Posted by Ephraime Serrette, president of Trinidad and Tobago’s National Amateur Athletic Association, speaks about initiatives taken by his association to improve the sport and their goals for the 2010 season.
The former national sprinter also spoke with TrackAlerts.com reporter Clayton Clarke about the 2009 track and field season and of the progress of the sport in the twin-island republic.
CC: The 2009 track and field season is coming to an end. How would you describe the performance of national athletes at local, regional and international meets?
ES: If we were to look at our performances both locally and regionally, I would say our federation had a bumper season.
At the Carifta Games we had a good showing. We are seeing improvements from the programs we have designed, especially for the field athletes and only fell one medal short of the 30 we garnered last year. At the CAC Senior’s (in Havana), we did very well also, we got 14 medals as opposed to 15 last year, even though last year we had all of our top athletes present. Some of our athletes chose not to attend that meet this year because they were gearing towards the Caribbean Games which unfortunately did not come off.
We then headed off to Berlin for the 2009 World Athletic Championships, where we won two bronze and one silver medal.
Our men’s 4X100m relay team did the third fastest time ever by any country in the world and our newly crowned hurdling Queen, Josanne Lucas, got 3rd in the women’s 400m hurdles. Her getting on the podium on the international stage as a senior, was a great achievement and one that would inspire our other female athletes.
CC: What do you think was the highlight performance and who do you think was the highlight performer of the year?
ES: The highlight performance for me was the men’s 400m relay, that was a brilliant performance and team effort. To single out the best performer is tough, as the performance of Renny (Quow) in the 400m finals (where he won bronze) and also Josanne (Lucas, third in women’s 400m hurdles) was exceptional but I can’t seem to forget Jehue Gordon at 17 years old going to the World Championships, getting to the finals (of the 400m hurdles), coming fourth and in that process breaking the national record twice. So even though it is a difficult call for me, I will give Jehue Gordon the title of ‘performer of the year’ .
CC: What do you think was responsible for the success of your national athletes and teams?
ES: I have been looking at it. Over the last two years, I think that communications between the federation and the athletes has definitely improved and as a result, they understand very early what our expectations are. We’ve laid it clear on the table so they know what we require of them. Also the assistance; The funding given by the Government through the Elite Athlete Funding program. I think that is one of the things that assisted in the performances of the national athletes.
CC: What were the goals of the NAAA in 2009 and were they achieved?
ES: In 2009, we had catered for a better performance at the Carifta level. We did in the field events, which we were really focusing on but fell back in the track events. Our female athletes, especially at the under 20 level were our disappointment this year and we have to look at that and work on that. At the world championships we had predicted two medals, we got three and almost got four, making some of the things we had highlighted and wanted to achieve, medal wise, considered achieved. The disappointment for me would have been our performance at the Pan Am Juniors which was held in Trinidad and Tobago. I didn’t think we performed well at that level. At the last Pam Juniors (in Sao Paulo in 2007), we won 10 medals which was our best performance to date and with the games being held in Trinidad and Tobago this year, I was of the expectation that the athletes would have done much better.
CC: What were some of the initiatives taken by the NAAA to improve the sport?
ES: We are in the process of finalizing our strategic plan and to make sure we have a number of things in place. We are effecting the IAAF Kids Athletic program which we are working with the Minister of Education and the Ministry of Sports (and Youth Affairs) to have going in all schools.
Due to our successful World championships in Berlin we are expecting to see more and more kids wanting to be involved in track and field. We see track and field as the mother of all sports: run, throw, jump; even though we (are) contesting with the other sports. We continue to lose some athletes to other sports and we continue to win some. In the case of Jehue Gordon, he came from cricket. Our focus though is to work with the youths where their development is concerned and to try to source funding for athletes who fall below the elite criteria, so that we can assist them to get to the next level.
CC: What are some of the goals for the NAAA for 2010?
