DIRECTOR of Sport Neil Kumar spoke with elation yesterday with Chronicle Sport saying that preparations for the second leg of the 2010 Inter-Guiana Games are well on stream and that Guyana will deliver.
The three countries, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, will compete in the disciplines of cycling, volleyball, basketball and chess, all with both male and female participation from November 12 to 14.
Guyana lost their cycling male and female titles along with their basketball and volleyball male championships to Suriname last year in the second leg of the tri nation goodwill games, hosted in the Dutch-speaking country.
According to Kumar, a lot of emphasis will be placed into the hosting of the games and putting together a highly competitive local side since a strong representation is needed to restore Guyana’s dominance at the Championships which is in the 43rd year of existence.
The just concluded national schools basketball festival, according to Kumar, was used as a yardstick for selection to the junior national side and mentioned that they are some good players returning from last year’s squad, including team captain Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai.
“Well, basketball is always one of my favourites for the IGG and since we lost the title last year I’m sure that the players selected will go out and play hard. We have a good time this year, as a matter of fact in all fairness, we have always had a good basketball team and we will use the players from the National Schools championships,” Kumar said.
Kwakwani Secondary stormed to a triple at the championships, coming out as the most successful school at the event and they, Kumar said, will form the nucleus of the male basketball team.
However, the long-standing sport director was not so pleased with the interest shown by sports local governing body, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) claiming that the David Patterson-run body seems to be “distancing themselves from the game”.
“Kwakwani were fantastic at the championships and as such, Ann and most of her boys will form the team. I’m not saying we wouldn’t have a good female team but I think the males will come stronger.
“But I’m not too pleased with the basketball federation; they are not showing any interest at all, they are not even turning up to meetings.. He (Patterson) didn’t even show up for the opening of the schools basketball” Kumar said.
He, however, added that coach Bobby Cadogan will return to the helm of the male side and working along with him will be Chris Bowman.
As it relates to the discipline of Volleyball, Kumar pointed out that the teams have begun their preparations particularly in the Berbice areas.
In the field of cycling also Kumar said that he is excited since there is a newcomer to the game who should form a good alliance with Naomi Singh and Marica Dick and that the boys are always solid on their saddle.
Looking ahead, Kumar added that most of the logistics for the games are in place and “I am satisfied at this point with the level or strides that we have made in preparing for this games so far. We have the Ocean View hotel for the teams and officials to stay and the management has assured me that they will be ready to deliver a good service.”
The 2010 IGG body will host a meeting today at the National Sports Commission which, according to Kumar, is to keep abreast with what’s going on with the IGG and to have a feedback from the persons responsible for the respective disciplines.