{jcomments off}Mikel Thomas picked up silver in the open men’s 110 metres hurdles, at the Sun Angel Track Classic, in Arizona, USA, on Saturday. The Trinidad and Tobago hurdler clocked 13.57 seconds to finish behind American Aries Merritt, the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder getting to the line in 13.29. T&T/Central Arizona College athlete, Ruebin Walters was first in his section and third overall in 13.82. T&T’s Deon Lendore got home in 45.18 seconds in the premier men’s 400m. The clocking earned the Texas A&M University senior third spot in the event. The 2012 Olympic champion, Kirani James ran a world-leading 44.31 to top the field in his 2015 opener, beating his fellow-Grenadian Bralon Taplin into second spot. Taplin, a student at Texas A&M, clocked a personal best 44.89. Hezekiel Romeo secured seventh spot in the premier men’s shot put. The T&T/Central Arizona field athlete threw the iron ball 17.00 metres. Arizona State University junior, Jamol James produced a 6.97m leap to finish ninth in the premier men’s long jump. In the open men’s 400m, College of the Sequoias athletes, Ohdel James and Theon Lewis were ninth and 10th fastest, respectively, clocking 47.78 seconds and 47.93. University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) student, Aeisha McDavid was ninth in the open women’s long jump (5.16m) and 24th overall in the open women’s 200m (25.98). Marissa Gale earned women’s 400m silver at the Wes Kittley Invitational, in Texas. The Western Texas College sophomore completed her lap of the track in 54.55 seconds. Another T&T athlete, Jessica James was fourth in 55.01. Gale also competed in the women’s 200m event, clocking a wind-assisted 24.51 seconds to finish fourth, one spot ahead of South Plains College student Domonique Williams (24.54). Abilene Christian University (ACU) sophomore Sterlen Paul bagged bronze in the men’s 800m in one minute, 54.55 seconds. And another ACU student, Osei Alleyne-Forte was 17th overall in the men’s 400m in 49.29 seconds.

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Trinidad and Tobago held off a hard charging Guyana to claim a 22-20 win in the South Championship league to move to 2-0 in the pool.

T & T broke out to a 12-0 half time lead on tries from wing James Phillip and prop Ernest Wright with hooker Felicien Guerra adding a conversion.

In the second frame Guyana clawed back into the match as Kevin McKenzie touched down just two minutes into the second half to make the score 12-5.

The home side T & T responded on the hour mark as scrum-half Johnason Alleyne scored to make it a two twelve point lead.

It took just four minutes for Guyana to organize its first try of the second half as wing Avery Corbin finished strongly to put his side back into contention with fifteen minutes to go in the match.

The frantic nature of the match continued with T & T hitting for its bonus point try from inside centre Andre Caberra dotted down in the 69th minute for a 22-10 score.

Guyana still had some answers as just three minutes later flanker Richard Staglon crossed to cut the T & T lead to a converted try for the final eight minutes of the match. Jut before full time Kevin McKenzie hit for his second try but the conversion that would have tied it did not go over as T & T held on for the narrow 22-20 win!

Despite the loss Guyana came away with two bonus points for scoring four tries and losing by less than seven to leave them a point back 6-5 in the pool standings, but leaving Trinidad and Tobago with top spot with no pool matches remaining.

Other NACRA action saw Mexico dominate the Cayman Islands 24-3 meaning Trinidad and Tobago will host the Les Serpientes in the play-offs.

Scoring

Guyana
Tries:Kevin McKenzie (2), Avery Corbin, Richard Staglon

Trinidad and Tobago: 
Tries: James Phillip, Ernest Wright, Johnason Alleyne, Andre Caberra
Conversion: Felicien Guerra

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This country’s men and women’s beach volleyball teams will begin their historic quest to be the first national teams to qualify for the Olympic Games when they compete in their respective first round of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) 2016 Rio Olympics Beach Volleyball Qualifiers.

The T&T Volleyball Federation will play host to the 28-team (two pairs of two per country) men’s qualifiers at the National Development Centre, Saith Park, Chaguanas from May 8-10 at the end of which the top four teams will advance to the second round of qualifiers which will involve the top four teams from the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association first round qualifiers as well.

