John replaces Thomas on Trinidad and Tobago bobsleigh Olympic team

THE Trinidad and Tobago bobsleigh team has been forced to make a change to the team ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

The Olympics will be held from February 4-20.

A media release said, “The TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) confirms that Shakeel John will replace Mikel Thomas as the alternate athlete on the TT bobsleigh team.

“The TTOC approved an urgent request that Mikel Thomas be withdrawn due to medical circumstances unrelated to the strict Beijing Winter Olympics covid19 protocols and countermeasures.

The TTOC's best wishes go out to Mikel Thomas for his full recovery.”

Thomas represented TT at the Summer Olympics on three occasions in the men’s 110-metre hurdles event.

The TTOC said no more details will be given about Thomas.

“On the basis of privacy and confidentiality the TTOC will make no further statement or comment on the specifics of the athlete's medical circumstances.”

TT’s chef de mission Lovie Santana, covid19 liaison officer Rheeza Grant, athletes Axel Browne and Andre Marcano and technical support Thomas Harris are en route to Beijing, China.

“All required travel arrangements to get Shakeel John to Beijing are under way. The logistics to travel to Beijing, China are complex but the TTOC is doing all it can to surmount the challenges.”

This is the first time TT will have a bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics since 2002.