Reward for effort - TTOC gives bonus to relay men, other athletes

RECOGNITION TIME: From left are Emmanuel Callender (Olympic gold medallist), Jamiah Harley (national swimmer), Diane Henderson (Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee president), Richard Thompson

Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Richard Thompson and his 4x100 relay team-mates will receive a shared medal bonus of US$40,000 from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) for ‘outstanding performance, effort and integrity’ after waiting 14 years to collect their upgraded gold medal from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Thompson, Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender, Marc Burns and Aaron Armstrong are set to receive a total sum of US$40,000.
TTOC president Diane Henderson also announced that the TTOC and the T&T Commonwealth Games Association (TTCGA) will distribute medal bonuses to national and elite level athletes who achieved podium status during the Pan Am Juniors and the inaugural Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe.
“The long-overdue reward would be given to the relay team for their outstanding performance, effort and integrity after waiting 14 years to receive the upgrade,” Henderson said during a virtual media conference yesterday.
“It takes a great amount of dedication, sacrifice and discipline in the pursuit of excellence. The TTOC and the TTCGA prides itself in being athlete-centred. This is to ensure the athlete has the necessary support, financial and otherwise to achieve and sustain world-level performance that is required to achieve greatness,” Henderson continued.
She explained that the medal bonus programme was introduced in 2015 by former TTOC president Brian Lewis, with the initial being to reward individuals and team sports who achieve podium status at multi-sport games.
“The TTCO would like to provide medal bonus of US$40,000 to the recipients of that gold medal, in light of their performance and the time they had to wait, 14 years. The reward and recognition for such a performance is...to signify that effort and integrity that they displayed and the pride they brought to our nation,” Henderson added.
Thompson expressed his gratitude to the TTOC for showing appreciation for the achievement of the relay team.
“Over the years, there are so much of sacrifices that are made, physically, emotionally, mentally and also financially by us athletes each year. When we represent with pride and honour, we also represent with integrity,” said Thompson.
“At no point in time have we sold ourselves, our families or Trinidad and Tobago short. The fact that we are being acknowledged today, I think, speaks volumes of how the TTOC operates and it should encourage other organisations and corporate Trinidad as well to become more involved,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bledman expressed appreciation to the TTOC for recognising the team’s effort.
Also collecting bonuses yesterday were Kelsey Daniel and Tariq Horsford.
All the athletes who medalled in the Guadeloupe 2022 Caribbean Games are also set to receive bonuses for their achievements.
Henderson noted that the sum of the bonuses will ensure compliance with NCAA rules and regulations, in order to support athletes who are currently on scholarships in universities outside of T&T.
MEDAL BONUS AWARDEES:
Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games
Athletics:
Men’s 4x100m Relay Team (Medal Upgrade)
Keston Bledman
Marc Burns
Richard Thompson
Emmanuel Callender
Aaron Armstrong
2021 Cali Panam Sports Junior Games
Athletics:
Kelsey Daniel (Silver, Men’s Long Jump)
Tariq Horsford (Bronze, Men’s Javelin Throw)
Guadeloupe 2022 Caribbean Games
Athletics:
2 Gold (4x100m Women, Kion Benjamin Men’s 100m)
2 Silver (100m Women, Men’s 4x100m)
1 Bronze (Women’s 100m)
Swimming:
Gold: 3
Nikoli Blackman – Men’s 100m, 50m Freestyle
Ornella Walker – Women’s 100m Freestyle
Silver: 5
Ornella Walker - Women’s 100m Backstroke
Nikoli Blackman – Men’s 200m Freestyle
Mark-Anthony Beckles – Men’s 100m Butterfly
Jahmia Harley – Women’s 50m Backstroke
4X100m Medley Relay
Bronze: 3
Jahmia Harley – Women’s 100m Backstroke
Aqeel Joseph – Men’s 50m freestyle
Mark-Anthony Beckles – Men’s 50m Butterfly
Men’s Futsal Team (Bronze Medal)
Che Benny
Darnell Hospedales
Delaney Zamore
Elijah Shade
Isaiah Williams
Kalev Keil
Omri Baird
Zion Mc Leod
Josiah Joseph
(Source:  Daily Express, July 19, 2022)