The 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games got underway with a spectacular Opening Ceremony in the Mexican city of Veracruz tonight, with Latin American singer Ricky Martin among the stars of the show.

The Puerto Rican pop musician performed his new single Adios, as well as some of his other chart-topping songs, including Livin' la Vida Loca, to a packed crowd at the 26,000-capacity Luis Pirata Fuente Stadium.

"Welcome to Veracruz," Martin said.

"The Central American and Caribbean Games are opened."

The Opening Ceremony also saw the lighting of the Games cauldron by Mexican taekwondo Olympic, World Championships and Pan American Games gold medallist María Espinoza and the parade of some 5,700 athletes from 31 countries, who will take part in competition across 36 sports.

Caribbean music and fireworks also featured heavily in the show, as well as speeches from Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte de Ochoa, who spoke on behalf of Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto, and Central American and Caribbean Sports Organisation President Hector Cardona.

The Games are scheduled to continue until November 30.

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Men’s and Women’s National Senior Hockey Teams were the first teams to arrive at the Mexican host city on Tuesday night and have already had their first training session on Wednesday afternoon. Men’s Captain Darren Cowie- “Everyone seems to be keen and upbeat despite the long travel (between Trinidad and Veracuez). We’re excited to get on the pitch and get a feel... get the ball rolling. During the first session, the ball pace and intensity was really high. The communication is something we’ve been trying to work on and (one) can actually hear even the younger players being more vociferous... The camaraderie, the intensity and the momentum in the first session was really high”.

 

The hockey team are preparing for their opening game against Dominican Republic, Sunday 16th, one day after the opening ceremony.

 

Other teams to have already arrived and settle in include Women’s indoor Volleyball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Canoe/Kayak and Cycling. The reminding teams will be arriving ahead of their scheduled competition dates.

 

List of T&T teams:

 

Athletics

Badminton

Basketball

Canoe/Kayak

Cycling

Gymnastics

Hockey

Rifle

Rugby

Football

Sailing

Squash

Swimming

Table Tennis

Target Archery

Volleyball

Water Polo

If the Olympic movement does not believe deeply in what it is doing and what it stands for, then its slide into irrelevance is only a matter of time.

The Olympic movement, and I dare say the rest of sport, are eagerly anticipating the release of the 40 proposed recommendations coming out of the year-long agenda 2020 discussions and consultations following over 40,000 submissions, the final stage of the reform process started by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach following his election in 2013.

Calls for governance reform aren’t limited to the world of sport.

Around the world people are saying governments, once elected, no longer work for the people—only for the rich and powerful. In almost every country, people want effective, efficient and accountable government. They want to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and elect governments to make their everyday life better.

The same can be said for sport in addition to the growth and development of their respective sport or organisations. Add to that the use of sport for social objectives. Sport leaders also have to focus on providing athletes with what they need to give them the best chance to be their best and to be the healthiest and fittest when it matters most.

It is therefore going to be very interesting to see what the IOC agenda 2020 will produce and how far-reaching and transformative it is.

There are many issues that the Olympic movement must address.

These include:

• How can the Olympic movement build on the foundations and make the IOC and the Olympic movement fit for purpose for a rapidly and constantly changing world

• How can the IOC and the Olympic movement be more inclusive?

• How can the IOC be more vibrant, dynamic and relevant in its efforts to propogate Olympism, Olympic values and the Olympic ideals to the youth and young people of today’s world and a projection as to what will be required in the near future.

The ongoing challenges for all Olympic sport leaders continue to be the enormous demands and changes.

The Olympic movement must ensure that all stakeholders who agree to the Olympic charter align with the charter. It can’t be one rule for some and a different rule for others.

There are too many people getting involved in the movement who don’t seem to have any sincere interest in furthering the purpose, mission and values of the Olympic movement.

Those who are seeking to be in the leadership of the Olympic movement need an increased knowledge and appreciation of the Olympic ideals. They need greater commitment to the Olympic goal of sport contributing to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport and  enthusiasm to promote equal opportunity for females in sport.

Agenda 2020 will address some core issues including finding a way to improve the attitude of the Olympic movement about the relevance of the Olympic movement.

The truth be told is that when you sit around the table at Olympic movement meetings it is clear that not everyone shares the same belief system and commitment towards the Olympic values and ideals.

The time for talk is over. Now is the time for decisions. If the Olympic movement and the IOC want to remain in the driver’s seat decisive action is required.

Brian Lewis is the president of the T&T Olympic Committee. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Olympic Committee.

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Dwight Yorke hopes the newly-launched British Airways Tobago Football Legends Challenge will provide a major boost for the country which has struggled to build upon its first-ever qualification for a FIFA World Cup in 2006.

The event, which sees 64 former English Premier League players compete in a six-a-side tournament at stadium in Tobago named after Yorke, will take place from June 15 to 22, 2015.

