Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

148 Sports MICHAEL AGOSTINI (1935-2016) M ichael Agostini attended St. Mary’s College and Villanova University, Pennsylvania, before transferring to Fresno State University, California, USA. He was the first Trinidadian to accumulate five medals at the Pan American Games. When as a teenager he won the 100 yards final at the British Empire Games in Vancouver, Canada, on July 31, 1954, he became T&T`s first ever athletics gold medallist at the quadrennial multi sport festival, today known as the Commonwealth Games. His career included the following accomplishments: 1954 British Commonwealth Games, Vancouver, Canada - 100 yards (1st, 9.6); 1955 Pan American Games, Mexico City, Mexico - 100 meters (2nd, 10.3); 200 meters (3rd, 21.67); 1956 Olympics, Melbourne, Australia - 100 meters (6th, 10.9); 200 meters (4th, 21.1); 1958 British Commonwealth Games, Cardiff, Wales (represented Canada) - 100 yards (3rd, 9.6); 1959 PanAmerican Games, Chicago - 100 meters (2nd, 10.4); 200 meters (3rd, 21.1); 4 x 100 meters Relay (3rd, 41.6), with Cliff Bertrand, Wilton Jackson, and Dennis Johnson [Jamaica]). During the 1940s when Agostini was growing up, sport played an important part in Trinidad life. His family was a sporting one in many senses; his father played football, his mother hockey and elder brothers Sedley and Colin practiced football, athletics and whatever sports were available at St. Mary’s College. One year at CIC Sports, the results of the 100 yards, 220 yards and 440 yards were identical: 1st Colin Agostini, 2nd Michael Agostini. He later migrated to Australia.