Sports
Newsday Reporter
VIDIA RAMPHAL
From the roar of the home crowd at the Carifta Games to the historic podiums of Tokyo and Peru, 2025 was a defining year with Trinidad and Tobago’s athletes reasserting their place on the global map.
On December 29 at 6 pm, that season reaches a climax at the Queen’s Hall in Port of Spain, where the best gather at the 31st Annual TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) Awards.
The annual awards ceremony crowns the best junior and senior athletes, while honouring administrative service and more in the first major awards on the road to Los Angeles 2028.
Keshorn Walcott is the raging favourite to lift his third Sportsman of the Year crown at the awards ceremony.
The 32-year-old copped gold at the World Athletics Championships in August in one of the marquee sporting performances of 2025.
Walcott previously took home the Sportsman of the Year title for his gold medal win at the London Games in 2012 and again in 2016, when he secured the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.
Jereem Richards, who won the title in 2024, also has a strong case to retain his title after earning a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships.
He also set a new national record and a new personal best of 43.72 seconds in the 400m at the Tokyo championships in another successful year for the Point Fortin-born sprinter.
Cyclist Nicholas Paul is also in the conversation for the Sportsman of the Year gong.
He won TT’s first gold medal at the Bolivarian Games in December, adding a silver medal in the keirin in Peru.
Paul captured the triple crown at the Pan American Track Championships in Paraguay – he won gold in the team sprint, the sprint, and the 1K time trial, and a silver medal in the keirin.
The destination of the Sportswomen of the Year award is far less straightforward.
Sprinter Leah Bertrand, who took the title in 2024, is the punters’ choice for the award.
She continued her rise in 2025, winning the 100m title at the TT Championships in August.
Bertrand later competed in the 100m and the 200m sprints at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
The 23-year-old also broke new ground in the 60m dash, recording a personal best of 7.19 seconds in March, and placed third in the 60m final at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.
Also compelling is the performance of cricketer Karishma Ramharack, the off-spinner who represents the West Indies women’s cricket team.
Ramharack led a team mainly composed of Under-19 players to victory in the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup in March.
The 30-year-old took 20 wickets in 14 ODIs for the West Indies and was instrumental in the regional women’s team’s 2-1 series victory over Bangladesh.
In December, Ramharack led the TT team to a silver medal in their inaugural appearance at the Bolivarian Games in Peru.
With cricket now an Olympic sport, Ramharack and future generations of cricketers will have the opportunity to be recognised for their efforts at the TTOC awards.
Among junior athletes, track and field athletes are strong contenders for nods, with Christopher Sammy taking gold medals in the 1,500m and 3,000m in front of his home crowd.
Oshea Cummings’ brilliant run in the 1,500m and a rare instance of twins winning gold medals – Tyrique Vincent in the decathlon, and Tenique Vincent in the heptathlon – also stood out at Carifta 2025.
However, sprinter Shaniqua Bascombe presents the strongest case for the Junior Sportswomen of the Year with her 11.39-second clocking to win the 100m gold medal at the Junior Pan American Games.
Cyclist Makaira Wallace will be her main threat for the title,
The 19-year-old won medals at the 2025 UCI Junior Track World Championships, the Junior Pan American Games, and the Bolivarian Games.
Nikoli Blackman, who has won the last three Junior Sportsman of the Year titles, looks likely to be succeeded by another swimmer.
Liam Carrington captured 12 gold medals and a silver medal, while breaking five Carifta records in 2025.
With a wealth of emerging talent in the pool, on the track, and in the velodrome, the junior categories are expected to be among the tightest contests of the night.
Beyond the individual accolades, the ceremony is a pivotal signpost with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle fully underway, and new disciplines like cricket entering the fold.
