Pine salutes top athletes

It was a night when athletes from the Pinelands community were rewarded for their outstanding work in 2012 and 2013.
Hosted by the Hamilton Lashley Human Development Foundation (HLHDF) and held under the patronage of the Barbados Youth Action Programme (BYAP), the presentation and awards ceremony was held at the Almond Bay Beach Restaurant last Thursday.
Several clubs representing various disciplines, including football, cricket and netball, also received a donation of uniforms, compliments the Chinese Embassy in Barbados, represented by First Secretary Lianchun Yang.
Also present at the event were chairman of the HLHDF, Hamilton Lashley; Parliamentary representative for St Michael West Central, James Paul; director of the BYAP, Alfred “Lumumba” Batson; manager of the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) Glyne Clarke; and member of the Democratic Labour Party’s General Council Undene Whittaker.
The Barbados Defence Force’s (BDF) inspirational captain Mario Harte, a resident of the Pine, was named the Most Outstanding Footballer.
Harte secured the award after helping BDF?win the Barbados Football Association’s Knockout title and Akademiks to capture the LIME Pelican Football Challenge title. This year he was also instrumental in the BDF’s capture of the Digicel Premier League crown.
After spending one season in the Division One competition, Christopher King was named Coach Of The Year for his work in helping them to win the division, gaining promotion back to the Premier League in the process.
There were also Lifetime Achievement awards for Ivan “Speed” Forde and Anthony “Zorro” Bonnett. (RB)