LOCALLY-BASED officials of Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic delegation begin departing for Tokyo, Japan on Saturday.
All 33 (20 male and 13 female) Olympic-bound athletes are already based overseas at different locations. They begin their trek to the Summer Games over the next two weeks.
Officials currently in TT will depart in four tranches, according to TT Olympic Committee chef de mission Lovie Santana.
“We have just one official leaving on Saturday. The first group of officials depart on Tuesday and another group on July 19.
“The final departure from Trinidad would be four officials from the track and field team who would be leaving somewhere around July 20 or 21,” Santana said.
Altogether, there are 16 officials in the TT Olympic delegation, with track and field (six) comprising the majority.
Some athletes have already confirmed their routes to Tokyo, while others' flight schedules are still being finalised by the TTOC. TT has athletes based in Portugal, Spain, Scotland, Bahamas and USA among other countries worldwide.
These 33 athletes make up TT’s largest Olympic delegation as compared to 32 (21 male and 11 female) at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Initially, TT’s athlete delegation comprised 30 athletes. But a late submission of names from the National Association of Athletics Administrations of TT (NAAA) on Tuesday saw three track and field athletes – Jonathan Farinha, Kai Selvon and Portious Warren – included in the national team.
Farinha and Selvon were added to the men and women’s 4x100m relay teams respectively while Warren contests the women’s shot put. Additionally, Jereem Richards, who qualified to compete in the men’s 200m, was added to the men’s 4x400m relay team.
The late submission by the NAAAs forced some of their officials to delay their departures.
Santana added, “We are still finalising bookings for the track and field officials and those abroad. Itineraries are still being confirmed for those based abroad.
“(The TT) track and field (team) was confirmed last, so there are still some things to sort out in terms of their departure. That is what we are working on right now.”
The games take place from July 23-August 8.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic delegation
Management
Lovie Santana (chef de mission)
Rheeza Grant (covid19 liaison officer)
Medical team
Dr Rudranath Ramsawak (chief medical officer)
Dr Nailah Adams (doctor)
Dr Anyl Gopiesingh (athletics doctor)
Jelani Baptiste (physiotherapist)
Alban Merepeza (physiotherapist)
June Durham (massage therapist)
Odessa Chandler (massage therapist)
Shurlan Bonas (massage therapist)
Brent Elder (massage therapist)
Track and field
Michelle-Lee Ahye (100m, 4x100m relay)
Kelly Ann Baptiste (100m, 4x100m relay)
Sparkle McKnight (400m hurdles)
Tyra Gittens (long jump)
Semoy Hackett, Khalifa St Fort, Ayla Stanisclaus (4x100m relay)
Kyle Greaux, Jereem Richards (200m)
Machel Cedenio (400m, 4x400m)
Deon Lendore. Dwight St Hillaire (400m, 4x400m relay)
Andwuelle Wrig
