TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Olympic sweethearts were yesterday mobbed by scores of cheering, flag-waving Tobagonians who crowded the ANR Robinson International Airport at Crown Point, Tobago.
Among the local athletes, who put on a stellar showing at the recently concluded London 2012 Olympics, was Tobago’s own double bronze medallist, Lalonde Gordon.
Hometown darling Gordon and gold medal winner Keshorn Walcott were the stars of the show yesterday as they emerged from inside the airport terminal to greet fans.
Flanking the duo was Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar.
Gordon, and his mother Cynthia Cupid, who both reside in Queens, New York, were in Tobago on Saturday, while Walcott and the other athletes arrived on Sunday.
The Olympians went to the airport to greet the prime minister who arrived via helicopter.
The Olympic Caravan on the sister-isle was much like the one held in Trinidad last week Monday, when Walcott arrived home.
It took the caravan more than ten hours to get to Walcott’s home in Toco, last week Monday which was declared a holiday by the government.
As it snaked its way along Milford Road, through the southwest districts of Crown Point, Bon Accord, Canaan, the motorcade passed through Gordon’s village of Lowlands - where he was born 23 years ago. Gordon left for the US at the age of two.
Lining the road were adults and children waving their national flags as they eagerly waited to the see the athletes.
The caravan caused a massive traffic gridlock from Crown Point to Store Bay.
It took more than an hour and a half to travel a distance of 400 metres.
An unscheduled stop was made at the Old Market (Tambrin) Square, in uptown Scarborough, where tokens and trinkets, including cups with the prime minister’s image, were distributed to the enthusiastic crowd.
It was expected that she would address the gathering to announce what goodies were planned for the Tobago-born double bronze medallist but up until 9 pm last night, nothing was said.
Earlier in the day, the caravan finally arrived in Roxborough on the eastern end of the island, some seven hours after it began.
At about 8 pm it was making its way to Charlotteville. Gordon’s mother told Newsday she wanted to pay special tribute to Calvert Phillips, of Mt St George, who is now residing in Princes Town.
Phillips, she said, took care of her son whenever he came to Trinidad.
She also had special thanks for PNM MP Donna Cox.
“We just want to honour these two people and all other persons who would have assisted Lalonde when he came to Trinidad for various track meetings and national trials”, said Cupid.
By Karl Cupid
Source: www.newsday.co.tt