The former Manchester United, who also played for Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City and Sunderland during his illustrious career, was captain for Trinidad and Tobago's three group stage matches in Germany more than eight years ago.

The 43-year-old was recently quoted as saying that football in the country had since taken "a turn for the worst in many respects" by the Trinidad Guardian Newspaper.

Trinidad and Tobago failed to secure a spot at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups in South Africa and Brazil respectively, and Yorke believes the success of 2006 led to complacency setting in.

"I think it's the mentality sometimes of our country," Yorke, Tobago's global brand ambassador, told insidethegames here.

"It was mainly our own downfall at the time.

"Our country has a population of 1.3 million people and to qualify for the World Cup was obviously a historical moment.

"I've been fortunate to play at the highest level and as a player, you will not get any higher accolade than representing your country in a World Cup.

"So that was huge and I felt that at that time, instead of embracing it and learning from it, and making sure we continued going in the right direction, I feel that we took our eye off the ball.

"Maybe the players themselves to a certain extent are to blame with that success.

"They didn't embrace it well.

"They took it for granted.

"I always feared the worst because I could see from my own eyes that this was going to go belly up, and it did go belly up."

As well as British Airways, the Football Legends Challenge is also supported by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association.

Former players from Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool will be joined by All-Star teams formed from the Caribbean and the PFA.

The eighth and final team will come from either Newcastle, Everton, Aston Villa or Leicester.

The legends will also compete in a golf tournament at the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort on June 19, as a prelude to the launch of the Dwight Yorke International Golf Tournament in 2016.

The Resort is home to Tobago's 18-hole Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) designed championship course.

Sky Sports will broadcast the Football Legends Challenge in a 90-minute special.

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Former president of the Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board, Maureen Craig Rousseau, was elected to the Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation as an ordinary member, securing one of the two positions available for new female members on the Board.
Her election came at the 44th International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Congress, held from October 29 to Sunday in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The Congress was titled the “Hockey Revolution Congress”and the FIH revealed its new ten-year strategy set to deliver a global sport, inspiring the next generation of hockey players. The FIH laid out its goals for the next ten years for hockey based around entertainment, professionalism, image and following.
Craig Rousseau’s vast experience as an administrator has been gained from exposure over the last 30 years, including among them director and vice-president for (Pan American Hockey Federation), with responsibility for the Caribbean over the past 12 years to date.

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The Central American and Caribbean Games have been an integral part of my development as a shot putter. During my early career CAC Games medals were not guaranteed, as I came up against a crew, of world class Cuban throwers. However, these epic battles prepared me for the world stage. I can recall being extremely proud and excited to medal at my first CAC Games in Cartagena Columbia. At this meet I had to better the Olympic standard to medal due to the intense nature of the competition. At the Puerto Rico 2010 Games I also had to produce a big effort to walk away with the win. This year I am excited for the CAC Games, to represent T&T and hopefully inspire the next generation of female throwers.

While the CAC region is not predominantly know for producing female athletes in the throwing events, I believe that there is a lot of untapped talent in the region. I almost missed my calling, and did not really start throwing seriously until I was 18 years old. I came from the small village of Mayaro, where opportunities to throw were scarce. I did not get my chance until I migrated for College, and walked on to the Track and Field Team at Coppin State College. I had no throwing experience, but my collegiate coaches Gorden Rackley and Brian King molded me into a NCAA National Champion. As a result of my NCAA win I was encouraged to train for the 2004 Olympic Games. I moved from the lively urban setting of Baltimore, Maryland to the rural and tranquil town of Blacksburg, Virgina to work with Coach Gregory Jack. Coach Jack not only assisted me in achieving the Olympic Standard, but he accompanied me to my first CAC Games. The Games were very important to us, because as I mentioned earlier my competitors were fierce. At this time I was the only female shot putter from T&T, but I was in the company of our amazing hammer thrower Candice Scott. Together we brought some serious “girl power” to the team. Candice and I pushed each other, expecting only the best. With tons of hard work by my second CAC Games in Puerto Rico I knew I could throw over 19m and possibly win.

I am quite proud of my accomplishments at the last CAC Games, I was coaching myself at the time, and I was ready to throw far. Two thousand and ten was one of my best Track and Field seasons. The CAC Games were also very successful for Team T&T. I remember the team atmosphere being positive, and the medals coming in on a daily basis. I worked extremely hard to prepare for the 2010 Games, but it can not compare to the body of work my coach, Ismael Lopez Mastrapa and I have put in this year. Coach did not take it easy on me as we prep for the final meet of the year. As I look back on my many years as a competitor the CAC level it has never been easy. There has always been something or someone to push me to a new level. Mastrapa and I are aware that this meet falls well outside track season, but as always the CAC Games will be crucial to my success.