Trinidad and Tobago’s retired star sprint star Ato Boldon, 32, the 1997 World 200m champion and multiple Olympic and World medallist took the oath as an Opposition Senator during yesterday's sitting of the Senate at the Red House, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The man who has won the most Olympic medals for Trinidad and Tobago is now a United National Congress (UNC) senator after Leader of the Opposition Basdeo Panday appointed him after a resignation from his party the day before - "to help us (UNC) do what we can to bring the youths of this country at a level that will be admired by the whole world. That was the main purpose in appointing him."
Panday said Boldon "is a hero to the young people in the country, and the reason we asked him to join us in the Senate is so that he may be an inspiration to the young people in the country".
Boldon said he accepted the job in the Senate in order to be a bridge between the old and the young. "My agenda is singular. I am not in this to be in the papers, for any political gain," The youth and sport in this country are (my agenda)." He said because of his successes in athletics he wants to "give back" to the people of this country.