Jehue Gordon steals the spotlight at SOSA awards

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC- 400 m hurdles World Champion, Jehue Gordon, has captured Trinidad and Tobago’s prestigious title of Sports Performance of the year.

Gordon also won three other awards during the Spirit of Sports Awards (SOSA) Ceremony held here over the weekend.

He grabbed the titles of Male Athlete of the Year, Consistent Performer of the Year and Breakthrough Performance of the Year.

“It is amazing to be here and to receive these gifts. You know it is hard for some of the athletes. I for one am hardly around my family six or seven months of the year,” he said, pausing to wipe tears from his eyes.

“Thinking about it is very emotional for me”.

Gordon also received the keys to a duplex from the Housing Development Corporationand a cheque for $800,000 for his golden run in Barcelona earlier this year.

He beat a strong field in the race for the Sports Performance for the Year award, including ace swimmer George Bovell, Dylan Carter (silver in the men’s 50m butterfly at the FINA World Youth Swim-ming Champ-ionships), cyclist Njisane Phillip (silver in the First UCI World Cup Series in Manchester) and Paralympic swimmer Shanntol Ince (four golds at the Paralympic Pan American Champion-ships).

Bovell accepted his $250,000 cheque for his FINA   World  Swimming  Championship Men’s 50m freestyle bronze medal effort in Barcelona.

Ince was the next most heralded athlete on the night, taking home two trophies for Athlete with  Disability and Emerg  ing  Athlete of the Year for her four gold medalsweep at the Paralympic Junior Pan American Champion-ship in Argentina back in September.

Top youth swimmer Carter also received one award for Record-breaking Performance of the Year to add to his Junior Male Athlete of the Year award.