ES: Our (annual) awards function is on 2nd January 2010 at Crowne Plaza (hotel). What we have been doing as an organization is to try and cut costs because of the lack of sponsorship and funding we get from the government. So for next year we are asking corporate TT at the awards function to sponsor the different categories which will cut our costs. We have Carifta Games next year in the Cayman Islands. To cut cost here, we are looking to go through Jamaica to Cayman (rather than through Miami) to eliminate (getting) the US Visa. It would eliminate people who may not be eligible for visas to be able to travel to the Carifta Games. All athletes under 18 years are now required to go the (US) embassy with their parents although they are traveling as a group. If their parents do not qualify, the athlete does not qualify. So it is not because you are going to representing Trinidad and Tobago, that it is an automatic thing that you get a visa. We experienced that this year when we had a team going to the Bahamas with the CAC Age group team. So we are looking at that and we are also looking at the option of chartering a flight to the Cayman (Islands).
CC: What are some of the major meets your association is looking forward to in 2010?
ES: Next season we start with the World Indoor (Championships in Doha, Qatar in March). We have Carifta as a regional (meet). We have the CAC (Central American and Caribbean) Games in Puerto Rico. You know that is under the auspices of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee as well as the Commonwealth Games later in the year, which is in October. So we are also strategizing to hold some competitions some time (in) late August so we could get other Caribbean countries who would be participating at the Commonwealth games to keep their athletes in shape because the European season will be closed over by then.
We also are trying to get the Hasely Crawford Classic off the ground this year. I had some talks this week with ESPN, with respect to them coming on board for the Hasely Crawford Classic. We had put that off for two years, first in (2008) because of football, the England/Trinidad and Tobago (match) and this year because of the Caribbean Games. We are working on getting that games off the ground next year which should be one of the highlights. We are trying to get quality athletes through our sponsor Adidas. We have Tyson Gay, Allyson Felix (and) Jeremy Wariner who are a few of the Adidas sponsored athletes we would be targeting to develop a program which would last about two and half to three hours for the fans. We also (are) looking to get Usain Bolt. We feel if we could get Usain Bolt to Trinidad we could fill the stadium.
CC: You were in Berlin for the World Championships. What were some of the things that stood out for you?
ES: Overall I thought the organization was well done because I am stickler for good management and organization of events. The transport was little tricky at times. Most countries we go to the transport (is) usually a problem but the meet was well organized. I felt for a world championship the stadium wasn’t filled every day. It was filled on the days when there were particular events, like when Bolt was running. So I thought for an event of that nature you would have had a full audience every day.
CC: What you thought of the Caribbean performances, not just Jamaica, at the Games?
ES: The rest of the world is watching the Caribbean, like in Beijing. The US, I know they are doing their homework to find out where they are falling short. I hope our parents and our athletes are looking at that. Yes we know our athletes go the US colleges route but we feel that if we can keep them here (and) get the competition outside for them we can make our athletes home grown.
CC: Which(Caribbean athlete) other than (Usain) Bolt, stood out in terms of performance at the meet?
ES: Other than Bolt, Ryan Brathwaite, the (World 110m champion) hurdler. I would single him out for his achievement and Barbados’ first medal at the world championships.
CC: Looking at the next World championships (in Daegu, Korea) two years away. What can we look forward to do in terms of planning, that you would have gained from Berlin as we look forward to 2011 and 2012(London Olympics)?
ES: We are targeting specific athletes. Most of our athletes are pretty young. Next World championships (in 2011) Darryl (Brown) and Mark (Burns) and those guys will be just about in the prime of their careers. We are looking at those athletes to do well. We are targeting Rhonda Watkins (National women’s Long Jump record holder). We have Jehue Gordon, we have (Renny) Quow and we need to get on the world stage where our 4X4 relay is concern because I think with some of the young guys coming up I think we could be competitive in that event as well.
CC: Thank you very much.
ES: Thank you.
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Excellent interview, keep up the good work Clayton!