Baptiste, Mohammed star at sport awards

T&T’s leading female sprinter Kelly Ann Baptiste and women’s cricketer Anisa Mohammed each walked away with three awards at the inaugural Spirit of Sport Awards at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road on Wednesday night. Baptiste bagged awards for “Best Sport Performance” and “Best Female Athlete” and was a member of the 4x100m women's relay team whose performance at  the World Championships, was voted the top team performance. Record breaking West Indies women’s cricketer Mohammed, took home the “Best Breakthrough Performance,” “Most Consistent Performer”, and “Record Breaking Performance of the Year.” The lavish awards ceremony, separated by a pre-broadcast and a live-broadcast programme, was held in front of a 350-person capacity crowd and saw West Indies’ batting sensation Darren Bravo and teammate Lendl Simmons being recognised as “Best Male Athlete” and “Best Comeback Performance of the Year”, respectively.

The event was hosted by the Sport Company of T&T in a collaborated effort with the Ministry of Sport, which used the opportunity to recognize track and field stars Baptiste, Josanne Lucas and Rennie Quow with cheques valued at $150,000 to assist in their endeavours in 2012. Many house-hold names in local sport were on hand to read the nominations and present awards, such as co-host- former Olympian Ato Boldon, former national footballer Brent Sancho, and Brian Lara, who himself was recognised for “Athlete Philanthropist”. Several other stars who have represented T&T on the international stage such as Machel Montano and televisions’ Project Runway winner Anya Ayoung-Chee also presented the nominations.

Like Baptiste and Mohammed, the top athletes, and sporting icons, were nominated by their respective National Sporting Organizations. Baptiste, who earned a bronze medal in the 100m at the World Championships, which were held in Daegu, South Korea in September, was nominated in a total of five categories, while Mohammed was nominated in six categories. Several recipients expressed surprise at their awards. Nigel Grovsenor, coach of the St Anthony’s College football team which won the National InterCol title, while going through the entire 19-match season unbeaten, expressed surprise but deep gratitude, when his team was awarded the “Personality of the Year” award. It came as no surprise, however, when Carlos Greene took the “Best Athlete with a Disability (Physical)” award for Powerlifting and Track & Field (Shot Put), or when Atlantic acquired the award for “Best Corporate Champion”.

T&T’s first ever Olympic Medalist Rodney Wilkes was also recognized for his contribution through Sport Minister Anil Roberts, and was given the “Lifetime Achievement” award, although he was unable to be present to receive the award due to illness. In a very emotional part of the ceremony, the late Allyson Hennessey, who passed away in May, was acknowledged posthumously for her contribution. Her sister Roses Hezekiah was handed the “Fan of the year” award on her behalf, which came with a standing ovation from all present. Hezekiah was presented the award by Hennessey’s favourite sporting hero, Brian Lara, who in a very emotion charge tribute, acknowledged Hennessey’s love for anything from T&T. The Guardian’s Anthony Harris was also recognised for “Best Sport Photograph” while there were awards for Allan Ramjass “Best Community Champion”, Kwame Lawrence (Trinidad Express) “Best Sport Journalist (Print)”, Paul Montano (TV6) “Best Sport Journalist (Electronic Media) and Marjorie Thomas (T&T Women’s Cricket Association) “Best Coach/Manager”.

AWARDS

Pre-Show
Sport Photograph—Anthony Harris, Guardian (Going for Goal)
Journalist (Print)—Kwame Laurence, Express
Journalist (Electronic)—Paul Montano, TV6
Coach/Manager - Marjorie Thomas, Cricket
Consistent Performer—Anisa Mohammed, Cricket
Community Champion—Allan Ramjass, Carapichaima

Main Show
Breakthrough Athlete—Anisa Mohammed, Cricket
Record Breaking Performance—Anisa Mohammed, Cricket
Comeback Performance—Lendl Simmons, Cricket
Corporate Champion—Atlantic LNG
Athlete with a Disability (Physical)—Carlos Greene, Powerlifting
Athlete with a Disability (Intellectual)—Shaddai Simon, Equestrian
Athlete Philanthropist—Brian Lara
Community Group—Roxborough Police Youth Club
Community Programme—Waterloo Institute of Soccer Players
Team—4x100m Women's Relay Team, 2010 World Championships
Male Athlete—Daren Bravo, Cricket
Female Athlete—Kelly Ann Baptiste, Athletics
Fan of the Year—Allyson Hennessey (award to be named after her henceforth)
Sport Personality (People's Choice)—St Anthony's College football team
Lifetime Achievement—Rodney Wilkes
Sport Performance of the Year—Kelly Ann Baptiste, Athletics