The government of Trinidad and Tobago and the opposition finally share something - the pride in the national four-member sprint team at the Beijing Olympics that won the silver medal in Friday's 4x100 metres relay final at the Games.In a statement, the Government praised the sprint quartet for achieving the historic Olympic milestone.
The team of Emmanuel Callender, Keston Bledman, Richard Thompson (who also won silver in the 100 metre sprint) and Marc Burns completed the relay in a time of 38.06, just second behind the Jamaicans who won the gold medal.
“These fine athletes will be icons for the people of Trinidad and Tobago and have shown them what they can accomplish with their lives,” the Government stated.
The statement also paid tribute to injured sprinters Aaron Armstrong and Darrel Brown who were unable to participate in the final. It said team’s second place gave the country its first medal in this event and was even more remarkable because “three of the four athletes (Thompson, Callender and Bledman) were participating in their first Olympic Games.”
Government said they will get “a fitting welcome” along with the full national team including men’s 50 metres semi-finalist George Bovell III. Bovell didn't win a medal in Bejing but brought home a bronze medal from the Athens Games in 2004. Government is also considering a "fitting" reward for Thompson.
Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday said he was “extremely happy”, calling it a historic moment . He said the Caribbean's showing in Beijing was "undoubtedly one of the best in terms of the performance by Caribbean athletes, most notably the Jamaicans."
Panday said Government must build upon the successes of these athletes by ensuring that they have proper facilities to train and develop their skills.
Trinidad and Tobago's other moment of "Olympic glory" was in 1976 when Hasely "Raj Paul" Crawford won the gold medal in the 100 metres sprint at the Montreal Games. Crawford was the only T&T citizen to compete in four Olympic Games.
Trinidad and Tobago honoured Crawford by naming a new DC-9 jet after him and naming a stadium in his honour. In 1978 he was awarded the Trinity Cross, the nation's highest honour.
In 2000 he became the Trinidad and Tobago Athlete of the Millennium.
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