Top junior national sprinter Shaniqua Bascombe and Jaden St Louis are Cougars Track and Field Club Senior "Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year".
Janika "Hulk" Jordan and Jordan Noel were adjudged as the "Junior Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year" at Thursday's Christmas dinner and awards ceremony held at the VIP Room at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Bascombe, 15, is the reigning National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) national 100 and 200 metres Under-17 champion. Bascombe was also second at the Carifta Games in the 200m behind Breanna Williams of Jamaica. This was the third award won by Bascombe in the past three years.
Also sharing the night's spotlight were multi-event athlete 12-year-old "Hulk" Jordan and sprinter Jordan Noel (13) as the club introduced two new awards, the Junior "Women's Athlete of the Year" and Junior "Men's Athlete of the Year".
Feature speaker Olympian national Shot Put champion Cleopatra Borel wowed the young athletes when she told them the story about "The Hare and the Turtle” as it pertains to Cougars.
Borel, who addressed the Club in 2014, said “Four years ago, right here I asked you the Cougars athletes to be like the wise old mule and ‘Shake It Off and Step Up'. It is clear for all to see that Cougars have stepped up and shaken it off as you are the best club in T&T. She asked the Cougars family to expand their excellence in 2019 and beyond".
President of the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) Brian Lewis was his usual eloquent self in his short message. He discussed using adversity and seemingly hopeless situations to elevate oneself towards victory.
He warned, “Don’t bend to peer pressure. Many people whom you believe are your friend may not necessarily be seeking your best interest. In fact many of your friends, and remember this, are not seeking your best interest.
"Misery loves company and you better understand that many around you want you to fail, I beg you not to give up your careers by following bad examples and friend who are not doing the right things."
Honour Roll
Junior Sportsman of the Year: Jordan Noel
Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Janika Jordan
Senior Sportsman of the Year: Jaden St Louis
Senior Sportswoman of the Year: Shaniqua Bascombe
U-9 Victor: Sean Hart
U-9 Victrix: J’nae Bertete
U-11 Champion Distance Athlete Female: Shania Thomas
U-11 Champion Distance Athlete Male: Isaiah Alder
U-11 Victor: Makaelan Woods
U-11 Victrix: Jeneice Burton
U-13 Champion Distance Athlete Female: Kayleigh Forde
U-13 Victor: Tyrell Springer
U-13 Victrix: Janika Jordan
U-15 Victor: Jordan Noel
U-15 Field Event Victor: Isaiah Gemon
U15 Victrix: Karessa Kirton
U-17 Victor: Andrew Bravo
U-17 Victrix: Shaniqua Bascombe
U-20 Victrix: Joanna Rogers
U-20 Victor: Jaden St Louis
Most Discipline Athlete (Girls): Kayeigh Forde
Most Discipline Athlete (Boys): Michael Jack
