THIS WEEKEND is set to be full of talent, strength and competition as Special Olympics of Trinidad and Tobago hosts their 33rd annual National Games.

The event will see athletes from over 18 special-needs organisations from across the twin-island republic, including Happy Haven of Tobago and the Tobago Technical Vocational School, compete in aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, equestrian, football, powerlifting and volleyball at various venues throughout Port of Spain.

On Saturday, after supporting and cheering on the athletes at their various disciplines, families and supporters can also enjoy live entertainment at the Gala Concert, hosted at the Jean Pierre Complex in Mucurapo, featuring performances by Destra Garcia, Sekon Sta, Ancil Valley and Neisha Guy (the respective 2013 and 2014 Digicel Rising Star winners), along with the Servol Special School drumming team and the Lady Hochoy Penal Tassa Group.

Those wanting to support the Games can come down to the Jean Pierre Complex from 9am. Entry to all disciplines at all venues is free.

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A grant of $500,000 (£330,000/€440,000) is to be provided to the Vanuatu Association of Sports And National Olympic Committee (VASNOC) so they can rebuild their headquarters which was devastated in the cyclone which hit the island last weekend.

The funds will be provided jointly by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), it was announced today.

A total of 11 people were killed in the natural disaster but many buildings have been destroyed and islanders left homeless.

At least half of the population, or about 130,000 people, has been affected, according to the Vanuatu Red Cross Society.

UNICEF estimates that at least 60,000 children across the country in the South Pacific Ocean could be at risk.

Besides helping rebuild the headquarters in the capital Port Vila, the money from the IOC and ANOC will also be used to help rebuild sports facilities in Vanuatu, an archipelago located in the South Pacific.

It will also provide aid to other countries in the region hit by the cyclone.

Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu have all also been affected by the tragedy.

"Our thoughts and the thoughts of the entire Olympic Movement are with the people of Vanuatu," said IOC President Thomas Bach.

"We are committed to providing aid to rebuild Vanuatu's sporting infrastructure as part of the nation's rebuilding process.

"We want to support the athletes in this region so that they can return to their sporting life as soon as possible, and in such a way give hope to the whole population.

"Especially in such times, sport can play its part in helping people normalise their lives and rebuilding a shattered society.

"We hope that our contribution will give hope to the people of Vanuatu and others in the region on their difficult path to recovery."

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NICHOLAS BONKOWSKY slew a giant for his first singles crown and Nekeisha Blake expectedly captured her fifth when the curtain fell on the National Badminton Championships Sunday night at Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena, Chaguanas.

After both players had sparkled on route to the men’s title match, the clash between Nicholas Bonkowsky and Anil Seepaul was expected to go right down to the wire.

But the five-time national champion, who went in without dropping a set, struggled from the start and was easily beaten 21-14, 21-16 by the Canadian.

Although Anil Seepaul is now 40 years old, he is still playing at a very level and was confident of exacting revenge after squandering an 18-14 lead in the final set and going down in three sets when they clashed in last year’s semifinals.

Bonkowsky, whose mother hails from Trinidad, was then beaten in the final by Kerwyn Pantin in only his second tournament down here, but he got it right in his third on Sunday night.

This was the first national singles final in five year for Seepaul, who had played his other 13 in consective years from 1998 to 2010.

The player from Cristars Club won his five titles in a row from 2000 and has captured several triple crowns in this tournament.

Bonkowsky and Blake were in three finals on Sunday night, but neither managed to achieve their objective.

Blake was actually one win away from the triple crown and combined with the 27-year-old in the mixed doubles final, but the top seeds were beaten 21-18, 21-13 by Alistair Espinoza and national under-17 champ Jada Renales.

Blake had combined with Kerian Quan Chee, the under-19 bronze-medallist in singles, doubles and mixed in the 2005 Caribbean Championships (CAREBACO), a little while earlier to defeat Leanna Castanada and last year’s CAREBACO under-17 singles silver-medallist Renales 22-20, 21-15 in the doubles final.

Blake began the night by whipping Castanada 21-15, 21-10 for the singles title.

