Guyanese youth athletes are currently getting themselves mentally and physically ready in anticipation of the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games that will be hosted over the upcoming Easter weekend.
After rigorous qualification meets in the earlier months of the year, a total of 18 local and three overseas-based track and field athletes have made the mark for the 2019 CARIFTA Games that will run from April 20-22.
Being hosted at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex, Cayman Islands, the Guyanese athletes were supported by corporate entities such as Grace Kennedy Remittance Services and the Government of Guyana, through the National Sports Commission, who handed over $3 million to the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG). However, these generous contributions could not cover all the expenses that the AAG is facing to send the athletes to the Cayman Islands.
Speaking exclusively with Guyana Times Sport, AAG President Aubrey Hutson explained the Association’s plight. “So we would have dug a hole for ourselves because we have a position that once you were selected we would look after your airfare, so we have some creditors we will have to pay. And we’re hoping that sponsors can come on board to assist us,” Hutson disclosed.
The contingent of 18 local athletes were expected to assemble at 00:30h today, before they departed Guyana in the wee hours this morning.
The athletes expected to jet off to the Cayman Islands are Brianna Charles (100 metres), Deshana Skeete (200 metres), Keliza Smith (400 metres), Adriel Austin (800 metres), Shaquka Tyrell (800 and1500 metres), Sheama Tyrell (3000 metres), Princess Browne (triple jump), Jahaziah Copeland (shot put), Anisha Gibbons (javelin), Loneil Marks (100 and 200 metres), Osa Blair (100 metres), Daniel Williams (200 metres), Cordell Charles (1500 metres), Daniel Melville (800 metres), Matthew Gordon (3000 metres), Melon Lowenfield (high jump) and Tremaine Browne (long jump) and Wesley Tyndall (100 metres, 200 metres, long jump). Tyndall and Sheama Tyrell were lately added to the list of local athletes. Osrick Pellew who qualified with the team was unable to participate in the games owing to injury. The overseas-based athletes are Joana Archer, Claudrice McKoy and Chantoba Bright.
When asked about the prospects of the team, Hutson hinted at the progress that Guyanese athletes have been making, noting that the success of the youngsters was chiefly responsible for the larger contingent.
“We just didn’t decide to select a bigger team, these are athletes who would have worked hard and made our qualifying standards that we would have set. Our standards are very, very high and most of our athletes we select based on those standards, we expect them to do well in terms of earning medals,” he said.
As such, despite not being aware of the level of competition that the other Caribbean countries are at, the AAG head is confident that the Guyanese contingent are bringing home medals.
“However, this is a competitive sport and we know that the other countries in the region are going to preparing their athletes as well. So we don’t know who’s coming and what level they’re at but I can say these athletes can give a good account for themselves representing Guyana and we think that every one of them is a medal prospect. There’s no passenger on this team.”
Guyana bagged nine medals at last year’s games – seven bronze, one gold and one silver.
Meanwhile, athletes for the CARIFTA Aquatic Championships and CARIFTA Chess Championships will also jet off on April 19 for their respective destinations in Barbados and Curacao, Netherland Antilles. (Jemima Holmes)
