On Top: Coach of the Year Alwyn Babb (left) with his charge Ryan M. Brathwaite who was the Male Athlete-Of-The-Year and Most Outstanding Junior Male Hurdler.

by SHERRYLYN A. CLARKE

TWO WORLD-CLASS HURDLERS topped the list of awardees at the Amateur Athletic Association's (AAA) 2006 Awards Ceremony at the Dining Club, Manor Lodge, Green Hill, St Michael, on Sunday night.

The awards, which were held to "recognise the athletes who epitomised success through discipline and hardwork", saw Andrea Blackett and Ryan M. Brathwaite take the President's Awards for Female and Male Athlete-Of-The-Year, respectively.

Blackett, a veteran athlete, had a very good year, finishing sixth at the IAAF World Championships in the 400-metre hurdles, was third at the IAAF World Cup and won a silver medal at the Central American and Caribbean Senior Championships in The Bahamas; she was also the most outstanding senior female hurdler. Her mother Eula collected both awards in her absence.

Brathwaite announced his arrival on the scene at the World Youth Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco, last July when he briefly led the world in the Under-18 Boys' 110-metre hurdles and then returned in the final to capture the silver medal. He was fifth at the Pan Am Juniors, and won a silver medal at the CARIFTA Games in Tobago.

Brathwaite was also the Most Outstanding Junior Male Hurdler.

Fittingly, the coveted Coach-Of-The-Year award went to Alwyn Babb, Brathwaite's coach. A physical education teacher at Lester Vaughan School, Babb has produced some of the top sprinters and hurdlers including outstanding junior male sprinter Ramon Gittens, also a student of Lester Vaughan School.

Sadé Sealy of The Lodge School was the Junior Female Sprinter, while Olympic bronze medallist Obadele Thompson was the Senior Male Sprinter.

Seidre Forde, formerly of Springer Memorial and Queen's College, was voted the Most Improved Female Athlete for her performance in the triple jump at CAC Seniors, while Terry Marshall, formerly of Harrison College and Pacers Track Club, was the Most Improved Male Athlete, winning a bronze medal at Pan Am Juniors in the 400-metre hurdles and a new junior national record, coming off an injury.

Special awards were given to the National Sports Council and the Barbados Olympic Association for their support, and FirstCaribbean International Bank was recognised for forgiving a debt of $100 000 and setting up payment terms to pay the outstanding balance.

The little ones were not forgotten, with the BC Trac trio of Tanice Watson, Jalisa Burrowes and Jerome Jones taking away the awards for their age group.

Awards were also presented to the most outstanding throwers, jumpers, distance runners and the media. Hard-working starters Basil Cox, Wayne Waltress and Benny Rowe also had their moment in the spotlight, as did Leroy Harper, Vasco Dash, Paul Bourne and André Brathwaite of the photo-finish and electronic timing crew.