RISING ATHLETIC star Machel Cedenio became the second Trinidad and Tobago athlete to be selected as brand ambassador for regional cable television provider Flow.
Under the company’s $5 million partnership alongside the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTO C), Cedenio will be provided with additional support from the Caribbean broadcaster which is intent on bolstering his opportunities ahead of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This welcomed announcement was made at Flow Sports headquarters in Port-of- Spain yesterday, by the company’s managing director Brian Collins, who was pleased to have the 2015 First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman of the Year come on board.
Just a month ago, national sprinter and 2015 Pan American 100m gold medallist, Khalifa St Fort, was also named as brand ambassador for this organisation.
“Over the past year, Flow has been increasing its support for sports and the selections of Khalifa and Machel has not been as easy process,” said Collins.
“We are hoping that other private sector organisations, even in the midst of these economic challenges, will step up and support our athletes as they represent all of us. With just 99 days to go, it’s crunch time for all of them.” On his latest deal with Flow, Cedenio expressed delight with the partnership and credited Flow for their belief in his growing talent.
“This partnership between myself and Flow has come through talks which began last year and it has come to reality now,” he explained.
“I want to thank Flow and Mr Collins for making this possible today and I would really enjoy the next five years of my life with Flow. As an athlete, we go out there everyday and train hard and we know that a company like Flow with such a prestige name, it’s a real honour for them to recognise my hard work and my determination as I head to Rio.
I plan to make everyone proud.” Since 2010, the 20- year old Presentation College, San Fernando, graduate surged through the ranks by capturing gold in the Carifta Games 4x400 metres and then produced two silver medal performances (Under- 17 400m/4x400m) at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games. The following year, he trumped the field in both the Carifta 200m and 400m events and was a reserve runner for the bronze medal- wininng TT team at the London Olympic Games.
Cedenio continued his dominance of the local and regional circuits for the next two years before topping the 400m field at the World Junior Championships in USA. He then captured individual top honours at the Cayman Islands Grand Prix and Ponce Grand Prix in 2015.
At the Pan American Games, Cedenio then teamed up with Emmanuel Mayers, Lalonde Gordon and Renny Quow to snag gold, followed up by another victorious showing at the IAAF Grand Prix in Stockholm (2015).
In conclusion, Collins added, “just about a month ago we started a partnership with Khalifa St Fort and today we are forming an equally important partnership with Machel Cedenio.
He joins other Flow sport ambassadors like Kirani James (Grenada), Darion King (Barbados), Levern Specer (St Lucia) and Delano Williams (Turks and Caicos).”