The British High Commission in Georgetown, in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Government of Guyana, on July 27 began the countdown to the London 2012 Olympics with a special ceremony at the Umana Yana in Kingston.
Guyana’s swimming contingent strikes a pose with Acting British High Commissioner to Guyana, Simon Bond
Attended by a host of dignitaries and local athletes aspiring to represent Guyana at the games, the event was hosted to mark exactly one year before the official opening ceremony on July 27, 2012, as well as to update locals of London’s preparation for the mega event.
Acting British High Commissioner to Guyana, Simon Bond, said that while Beijing 2008 will be a hard act to follow, he’s confident that the 2016 Games in Brazil will have to do extremely well to match the new mark of excellence that London 2012 promises to showcase to the world.
Bond noted that this will be the third Olympics hosted by England (the others in 1908 and 1948), and among next year’s highlights are new stadia, an attractive Aquatic Centre, and a beautiful Cycling Velodrome.
With thousands of athletes and officials from over 120 countries set to converge on England, Bond is optimistic the event will provide the perfect opportunity to market his country to the world.
“It’s a great opportunity for the world to see how great a country England is to live, travel, and host sports activities [in],” Bond stated.
Speaking on behalf of the GOA, vice- president Karen Pilgrim, said that London is very much on the ball” and the Guyanese contingent is looking forward with eagerness and enthusiasm to the games.
She noted that the Chefsde- Mission will meet in two weeks time as Guyana prepares to send its largest team ever to an Olympic Games.
Permanent Secretary of the Sport Ministry, Alfred King, reflected that England won the bid in 2005 and since then the promises made have manifested into achievements. He explained that all the infrastructural works are almost complete a year in advance, and “that’s commendable.” “London has been transformed into a modern sports city and there are so many benefits that can be derived from hosting these games,” King said.
He added that such a huge investment to construct stadia and transform the landscape of London can only be viewed as long-term since the country will gain both financially and socially.
Guyana’s lone Olympic medalist, boxer Michael Parris, urged the young athletes present to be dedicated and disciplined if they wish to rise to the echelons of their respective discipline.
Parris won a bronze medal at the games hosted in Moscow in 1980. Guyana has attended every single Olympic Games since making its debut in 1948.
Comments are closed.