DeNobrega is Guyana’s junior sportsman of the year

By Avenash Ramzan –

Teenaged cyclist Paul DeNobrega said he was surprised to be adjudged junior Sportsman-of- the-Year for last year when a National Sports Commission (NSC) panel of judges met at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
The ‘Team Coco’ rider, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Wednesday, won from a pool of four nominees, gaining seven of 11 votes. Powerlifter Gumendra Shewdas, karaketa Alexander Cheeks and squash/ football player Nyron Joseph were the other contenders for the award.

“I was kind of surprised that I won the award,” he told Guyana Times International during an interview on Wednesday.
“I know I did very well last year, but I didn’t expect to be recognised in this way.” Nevertheless, the former Continental Cycle Club member is heartened to be honoured at the national level, noting that his achievement is perhaps just reward for the hours of training he put his body through and the hundreds of miles he rode in the past year.
“Yes, I’m happy that the judges recognised my performance and chose me, and I want to thank all those who helped and encouraged me along the way. My coach Wayne Henry from Canada, “Uncle Joe” [veteran rider Joseph Fariah], “Mr QB” [Ian Davis] from Team Coco and my family,” DeNobrega, the Caribbean road race champion, said.
While he noted that all those persons have played significant roles in his development since he turned a cyclist at the age of 15, DeNobrega reserved special mention for Henry, who he said has been an influential figure over the years.
“Uncle Wayne has been coaching me all through those four years and in that time I won races in Guyana, Antigua, Suriname and Anguilla, with my most notable performance coming at the Caribbean Junior Championship in Dominica in 2012. Even though he lives in Canada, we communicate frequently as to my progress, and without his help and guidance I don’t think that performance would be at this level,” the rider explained.
Achievements
At last year’s “ Ride for Life” Five- Stage meet, DeNobrega, along with local riders Raynauth Jeffrey, Raul Leal, Michael Anthony, Walter Grant- Stuart and Junior Niles, was drafted in the Florida- based Team Coco after the owner, ‘QB’ Davis, spotted a tremendous degree of talent in the six Guyanese cyclists.
DeNobrega did not disappoint, copping the junior title in a time of nine hours, 57 minutes, 01 second (09h: 57m: 01s), and finishing second to Team Coco’s Jaime Ramirez, who clocked a record- breaking nine hours, 46 minutes, 51 seconds (09h: 46m: 51s) to eclipse the previous record of 10 hours, 29 minutes, 39 seconds (10h: 29m: 39s).
The young rider won the final stage of that race from Linden to Georgetown, finishing the 62- mile event in two hours, 35 minutes, 58 seconds (02h: 35m: 58s).
Apart from his success in the prestigious Five-Stage race and being crowned Caribbean junior champion, the first time Junior Sportsman-of- the-Year, won both the Anguilla and Antigua junior races, while he copped the runner- up spot in the NSC Independence Three- Stage and spearheaded the Guyana team to victory in the Time Trials and road race at the Inter- Guiana Games.
That apart, he was constantly in winners’ row at local races held at the inner circuit of the National Park and the roadways.
The Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), the body which nominated him for the award, said of the cyclist: “However, other than his fabulous riding in 2012, DeNobrega exhibited great sportsmanship and leadership ability. Due to these qualities, Paul DeNobrega was elevated to the position of captain of the National Junior Cycling team.”
Disciplined youngster
National cycling coach, Hassan Mohamed, who has seen first- hand, DeNobrega’s growth, said the young man is shining example of what can be achieved through discipline and hard work.
“He started in the ‘Teach Them Young’ programme years ago and from what I’ve observed, he is a very disciplined guy, and I think once he focuses on what he wants to achieve and don’t become complacent, he has a far way to go,” Mohamed said.
The long-serving administrator added, “In a short space of time, he has made a solid contribution as a representative of Guyana, and I’m very proud of him that he won the award. I think he has bigger things to come and once he continues in the same vein, he will be a force to reckon with.” President of the GCF, Cheryl Thompson, echoed similar sentiments, adding that DeNobrega is a worthy winner of the national award.
“I’m very happy that he got the judges’ nod, because he is one of the most disciplined and dedicated guys around. He deserves the award, and I would want to wish him well as he seeks to work his way up and become the best in Guyana,” Thompson said in an invited comment.
DeNobrega will receive his award on March 22 when a ceremony is hosted by the NSC at the National Cultural Centre.