport. The more we could grow triathlon, it helps the cycling fraternity as well.”

The TTTF is hopeful that the Keep Moving Family and Fitness Sunday programme will resume one day. “It would be great if we could find some way to get that back on track as soon as possible.”