Moments that lift spirits of our nationby Andre Baptiste
As Independence beckons, it is important to identify important and significant dates that should be noted by all of those involved in sports in T&T.
These are dates and months when significant contributions to this country have impacted so much on so many, that maybe some of us, have taken them for granted, or have forgotten their importance
So what follows are some of these, which need to be brought to the attention of a nation, in need of some positivity.
Saturday June 10 2006—Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors earn a point in their first ever World Cup match, playing with 10 men but holding Sweden to a 0-0 draw.
Tuesday November 15, 2005—Dennis “Tallest “Lawrence climbs above everyone to score the crucial winning goal for Trinidad and Tobago away to Bahrain, from a Dwight Yorke corner in the 49th minute to ensure T&T qualifies for its first ever World Cup.
Saturday August 11, 2012—Keshorn Walcott sends shockwaves through the London Olympics 2012 when he wins the javelin goal medal with a throw of 84.58 metres. This is only T&T’s second ever gold medal. He becomes the youngest ever Olympic gold medallist in the men’s javelin (19 years and 131 days)
Saturday July 24, 1976—Hasely Crawford wins the Montreal Olympics 100 metres gold medal in a time of 10.06. It is T&T’s first ever Gold medal in the Olympics.
Monday April 12, 2004—Brian Lara scores 400 not out against England at the Antigua Recreational Ground to regain the world record for the highest score in Test cricket from Matthew Hayden.
Monday April 18, 1994—Brian Lara breaks Sir Garry Sobers’ 36-year-old record of 365, scoring 375 at the Antigua Recreational Ground against England.
August 1979—T&T’s netballers, led by Sherrill Peters wins the World Netball title in 1979 (jointly with Australia and New Zealand), becoming the first T&T team to win a world title.
Tuesday December 2 , 2014—T&T’s female footballers lose 0-1 to Ecuador at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and miss qualification for a Women’s World Cup.
Thursday August 23, 1973—Bernard Julien scores 121 for the West Indies against England at Lords; it is considered his best innings ever.
Sunday November 19, 1989—T&T’s Strike Squad loses 0-1 to the USA at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and miss World Cup qualification, and the entire country cries in pain
Sunday August 9, 2009—Ato Boldon returns to the track at the World Championships in Athens, after finishing a disappointing 5th in the 100 metres finals, to win the men’s 200 metres giving T&T, its first gold medal at the World Championships.
Wednesday August 14, 2013—Jehue Gordon wins the 400 metres hurdles finals at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia.
Friday October 23, 2009—Daren Ganga leads T&T to the Champions League T20 Finals, where we lose to New South Wales in a close contest; contracts follow for Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine in the IPL thereafter.
Friday August 20, 2004—George Bovell wins bronze in the men’s 200 metres individual medley at the Athens Olympics, in the process claiming T&T’s first Olympic medal in a swimming contest.
Saturday August 16, 2008—Richard Thompson runs 9.89 to place second in the Olympics 100 metres final in Beijing, China behind Usain Bolt.
Sunday March 27, 2006—Stephen Ames wins his first PGA tournament, the Players Championships at Sawgrass in Florida. He finished 14—under 274 and earned $1.44 million US.
Tuesday December 4, 1973—T&T’s footballers lose a crucial game against Haiti 2-1 after scoring five goals, four of which were denied.
Saturday September 12, 1981—Claude Noel fights Mexican boxer Rodolfo Gonzalez for the WBA Lightweight title in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States and wins a unanimous decision (145-140,145-141, 144-141) and the world title, the first in boxing for this country.
Saturday May 23, 1987—Leslie “Tiger” Stewart defeats Marvin Johnson in Port of Spain; Trinidad to win the WBA World Light Heavyweight title, after his opponent Johnson could not come out for the ninth round.
With the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, schedule in a few days; this would be a great time for our athletes to add to these dates.
It is also important for sporting interest to keep these moments alive through our National Sporting Archives, which is an interesting and informative addition to our sporting landscape but which has been stymied by a lack of funding of late. You can view more about our great moments in sport by logging on to
www.sportarchivestt.com. I also hope that those in authority, especially the Ministry of Sport and corporate T&T can align themselves with this very critical project called the National Sporting Archives of T&T.
