July 10th, Toronto, Canada – Multiple Commonwealth and Pan American Games medallist, shooter and two-time Sportsman of the Year awardee, Roger Daniel has been chosen to be Trinidad and Tobago’s flag bearer when the 2015 PanAM games open today.
The soldier will be aiming for his third Pan Am Games medal following his podium finishes at the 2007 and 2011 editions of the hemispheric meet, where he won bronze and silver medals respectively.
Daniel is coming into this years competition in fine form having led Trinidad and Tobago’s shooting team to five (5) medals at the recently held 38th Copa del Caribe/Caribbean Cup Shooting Championships in Salinas, Puerto Rico. He won four (4) of Trinidad and Tobago’s five (5)-medal haul, including the lone gold medal in the 50m-pistol event. He also secured silver medals in the 25m-centre fire and 10m air pistol events and bronze in the 25m-air pistol discipline.
Shooting action for Trinidad and Tobago begins on Sunday July 12th. Daniel and compatriot Marlon Moses will see action in the men’s 10m Air Pistol, 50m Pistol and 50m Rifle Prone events. Anthony Maraj, who will compete in the Trap shotgun event, joins them. The 2015 edition of the games has the potential to hold special significance for Daniel, as his son Shaquille Daniel will be representing Trinidad & Tobago when men’s field hockey action commences on Tuesday July 14th.
Trinidad and Tobago has appeared at every edition of the Pan Am Games, with our best performances coming at Winnipeg 1967, Cali 1971 and Santo Domingo 2003, where the team won seven medals. Trinidad and Tobago is currently ranked sixteenth on the all-time Pan Am Games medals list with 54 medals including eight gold.