World Championship hurdler Jehue Gordon continued his winning ways on a weekend awash with major sporting presentations, capturing the prestigious Sportsman of the Year title, at Sunday's T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) Awards Ceremony, held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port-of-Spain.Twenty-four hours before, a visibly emotional Gordon walked away with four Spirit of Sport awards (SOSA) at the ceremony held at Queen's Hall in St Ann's, Port-of-Spain. At the TTOC's evening of honours, Gordon 22, in his sartorial elegance, cruised into the spotlight to thunderous applause to receive his honour from President Anthony Carmona. His Excellency was accompanied by TTOC president Brian Lewis for the presentation.The nod by the TTOC did not come as a surprise to the Gordon, who came prepared with a speech. Gordon won gold at the IAAF World Championships held in Moscow, Russia.
But shot putter Cleopatra Borel's vote for Sportswoman of the Year Award, however, came as a surprise to the athlete. Reema Carmona, wife of the His Excellency made the presentation.
It took some time for Borel, while at the podium, to compose herself. She was in shock!During her acceptance speech, Borel explained her reaction and declared that the last season was not her best. Their feats, however, made it a good night for track and field. But swimming was not to be out done, capturing three awards at the high profile ceremony.Dylan Carter's silver medal win in the 50-metre butterfly at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in a time of 23.98 earned him the Junior Sportsman of the Year title.
Meanwhile, Paralympic swimmer Shanntol Ince got the TTOC Junior Sportswoman of the Year title. Her multiple gold medal win at the 2013 Youth Para Pan American Games held in Buenos Aires, Argentina–100m backstroke, 400m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle–made her a prime candidate for this honour.
Olympic medallist George Bovell III was named as the TTOC's Sport Personality of the Year. This was also a brilliant year for the dynamic swimmer who copped bronze in the 50m freestyle at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona in a national record time of 21.51, as well as one gold (100IM) and two bronze (50mfree; 100IM) medals at FINA World Cup Series events in Holland and Germany.Veteran football administrator Edward Hart was the recipient of the Alexander B Chapman Award for his unswerving commitment to the development of the sport.Forty-seven years ago, he established the Eddie Hart League for football and has worked diligently to mould not just skilled athletes, but better citizens, who continue to pump new energy into the sport.Off the field of play, the TTOC also bestowed honours on former administors Douglas Camacho (president) Senator Elton Prescott (general secretary) and Alexander B Chapman (president/general secretary) for their contribution to the development of the TTOC and sport in T&T.
Honour Roll
Sports Personality of the Year: George Bovell III
Sportsman of the Year: Jehue Gordon
Sportswoman of the Year: Cleopatra Borel
Junior Sportsman of the Year: Dylan Carter
Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Shanntol Ince
Alexander B Chapman Recipient: Edward Hart
