Injuried TTO Athletes Updates and Get Well Soon Because We Need You Thread

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Injuries make good athletes moderate
Published: Friday, August 28, 2015 (T&T Guardian)

Trinidad and Tobago’s Keston Bledman checks his time after running in a men’s round one heat of the 100m at the World Athletics Championships at Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing, on August 22. AP Photo

We all eagerly awaited the start of the IAAF championships where the world’s best track and field performers were expected to be at their best for this auspicious occasion at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, China. The expectations of a better medal performance from our athletes were perhaps the result of our team’s performance at last month’s Pan Am Games in Canada.

However, it seems that the joy of winning medals tends to conceal some of the important issues which may have been happening with the athletes who failed to get among the winners. Before the start of the Games the national 4x100 metres relay team lost two of its members due to injuries and by the conclusion of the 100 metres event it lost a third which means that the red, white and black national flag will not be flying in the men’s sprint relay at the famous Bird’s Nest stadium.

By the end of the second day in Beijing, the picture was beginning to show itself with a fair degree of consistency, especially with our Men’s 400m runners and Women’s sprinters.

However, the story of Keston Bledman was disturbing from all angles, seeing that he ran a wonderful sub-10 100m at the National Championships and looked extraordinarily comfortable at the end of his run, which bettered all the other national sprinters. His fans must have been disappointed when he hurt his groin in the Pan Am Games, especially after he had shown excellent quality over this distance for at least six years.

Surely, that type of injury was not the type to repair in any short amount of time. The national champion sprinter told T&T officials he wanted to miss the Pan Am Games in order to better prepare for the World Championships. A report stated that he was told he was getting money from the government and had to run.

He even discussed the issue with his two coaches although no one wanted to listen. The lad was just getting a series of injections and other medicinal stuff to repair a groin strain when only rest and specialised treatment could bring normalcy. It was a similar picture for Jehue Gordon, whose lead-up to the games via the National Championships provided glimpses of under-preparedness.

However, he was still chosen to face the starter in the most prestigious athletic competition in the world. I wonder whether the people in charge of our athletes’ preparation understand that with an injury one cannot simply perform at his best and that encouraging an injured athlete to use medication to perform because the Government has invested in him is ludicrous. It demonstrates a lack of knowledge that exists in the development of our sportsmen and women.

Within the contest of any sport at the highest level, no injury should allow the athlete to perform at his/her best. One can understand Cleo Borel’s injury which occurred during the event, and even then, that injury would have retarded her progress as she admitted to reporters. Why then did she continue to be unable to operate at her best, knowing that she was incapable of giving her best?

One is sometimes left to wonder if predictions such as “10 golds by 2020” is expected to bring any more scientific approach to the athletes. However, I have to admit that after seeing the times and placings of Machel Cedeno, Lalonde Gordon and Renny Quow in the 400m and Michel Lee Ahye, Semoy Hackett and Kelly Ann Baptiste in the 100m preliminaries, better days may be ahead for these two events and, of course, the relays.

Why not learn lessons from Usain Bolt regarding the scientific method in which injuries are treated and the value of seeing the fitness fully repaired? We shall sit and await the progress of those who are healthy and giving of their best.

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Ahye pulls up at ISTAF Berlin
Monday, September 7 2015 (T&T Newsday)

Michelle Lee Ahye at start of 100m at ISTAF Berlin 2015

Michelle Lee Ahye’s niggling injury shot back into the spotlight yesterday when she was forced to pull up halfway through the ISTAF Berlin — Internationales Stadionfest Berlin women’s 100m event in Germany.

Running out of lane four, Ahye produced an okay start among the eight other competing sprinters.

However, about 40m in, the 2014 Trinidad and Tobago sprint queen began to look in discomfort as she fell behind and was then forced to limp out the remaining distance to the finish line, placing ninth overall in a time of 17.81 seconds.

Winning gold was American Candyce McGrone in 11.11s while Ivorian sprinter, Marie-Josse Ta Lou (11.21s) grabbed silver and McGrone’s compatriot, Barbara Pierre (11.31s), settled for bronze.

Since July of last year, Ahye has been unable to maintain top form since sustaining a hamstring injury at a meet in Lucerne, Switzerland. The runner was forced to pull out of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland and was unable to successfully defend her National women’s sprint title in June this year due to a slight injury even though she still competed.

Ahye has still produced several commendable showings over the past 12 months, with her most recent achievement of women’s 4x100m relay bronze at the World Championships.

Up to press time yesterday, it was still unclear if Ahye was seriously injured or just had a minor problem during the race.

Additionally, the only other TT athlete in IST AF action yesterday was National men’s 110m hurdles record holder, Mikel Thomas, who placed fifth overall in 13.72s.

Vying for honours out of lane four, Thomas had a good start but never seemed to capitalise as he tumbled over all ten hurdles.

