Passion for sports: Gabre Kambon, 10, plays in 10 events

When Gabre Kambon was five years old, he started playing football.

But, as he grew older and watched different sports on TV, he was curious about each one and wanted to learn how to play it.

Now, at the age of ten, Gabre participates in ten different sporting activities.

He does five competitively (surfing, swimming, mountain biking, football, triathlons) and five non-competitively (skating, chess, tennis, golf, sailing).

Newsday Kids recently visited Gabre at his Glencoe home to chat more about his love for sports.

“I like sport because it is fun. Let me go outdoors and with every sport you play, you make a new bunch of friends. I like the camaraderie and competition of sports.

“I always loved football. But with the other sports, I looked at them on TV and saw them being played. I wanted the glory, I wanted to get trophies and I wanted to have medals.”

Gabre’s parents were supportive when he asked them about getting involved in the different sports and it’s no surprise they were.

As a boy, Gabre’s father Shabaka Kambon did surfing, sailing, martial arts, mountain biking, and football while his mother Alejandra Mendez is an avid mountain bike rider.

But, while learning to play each, Gabre would soon realise it wasn’t as easy as it looked being played on TV.

“It was fun to learn to play all the sports, but training was really hard. It takes a lot of will and effort on a Saturday and Sunday (to practise).

Despite all the others he has learned, football remains Gabre’s first love and is his favourite to play. Currently playing football with the Queen’s Park Cricket Club, Gabre said the best feeling is when he’s able to score a goal to help his team win a match. With the help of his coach, Paul Lawrence, Gabre hopes to score many more goals as a national footballer when he grows up.

Of all the sports he participates in, Gabre has no doubt when he says triathlons are the most challenging, requiring him to swim, run and cycle. He says triathlons take a lot of physical and mental effort.

But he adds, “I don’t think any of the sports are easy as they all require a certain amount of bravery and will.”

Though it isn’t always fun and games, Gabre says participating in so many sports has helped him learn the value of hard work and sacrifice.

“Most kids will say they have their iPads and TVs, and just sit back to watch Netflix. I want to do that sometimes, but I have competitions. So I know I have to get ready and I have to train.”

A typical day for Gabre involves not only focusing on his schooling but also rigorous exercise and training exercises.

The sacrifices have paid off given he has made new friends and has been successful in several competitions.

In 2016 and 2017, he placed second in the Subway River Raid Mountain Bike Short Course. In those same years, he also won the seven and under category in the Atlantic LNG primary school multi-sport series aquathlon. In 2018, he also copped first place in the Surfing Association of TT Open Trials No 2.

When it comes to surfing, as you may imagine, it is sometimes scary.

“No sport matches the feeling of standing up on the board, getting up on the wave, and the weightlessness you feel.

“I wouldn’t get scared when I fall off a board. But when you look up and you see the wave rolling in, you can get some nerves.”

What’s his top surfing tip? Never look back after riding a wave, always look forward.

To practise his surfing skills, Gabre gets to visit beaches along Trinidad’s north coast and Mt Irvine in Tobago.

But covid19 not only affected Gabre’s ability to train for water sports like surfing, but training for everything, though he found a way to keep fit.

“I began to ride my bikes on the road at the start of covid19 when there were (fewer) cars on the road. I also did video exercise routines and followed QPCC’s guidelines to stay fit.”

Gabre’s dedication and diligence aren't confined to his sporting activities as he applies the same effort in school. At Holistic Primary School, he loves to read and always makes time to do his schoolwork. His favourite books at the moment are the Shades of Magic trilogy.

Anyone interested in following Gabre’s sporting journey can follow him on Instagram @gabre_kam