Brian Lewis president of the T&T Olympic Committee is convinced that the best of Olympic medallist George Bovell III is yet to come!
Bovell, T&T's top swimmer returned to this country Tuesday following his medal success at the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona, where he copped bronze in the 50-metre freestyle in a national record time of 21.51.
He continued his winning ways at the FINA World Cup Series held in Holland and Germany respectively, where he swam to gold in the 100-metre individual medley (IM) and two bronze medals in the 50-metre freestyle and 100-metre (IM).
"When you speak with George Bovell III, you read his interviews, you get a sense that this is a human being who doesn't believe that we have seen the best of him as yet and I think that's awesome. That's tremendous. The George Bovells of the world don't come around every day. That's why you have to recognise and acknowledge that," he said.
Lewis made the comment during a T&T Guardian interview that focused on the 30-year-old athlete's accomplishment in Europe, as well as his consistent top ten world-ranking in the 50-metre event.
The TTOC official was clear that Bovell was nothing short of a role model who was deserving of icon status.
"I think he's an example to any young person in and out of sports of how to deal with obstacles and disappointment and shortcomings; and how to have self-belief and self-confidence and keep pushing yourself to striving to be the best that you can be, regardless of what the cynics may or may not say," said Lewis.
He added, "Regardless of criticism or support or lack of support, you have to keep believing in yourself, to commit yourself and dedicate yourself to becoming the best that you can by using the God given talents and abilities you are given. George Bovell is an exemplar in that regard and I think he is someone any young person regardless of colour, creed or race, economic aspects in life can look at and say yes, I can be that!"
On Bovell's return on Tuesday he addressed the issue of his participation in the Olympic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
He said reaching then event would only become possible if he receives the necessary support.
Sport Minister Anil Roberts who is also Bovell's coach had earlier expressed optimism about the swim athlete's ability to compete at the Olympics in three years' time, but members of the public have been calling radio stations challenging the minister's expectation of the swim phenom.
They questioned his age and wondered why the Government was not investing in someone younger with similar potential.
Lewis, when asked to comment paused, and then said any Google search would reveal that there were athletes around the world who have and are competing successfully even though they were pass 40.
He said, "Dara Torres (USA) was an Olympic medallist at the age of 41. Age is just a number. There is a history of athletes over 30 competing successfully. People who have big ideas and striving to achieve great things will always have comments coming from small and petty minds. I have also said that we should have a target of ten gold medals by 2024 and there are people who have criticised that."
Lewis added, "No one criticises Usain Bolt when he says he wants to be known at the end of the day and spoken on in the same sentence as Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento), (Diego) Maradona and Mohammed Ali. He has come out and said that he is going to win the double gold in the year 2016 (Olympics)!
"The reality is, that's what separates the ordinary from the extra-ordinary; the willingness, the courage to dear to go where others don't want to go; to aim for big things, big dreams...big goals! That's just part of it. In the evolution of the history of man these things will happen. I am of the belief that it is better to dear to be great and fall short."
