By Michelangelo Jacobus
The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has revealed that they have scheduled six “Grand Prix” track and field meets for 2018 as they aim to keep the country’s senior athletes in tip top shape as well as to provide more competition while keeping the athletes motivated.
In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International Sport, AAG President Aubrey Hutson noted; “The senior grand prix meets that we plan for next year is truly to have a better going programme for our senior athletes. We’ve had a successful youth and junior year in 2017, most of these athletes, particularly Compton Caesar is going over to the senior rank now. We need to now start stepping up the competition.”
The AAG boss pointed out that lately there has only been the National Seniors’ Championships and explained that the “Grand Prix” meets will allow athletes to compete in their respective events and distances.
“There will be monetary rewards for every meet and then there is an overall reward for the Grand Prix winners at the end of the five meets.”
The respective meets will not be limited to local competitors only as Hutson maintained that the AAG is planning to send out invitations to various countries across South America and the Caribbean in a bid to up the quality of competition so that Guyana’s athletes can be exposed to such quality all year round heading into 2019 and 2020 with the ultimate aim of preparing them for the Olympics in 2020.
The likes of Compton Caesar, Rupert Perry, Cleveland Forde, Winston Missigher and Leslyn Baird will all benefit from the respective meets as Hutson pledged that the AAG is focused on “sharpening the athletes for other events on the international stage.”
Aside from “honing” the skills of the athletes, the AAG boss said that his association is also looking at the meets as a means of “putting money in the athletes’ pockets” and keeping them interested in the sport beyond the age of 20.
While the South American Grand Prix meet (Aliann Pompey Invitational) will be held and funded by the IAAF (International Athletics Association Federation) as per norm Hutson revealed that the AAG is in talks with at least two mainstream sponsors for the five meets and maintained confidence in producing quality products in 2018.
“The various track meets will all be branded by a key sponsor; this will not only be about track and field but about fun. We are in discussions with sponsors and I’m very confident about the quality of the product that we will produce.”
The various meets are all planned to be about two to three hours in duration and will target sprint events in one meet while the middle distance and longer distances will all have their respective meets.
