Akeem Stewart dedicates Paralympic silver medal to ailing father

AKEEM Stewart said the throw he made at the 2024 Paralympic Games that earned him a silver medal in the F64 discus event in Paris was mainly for one special person – his father Wayne. Stewart, who said his father is not in the best of health, has always been his number one supporter.

Stewart was greeted by officials of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago, the TT Olympic Committee, the TT Paralympic Committee (TTPC) and supporters on his return home at the Piarco International Airport on September 10.

Acting permanent secretary at the sport ministry David Roberts and immediate past president of the TTOC Brian Lewis were among those in attendance.

Stewart, 32, threw a season’s best distance of 59.66 metres to grab second position on September 5.

"I would like to say a special thanks to everyone who've been supporting me during this season and previously during covid time when I felt like giving up," Stewart said.

"Thanks to Brian Lewis for always checking in on me, he is like a second father to me. Special thanks to my coach Wade Franklyn, the TTPC."

Tobagonian Stewart said competing in Paris was "different" as someone dear to him was on his mind.

"My experience in Paris it was definitely different to all the other games because I had a sense of purpose. My dad is the reason why I do this. My dad is not well and I dedicate my performance to my dad. I know going out there I had no other choice than to come back with a medal."

He further explained that his father sacrificed a lot to help him become an athlete. "My dad invest in us. He was a single parent and tried his best and at the end of the day I want to create a legacy because a lot of people know my dad."

Stewart, who has won multiple Paralympic medals, said TT can expect more from him in the future. "There is a lot of great things to come in the future. This is just the beginning. It would not be the first or the last medal for me and I hope other people who have disabilities come out and try to be better than me and to create a legacy for themselves."

Stewart's father is experiencing kidney failure but has been improving.

His father was not there with him in Paris, but a few TT nationals based in France took time to cook for Stewart to give him that home feeling.

Roberts congratulated Stewart on behalf of Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis and the ministry. "Akeem's performance and his continued commitment to his craft has continued to be a real source of encouragement for all of TT and the medal received is a just reward for the culmination of what would have been a very significant campaign," Roberts said. "Lots of long days and I am sure longer nights, but with that focus and determination he would have persevered and brought home the medal to us and once more put TT on the map."

President of the TTPC Sudhir Ramessar said, "I would like to congratulate Akeem Stewart."

Stewart always leaves everything out on the field. Ramessar said, "Since I have met Akeem he continues to put country ahead of everything else in the sphere of sport. He continues to show that he bleeds red, white and black. He goes out there and does his best just to make TT proud."

Ramessar took time to pay tribute to those who paved the way for Stewart and other local para athletes.