Nakhid: Ministry supports Rainbow Cup Tobago

PARLIAMENTARY secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs (MYSA) David Nakhid said the Rainbow Cup Tobago International Triathlon held on June 7 at Courland Bay Heritage Park (Turtle Beach) was in line with the ministry’s vision for sport tourism and intended to build on the 19-year foundation of the event.

Nakhid attended the competition, where he greeted participants and watched the day’s events, which featured sprint and standard distance triathlons, a 5K run, a team relay, and a children’s triathlon.

This year’s event had over 300 participants, including youth athletes and international competitors from countries such as Grenada, Colombia, Venezuela, the US, Spain, the UK and Poland.

Hosted annually by Jason Gooding and his family, Rainbow Cup Tobago is a staple in the regional sporting calendar.

Nakhid said, “The MSYA sees the Rainbow Cup Tobago International Triathlon as part of its policy vision for sport tourism and we intend to build on this foundation to ensure it continues to thrive as a marquee event.”

In May, Gooding said in a release that this year could be the final staging of the event in Tobago.

He said despite its growth and success over the past 19 years, financial sustainability remained a challenge.

“It’s been incredibly difficult to secure the sponsorship needed to sustain an event of this caliber,” said Gooding.

“I was ready to end it after 2024, but the committee convinced me to try one more time. Sadly, the support hasn’t materialised—and I simply can’t continue covering the costs alone.”

The ministry said it remained committed to bringing all stakeholders together to advance sport and youth development and encourage civic-minded citizens to contribute to the national development of TT.