PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

A $2 million athletic development programme has been unveiled in Trinidad and Tobago targeting promising athletes likely to represent the country in the next Olympics in Brazil in 2016.

State-owned oil company, Petrotrin, launched the programme in Port-of-Spain in the aftermath of the twin republic's record four-medal haul in the recently concluded Olympics in London.

The four include Trinidad's second Olympic gold medal won by Kishorn Walcott after he threw the javelin a distance of 277 feet, 6 inches.

Support

"We are confident that we are putting in place a practical programme which will provide the support where it is most needed, at the individual level," Chairman Lindsay Gillette announced during a news conference at Petrotrin's office in Port-of-Spain.

"We don't want to just give out money (to athletes); we want to support them in everything possible."

Petrotrin says the funds are for up-and-coming athletes and will be disbursed in tranches of $500,000 a year.

A maximum eight track and field athletes, four swimmers, four boxers and four cyclists will receive assistance over the next four years.

The funds will be disbursed through respective associations, and athletes will be monitored to ensure they continue to meet the programme's criteria.

"People wait for an athlete to get a gold medal or silver or a bronze medal," said Gillette a former senator.

"Before they begin supporting or are ready to get some support in the future, when in fact what an athlete requires is a lot of support before the actual achievement."

Gillette told reporters that the programme, which does not include team sport, requires athletes to have a "high participation in sport" and "realistic chances" of reaching the Rio 2016 Olympics.

'We don't want to just give out money (to athletes); we want to support them in everything possible.'