It was the first for the player who turns 28 years old next week since she had made it four straight four years ago.

After missing the next two years because of injury, Blake reached the semis when she returned for last year’s edition.

The player from FMT club was not the only one to finish the four-day tournament with a double crown. Espinoza, who was seeded to win singles but went out to Bonkowsky in the quarterfinals. picked up the first of his two titles when he and CAREBACO under-19 bronze-medallist Will Lee defeated the Canadian and 2013 national under-19 champ Jason Ramjass 21-15, 21-19 in the doubles final.

And top seeds Andre Lewis and Derek Singh nosed out former national champ Stephanie Mitchell and Trinidad and Tobago Badminton Association president Derwin Renales 14-21, 21-16, 21-19 to retain their Masters’ (Over-40) crown.

CAREBACO singles gold-medallist Solangel Guzman, a Cuban who is residing here and is in the process of becoming a citizen, did not compete this time after completing a hat-trick of singles titles as well as triple crowns last year.

Richard “Torpedo” Thompson was responsible for one of the most memorable moments at the inaugural IAAF World Relays, in Nassau, Bahamas, last year. In the men’s 4x100 metres final, the Trinidad and Tobago track star overhauled Great Britain’s Dwain Chambers on the anchor leg, turning bronze into silver.

“It’s always a blessing getting the stick around in a relay,” Thompson told the Express, “and an even bigger blessing when we win a medal.

“However, I think any athlete would admit that it’s a bit more fun when you ‘walk someone down’. That race indicated to me that I was back in really good shape because Chambers is a good sprinter. More importantly, it indicated to the world that T&T’s 4x100 team was back as we had a rough year in 2013.”

For the “Torpedo”, the World Relays experience would have been special even if he had left Nassau with no precious metal to his name.

“It was great. I found it really cool that they had us come through a tunnel to introduce us team by team...almost like they do in wrestling. It added more hype for the athletes and the fans. The meet itself was well attended and the fans were very active cheering every country on.”

T&T emerged from the 2014 IAAF World Relays with three medals. In addition to the men’s 4x100m silver captured by Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Rondel Sorrillo and Thompson, there was bronze for both the women’s 4x100m quartet and the men’s 4x400m team. T&T earned 19 points at the two-day meet to finish sixth—an excellent showing for a nation with a population of just 1.3 million.

Thompson was particularly pleased with the success of the women’s sprint relay combination of Kamaria Durant, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Reyare Thomas and Kai Selvon.

“They’ve had a terrible streak of bad luck over the past few years getting the stick around. Not only did they get the stick around this time, but they won their first global medal. That’s a great sign for when Kelly-Ann (Baptiste) and Semoy (Hackett) are thrown back into the mix.”

Baptiste completed a 21-month drug ban in January, while Hackett will be eligible to compete in May following a 28-month doping ban.

In Nassau last year, Lalonde Gordon, Renny Quow, Machel Cedenio and Jarrin Solomon finished third in the men’s 4x400m final in a national record time of two minutes, 58.34 seconds.

“For a number of years,” said Thompson, “the 4x100 men carried the rest of the team on our shoulders. We’ve expanded beyond that and have shown that T&T are beyond capable in different events and gender. The men’s 4x4 has been very consistent in the last three years and the women have stepped up significantly as well.”

The triple Olympic medallist is anticipating more success for Team T&T at the 2015 IAAF World Relays, scheduled for May 2 and 3.

“I don’t expect anyone to be in peak shape in May, especially since World Champs is in late August. However, I know that we are a hard-working bunch, and will be showing up there in good enough shape to give a good account of ourselves.

“The goal,” he continued, “is always to try to win, but I think that if we can leave with a medal in every event that we enter, that would be a solid showing.”

Thompson said there needs to be a permanent place on the international athletics calendar for the IAAF World Relays.

“Apart from the meet itself being a huge success, I had a lot of fun away from the track. Bahamas is a beautiful island so any chance I get I’ll be there. I’ll be there this year, God spare life, health and strength.”

Minister of Sport Brent Sancho has sent deepest condolences to the family and friends of former sporting administrative icon, Dr Alloy Lequay, who passed away on Sunday.

