Port-of-Spain TRI - Cleopatra Borel-Brown has repeated as the National Amateur Athletic Association's (NAAA) Female Athlete of the Year. The 28-year-old shot putter received the award on Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

Sprinter Richard Thompson was also honoured at the 2007 awards function. The 22-year-old Louisiana State University (LSU) student was named Male Athlete of the Year.

Thompson showed great improvement last year. At the beginning of his 2007 campaign, the young sprinter's PR (personal record) in the 100 metres was 10.27 seconds, a mark he improved to 10.09 in the semi-final round at the Sagicor National Open Track and Field Championships, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. In the final, Thompson clocked a wind-assisted 9.95 seconds to finish second to Darrel Brown (9.88).

At the NACAC (North America, Central America and Caribbean) Championships, in El Salvador, Thompson struck gold in the 100m dash, getting home in 10.33 seconds. He was also part of the Trinidad and Tobago team that earned bronze in the men's 4x100m relay.

Earlier in the season, Thompson finished fifth in the 100m final at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in California, USA, and was part of the LSU quartet that earned sprint relay silver.

Borel-Brown consistently threw the iron ball past the 18-metre mark last year. The Virginia-based field athlete enjoyed a number of victories, including a triumph at the Papendal Games, in the Netherlands, where she produced an outdoor best of 18.91 metres.

Borel-Brown's major 2007 achievement came at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She put the shot 18.22m to bag bronze, the fine performance at Rio 2007 coming just a fortnight after her golden effort at the NACAC Championships.

Borel-Brown closed off the season with a fifth-place finish at the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany.

Two retired T&T quarter-milers were among those who came under the spotlight at Saturday's function. Ian Morris and Edwin Skinner were inducted into the CAC (Central American and Caribbean) Hall of Fame in recognition of their achievements on the track.

Morris is a two-time Olympic men's 400m finalist. At the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea, the Siparia-born athlete finished seventh, and four years later, in Barcelona, Spain, he copped fourth spot, missing out on bronze by just one-hundredth of a second. In the semi-final round, in Barcelona, Morris clocked a personal best 44.21 seconds, which still stands today as the national record.

Morris also has two World Indoor Championship silver medals. In 1989 he was second in the 400m, and four years later was part of the T&T quartet that copped the runner-up spot in the 4x400m relay.

After being inducted into the Hall of Fame, on Saturday, by CAC Athletic Confederation (CACAC) president Victor Lopez, Morris said he wants his 44.21 T&T standard erased from the record books.

“I’m begging and I’m pleading with you. I know it’s not going to be easy. I cry running up a hill to pass a car…an old car,” Morris quipped. “Athletes, train hard.”

Skinner earned mile relay bronze at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He was also a finalist in the individual 400 at the Tokyo Games, finishing eighth.

Skinner is currently a coach at Memphis Pioneers, the 2007 Champion Club in both the Senior and Junior categories.

“I am a product of good parenting,” Skinner told the Crowne Plaza audience.

“I’m also where I am today and the successes that I’ve had in life, it’s all because of track and field, and this is why I think it’s very important…sport has been a very important part of my life. This is why I think I have given back as much as I can…because of sport I have been very successful.”

HONOUR ROLL

CAC Hall of Fame Inductees-Ian Morris, Edwin Skinner

Male Athlete of the Year-Richard Thompson

Female Athlete of the Year-Cleopatra Borel-Brown

Junior Male Athlete of the Year-Keston Bledman

Junior Female Athlete of the Year-Janeil Bellille

Outstanding Performance in 2007-Richard Thompson, Rhonda Watkins, Keston Bledman, Quincy Wilson, Janeil Bellille, Kyron Blaise, Zwede Hewitt, Jovon Toppin, Kervin Morgan, Ade Alleyne-Forte, Jamaal James

Most Outstanding Male Cross Country Runner-Richard Jones

Most Outstanding Female Cross Country Runner-Shermin Lasaldo

Most Outstanding Female Combined Event Athlete-Natoya Baird

Most Outstanding Male Road Runner-Richard Jones

Most Outstanding Female Road Runner-Shermin Lasaldo

Most Outstanding Men's Open Track Athlete-Richard Thompson

Most Outstanding Women's Open Track Athlete-Sasha Springer-Jones

Most Outstanding Men's Open Field Athlete-Lejuan Simon

Most Outstanding Women's Open Field Athlete-Cleopatra Borel-Brown

Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Track Athlete-Keston Bledman

Most Outstanding Girls Under-20 Track Athlete-Janeil Bellille

Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Field Athlete-Kyron Blaise

Most Outstanding Girls Under-20 Field Athlete-Akeela Bravo

Most Outstanding Boys Under-17 Track Athlete-Shermund Allsop

Most Outstanding Girls Under-17 Track Athlete-Michelle Lee Ahye

Most Outstanding Boys Under-17 Field Athlete-Quincy Wilson

Most Outstanding Girls Under-17 Field Athlete-Jeanelle Ovid

Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Track Athlete-Jonathan Holder

Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Track Athlete-Chelsea Campbell

Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Field Athlete-Andwele Korede

Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Field Athlete-Annestesia Daire

Most Outstanding Boys Under-13 Athlete-John Mark Constantine

Most Outstanding Girls Under-13 Athlete-Desiree Harper

Most Outstanding Boys Under-11 Athlete-Corey Stewart

Most Outstanding Girls Under-11 Athlete-Nathalia Thomas

Champion Club (Seniors)-Memphis Pioneers

Champion Club (Juniors)-Memphis Pioneers

Loyal & Dedicated Service in 2007-KristyAnn Bertrand, Errol Clarke, David Cumberbatch, Jefferson Edmund, Susan Garcia, George Henry, Joel Howell, Noel Hyland, Kelly Kerr, Michelle Lyons, Ishmael Lopez Mastrapa, Emile Nibbs, Michelle Pennie-Alleyne, Cheryl Reyes, Winston Rudder, Ali St Louis, Marsha Thompson, Davina Washington, Sarah Washington, Claudette Willoughby, Remy Nicome

Support Given to Track & Field in 2007-Clayton Clarke, Kwame Laurence, Hazel Phillips, Christopher Phillips

Contribution to the Development of Track & Field:

Illuminat Trinidad & Tobago Limited-Business Products Unit;

Port of Spain City Corporation;

Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force-Physical Training Instructors Department

Photo by Steve McPhie (Trinidad Express)