World Junior finalist Dwight St Hilaire and heptathlete Khemani Roberts won the boys' and girls' "Athlete of the Year" honours at the Kaizen Panthers Athletic Club's inaugural awards at Coco Cafe, Crown Point, Tobago on December 11.
St Hilaire was a member of T&T's men's 4x400m team which finished sixth in the finals at the World Under-20 Track and Field Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland in July. The 19 year old ran the second leg and clocked a split of 46.9, the second fastest on the team. The Bishops High student qualified for the World 20 Championships after his fourth place finish in the boys U-20 400m finals at the National Junior Championships at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet clocking a personal best of 48.02. St Hilaire was also third in the 200m finals (21.58), another personal best.
Roberts took the top women's award ahead of Carifta bronze medallist Anya Akili. Roberts won the girls U-20 high jump (1.70), long jump (5.44) and 400m (57.44) at the junior championships and also was third in the shot put (10.88). The Signal Hill Secondary graduate was outstanding in the girls U-20 heptathlon breaking the national record on three occasions.
Roberts first improved the national mark to 4539 points in winning the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor title for her school, Coppin State University. She later raised the score to 4790 in taking the IC4A/ECAC Conference crown. Her third record in the event came when she tallied 4957 in her second place at the National Senior Championships. Robert won gold for T&T in the girls U-20 heptathlon (4841) at the Pan American Combined Cup in Toronto, Canada.
St Hilaire and Roberts were also the top U-20 athletes for 2016.
Akili was the top U-18 performer in both track and field after copping bronze in the girls open heptathlon at the Carifta Games with a score of 4471 points and also was a quadruple winner at the National Secondary Schools and the National Junior Championships. At both meet the Bishops High School student won the the girls U-18 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, high jump and long jump events. Akili won the girls U-18 pentathlon title at the Pan American Combined Cup in a new national record of 4483 points.
Ako Hislop was the most outstanding U-18 boys in track and Franklyn Stanlislaus took the honours in the field. Hislop was fourth in the 110m hurdles and 4x100m relays at Carifta. The Bishops High School also secured four titles (100m/200m/100mH/400mH) at the Tobago Secondary School Championships. Stanisclaus was 10th in the Carifta boys U-18 high jump finals and captured the Tobago Schools' title.
Safiya John secured the top girls U-16 track and field honour. The Scarborough student was double champion (high jump and long jump) at the National Secondary Schools Championshiups. She was also a double winner (long jump, javelin) junior championships and won four titles (long jump, high jump, 00m, 100mH) crowns at the Tobago Schools Championships.
The Kaizen Panthers was formed in December 2015 and in its one year of existence was the top club at the National Junior Championships winning 30 medals (14 gold, 5 silver and 11 bronze). Five members were selected on the T&T Carifta team (Akili, John, Hislop, Stanislaus and Kerlon Ashby). Akili, Roberts and Ashby competed at the Pan American Combined Events Cup with Akili and Roberts returning with gold while Ashby was seventh in the Junior men's decathlon.
HONOUR ROLL
Athletes of the Year: Dwight St Hillaire (Boys); Khemani Roberts (Girls)
Most improved Juvenile: Micah Stafford (Boys)
Most improved:
U-16: Shaquille Benjamin & Darion Ottley (Boys); Shanika Belfon (Girls)
U-18: Darion-Phillips (Boys); Nkoni Morrison (Girls)
U-20: Jonathan Baker & Kerlon Ashby (Boys); Jamellia Potts (Girls)
Most Outstanding Juvenile Male: Jaabir Taylor (Track); Tyrique Dennis (Field)
Most Outstanding U-16
Boys: Justin Guy & Jy'll Roberts (Track); Kelsey Daniel (Field)
Girls: Safiya John (Track and Field)
Most Outstanding U-18
Boys: Ako Hislop (Track); Franklyn Stanislaus (Field)
Girls: Anya Akili (Track and Field)
Most Outstanding U-20
Boys: Dwight St Hillaire (Track); Jonathan Hazelwood (Field)
Girls: Khemani Roberts (Track and Field)
Most Outstanding Open: Nicholas Douglas (Track)