Para-athlete in line for $150,000 grant from T&T Government

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

PARALYMPIAN AKEEM Stewart will receive a major bonus from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for his exceptional performance at the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games.

The 32-year-old, who copped silver in the men’s discus F64 event at the 2024 Paralympic Games at the Stade de France last Thursday with an effort measured at 59.66 metres, will be awarded TT$150,000.

It was Stewart’s third ever medal at the Games. At the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he copped gold in the javelin F44 event and placed second in the discus F44 division.

Stewart will receive $150,000 from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for his silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

In a press release issued on Sunday, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, said Stewart deserved to be rewarded for his sterling efforts.

“In recognition of his outstanding achievement, Akeem will be awarded $150,000 from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development. This grant is part of the National Incentives and Rewards Framework, a policy designed to honour athletes who achieve medals at the highest levels of international competition across various sports.

“Akeem has given us something to celebrate through his determination and commitment and his performance has made Trinidad and Tobago proud. This reward is part of the ministry’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the support of our athletes,” Cudjoe-Lewis said.

“We are inspired by not only Akeem’s performance but also by those athletes who medal in all other disciplines and surpass their personal bests on the global stage.”

In 2019, Stewart received $450,000 for his gold medal in the men’s javelin and a silver in the men’s discus at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. In 2020, he received $181,250 for achieving a gold medal in the discus and a silver medal in the javelin at the 2019 Parapan American Games and in 2024 he received $37,500 for his gold medal at the 2023 Para Pan American Games.