ALBA contingent did Guyana proud

Guyana’s young but strong team that went to the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) Games in Venezuela did very well, capturing twelve (12) medals. Guyana was represented by twenty- nine (29) athletes and seven officials from five sport disciplines. It was indeed an honour to receive our ALBA contingent, as they were all in high spirits, some of them proudly wearing their won medals around their necks, demonstrating their success.

Track and field was the most successful sport discipline, as our athletes captured two silver and five bronze medals. Boxing captured three bronze medals, while karate won two bronze medals. In table tennis, our players excelled. However, they were drawn to play against the powerful host country Venezuela, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

While our table tennis players found the ALBA turf rough to capture medals, they are very optimistic that they are better prepared for the Caribbean Championship which starts in Guyana next week. Guyana is hosting the Caribbean Championship at the National Sports Hall, and expectations are high that Guyana will do well.

Our cyclists rode very well.

However, we did not have “Team Guyana” at the games. The time is most opportune when the cycling federation must move to a higher level and train, select and make sure that we have a national team. The winning teams had their six cyclists riding as a team. With the introduction of the five-stage race and the tremendous improvement of the three-stage race, cycling is developing rapidly, and it will be most interesting to see our cyclists’ performance at the up-coming five-stage race and at the Inter-Guyana Games. Our cyclists demonstrated great courage and stamina when riding against the professionals.

Further, our cyclists are among the youngest that participated in the ALBA Games.

As for karate, Patrick Cheeks could have done better than capturing a bronze medal, but he and the others need more exposure.

Guyana was indeed outstanding in athletics.

Some of our better athletes did not attend the games. Cleveland Forde and Alika Morgan were not at the ALBA games.

The young upcoming athlete Winston George clocked personal best times of 20.845s and 45.865s in the 200 and 400 metres respectively, as he claimed silver in the 200 metres and bronze in the 400 metres. Wayne Harlequin also produced a personal best time of 1:50s to win a bronze in the 800-metre race. Quince Clarke checked 10.65s to take bronze in the 100 metres.

The massive crowd at the athletics stadium went wild as Guyana ran away with a silver medal in the Men’s 4 x 100 metres relay. This event was spectacular and our four boys ran like real champions. With the construction of our state-of-the-art synthetic track at Lenora, our athletes will certainly be better able to run and win gold medals at international events.

While our boys were only able to capture bronze in the Men’s 4 x 400 metres relay, it is crystal clear that with better training they will make us feel proud in the not-too-distant future.

Winston George certainly was the most outstanding Guyanese athlete at the ALBA Games. He was indeed magnificent. George is a certainty for the up- coming Pan American Senior Championship in October.

Guyanese expectations are sky high that, come October in Mexico, Golden Boy Winston George will be going all out to medal. Let us wish him Gold.

George’s and our athletics team’s performance at the ALBA Games is indeed heartening and most successful.

Our athletes need a world class athletics coach. However, the challenge is for the Athletics Association to produce short, medium, and long-term developmental programmes for athletes. The ALBA Games confirmed that we have potential, talent, and the ability to be amongst the best in the World. Can Guyana produce a Usain Bolt early? As for boxing, the Guyanese boxers were able to win three bronze medals. Our best boxers were not at the games. Further, the winning of medals will have to come with qualifications to be at the next Olympic Games in London. With the quality of boxers that we have in Guyana, and with proper preparation, we can go to the London Olympics and win Gold. The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association is developing an interesting programme on the Road to London.