The Lalonde Gordon Sports Fund

Double Olympic bronze medalist, Lalonde Gordon.

The Lalonde Gordon Sports Fund will be launched next month. The foundation was established to honour the 2012 double Olympic bronze medalist, Tobago born Lalonde Gordon.

"We're now in Tobago at a state where we have to create programmes to ensure that we develop our athletes and our young people," Secretary of the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport (DEYAS) Councillor Gary Melville disclosed at Wednesday's Post Executive Council media briefing (February 13, 2013).

"Today the Executive Council would have processed the mechanism to operationalise the Fund," Melville said.

In August, following the 2012 London Olympics, THA Chief Secretary Orville London made the commitment to establish the Fund. It was created in honour of Gordon's double bronze achievement in the men's 400 metres and 4x400 metres relay during the Olympics.

Melville said the THA would provide $1million each year to the Fund and was hoping that corporate citizens and those who would have benefited from sports awards would make cash contributions. The Fund would be used to develop coaches, athletes and athletes.

"The primary purpose of the fund if to develop athletes, coaches, officials and volunteer administrators," Melville said. "We want to enhance the development of sport participation in Tobago, especially at the elite level."

Melville said the Fund is an opportunity for all major participants in sports in Tobago "to access training and further development."

Melville indicated that DEYAS was working to set up a Funding Request Assessment Committee and launch the Fund next month. The programme will incorporate a centralised funding effort that provides support to sport organizations and individual athletes. "We will contact Mr Gordon as to his availability and various members of the private sector for support."

DEYAS Secretary said the THA would contribute $1 million annually to the Fund.

SOURCE: tha.gov.tt

Tobago Born TOP of the World

Lalonde Gordon, OlympicDouble Bronze Medallist

Double Olympic bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon shot to the top of the 2013 indoor men's 200 metres world performance list when he stopped the clock at 20.60 seconds to strike gold at the Terrier Invitational, in Boston, USA, on Saturday.

Gordon also leads the world in the 300m. On January 11, he clocked a personal best 32.48 seconds for victory at the Gotham Cup in New York. The clocking was the ninth fastest indoor 300m run in history.

One week later, again in New York, Gordon won his 2013 200m opener in 20.91 seconds. On Saturday, the Trinidad and Tobago athlete improved on that clocking by 31-hundredths of a second to jump from sixth to first on the world list.

Last August, Gordon bagged bronze in the men's 400m at the Olympic Games, in London, England. He then teamed up with Jarrin Solomon, Ade Alleyne-Forte and Deon Lendore for bronze in the 4x400m relay in three minutes, 59.40 seconds--a new T&T record.

Another T&T athlete, Adrian Crichlow was 10th overall in Saturday's Terrier Invitational men's 200m in 21.67 seconds. And in the men's 500m, Long Island University (Brooklyn Campus) student, Kervin Morgan was 10th in 1:04.53.

Also on Saturday, Solomon produced an indoor best at the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational, in New Mexico. He clocked 46.32 seconds to secure gold in the men's 400m. His previous best in the indoor 400 was 46.55.

Solomon is fourth on the 2013 indoor 400m performance list. Lendore and Alleyne-Forte are also on the 2013 list. Lendore is actually the world leader with the 45.91 seconds scorcher he produced in Texas, USA, two Saturdays ago, while Alleyne-Forte is in ninth spot at 46.88.

Saturday's race was Solomon's first 400 for the year. Two Friday's ago, he was victorious in a 600m event in New Mexico in 1:17.63.

T&T's Reyare Thomas secured the women's sprint double at the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational. The Abilene Christian University (ACU) student won the 60m final in 7.58 seconds and the 200m in an indoor best 24.16. Her ACU teammate, Osei Alleyne-Forte was 15th overall in the men's 200m in 22.46 seconds.

At the Jack Jennett Invite, in Iowa, Dan-Neil Telesford topped the men's 400m field. The Iowa Central Community College student got home in 49.31 seconds.

Arkansas State University's Kashef Daniel cleared the bar at 2.10 metres to cop third spot in the men's high jump, at the Arkansas State Invitational. Daniel also competed in the long jump, finishing 10th with a 6.58m leap.

At the Cougar Indoor Invitational, in Washington, Washington State University athlete Shawna Fermin clocked 7.66 seconds for bronze in the women's 60m dash.

Hilenn James produced a new personal best at the Razorback Invitational, in Arkansas. The University of Georgia student threw 16.80 metres to finish fourth in the women's shot put.

