A Sport Development Fund has been opened for Tobago athletes in the name of double Olympic bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon.

This was announced yesterday by Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, Orville London.

According to a THA release yesterday, the Fund is to assist Tobago's sportsmen and women and the THA will open the Fund with $1 million and will continue to make an annual contribution of $1 million.

In addition the THA said it will match contributions dollar for dollar made by corporate organisations. London said he had already received pledges from three private sector organisations.

Gordon, who migrated to the United States at the age of 8 years in 1996, won individual bronze in the 400 metres at last month's London Olympic Games and bronze as a member of the 4x400 metres relay team. In rescheduled courtesy call on the Chief Secretary, he said yesterday he had always kept in touch with Tobago and was thankful to God for a successful season and to London and the Assembly for their contribution to his future development.

Gordon was unable to make the call earlier because he was part of a motorcade that ended late into the night of August 21. He also did not attend a special reception in his honour to receive his award from Chief Secretary London. As a result, his grandmother Yvonne Gordon accepted the envelopes with $200,000 worth of Units from the Unit Trust Corporation and $100,000 in cash plus a first day cover of postage stamps on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the nation's Independence and $50,000 reimbursement to his family who attended the London Olympics.

Gordon has also been given a plot of land next year at the Courland Estate

His advice to young Tobago athletes was to listen to their parents and coach, train hard and have faith in God.

The Tobago Chief Secretary assured Gordon that when he was no longer on the track, the Fund will continue in his name. "This means that when you are no longer on the track you will still be remembered in Tobago as the person who would have been the catalyst for this Fund which I hope will facilitate other outstanding Tobagonians as they try to develop their potential," London added.