SOME thirty officials yesterday participated in an exam to become certified athletics technical officials, as part of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) preparations for next month’s hosting of the South American Junior Championships, at the National Track and Field Centre from June 3 – 4.

The AAG had earlier this month been advised that around 80 technical officials would be needed to carry out a smooth hosting of the Championships. With less than half that number of technical officials currently present in Guyana, the AAG was hard pressed to start training to get more officials.
The training was administered by International Technical Official (ITO), Giovanni Cardona of Columbia, keeping true to his promise to return to Guyana to conduct the training, after visiting earlier this month.
During that visit,Cardona had met with AAG executives and officials of the body’s technical committee, and visited the NTFC.
It was Cardona who pegged the necessary number at 80. Commenting on the training, some of the participants noted that Cardona was making it very easy to learn all the necessaries.
“He covered a lot within the time, but we understand it. He did pretty well with his explaining and carrying over his points and breaking it down for us,” remarked a participant. “I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here. They’ve balanced it out pretty well with the theory, in the class, and the practical.”
With athletes from over 10 countries expected to take part in the Championships, this will be the first time that an international event of such magnitude would be held in Guyana.
The South American Junior Championships is a biennial event at which junior athletes (Under-20) from all across South America participate in athletic events. The last Championships which was held in Ecuador,involved 245 athletes from 11 nations.