Jamaican Andrew Riley (13.40s) captured the gold, followed by Bajan Shane Brathwaite (13.42s), Hungarian Balazs Baji (13.55s) and German Aleander John (13.68s) to complete the top four.

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TTOC Concerned about injuries and impact on Athlete Welfare and Preparation
21 September 2015 (TTOC.org)


The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) intends to be proactive and reach out to National Sport Organisations, athletes and coaches to address the  injury situation negatively impacting Olympic sports in Trinidad and Tobago.

The TTOC earlier this year established  an Olympic Sports Medicine and Injury Rehabilitation Support Services Network (OSMIRSM) as part of its 10 or more Olympic Gold medals by year 2024 athlete welfare and preparation programme.

The objective of the OSMIRSM is to prevent injuries occurring in the first place by facilitating the correct preventative measures, and when injuries do happen to ensure a speedy recovery.

Accelerating progressive rehabilitation is essential in elite and Olympic sport.

The TTOC believes that athlete centred medical services support includes efficiency from a medical expertise perspective,  communication and case management between the different areas of expertise.

Our athletes welfare short and long term are at risk there is a performance, social and economic cost.

Sports medicine, rehabilitation and traumatology, injury management and prevention and the process of recovery require specific focus and organisation.

Sharing of knowledge and experiences will increase the quality of service to our athletes in particular those in the elite and Olympic level environment.

Its important to work with stakeholders to put in place appropriate strategies.

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Jehue Gordon on Recovery
Story Created: Sep 17, 2015 at 10:45 PM ECT (TV6TNT.com)

Jehue Gordon being interviewed.

Trinidad and Tobago 400-metre hurdler Jehue Gordon is now recuperating following surgery.
Gordon is doing all in his power to be fully ready for the 2016 Rio Olympics where he expects to shine.

Click link to view interview: http://www.tv6tnt.com/sevenpm-news/-Jehue-Gordon-on-Recovery--7806---328140711.html

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Lewis working towards athlete medical insurance
Saturday, September 26 2015 (T&T Newsday)

Brian Lewis, President of Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC)

WITH SEVERAL of the nation’s top athletes currently nursing long-standing injuries in a crucial pre-Olympic year, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) Brian Lewis has been working assiduously towards completion of an Olympic Sports Medicine and Injury Rehabilitation Support Services Network.

Lewis, who unveiled his brainchild initiative ‘10 or more Olympic Gold Medals by 2024 Athlete Welfare and Preparation Fund’ in January this year, revealed that this new medical network will fall under the same umbrella.

This Support Services Network aims to facilitate elite and Olympic athletes who have sustained and/or are recovering from injury.

Although this programme has not yet been fully implemented, Lewis has already begun discussions with several medical practitioners and institutions to assist in making this idea a success. The achievement of medical insurance for TT athletes is also a primary objective through this drive.

“The TTO C and some of its stakeholder have been in talks with medical practitioners, physiotherapists, sport psychologists, massage therapists, companies that provide MRI services, to discuss with them discounted fees under this new Network,” said Lewis on Wednesday. “We also have been working together with a company called Dalian Medical Concierge Services in terms of how we could manage and make more efficient the health services that we offer the athletes, especially those striving to an elite and Olympic level.” Presently, reigning Olympic men’s javelin champion Keshorn Walcott is still finding a way to compete with a slight ankle injury, former National sprint queen Michelle Lee Ahye has been in and out of her best form due a niggling hamstring damage, ace 100m sprinter Keston Bledman is also still on the mend from a recent groin strain while Women Soca Warriors captain Maylee Attin-Johnson has been out of competition for over two months, among other ailing national sporting representatives. According to Lewis, the full and fast recovery of these athletes are critical towards TT ’s medal haul at the 2016 Summer Games.

“There have been a number of injuries that have been the subject of discussion within sport locally and it would be remiss of me and the TTO C, if we weren’t concerned also,” added Lewis.

“I would like to really get the Network Services fully up, even though we have accessed certain services within that already. But with our eyes on 2016, this is very important in my mind and has to be a priority now, and is definitely a concern.” The former Harvard Rugby Club player admitted that injury prevention is just as important, if not more, than recovery. Lewis stated that once this Network is officially set up, athletes may feel an additional sense of security and be able to perform better knowing that their career and health is being properly evaluated and managed.

“Injury prevention is just a part of it,” he continued. “When the athletes get injured, getting them to recover as fast as possible is pivotal.

As part of athlete welfare, this is a critical element. There are too many situations locally where the athletes’ access to proper medicals like MRI’s and so on are being comprised. When they are forced to face the public sector, the time line is rather lengthy from admittance to full recovery.

This compromises the athlete and is an issue that we need to address immediately.” Recently, the TTO C boss held talks with the Olympic fraternity’s High Performance partner, Michael Johnson, and a couple days ago, TT ’s four-time Olympic medallist, Ato Boldon. Lewis has been relaying his message and unique plans for athlete development throughout the local and international sporting stratosphere and also held profitable discussions with National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) president, Ephraim Serrette.