This was stated by Mushtaque Mohammed, president of CAZOVA at the official launch of the T&T Volleyball Federation’s hosting of the first round of men’s qualifiers at the T&T Olympic Committee Office, Abercombry Street, yesterday.

Mushtaque Mohammed, president of CAZOVA and the appointed tournament director for the tournament at Saith Park, said that being a national of T&T he was happy to state that FIVB, NORCEA and the regional body was happy to provide all the necessary support of the T&TVF to put on a tremendous tournament.

Mohammed noted T&T has managed to qualified beach volleyball teams to the Central American and Caribbean Games in the past, the upcoming Pan American Games in Canada and also at the World Championship youth level for, and the lone missing tournament and most prestigious was the Olympic Games.

He added, “I believe the beach volleyballers can be the first team sport to qualify for the Olympic Games from T&T, however, it’s not going to be easy, because the road gets much more difficult as you progress to the other rounds.

“So as a national of T&T, you will have my support and that of the international body, but no favours will be guaranteed,” Mohammed stressed.

Daymian Stewart, president T&TVF explained the reason for hosting the event was to create a greater awareness of the fastest growing sport in the world, in addition to giving the local teams a good boost and in keeping with the Government’s objectives to develop sport tourism, promote our unique culture, empower our human resources and support the positive talents of the youth.

With regards to qualification for the fourth and final stage of the qualifiers which will involve the top teams in the entire NORCEA Confederation, Daymian Stewart, president T&TVF said the local teams possess six of the seven key elements to get the job done.

However, Stewart noted what was now needed was the support for the athletes which needed to be address urgently.

In another T&TOC President, Brian Lewis applauded the T&TV for the direction it has taken in developing the sport and its effort to generate revenue.

Lewis said, “We need to be creative and market sport in T&T in different ways, and the T&TVF has to be commended for their efforts because qualifying for an Olympic Games is absolutely important if you are serious about elite sport, whether your are a top  athlete, manager or official.”

With respect to the hosting of the event, Lewis urged the local federation to do all in its power to make home advantage be of benefit to the T&T team.

“When your are hosting its a very serious thing and its done to make a difference to your team and this is something we need to change else it makes no sense if we are not 150 per cent about it”

In this regard, Lewis urged volleyball followers and locals to come out in full support for the team.

The round one women’s qualifying takes place first in Ocho Rios Bay Beach, Jamaica, April 30 to May 5 with the 28-teams (two pairs of two per country) competing for four spots to the next round of qualifiers.

Participating countries and teams to date

Aruba: Elmerlindo Robles De Medina, Dwayne Angela, Fransua Angela, Michaello Martilia

Barbados: Daran Gill, Sheldon Roach, Winston Gittens, Elwyn Oxley.

Bahamas: Renaldo Knowles, Mullet Petit, Princtanique Wilson, Byron Ferguson

Bonaire: Not yet submitted

Cayman Islands:  Kirk Shervin Rankin, Richard Campbell, Olney Thompson, Phillippe Des Landes

Curacao: Derwin Colina, Quinten Anthony, Norandy Bonafasia, Kiran Ersilia

Guadeloupe: Arnouts Baptiste, Lavoye Cedric, Guillaume Coudevylle, Loic Couchy

Haiti: Senel Volvick Dupuy, Alexis Marco, Fritz-Emmanuel Mabou, Kempes Vilmot

Jamaica: Mark Lewis, Donovan Larry Richards, Ryck Mc Kenzie-Webb, Christopher Walters

Martinique: Lopes Jefferson, Lowinsky Edouard, Africa Freddy, Lienafa Derek

Suriname: Not Yet submitted

T&T: Fabien Whitfield, Daneil Williams, Tevin Joseph, Josiah Eccles

T&T women team:

La Teisha Joseph, Apphia Glasgow, Elki Phillip, Shenelle Gordon

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WHEN TRINIDAD and Tobago stage the first round of Olympic Games qualifying for Men’s Beach Volleyball in early May, officials will expect nothing less than victory from the national teams. The May 8-10 tournament, to be played at Saith Park in Chaguanas among 12 countries including hosts TT, is the first of four qualification stages on the road to Rio 2016.

