THE Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) was up to yesterday still uncertain about the fate of Guyana’s attendance to the XLIV CARIFTA Games set for this weekend in Sugar City, St Kitts and Nevis, even as the team continues to rigorously train under head coach Julian Edmonds.According to a press release from the Association, the AAG has been encountering some difficulties in securing flights for the team of 12 athletes including US-based Guyanese Brenessa Thompson.

“The Executive Council of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) is encountering difficulties securing flights to the games set for April 4-6 in St Kitts & Nevis.
The AAG is, however, exploring all avenues to get its team to the Games set for St Kitts & Nevis. AAG president Aubrey Hutson said ticket prices to the destination are high, so too are chartered flights, which are priced between $5M and $7M, yesterday’s press release noted.
A final decision on the team’s participation at the esteemed event is expected to be taken later today.
Should the team be able to attend the championship, it will be one of the biggest team that Guyana has sent to the event in recent years.
Meanwhile, Edmonds, who is being assisted by GDF coach Robert Chisholm, Running Braves coach Sham Johnny and Challengers head coach Linden Phillips and Moses Pantlitz in training the team, is pleased with how training for the team has been coming along so far.
The team has been able to procure the use of the newly constructed synthetic track at Leonora, the first of its kind in Guyana, which Edmonds expressed has been a big plus for the team.
“The training has been coming great. Majority of the team have been able to train at the synthetic track and it’s helping them to familiarise with the surface they will be running on over there, which is a plus for us,” Edmonds said.
Edmonds has been working with the local team, while Thompson has been in training in the U.S. with her coach Shaun Dietz who related earlier this month that the 18-year-old athlete is “on top of her game”.
Thompson will be in the Girls’ Under-20 100m and 200m, while the other athletes, on the Girls side are Michelle Powley (U-20 100m and 200m), Avon Samuels (U-18 200m and 400m), Kenisha Phillips (U-18 200m), Girls’ Under-18 1500m champion Cassie George (U-18 1500m), Clauderice McKenzie (U-18 3000m), Chantoba Bright (U-18 long and triple jump), and Natricia Hooper (triple jump).
On the Boys side are qualifying athletes Compton Ceasar (U-18 100m and 200m), and Matthew McKenzie (1500m and 3000m), while athletes Linton Mentis (U-20 100m and 200m) and Ernesto Thomas (800m and 1500m) were added to the team, based on how close they came to the qualifying times in their respective events.
Manager for the team is Yvonne October.