Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts believes that Trinidad and Tobago has a future senior Olympic medallist in swimmer Christian Homer, who returned to Trinidad and Tobago yesterday after winning the country's first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) gold medal, last week.

Homer won the final of the boys' 50 metres backstroke, at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, in Singapore, and Roberts said the youngster has what it takes to medal at the senior Olympic Games.

Roberts, speaking at an official welcome ceremony for Homer at the Piarco Airport VIP Lounge yesterday, congratulated the swimmer.

"No other swimmer I know deserves this honour, to be the first Olympic junior gold medallist in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. You have worked for it for a long time, and you made your own luck."

T&T Olympic Committee president, Larry Romany also had words of encouragement for Homer.

"You have created history in being the first gold medallist in the first Youth Olympic Games. This, to the Olympic movement in Trinidad [and Tobago] and around the Caribbean, is an important feat. We are very proud of what you have achieved. We know that you have it in you to go to the Olympic Games and medal, gold medal…If not 2012, then 2016, and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee are very much behind your development and your future."

Homer said the win was one for the entire region to savour, and he thanked all the Caribbean athletes for their support in Singapore.

"It is a Caribbean win. Even before the race all the Caribbean delegates came up to me and said good luck and they gave me the support that I needed. And before I started the race I thought it would be awesome if I won…not just for Trinidad and Tobago alone but a win for the Caribbean."

"This was just a stepping stone," Homer continued. "I know I can improve. I need to work on the finish. I know what I have to do and this win definitely gives me a lot of confidence."

The welcome party at Piarco yesterday included Homer's mother Charmaine, father Paul, sister Tsian and brother Lee, as well as Zalayhar Hassanali, widow of former T&T president Noor Hassanali.