Louisiana State University (LSU) sprinter, Shermund Allsop was sixth in heat two and 10th overall in the men's 60m semis in 6.94 seconds. The top eight advanced to the final. In the preliminary round, Allsop clocked 6.90. And in the 200m, he was second in section three and 19th overall in 21.80 seconds. University of Florida student, Jovon Toppin was 28th in the men's 400m in 48.91.

At the Jayhawk Classic, in Kansas, Butler County Community College athlete, Abiane Collymore finished eighth in the women's 1,000m in 3:26.03. Her teammate, Richard Marcano clocked 7.19 seconds for 42nd spot overall in the men's 60m.

And Middle Tennessee State University's Kendall Bacchus got to the line in 22.41 seconds to finish 12th overall in the men's 200m, at the Rod McCravy Memorial meet, in Kentucky.

Reproduced from Trinidadexpress

Lalonde Gordon Visits Chief Secretary

Double Olympics Bronze Medalist
Lalonde Gordon &
Chief Secretary, Orville London

Double bronze medalist, and first ever Olympics medalist for Tobago, Lalonde Gordon paid a courtesy call on THA Chief Secretary Orville London yesterday (Wednesday 19th September 2012) almost a month after it was originally scheduled to take place.

The Tobago-born athlete was unable to make the call then because he was part of a motorcade that ended late into the night of August 21. He also did not attend a special reception in his honour to receive his award from Chief Secretary London.

As a result his grandmother Yvonne Gordon accepted the envelopes with $200,000 worth of Units from the Unit Trust Corporation and $100,000 in cash plus a first day cover of postage stamps on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the nation's Independence and $50,000 reimbursement to his family who attended the London Olympics.

Lalonde will be the first to own a plot of land next year at the Courland Estate and the establishment of the Lalonde Gordon Sport Development Fund with the main purpose of assisting Tobago's sportsmen and women. London said the THA will open the Fund with $1 million and will continue to make an annual contribution of $1 million. In addition the THA will match contributions dollar for dollar made by corporate organisations. London said he has already received pledges from three private sector organisations.

Lalonde who migrated to the United States at the age of 8 years in 1996 said he has always kept in touch with Tobago and was thankful to God for a successful season and to London and the Assembly for their contribution to his future development.

His advice to young Tobago athletes was to listen to their parents and coach, train hard and have faith in God.

Lalonde said he was on a break from school in New York and planned to pursue a course in sports management on his return.

London told Lalonde that the Assembly and all of Tobago were proud of his achievement and those of the other athletes. The Tobago Chief Secretary assured the young Tobago athlete that when he was no longer on the track the Fund will continue in his name. "This means that when you are no longer on the track you will still be remembered in Tobago as the person who would have been the catalyst for this Fund which I hope will facilitate other outstanding Tobagonians as they try to develop their potential," London added.

Secretary of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport Whitney Alfred and Assistant Secretary in charge of Youth Affairs and Sport Huey Cadette who were present at the meeting also extended best wishes to Lalonde in his future development.

Cadette who was present at the Olympics to see Lalonde's participation in the 400 metres and relay said the Division will continue to support the athletes.

Information gained from THA news

Olympic Monitor: Lalonde Flash Gordon Wins T&T's First Medal in London 2012

Lolonde Gordon, Mens 400m Bronze Medallist

With an Impressive show at the London 2012 Olympics, Lalonde Gordon ran another personal best to grab Tobago's first ever Olympics Medal. Gordon claimed bronze in the Men's 400m Final as he got to the line in 43.52, he was behind Grenadian Kirani James (43.94) and Dominican Republic's Luguelin Santos (44.46). James is the first ever Olympic medallist from Grenada.

Lalonde Gordon, who hails from Lowlands Tobago, migrated at 2 years and currently lives in the United States. Considered an underdog, Gordon shocked the entire nation with his stunning performance, sending the entire country in jubilation as T&T was desperate to continue the medal streak  at the Olympics since Ato Bolton winnings in 1996.

Meanwhile, Grenada would be ecstatic as they have now engrave their names in Olympic history. James just only 19 years old won Grenada's first and only medal at an Olympics, and what a way to do it by producing Gold. He is now the 10th man to run sub 44 in the mens 400m.  James short for words, couldn't quantify how his people would be feeling. He stated “What this means to my country, right now, I can’t explain,” except to say that the whole country will be going crazy.” 

History for Tobago, and History for Grenada, two small islands that would be flowing with pride and joy on the return of each athlete. 

Congratulations is extended to all the athletes who ran in the mens 400's. But special Congratulations to the 'Man of the Day' Lalonde Gordon, you did Trinidad and Tobago proud, but I cannot quantify the joy of all Tobagonians who have waited years for this day. We have produced a world class athlete, and you have placed us not only on the map but also down in history. Congratulations We are proud of you. Tobago is Proud of you.