Commenting on Lequay’s passing, Sancho said, “Alloy Lequay was a giant in the sport industry in Trinidad and Tobago for decades and continued to advise others long after he relinquished his position at the helm of the (TT) Cricket Board. Many do not know that he also contributed in the sport of table tennis and to our country’s political history, serving as a member of both houses of Parliament. His determination and passion for sport are well documented and acclaimed, not just here at home but in the region. His was a life well lived and he will be missed. I offer my sincere condolences to his family and to the sport community at this time.”

Dr Lequay, who died at the age of 90, gave his life to the development of sport administration in Trinidad and Tobago and was recognised nationally in later years for his contributions, having been awarded with the Chaconia Gold medal in 1988. Most recently, he was conferred in 2012 with an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of the West Indies.

Undoubtedly, one of Lequay’s enduring legacies is the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Development Centre in Couva which opened its doors in 2002.

Also paying respect to Dr Lequay was the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee through its president, Brian lewis.

“Mr Lequay left an indelible mark during his long and meritorious contribution to sport and the history of sport in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. He played a key role in the de-centralisation of cricket in Trinidad and Tobago and was influential in table tennis. It was the vision of the former cricket administrator to acquire lands for a National Cricket Centre, which houses among other things the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre and an international-size cricket field. May His Soul Rest In Peace,” said Lewis.

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History has a far reaching impact. It touches the welfare and prosperity of us all, not only in this generation but far into the future. History may well point the way and explain why those who can make a difference prefer to ignore the nation’s athletes and the extent of the disregard they face. Our refusal or maybe it is fear of facing up to the problem will not make it go away. In fact it makes the situation worse.

Disregarding the plight of our athletes add to the social inequality, dysfunction, and growing disaffection. Fundamental truth informs the stubborn question— why?

The status quo would wish to distort the irrefutable truths comfortably peddling denial and distortions and a paradigm built on centuries of western culture, social and economic construct. The legacy of the plantation economy is intact and remains a strong element in T&T’s 21st century narrative.

To understand the societal and economic undercurrents that create subconscious barriers, a recommended starting place for sport leaders would be ‘Theory of the Plantation Economy’ by Lloyd Best and Kari Levitt and CLR James’ ‘Beyond the Boundary’.

Not to be left out of the reading list would be books, essays and articles by Eric Williams, Lloyd Best, Denis Pantin, Arthur Lewis, Norman Girvan, Eric St Cyr and George Beckford to name a few. There are practical realities and heartbreaking stories concerning athletes in T&T.

Our vulnerable athletes—sportsmen and women need more than pity. Pity will not solve their problem or make a positive difference. Priority must be placed on the welfare of our athletes. T&T is a major transshipment point for drugs, the illicit trafficking of people, money laundering and financial crimes, fuelled by corruption and illegal gambling.

Drugs present a real danger to our country and society—sport like the rest of society is in danger and not immune to the destabilising effect. Other issues impacting athletes are LGBT issues, domestic violence/gender issues. Good governance and national sport organisation strengthen issues. There are reports that athletes have suffered at the hands of re-tooling within the public sector.

Re-tooling seems to be the buzzword and/or code in certain sections of the public sector. It is perceived to be a euphemism. What is the truth and what is mere fiction is best left to those with evidence that can stand legal scrutiny. Those who are pursuing the re-tooling agenda need to be mindful that they are embedding the seeds of hate and anger. The retooling proponents have hardened their hearts, plugged their ears and shut their eyes.

That way they will not see with their eyes nor hear with their ears nor understand with their hearts the dark despair and anguish caused by their re-tooling. There are diverse reasons why the issues and challenges facing athletes in this country do not receive the serious and urgent attention required. No matter the strength of views and feeling about the topic. We must not continue to sweep the problem under the carpet.

Whatever the perception, the same problems our athletes are facing will be spoken by others in various sections of our society. Ignoring or trivialising the issues will not make them go away. There are social challenges facing T&T and our willingness to dialogue and acknowledge them will determine in many significant ways what type of future our children, youths and young people will face.

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