By Staff Reporter

Copyright guyanachronicle

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – Newly crowned Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions, the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) will receive Trinidad and Tobago’s second highest national award, Chaconia Gold.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, two days after the Knight Riders romped to their fifth CPL title by defeating the Guyana Amazon Warriors by three wickets in the final at Providence Stadium.
Before making the declaration, the Prime Minister met with Knight Riders’ staff and players, along with World Championship gold medallist Keshorn Walcott and silver medallist Jereem Richards.
Persad-Bissessar said it was not an easy decision in deciding how to recognise the cricketers.
“How do we honour you? Because it is not one of you, it is so many of you…I am glad you won the watch in Guyana.
“After Cabinet discussions earlier today, many things came about, so to honour you as a team, we have proposed that you will be given the Chaconia Gold medal tomorrow [Wednesday] at the Republic Day awards ceremony,” Persad-Bissessar said.
“I don’t want to admit it, but I am not a great cricket fan, but because of you guys I try not to miss a game.
“You have made us so proud. We want to thank you very much and you have done it at a time when we celebrate Republic Day,” she added.
For their achievements at the recently concluded World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, Walcott will get $500,000 for winning the men’s javelin as part of the National Rewards and Incentives Framework sports policy, while Richards will earn $250,000 for his second-place finish in the men’s 400 metres.
Additionally, the Northeastern Multipurpose Sport Facility in Sangre Grande will be renamed the Keshorn Walcott Multipurpose Sport Facility.
Walcott and Richards were also named Sports Ambassadors, along with Knight Riders’ captain Nicholas Pooran and stalwart Kieron Pollard.
Head coach Dwayne Bravo was named a Sports Ambassador earlier this month by Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Phillip Watts.
An elated Pooran thanked the Prime Minister for rewarding the team.
“Thank you for inviting us and honouring us…Thank you on behalf of the TKR family. We do appreciate the government supporting us,” Pooran said.