Ephraime Serrette, president of the NAAA said that the athletic family in Trinidad and Tobago is deeply saddened by the loss of a stalwart in Ali St Louis. Serrette said St Louis was one of this country's top quarter-milers during the 1980s for Palo Seco Sports Club, Defence Force and a member of this country's national team at the 1984 Olympics, in Los Angeles California, USA. Ali, as he is fondly known, served our sport as a coach, technical official, advisor, mentor, father, physiotherapist and the list can go on. Only two years ago became a member of the national executive. Serrette added that St Louis was a highly valuable and respected member of our team and the effects of his loss are already being felt by fellow executive members and the entire athletic community. He stated: "On behalf of the National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago, I wish to express our heartfelt sympathy. "His death is a tremendous blow to Trinidad and Tobago Athletics, having served this country with distinction both as an athlete, coach and as an administrator. He will be sadly missed. He was an old soldier in every sense of the word and old soldiers never die. "With affection and deep sympathy, we pray that God comfort his family both immediate, athletic and other mourners."
Loss of a stalwart
The local track and field fraternity was thrown into mourning after was killed in a vehicular accident at around 10 pm on Sunday near the Mausica Road Intersection. St Louis' son AJ was also involved in the accident remains warded at hospital. The 52-year-old retired soldier also was part of T&T's silver medal 4x400m team at the 1986 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Santiago, Dominican Republic. He also was part of the 1982 bronze medal team in Havana, Cuba. St Louis was also an IAAF Level IV middle/long distance and race walking coach and also a starter at track meets. He recently served as head coach of this country's contingent to the Carifta Games in Montego Bay, Jamaica in April earlier this year. St Louis was also a sprint coach to the Pan American Junior Championships in Miramar, Florida in July and the 2010 Carifta Games in the Cayman Islands.
The former 200/400m sprinter also served on the team official to the CAC Games in Mayaquez, Puerto Rico, last year. He leaves to mourn his wife Portia, who is the head coach of the D'Abadie Progressive Athletic Club. Four of his five daughters have represented T&T in track and field. Sade competed at the 2001 Carifta and 2002 CAC Junior championships while Britney wore national colours from 2004 and is currently on an athletic scholarship at the Florida International University (FIU). Aquilla and Alisha were part of the national team to the CAC Age Group Championships in July. His other daughter is Candice.
Former NAAA president Dr Jesse Noel stated that he was in shock on hearing of the death of St Louis. Dr Noel described him as a "livewire in the athletic community."