Olympics

Trinidad & Tobago made its Olympic debut in 1948 and, between 1948 and 2008, the Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee selected a cumulative total of 209 participants to represent the country at the 16 Olympics. Since some of the selectees competed in more than one Olympics, the 209 slots have been filled by a total of 151 athletes. Over the years, the 209 participants (169 male and 40 female) competed in ten different sports: athletics; badminton; boxing; cycling; shooting; swimming; table tennis; taekwondo; weightlifting; and yachting. The following Table summarizes the Olympics participation of athletes from Trinidad & Tobago.

SPORT 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 TOTAL
Athletics 3   3 1 6 8 9 12 9 11 3 5 6 19 18 25 138
Badminton                         1       1
Boxing                   2     1       3
Cycling 1   1 1 3 7 6 2   1 2 2 1       27
Shooting           2   1             1 1 5
Swimming           1 1     1 1   2 3 4 3 16
Table Tennis                         1     1 2
Taekwondo                           1 1   2
Weightlifting 1 2 2   2 1                     8
Yachting       2 2   2     1             7
TOTAL: 5 2 6 4 13 19 18 15 9 16 6 7 12 23 24 30 209

The majority (66%) of the athletes who were selected competed in athletics. One hundred track and field participants were selected to fill a combined total of 138 slots in 15 of the 16 Olympiads between 1948 and 2008; the 1952 XV Olympiad in Helsinki, Finland, was the only time that Trinidad was not represented in athletics. In 1964, Wendell Mottley won a silver medal, Edwin Roberts won a bronze medal, and the 4 x 400 meters relay team of Wendell Mottley, Edwin Roberts, Clifton Bertrand, Edwin Skinner, and Kent Bernard won a bronze medal. In 1976, Hasely Crawford won a gold medal in the 100 meters. In 1996, Ato Boldon won bronze medals in both the 100 and 200 meters events. In 2000, Ato Boldon won a silver medal in the 100 meters and a bronze medal in the 200 meters. In 2008, Richard Thompson won a silver medal in the 100 meters, and then teamed up with Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender, and Richard Thompson to take a silver medal in the 4 x 100 meters relay. Twenty-seven athletes made more than one appearance: Francis Adams (2), Niconnor Alexander (2), Ainsley Armstrong (2), Fana Ashby (2), Kelly-Ann Baptiste (2), Clifton Bertrand (2), Ato Boldon (4), Cleopatra Borel (2), Christopher Brathwaite (2), Darrel Brown (2), Marc Burns (3), Joseph Coombs (2), Hasely Crawford (4), Neil De Silva (3), Patrick Delice (2), Ronnie Holassie (2), Ayanna Hutchinson (3), Wanda Hutson (2), Charles Joseph (3), Sheridan Kirk (2), Marsha Mark-Baird (2), Ato (Modibo) Stephens (3), Ian Morris (2), Edwin Roberts (4), Candice Scott (2), Michael Solomon (2), and Angela Williams (2). Total Medals (10): 1 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze

The first and only Olympic participant in badminton was sent to the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Total Medals: None

The first Olympic boxers were sent to the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, California, USA. Three boxers were selected to fill a combined total of 3 slots in two Olympiads. Total Medals: None

Cycling had the second largest representation of athletes dating back to the first participant in 1948. Trinidad & Tobago had cyclists in eleven Olympics and 19 cyclists were selected to fill a combined total of 27 slots. Six cyclists made more than one appearance: Maxwell Cheesman (2), Roger Gibbon (2), Leslie King (2), Eugene Samuel (4), Anthony Sellier (2), and Vernon Stauble(2). Total Medals: None

Four shooters were selected to fill a combined total of 5 slots in four Olympics: 1968, 1976, 2004, and 2008. The only participant to appear more than once was Roger Daniel (2). Total Medals: None

Eleven swimmers were selected to fill a combined total of 16 slots in eight Olympics: 1968, 1972, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008. In 2004, Nicholas Bovell was selected but did not travel to Greece because of injury. Swimmers who made more than one Olympic appearance were George Bovell III (3), Nicholas Bovell (2), Siobhan Cropper (2), and Sharntelle McLean (2). George Bovell, III, won a bronze medal in the 200 meters Individual Medley at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece. Total Medals (1): 1 Bronze

The first and only Olympic participant in table tennis, Dexter St. Louis, was sent to the 1996 and 2008 games. Total Medals: None

Two athletes were selected to fill a combined total of 2 slots in taekwondo at two Olympics in 2000 and 2004. Total Medals: None

Four weightlifters were selected to fill a combined total of 8 slots in five of the six Olympics between 1948 and 1968. Rodney Wilkes won a silver medal in 1948 and a bronze medal in 1952, while Lennox Kilgour won a bronze medal in 1952. Three weighlifters made more than one Olympic appearance: Hugo Gittens (2), Lennox Kilgour (2), and Rodney Wilkes (3). Interest in this sport has waned over the years and no weightlifters have been selected since 1968. Total Medals (3): 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

Six yachtsmen were selected to fill a combined total of 7 slots in four Olympics: 1960; 1964; 1972; and 1984. The only yachtsman who was selected more than once was Richard John Bennet (2). Total Medals: None



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