Representing your country

[Savannah boy]

Ah really doh think Ato is poor for representing the red white and black.  He have $$$ and national awards.  What national award does Mo Greene have? 

Ah really wonder what is Clement's story.  He not like some of dem footballers who eligible to play for T&T but dey was born and bred completely overseas by ah Trini parent or parents as de case may be and who never see we island and eh know doubles from roti or ever eat ah boil corn in dey life.  Dis youth could sing we anthem in he sleep.  Really, will Clement feel some kinda allegiance and pride while wearing red, white and blue and hearing de U.S. anthem when he on de podium?  Dis eh bout bread and butter.  If yuh based in de U.S.,yuh still have access to top class training and facilities.  He will run in de Golden League as an individual athlete.  The only time he really need to represent us is at de World's, Commonwealth if he want and de Olympics.  Dis is not football where he go be all over de place racking up air miles as a national out of necessity to maintain pro status eligibillity in Europe.  For de most part, he will be representing himself and his sponsors.  Where de hell de bread and butter theory come up?  Dat argument holds no water for Athletics. 

Is it because of poor administration in T&T?  Ato put up wit plenty ta ta as we all know.  He was willing to dip in he own pocket initially to come home and run in trials...ah true son of de soil.  De Athletics powers that be and de Ministry of Sport better wake up out of their slumber otherwise we stand to lose a few more athletes in dis manner.

Ah go tell yuh what really bothering me.  Athletes change passports to compete in the Olympics because they cannot make the cut for their countries.  Merlene Ottey is a good example.  Some of dem Kenyan, Moroccan and Etheopian long distance runers who running for all kinda country may be in the same position but there are a few of them who don't want to incur the personal travel expenses to and from their country to attend trials in sub par facilities.  We talking serious distance and expense.  Dis is not the case with Clement.  Due to Ato's demand for excellence, we have been very good at bringing home the athletes at our expense for trials and de question of distance is not an issue here.  T&T eh dat far away from Clement's base.  Is not like he in Alaska or Seattle for dat matter.  Ah happy for him de athlete...doh get meh wrong but when you read de articles about his achievement, yuh know people must be wondering why he eh want to represent we at what would amount to be a very small portion of his career if yuh really think about it carefully.

[AB.Trini]

This article raises the competing tension that some athletes encounter: at one spectrum there is the innate sense of patriotism/ nationalism and even pride to compete for one's country; at the other end is the reality of economics, development, personal fulfilment, accessibility to resources.

On a larger sacle one could think of the  luring of our national athletes as a form of imprialism, exploitation, economic 'bullying' poorer nations are constantly seeing their athletes opting for the 'greener pastures' of nations who could buy/steal these athletes sense of heritage, national identity and pride for a nation of birth.

The need or desire to represent one's country is overshadowed by the wanton exploitation of these colleges which offer scholarships and monetry and other rewards  to the athletes. Soon the athlete feels compelled to repay to honour and to be at the mercy of the 'hands who feeds" The cry of "what has my contry doen for me should be replaced for what I can do fo rmy country."

The desire to escape the improvish background and the lack of  world class facilities cannot be denied but I do have a difficult time in seeing how a person could lose that sense of "HERITAGE" and Natitional identity.

[AB.Trini]

Stop the  drain of Athleticism  to foreign powers. Let's revive and review our athletics, sports and amatuer  programs in TNT.

We neeed to pour more $$$ into training and development  of our young athletes.

[real madness]

I agree with you 110%.  Ato was in the same position as Clement but he decided to represent Trinidad.  Clement's excuse is he need top level competition.  That is total bullsh*t, Ato competed at the college level and Europe on a regular basis, so he was exposed to competition against the very best athletes.  Once you are running fast times, you will be invited to the top meets regardless of citizenship (Clement has no problen here..he has very fast times).

It is true that administration is a major problem.  As a former track athlete back home, it was very discouraging to be in athletics.  However, due to the successes of Ato, there have veen some improvement which I believe would not have been possible without Ato Boldon.  So his decision to represent us not only resulted in natonal pride/glory but also improved the sport.  Ato has paved the way for other trinis such as Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, etc.  So Clement would not have to endure all the struggles Ato encountered.

Also Ato once said US athletes have a more difficult time/more stress trying to representheir countries because they have to go through trials to gain selection for the Olympics/World Championships, a problem he did not have because we do not have a lot of top level athletes.

Clement is definitely a top 400m hurdler so he should qualify for the US team.  He is also a very good 400m runner, recently broke Michael Johnson indoor record but the US have at least 10 very good quarter milers who are capable of winning medals at the World Championships if given the opportunity.  So although Clement is very good, it is quite possible he may not represent the US at the majaor championships (i.e. have a bad day at the US trials).

