THE Ministry of Education yesterday officially launched its Golden Jubilee Relay Festival, which commences on April 15.

During a press conference at its 21 Brickdam office it was noted that the relay festival is an initiative which seeks to promote Guyanese athletes. Head of Department of Physical Education, Nicholas Fraser, spoke about the aims of the relay fair.
“This is a team-based event which will feature schools from both secondary and tertiary levels. We are looking to field athletes from all age groups in each category.”
He further noted that there will be 16 schools from the high school level and eight schools from the tertiary level. The tertiary level institutions will include the local university as well as vocational and technical schools.

Also speaking on the upcoming event was president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Aubrey Hutson, who noted that the festival will be done in a professional manner “so that records and timings will be recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations(IAAF).”
Meanwhile, Chief Education Officer Olato Sam has revealed that the event will be continued in the years to come and will not be limited to Guyanese athletes, but to regional and international athletes as well.

He also commented on the lack of year-round meets to facilitate the development of local athletes.
“This programme should coincide with preparation for National Schools Athletics Championships as well as CARIFTA Games,” Sam said.
The events tabled for the fair are the 4×1, 4×2, 4×4, and 4×8 and relay medley and are scheduled to be held at the Leonora Synthetic Track. The festival is expected to make full use of the professional timing system and will also feature a two call-room system.

Team managers of the schools will assemble their teams in call-room one and the final contact with the team managers will be in call-room 2.
The races scheduled to take place at the opening are the Under13 4×1, 4×2 and medley.