Xavier Mulugata of Fatima College joins a list of T&T athletes who received athletic scholarships to US universities. Mulugata will begin his studies at Louisiana State University (LSU) in January. He won gold at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Track and Field Championships in Mexico in the boys Under-18 4x100 metres and also bronze in the boys U-20 4x100m at the 2015 Carifta Games in St Kitts and Nevis.
Several other T&T athletes left for US in August including Dawnell Collymore (West Mucurapo Secondary), Ian Thomas (St Anthony’s College) and Kai Ottley (Bishop’s Anstey). Collymore, the 2011 Carifta girls U-20 800m bronze medallist, is at ASA College while Thomas is a student at Coahoma Community College. Ottley began studies at St John’s University.
Meanwhile, former CAC Junior champions Hezekiel Romeo (Diego Martin Sec and St Anthony's College) and Reubin Walters (East Mucurapo Sec) completed their Junior College scholarships at Central Arizona and will move on to the University of Missouri and University of Alabama, respectively.
Romeo, who won the 2010 CAC Juniors boys U-17 and 2013 Carifta boys U-20 shot put titles, will start at Missouri in January joining Jonathan Holder (QRC). Walters, the 2012 CAC Junior boys U-18 100m hurdles winner opted for Alabama also from January. Walters will team up with Jereem Richards (ASJA Boys College) and Domonique Williams (San Juan Secondary).
Carifta boys U-17 long jump bronze medallist in 2013 Che Richards (St Mary’s College) left for University of Edingburgh, in the UK in September on a four-year Academic scholarship. He was named the top National Open Language performer in 2015. Richards is the third athlete in recent years to win an Open Academic scholarship following Astrid Cassimire (Bishop’s Anstey) Mathematics in 2012 and Zara Suite-Stewart (St Joseph Convent-POS), Sciences in 2013.
Former Carifta gold medallist (2013-gold-girls U-17 300m hurdles), Jeminise Parris (St Francois Girls College) will be off to Central Arizona in January. Parris will join 2014 CAC Junior/2015 Carifta girls U-20 champion Portious Warren. CAC Juniors Boys U-18 4x100m gold medallists from 2014 Corey Stewart (El Dorado East Sec) will be off to Sequoia College joining compatriots Holland Caberra (Holy Cross), Theon Lewis (St Madeleine Sec), Odell James (Sangre Grande Secondary), Shaquille Shinguineau (QRC) and Ashron Sobers (Signal Hill Secondary).