Trinidad and Tobago competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, from August 5 to 21, 2016. This was the nation's seventeenth appearance at the Summer Olympics, although it previously competed in four other editions as a British colony, and as part of the West Indies Federation.
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee fielded a team of 32 athletes, 21 men and 11 women, to compete in eight different sports at these Games. It was the nation's largest ever delegation sent to the Olympics, eclipsing the record of 30 athletes who attended the London Games four years earlier. For the first time in Olympic history, Trinidad and Tobago registered its athletes in artistic gymnastics, judo and rowing. As usual, athletics had the largest team by sport with 24 competitors, roughly three quarters of the nation's full roster size.
The Trinidad and Tobago team featured five Olympic medalists from London, including sprinter Lalonde Gordon in the 400 metres, and javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott, who won the nation's first ever gold after nearly four decades. Looking to defend his title in Rio de Janeiro, Walcott was selected to lead the Trinidad and Tobago contingent as the flag bearer in the opening ceremony. Athens 2004 bronze medalist George Bovell joined the elite club of world-ranked swimmers who have participated in five Olympic Games, while shot putter and reigning Pan American Games champion Cleopatra Borel made history for Trinidad and Tobago as the first female athlete to compete in four Olympics. Other notable athletes on the Trinidad and Tobago roster also included Laser sailor Andrew Lewis, London 2012 semifinalist Njisane Phillip in track cycling, Canadian-born gymnast Marisa Dick, and 39-year-old single sculls rower Felice Chow (the oldest competitor of the team).
Trinidad and Tobago left Rio de Janeiro with only a bronze medal won by Walcott, following up on the gold he had earned in London and narrowly sparing from an out-of-medal feat for the first time since 1992. Several athletes on the Trinidad and Tobago team missed the opportunity to join Walcott on the podium, including Borel (seventh, women's shot put), Cedenio (fourth, men's 400 m), and sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye, the first woman from her country to appear in three finals at a single edition.
Medalists
Medal Name Sport Event Date Keshorn Walcott Athletics Men's javelin throw
Athletics (track and field)
Athletes from Trinidad and Tobago have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):
A total of 24 athletes (15 men and 9 women) were selected to the nation's track and field team for the Games, based on their results achieved at the Olympic Trials and T&T Open Championships. Among them were reigning Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (men's javelin throw) and bronze medalists Lalonde Gordon, Machel Cedenio, Jarrin Solomon, and Renny Quow.
Track & road events Men AthleteEventHeat QuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankKeston Bledman100 mcolspan=2 10.205Did not advanceRondel Sorrillocolspan=2 10.233Did not advanceRichard Thompsoncolspan=2 10.296Did not advanceKyle Greaux200 m20.614colspan=2 Did not advanceRondel Sorrillo20.27 SB3 qcolspan=2 20.335Did not advanceMachel Cedenio400 m44.981 Qcolspan=2 44.391 Q44.01 NR4Lalonde Gordon45.241 Qcolspan=2 45.138Did not advanceDeon Lendore46.156colspan=2 Did not advanceMikel Thomas110 m hurdles13.686colspan=2 Did not advanceJehue Gordon400 m hurdles49.90 SB8colspan=2 Did not advanceKeston BledmanEmmanuel CallenderMarcus DuncanKyle GreauxRondel SorrilloRichard Thompson4 × 100 m relay37.963 Qcolspan=4 Machel CedenioLalonde GordonDeon LendoreRenny QuowJereem RichardsJarrin Solomon4 × 400 m relaycolspan=4 Did not advance
Women AthleteEventHeat QuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankMichelle-Lee Ahye100 mcolspan=2 11.001 Q10.902 Q10.926Kelly-Ann Baptistecolspan=2 11.424Did not advanceSemoy Hackettcolspan=2 11.353 q11.205Did not advanceMichelle-Lee Ahye200 m22.501 Qcolspan=2 22.252 Q22.346Semoy Hackett22.782 Qcolspan=2 22.946Did not advanceReyare Thomas22.975colspan=2 Did not advanceJaneil Bellille400 m hurdles56.255 qcolspan=2 56.066Did not advanceSparkle McKnight56.805colspan=2 Did not advanceMichelle-Lee AhyeKelly-Ann BaptisteSemoy HackettKhalifa St. FortKai SelvonReyare Thomas4 × 100 m relay42.623 Qcolspan=4 42.125
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionKeshorn WalcottMen's javelin throw88.681 Q85.38Cleopatra BorelWomen's shot put18.208 q18.377
Boxing
Trinidad and Tobago entered one boxer to compete in the men's super heavyweight division into the Olympic boxing tournament. Nigel Paul had claimed his Olympic spot with a semifinal victory at the 2016 American Qualification Tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankNigel PaulMen's super heavyweightL Did not advance
Cycling
Track Following the completion of the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Trinidad and Tobago entered one rider to compete only in the men's sprint at the Olympics, by virtue of his final individual UCI Olympic rankings in that event.
Sprint AthleteEventQualificationRound 1Repechage 1Round 2Repechage 2QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalTimeSpeed (km/h)RankOppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)RankNjisane PhillipMen's sprint9.81373.3726 QLLDid not advance
Gymnastics
Artistic Trinidad and Tobago entered one artistic gymnast for the first time into the Olympic competition. Originally, the spot was earned by Trinidad born gymnast Thema Williams in the Scotland qualifier. She was later replaced due to controversy* and apparent lack of support by officials on the local gymnastics body the TTGF. Marisa Dick a Canadian born of a Trinidadian mother had claimed her (William's) Olympic spot in the women's apparatus and all-around events at the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro. Women AthleteEventQualificationFinalApparatusTotalRankApparatusTotalRankMarisa DickUneven bars11.333colspan=2 11.33379Did not advanceBalance beamcolspan=2 13.06613.06658Did not advanceFloorcolspan=3 12.53312.53370Did not advance
Judo
Trinidad and Tobago has qualified one judoka for the men's half-heavyweight category (100 kg) at the Games, signifying the nation's Olympic debut in the sport. Christopher George earned a continental quota spot from the Pan American region, as Trinidad and Tobago's sole judoka in the IJF World Ranking List of May 30, 2016.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankChristopher GeorgeMen's −100 kgL 000–002Did not advance
Rowing
For the first time in Olympic history, Trinidad and Tobago has qualified one boat in the women's single sculls for the Games at the 2016 Latin American Continental Qualification Regatta in Valparaíso, Chile.
AthleteEventHeatsRepechageQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankFelice ChowWomen's single sculls8:31.835 R8:04.912 QF8:02.535 SC/D8:20.074 FD7:50.2322 Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage
Sailing
Trinidad & Tobago has qualified a boat in men's Laser class by virtue of a top finish for North America at the 2015 Pan American Games.
AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank12345678910M*Andrew LewisMen's Laser42343936413431BFD3632EL32439 M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race
Swimming
Swimmers from Trinidad & Tobago have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)):
Men AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankGeorge Bovell50 m freestyle22.3027Did not advanceDylan Carter100 m freestyle48.80 NR23Did not advance
See also Trinidad and Tobago at the 2015 Pan American Games
References
External links