Jereem reveals self-made athletics trading cards

JEREEM RICHARDS recently opened his first pack of first edition Athletic Excellence Trading Cards, a series of collectibles he designed to celebrate past and present Trinidad and Tobago track and field athletes, and raise their profile among younger generations.

"I waited a very long time for it," Richards told viewers on Instagram after revealing his first ten cards.

Each pack has ten cards, nine "normal" cards and one less common holographic (foil coated) card. Richards told Newsday on Friday that the cards are not yet on the market, and that the cost and other factors are still being worked out.

He said he is hoping to release those details in the coming months.

Richards said he designed the cards after using practising with software and teaching himself graphic design techniques, while Khaba-Marie Alexander did the lettering.

The entire purpose, he said, "was to showcase athletic excellence in TT... sooner or later (athletes outside of TT will be profiled) but right now I have to focus on Trinidad because I feel like...people don't really know the achievements of some of the past (national) athletes."

Richards revealed his first card to be retired distance runner Ronnie Holassie, who represented TT at the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2000. Like the other athletes, the card features his achievements and personal best(s).

It also includes a badge indicating that it is a first-edition. The other cards in his first pack included vastly experienced sprinters Marc Burns and Keston Bledman, retired hurdler Josanne Lucas, 800-metre specialist Jamaal James, three-time Olympic shot-putter Cleopatra Borel, men's shot putter Hezekiel Romeo, long-jumper Andwuelle Wright, and sprinter Jamol James.

Finally, the holographic card was revealed to be fellow quarter-mile specialist and Richards' team-mate on TT's 4x400m 2017 World Championships gold medal-winning team, Machel Cedenio.

In total, Richards designed and compiled profiles for 80 national athletes.

A scan code on the back of the package directs the user to Athletic Excellence Trading Cards' Instagram page.