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NATIONAL cycling coach Hassan Mohamed yesterday told Chronicle Sport, the year 2012 was a wonderful one for the local cycling fraternity and himself and he looks forward to another action-packed year which pedals off today at 09:00hrs around the inner circuit of the National Park, with an eye on discipline. “I considered the year 2012 to be one of the best years in my life, since I began organising cycling here in Guyana. That is so, as I have organised seven more events for a total of 37 in comparison to 30 for the previous year, last year, and definitely I will be looking to better that number this year.
For last year alone, I organised the Inter-Guiana Games cycling meet and the National Schools Cycling Championships, which were held along with the regular annual events, such as the Cheddi and Janet Jagan Memorial, Ballot Box Martyrs and the three- and five-stage events respectively” said Mohamed.
He added, “We all know that the three- and five-stage road races are two major events on the calendar of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), but what was more important for me during the 2012, was the organising of and the heartening response given to the ‘Teach them Young’ programme, which was completed for the 37th year, last year.”
Cyclists of the calibre of Godfrey Pollydore, Dwayne Jupiter-Gibbs, the late Troy Humphrey and Byron James, Alonso Greaves, Robin Persaud and Guyana’s dynamic junior quartet in Paul De Nobrega, Raul Leal, Michael Anthony and Raynauth Jeffrey among others, are all products of the ‘Teach them Young’ programme which is held in the National Park during the summer holidays.
“Another bright spot for me during 2012, was the crowning of De Nobrega and Anthony as the Caribbean Junior and Juvenile champions respectively, as it highlighted the hard work put in by those two, along with Jeffrey and Leal,” stated Mohamed.
Looking at some of the discrepancies the GCF – of which Mohamed is the Assistant Racing Secretary – was forced to contend with last year, indiscipline was a main factor with two of Guyana’s leading cyclists, namely Greaves and Robin Persaud being embroiled in several altercations both on the road and around the inner circuit of the National Park,
“Certainly, the GCF will be keeping a keen eye on things this year, as we have no intentions to accommodate indiscipline amongst the cyclists or even clubs. With that in mind, I am calling on all clubs affiliated to the GCF to give their full cooperation.
“We all share the same goal, which is to further develop cycling here in Guyana, so our cyclists can go out into the world and represent us with pride, whenever they are selected to do so,” stated Mohamed.
With De Nobrega moving up to the Senior category, much will be expected from him this year, commencing with this morning’s event which is being sponsored by Ricks and Sari Agro Industries Limited for the 20th year, taking into consideration his form from last season.
He won the last road race on last year’s calendar which was sponsored by Demerara Distillers Limited, under their Diamond Mineral Water brand and for today’s main event, cyclists such as Greaves, Persaud, Jeffrey, Anthony, Leal, Junior Niles and many others, would be looking to start this year with a bang.
Greaves is the defending champion for the feature event, having won same last year in a time of 1h. 19m:10secs and, with unconfirmed reports reaching this publication that Jupiter-Gibbs, who was involved in several heated battles with Pollydore during the late 80s into the early and mid-90s undergoing a rigorous training session, this race will be difficult to call.
Anthony is the Junior/Juvenile champion for today’s event, while Niles will be defending the Veterans Under-50 category title, even as cyclists throng the venue to compete in BMX and Upright events which are also carded for the day.
For last year alone, I organised the Inter-Guiana Games cycling meet and the National Schools Cycling Championships, which were held along with the regular annual events, such as the Cheddi and Janet Jagan Memorial, Ballot Box Martyrs and the three- and five-stage events respectively” said Mohamed.
He added, “We all know that the three- and five-stage road races are two major events on the calendar of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), but what was more important for me during the 2012, was the organising of and the heartening response given to the ‘Teach them Young’ programme, which was completed for the 37th year, last year.”
Cyclists of the calibre of Godfrey Pollydore, Dwayne Jupiter-Gibbs, the late Troy Humphrey and Byron James, Alonso Greaves, Robin Persaud and Guyana’s dynamic junior quartet in Paul De Nobrega, Raul Leal, Michael Anthony and Raynauth Jeffrey among others, are all products of the ‘Teach them Young’ programme which is held in the National Park during the summer holidays.
“Another bright spot for me during 2012, was the crowning of De Nobrega and Anthony as the Caribbean Junior and Juvenile champions respectively, as it highlighted the hard work put in by those two, along with Jeffrey and Leal,” stated Mohamed.
Looking at some of the discrepancies the GCF – of which Mohamed is the Assistant Racing Secretary – was forced to contend with last year, indiscipline was a main factor with two of Guyana’s leading cyclists, namely Greaves and Robin Persaud being embroiled in several altercations both on the road and around the inner circuit of the National Park,
“Certainly, the GCF will be keeping a keen eye on things this year, as we have no intentions to accommodate indiscipline amongst the cyclists or even clubs. With that in mind, I am calling on all clubs affiliated to the GCF to give their full cooperation.
“We all share the same goal, which is to further develop cycling here in Guyana, so our cyclists can go out into the world and represent us with pride, whenever they are selected to do so,” stated Mohamed.
With De Nobrega moving up to the Senior category, much will be expected from him this year, commencing with this morning’s event which is being sponsored by Ricks and Sari Agro Industries Limited for the 20th year, taking into consideration his form from last season.
He won the last road race on last year’s calendar which was sponsored by Demerara Distillers Limited, under their Diamond Mineral Water brand and for today’s main event, cyclists such as Greaves, Persaud, Jeffrey, Anthony, Leal, Junior Niles and many others, would be looking to start this year with a bang.
Greaves is the defending champion for the feature event, having won same last year in a time of 1h. 19m:10secs and, with unconfirmed reports reaching this publication that Jupiter-Gibbs, who was involved in several heated battles with Pollydore during the late 80s into the early and mid-90s undergoing a rigorous training session, this race will be difficult to call.
Anthony is the Junior/Juvenile champion for today’s event, while Niles will be defending the Veterans Under-50 category title, even as cyclists throng the venue to compete in BMX and Upright events which are also carded for the day.
