Jereem Richards and Leah Bertrand were crowned as the Senior Male and Female Athletes of the Year when the National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAATT) held its annual awards ceremony at the Radisson Hotel in Port-of-Spain on Saturday.

Richards, recently voted the country’s top sportsman by the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) on December 29, was also named the top men’s track athlete, while Bertrand took the female’s equivalent.

The 30-year-old Richards enjoyed an excellent 2024 season, with his biggest achievement coming at the Paris Olympics. Despite narrowly missing out on a medal in the final of the Men’s 400m, Richards created history, becoming the first Trinidadian to run below 44 seconds with his personal best and national record 43.78 to finish fourth.

He also enjoyed success on the Diamond League circuit throughout the season, including top three finfishes in Rome and London.

Richards’ sister Brittney Richards-Nelson collected the award on his behalf.

Bertrand was a 100m semi-finalist during her Olympic debut in Paris.

She was also crowned national champion in the 100 metres for the second time and claimed the Outdoor Big10 100m and 4x100m titles competing for Ohio State University. 

Meanwhile, Tafari Waldron was voted the Junior Male of the Year for the second year in a row, while Janae De Gannes copped the Junior Female of the Year.

Waldron’s 2024 season was laden with accolades, most notably defending the 5,000-metre title at the Carifta Games in April, bringing his tally over the years to three medals, including two gold.

He also stunned more seasoned runners in November, clinching his first UWI SPEC International Half-Marathon title.

De Gannes’ 2024 season was highlighted by her Carifta Games performance, where she broke the long jump record and earned the prestigious Austin Sealey Award for the competition’s most outstanding athlete.

Other notable honorees included Paralympic silver medallist Akeem Stewart, who was recognized for his exceptional performance in 2024, and 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott, a finalist at the Paris Olympics.

Additionally, standout performances from the gold medal-winning Carifta Boys Under-20 4x100m relay team, and distance runner Nicholas Romany, who excelled in road running and cross-country events, were celebrated.

Kadeem Chinapoo, a member of that victorious relay team, was given the President’s Rising Star Award.