00:00He may have retired some years ago, but former TNT sailor Andrew Lewis continues to give back to the sport
00:06and to the people of his country.
00:07The former Olympian is also the man behind the Andrew Lewis Sailing Foundation, which is a non-profit organization based
00:13in Kokoreet and just over two years old.
00:16Right here is where we have got the opportunity to grow sailing substantially more.
00:21As you know, I've been involved in sailing in Trinidad and Tobago for over 20 years, trying to give the
00:26youths of all ages, all sizes, all backgrounds an opportunity to enjoy the ocean as a place of play.
00:34But the new team that has come around the board and the coaches of the Andrews Sailing Foundation have really
00:39picked up a speed on regrowing, revitalizing and pushing sailing in Trinidad and Tobago more and more to a new
00:46level.
00:46Due to having a team that he trusts fully, he says sailing has made huge inroads in the Twin Island
00:52nation.
00:53That includes working with blind sailors who train with the regulars as they are currently preparing for a prestigious event
00:59in Europe.
01:00Taking this new initiative around para is something I never saw coming.
01:04But with the right visionaries around me and the right coaches like we have now, Mr. Christoph Steuven, it has
01:09just taken off.
01:10And what was one sailor last year in Oman, this year is going to be nine sailors with a team
01:16of a total of 12 in Portugal.
01:18And it continues to grow more and more and more.
01:21Christoph Steuven is the head coach of the Andrew Lewis Sailing Foundation.
01:25But his official title is World Sailing Level 1 Technical Coach with a para-inclusive sailing endorsement.
01:32He is the man accompanying the participants at the World Sailing Para-Inclusive Sailing Championships in Portugal from October 1st
01:38to the 10th.
01:40And what does it mean to Steuven to be working with the athletes, some of whom are blind?
01:44I started this project from the inception with one athlete.
01:48And now after we went to the Antigua para-inclusive Caribbean sailing championships, we took two athletes.
01:56And every time we go, it's a doubling effect.
01:59So I'm so excited to see that every trip is a double.
02:03It's that we have more athletes than in the previous trip.
02:06And it's more and more persons getting involved and just being aware that persons with a disability can compete on
02:13the international stage.
02:15Steuven is close to becoming a doctor as he's in his final year, which means he's constantly busy preparing for
02:21exams.
02:22But his medical background comes in handy when working with the sailors under him.
02:26It gives me the background, the know-how, the information of how to deal with some of these athletes,
02:32some of the issues they face, some of the boundaries that they have to, you know, overpass.
02:37And then with that medical information, I'm easily able to identify athletes who would be eligible to compete at this
02:44type of event.
02:45And I also have a background in classification, which is the selection and the screening of athletes to ensure that
02:53they're eligible.
02:54Steuven treats his para-athletes the same way as the regulars, saying they are all part of one big family.
03:00For that reason, he doesn't even see the para-athletes as having a disability.
03:06Venud, now on you, Chiefs of Sport.