The TT women will start a similar journey, one week earlier, in Jamaica. Introducing both the national Men’s and Women’s teams at Olympic House yesterday, Daymian Stewart, head of the TT Volleyball Federation (TTVF) expressed satisfaction with the planning and preparation for the event.

“We believe the work that has been done over the last few years in Beach Volleyball has created a real opportunity for us to be the first local team sport to qualify for the Olympic Games,” Stewart said. “From where I sit, I think I’m in a position to guarantee, and put some pressure on our national athletes, that we will definitely be in the fourth round of the Olympic qualifications.”

In simplifying the progression, Stewart explained that following the first round, the second stage will involve teams from the Eastern Caribbean, after which TT would come up against the Central American nations, until finally they would have to face the top playing countries in the Western Hemisphere in the fourth and final phase. He noted, however, that should TT get to the final round, they would avoid at least one of the sport’s giants, as the United States would have qualified through the World Beach Volleyball Tour.

Stating the TTVF had learned much from previous experiences, Stewart said it had now put together a combination of good athletes, technical capabilities, facilities, technology and administrative support.

“We can now say that we went through this before,” he told reporters at Olympic House. “We had a world-class indoor team trying to qualify for the World Championships, and we know where we went wrong, and the things that we need to correct. So this time around, we need to get it right.”

Vice president of the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), Mushtaque Mohammed confirmed the tournament will receive assistance from both the regional and world governing bodies. “The IVF, the Caribbean VF and NORCECA will be supporting these events from a financial perspective,” said the former TTVF head. “We will be giving all the equipment that is necessary for the event.”

Mohammed will also be heading the tournament’s control committee.

TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis, in calling on the public to come out in their numbers and make the event a success, added that the tournament presents “an opportunity for the Volleyball Federation to leverage a format of the game that is suited to Trinidad and Tobago.” He noted that following the Beijing Games in 2008, experts found that Beach Volleyball was the most watched event after Track and Field’s 100 metres.

The women’s first round will be run off between April 30 and May 4 in Jamaica. La Teisha Joseph and Apphia Glasgow will make up one team, while the other will consist of Elki Phillip and Shenelle Gordon. Playing for the TT men at Saith Park will be Fabian Whitfield and Daniel Williams; and Tevin Joseph and Josiah Eccles.

The other participating national teams are Aruba, Barbados, the Bahamas, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique and Suriname. A number of activities have been included for the fans, including a nightly skills segment for cash prizes. Additionally, competition on each night will be preceded at 6 pm by a women’s exhibition match.

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Rio 2016 have received 1.2 million ticket applications from Brazilian residents since sales began on March 31, it is claimed.

The most popular sports in terms of ticket requests have been volleyball, football and basketball, with artistic gymnastics, swimming, athletics, tennis, beach volleyball, judo and handball completing the top 10 most sought-after.

“We have received requests for all the sports in the programme and fans from throughout Brazil are buying tickets,” said Donovan Ferreti, Rio 2016’s ticketing director.

“This shows that these are not just Rio’s Games, but all of Brazil’s.”

The majority of applications have come from Rio de Janeiro, followed by the states that will co-host the Olympic football tournament - São Paulo, the Federal District, Minas Gerais, Amazonas and Bahia.

Approximately 7.5 million tickets will be put on sale for Rio 2016, with more half being priced at BRL R$70 (£15/$22/€20) or less.

Brazilian residents have until April 30 to request tickets in the first draw, the results of which will be announced in June.

Only those who entered the first draw will be able to apply in the second draw, which is due to open in July ahead of the results being announced in August.

The cheapest tickets will be BRL R$40 (£9/$12/€11.50), while the most expensive ticket for a sports event will be BRL R$1,200 (£251/$373/€347), and the most expensive Opening Ceremony ticket will be BRL R$4,600 (£962/$1,428/€1,331).

Complete information on how to apply for tickets can be found in English by clicking here.

Non-residents of Brazil are able to establish the identity of the Authorised Ticket Reseller in their respective country by clicking here.

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