Saluting athletic excellence

As 2022 drew to a close there was a moment to celebrate amid the sombreness that hung over the nation.

On Thursday evening, sprinter Jereem Richards and cyclist Teniel Campbell were announced as the sportsman and sportswoman of the year at the TT Olympic Committee's (TTOC) annual awards ceremony.

Mr Richards had an excellent year emerging from the limitations of pandemic restrictions, winning gold in the 200-metre event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, exceeding his personal best and breaking a meet record set in 1994 as he defended his title with a time of 19.80.

He scored another gold medal as the anchor runner in the 4 x 400-metre relay.

Mr Richards was named National Youth Awards recipient in September.

Ms Campbell made her Olympic debut at the 2021 games and won gold at both the 2022 Elite Caribbean Road Championships in the Dominican Republic and the Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Peru.

The awards are no slight on the other standout athletes who stayed the course during a difficult year. Cyclist Nicholas Paul, swimmer Dylan Carter, cricketer Anisa Mohammed and footballer Kennya Cordner were also noted for their exceptional efforts.

The TTOC is also emerging from the challenges of operating under pandemic conditions. Diane Henderson, elected as the TTOC's new president in April, finally took her oath of office two weeks ago and presided over her first awards ceremony in a formalised role.

Ms Henderson's next challenge will be to public build support for TT's hosting of the Commonwealth Youth Games in August.

The collective challenges that athletes faced were brought home in the event's feature address by Olympic swimmer Cherelle Thompson who struggled with two major shoulder injuries and pandemic restrictions over the last five years.

Ms Thompson's story was a robust reminder that athletes who aspire to perform at international levels face an uphill, expensive and often disappointing path. At no point is success promised, far less guaranteed.

"The question that none of us could answer is whether this would be our last competition, our last season, our last breath," Ms Thompson said, urging her fellow athletes to seize each opportunity to engage fully in the gift of sport.

A new generation of athletes will demonstrate their skill across the seven sporting disciplines that will be featured at this year's youth games.

Swimming, cycling and track and field, rugby sevens, fast-five netball, beach volleyball and the triathlon will be held at venues in Trinidad and Tobago. The Sport Company of TT is seeking contractors to refurbish the country's stadia in time for the games. This speaks to the need for a maintenance programme to keep the facilities tournament-ready and to meet the training needs of our athletes.

For some, it will be the start of a long and arduous journey. Even with support and funding, their truest fuel will be their love of their chosen sport and an individual determination to achieve success.

In this, Jereem Richards and Teniel Campbell offer exemplary example.