The T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) received a further boost towards its goal of ten or more gold medals by 2024, as Flow has agreed to give $5m over five years to the local track and field committee.
This announcement follows the decision by Toyota in July to give $750,000 over the next five years leading up to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
At a press conference yesterday at the TTOC office on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, managing director of Flow Brian Collins spoke about the partnership.
Collins said: “I am delighted to share with you some of the details of the partnership between the T&T Olympic Committee and Flow.
“We wanted to deepen Flow’s support for the T&T Olympic Committee. These talks began about eight months ago. We always knew we would come together because we share the similar passion for excellence and wanting to see Trinidad and Tobago athletes perform at the very highest level.”
Collins said Flow believes in long term investment. “We believe this five-year partnership is something that is truly significant and allows Brian (Lewis) and his team some headspace to plan ahead. They know they (TTOC) have a partner, a sponsor, and they could rely on us. Not just what is written in the contract but outside of that as this is a partnership in every form.”
Collins added: “As a corporate sponsor of development and community in the country in which we do business we examine our involvement from three perspectives—how are we supporting, how are we helping and what will success look like as a stakeholder.
“The ten or more gold medals by 2024 helped us see that clearly by helping our T&T athletes prepare for the Olympic Games. Contributing to the success of these individuals, who are so passionate about what they do and who would like to do well for themselves and for the love of their sport and country, it was a no brainer for us.”
President of the TTOC Brian Lewis said the money will be used initially for the elite athletes. “This is focused initially on the elite athletes. This is about ten or more Olympic gold medals by 2024.
Today the T&T Olympic Committee is a proud partner of one of the most innovative and visionary corporate entities in the region, and one can dare say further afield.”
T&T has won two Olympic gold medals in its history. Hasely Crawford won gold in the men’s 100m event at the 1976 Games, while Keshorn Walcott captured gold in the men’s javelin in 2012.
Yesterday, the TTOC also distributed outstanding medal bonuses to T&T athletes for their performances at the Pan American Games earlier this year. Cleopatra Borel collected her bonus after winning gold in the women’s shot put, while Renny Quow’s father collected on his behalf. Quow was part of the men’s 4X400m team that won gold.