Toco residents plan to flood Piarco International Airport next week to welcome home Keshorn Walcott, after he wins gold in the final of the men's javelin throw tomorrow at the 2012 London Olympics. So confident are they of the youngster from Troisrouche villagers have begun printing T-shirts and organising buses in preparation for a massive celebration in Walcott's honour. An excited councillor for Toco/Fishing Pond, Terry Rondon, said yesterday villagers were 100 per cent sure Walcott would win the competition due to his diligence and focus. To ensure no one misses out on the celebrations in the area, Rondon, who spoke at the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation said television sets would be placed along several beaches. He said party-goers also would be able to witness history in the making when Walcott wins T&T's first gold medal in over two decades. He said television sets would be placed at Cumana Junction, Matelot, Mathura and Troisrouche.
However, when the T&T Guardian met with Walcott's parents-Beverly Walcott and Endy King-yesterday at Hamburg Hollow's Guest House, the couple said they would be glued to the television at the home of Beverly's mother, surrounded by other family members. Beverly, who could not contain her excitement, said she was happy and ecstatic at her son's success. Asked about her emotions while watching the event, she said it was terrible and that she could have gotten a heart attack. She said looking at his throw, there were too many nerves, despite her confidence in her son. She said when she saw his massive throw in his last attempt, she jumped out of her seat and began screaming and shouting. She added: "Right about now I can't expressed the way I feel but I am confident of course. "I spoke to Keshorn this morning and he was in good spirits and he is expecting to do better. Do you even know that he told me that at the warm-ups he threw over 82 metres, so he is improving as he goes along." She said after the event, neighbours and relatives rushed to her home to shower her with praise and congratulations.
She did offer words of guidance for her son, saying: "Go and do your best and of course try as hard as you possibly can. Have courage and have faith in yourself and you will be able to do it and I know you will." King, a gardener, said he was also ecstatic. He said: " Words can't described the way I feel right now. So far I am looking at the distance he has been throwing and it is looking good so far. "I aspire for the best and I know that my son will do his best. I know the youth man and he is very determined and I am confident." The Toco excitement extended as far as Sangre Grande as workers at the regional corporation clapped and beat their tables as they sang a song that they composed for Walcott, singing heartedly: "Keshorn, Keshorn, Bring back Gold for we son." Rondon danced as he mimicked the athlete's javelin throw with a javelin made out of bamboo. He said: "With the help of the Almighty God and with that self-confidence Keshorn has, he will get the job done and I can assure that he is brining gold back to not only to Trinidad and Tobago but Toco. "The people in Toco are very proud of his discipline and we are asking him to stay focus and he will get the job done. We are proud and it has brought a togetherness and for the first time I am seeing this."
He added: "We are already in the country and we know about treating your neighbours nice. "Even the fishermen left their fishing grounds yesterday to watch the television, the gardener left his farming and came back home to watch Keshorn. "It's a togetherness and it has brought so much of Joy to the people and I do not want for us to lose that." But Rondon is disheartened at the lack of facilties in Toco, saying there are not much opportunities for children who will wish to emulate Walcott's performance. He said Walcott's accomplishment was made by himself, his family and the help of his teachers and coaches. He added: " My concern is that when Keshorn is back home in Toco, the training facilities is what bothers me a lot. "There are no proper training facilities for anyone who wants to come up and follow the footsteps of Keshorn. "He has done it on his own on the beach and whatever small recreation grounds we have and with the help of sport teachers at the Toco Composite School. "As for Saturday he is going to win and we praying. We are not leaving God out, We are praying and God will answer our prayers that Keshorn is coming back home with gold," Rondon said