I read a lot of articles of local US based athletes in the newspapers.  They always mention Clement's performances and refer to him as "Trini born".  This is true but we need to stop trying to lay claim to him.  He has chosen the US and there is nothing we could do about him.  However, we need to prevent other athletes from doing a "CLEMENT".

[fatman]

 let us forget about him not in anger ,we know he will be taken care of let us focus on ensuring those coming up can proudly lay claim to trinidad and tobago .the trini born thing doh work

[royal]

All dem ting you'll talking about is a personal decision dat one has to make .Wither your Trini born or Trini parentage.Some live to respect or regret the decision made but its personal.I believe those who influence you...parents,coaches etc have a role to play in your final decision.

[Ngozi]

I doh mean to jumbie allyuh fellas on the patriotism thing but i do seem to recall that there was a little article I read about aaron armstrong and I think another youth by the name of kevin something having financial difficulties and the powers that be in the track and field arena not giving these men sufficient support if any at all. Now not that I wouldnt like our talented athletes to represent us  but in retrospect in the face of such glaring mediocrity and lack of support why should they really leave a better opportunity to come represent us and be begging for money after they sweat  and serve for us. Truth is you should ask yourself would you do it.....!

[A.B.]

I will defend him a little by saying that when you are that age you are easily influenced.  For me it was never a question because I feel a certain way towards home, and that was that.  For him, it could be as easy as a bitter male in his family in Florida who is Trini saying "yuh ent see how they do Hasely," or any athlete in any sport or making reference, fair or not, to the failings of the NAAA up until very recently, and saying, doh go through that change yuh citizenship.

Also, you all know where I stand, but as you all know very, very well, and as I was reminded at FIU the weekend of Miami Carnival when I went to hear this Jamaican scholar Palmer give a lecture about Dr. Eric Williams, there are a ton of talented Trinis all over, some as close as FL, who refuse to deal with the stress of bettering their country. AS far as they are concerned, they will come back for Carnival but that is it, they cyar take the jammin.

I believe Clement was doing this but on a sports level.  BAsically it's I don't ever want to have to deal with the headache that MIGHT happen, so as such, I gone.

Sad, but you can't tell a man what to play in he Play Whe, right?  Is his ticket.  He gets to play it how he wants.

[fatman]

 well said ato but the fact is we cannot dwell on these decisions we must look ahead and give those like you, who chose us, all the support they need to be successful.ATO what do you thik about the claims of aron armstrong and pierre?

[A.B.]

To be honest, with the money wasting on stupidness in the name of sports and costs overrunning with this latest "stadium", everyone who is at the top level should be taken care of.

Ria Ramnarine should not have to throw her title belt in the bin to get a meeting with the minister, and remember that Armstrong was a part of a team that was an inch from being world champions in 2005 in the 4 x 100....as usual, the Trini athlete gets no respect.

You think that would be an issue if he was on a Jamaican/US/Bahamas relay team that got a silver medal in the World Championships?

Give anyone flying the flag at the highest level anything they need to keep doing so.

[truetrini]

Ato, I doh always agree with you eh..like when yuh take de UNC post.

But I real respect you brother, I find yuh is ah man ah principle and integrity.

Blessings.

I hope yuh keep going from strength tuh strength and let de donkeys bray..yuh achieve so much in yuh short life...and de achievements keep coming.

I for one real glad dat you is ah trini!

[jai john]

Ato, I doh always agree with you eh..like when yuh take de UNC post.

But I real respect you brother, I find yuh is ah man ah principle and integrity.

Blessings.

I hope yuh keep going from strength tuh strength and let de donkeys bray..yuh achieve so much in yuh short life...and de achievements keep coming.

I for one real glad dat you is ah trini!

I second dat ..though a man's politics is a man's politics. Anybody who would stand up for T&T is a patriot in my book That's why I will always be a Hasley and Ato fan . If Ato feels he can make a contribution to T&T in politics and is given an opportunity to do so by one party then I support him. I have seen and heard enough to know that he is not the sell out type for anybody. If all the good men stayed out of politics what would we reap ?
Remember all that is needed for evil to continue is that good men do nothing !

[A.B.]

I appreciate that, and to be honest when u reach 33 like I am in Dec sometimes that is all you have left.  Your name and yuh word, so I tryin to hang on to both.

[fishs]

I appreciate that, and to be honest when u reach 33 like I am in Dec sometimes that is all you have left.  Your name and yuh word, so I tryin to hang on to both.

 Ato ah not putting yuh as a politician awrigth because.

 I hate all politicians with ah passion. !!!!!