Former world champion Jehue Gordon was in the spotlight at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Saturday, as the National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAATT) kicked off a series of coaching clinics.

Gordon, who struck gold in the men’s 400 metres hurdles at the 2013 World Championships, facilitated Saturday’s hurdles clinic. There were 33 athletes in attendance, as well as 13 coaches.

“It’s my very first hurdle clinic,” Gordon told the Express, yesterday, “so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Over the track season in 2022 I hardly saw any hurdlers; on average three per event. Seeing that we had over 30 hurdlers at the camp, and it’s just the first one, I was very pleased with the turnout and even the interest in the coaches to learn about the event through my experience.

“There was some great talent on display that needs nurturing because they are all relatively new in the event. Over the next year or two I’m sure we would see some great performances.”

Ruebin Walters, a men’s 60m hurdles semi-finalist at the 2022 World Indoor Championships, assisted Gordon at Saturday’s clinic. In addition to Gordon and Walters, T&T have been well represented in recent years by sprint hurdler Mikel Thomas and one-lap hurdlers Sparkle McKnight and Janeil Bellille.

Gordon said T&T are capable of producing a larger pool of world class hurdlers.

“It would take our coaches diversifying their training programmes and using some of our talented sprinters as hurdlers or in other event groups, while keeping with the current coaching trends. The end goal is country and not club.

“The role of the NAAA is to provide opportunities for our coaches and athletes to continuously learn. This way we can have a greater understanding of the events and more hurdlers on a continuous basis.”

Gordon was very grateful for the high level of participation on Saturday.

“Thanks to everyone that came out and supported the event. I know sometimes we are limited with our human resources. However, let’s utilise what we have and make the best of it.

“We have been strong in the sprints over the years. We, as a country, are rebuilding, and now is the opportune time to explore our coaching and athletics abilities in other event groups.”

In a press release, the NAAATT explained that the organisation’s coaching clinics “are focusing on those events in which there are low levels of participation in the country.”

“Organisers are hopeful that the clinics will serve to build interest among athletes and coaches by exposing them to persons with the requisite expertise and outstanding accomplishment in the respective events.

“After a distinguished career as an athlete,” the NAAATT press release continued, “Gordon is now involved in both coaching and administration. He was elected a director at the Federation’s last AGM. He is chairman of NAAATT’s Athletes Committee and was recently elected a member and subsequently vice-chairman of NACAC’s Athletes Commission.”

The NAAATT press release described Saturday’s hurdles clinic as “lively and highly interactive”.

“It included a classroom session in which the facilitator shared useful information on his pet event, followed by an outdoor session that exposed participants to key drills and exercises designed to improve performance. Athletes were then given opportunity to apply shared knowledge,” the release added.

A second hurdles clinic is planned for December 4 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago.