Sprinters Jereem ‘The Dream’ Richards and Leah Bertrand were named Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year 2024 by the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) during their 30th Annual Award Ceremony at the Government Plaza Auditorium, Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain on Sunday.
Richards, 30, was T&T’s top performer at the Paris Olympic Games back in July/August, with his fourth-place finish in the Men’s 400 meters final.
Richards missed out on the bronze by four hundredths of a second to Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga after running a blistering race from the outside lane nine and clocking a 43.78 seconds.
The Point Fortin native effort earned him a new national record over the distance. The performance also propelled the T&T sprinter into 16th spot on the all-time Men’s 400m performance list.
Meanwhile, T&T sprinter Leah Bertrand finished 9th in the Women’s 100m semi-final three, ultimately missing out on a spot in the final.
She clocked 11.37 seconds. The race was won by Jamaica’s Tia Clayton, who clocked 10.89 seconds, while Great Britain’s Daryll Neita was the second automatic qualifier in 10.97 seconds.
Bertrand, the T&T reigning national women’s 100 metres titleholder, won the Big Ten 100m crown on the US College circuit in 11.16 seconds and ran from heat six in lane four when she claimed third in a time of 11.27 seconds to automatically progress to the semifinal.
Bertrand took aim at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Outdoor sprint title but had to settle for seventh place in the women’s 100 meters final on the fourth and final day of the Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, in June. Bertrand, a junior at Ohio State University, got to the line in a wind-aided 11.05 seconds.
Akeem Stewart, 32, was named the Sports Personality of the Year. With unwavering sportsmanship, passion, and charisma, he proudly represented our twin island republic by bringing home the silver in the Men’s F64 discus at the XXXIII Paralympic Games in Paris. He captured his third Paralympic Games medal when he threw the disc 59.66 meters to take second place behind only Jeremy Campbell of the USA (61.14 m).
David Blair of the USA took the bronze medal with a throw of 57.71 meters.
Zuri Ferguson, 17, was adjudged the Junior Sportswoman of the Year and the youngest athlete to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris—securing a remarkable 3rd in her 100m Backstroke heat. In June, Ferguson was a member of the T&T contingent that grabbed 51 medals at the Central American and Caribbean Swimming Federation (CCCAN) Championships in Mexico, making T&T the second-most successful country at the meet. Among Ferguson’s accolades in Mexico was her gold medal in the girls’ 15-17 200m backstroke event in 2:17.85 seconds.
Nikoli Blackman, 19, continues his unbeatable streak since 2022 when he was once again named the 2024 Junior Sportsman of the Year.
The T&T’s swim sensation delivered a blazing performance at the 2024 Tennessee Invitational in the USA with a gold-medal win in the 200-yard freestyle. During his effort he crushed his personal best with a 1:32.12 seconds performance, which earned him a spot as the fifth fastest swimmer in the Caribbean’s history.
Two-time Olympic swimmer Sharntelle McLean had the Future is Female Award bestowed upon her. She is a dedicated coach, mentor, and advocate, as she continues to inspire generations of swimmers toward national and international success. McLean has represented T&T at all the major international meets, from the CAC Games to the Commonwealth, from the World Championships to the Olympics, for over a decade.
Cyclist Makaira Wallace, 18, was the toast of the past year and was honoured with the People’s Choice Award. Wallace made a strong case for the Sportswoman of the Year honours with her historic performances at the UCI Junior Track World Cycling Championships in Luoyang, China. A member of the Just Living Daily Cycling Club, Wallace was a top performer in June with two silver medals at the Pan American Junior Championships among her international performances for the year.
The Alexander B. Chapman award, given to someone for outstanding contribution to sport and Olympism, and was awarded to June Durham.
One of Durham’s contributions in recent years was being part of the medical team for the 2020 T&T Tokyo Olympic contingent. Durham has given over two decades of service to the TTOC in the capacity of a physiotherapist.
The Alexander B Chapman Award was introduced at the FCB Sports Foundation Sports Awards in 2017. The award recognises outstanding contributions to sport and Olympism, particularly in the promotion of Olympic ideals. It highlights achievements or contributions in any sport by individuals or groups that epitomise the fundamental principles of Olympism as found in the Olympic Charter.
Pannist Isiah Ellis serenaded the gathering while Carlene Cid Walton was the feature speaker.
TTOC 2024 Honour Roll
Sportsman of The Year – Jereem Richards
Sportswoman of The Year – Leah Bertrand
Junior Sportsman of The Year – Nikoli Blackman
Junior Sportswoman of The Year – Zuri Ferguson
Sports Personality of The Year – Akeem Stewart
People’s Choice – Makaira Wallace
Future is Female – Shantelle McLean
Alexander B Chapman – June Durham
