Swimming in Guyana can be very successful … says FINA VP

VICE-PRESIDENT of the International Swimming Federation (FINA), Dale Neuberger, believes that there is great potential for the development of the sport in Guyana, but cautions that success is not measured merely on medals earned, but depends on the incremental successes produced as the sport develops.

“I think that swimming in Guyana can be very successful, but success is measured in many ways and not just purely in medals,” the former United States Aquatic Sports president said earlier this week.
“Guyana’s swimming is in a development stage, the swimming programme is at a very good level today but in order for it to compete at higher levels, both within South America and worldwide, there will need to be additional coaching expertise, more coaches who are well trained who can motivate athletes, more learn-to-swim programmes where they have instructors who can motivate and inspire parents to want their children to participate in the sport.”
The VP, who left last Monday, was on a five-day visit to Guyana, his first to the South America country and prior to his departure, he sat down with Chronicle Sport to talk about the objective of his visit and the impression he hoped to leave behind.
For Neuberger, his visit was more importantly about being on the ground, getting a first-hand experience of the state of swimming in Guyana and to let the swimming fraternity know that the global body is concerned and here to help.
“It is important to be on the ground, to understand the circumstances here so that we could be more helpful based on our knowledge,” Neuberger explained.
“It is not something you do with Google maps; it is something you do by being here, in this location, to talk with the leadership of the Swimming Association, the Olympic Association, Ministry of Sport. I’m here to support the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), to do anything we can to assist the growth of swimming in Guyana.”
Neuberger is one of five vice-presidents serving on the FINA Bureau, one for each of the five continents recognised by FINA, with his portfolio being for the Americas.
Neuberger arrived in Guyana last Thursday, visiting along with the president of the South American Swimming Confederation (CONSANAT), Juan Carlos Orihuela and has since held several talks with GASA on moving swimming in Guyana forward.
“The question is always: what are the best ways that we can be helpful?’ because it is important for us (FINA) never to assume we know the answer to that question, because virtually always the answer to the question is different from what we would think it would be, and it is different in Guyana from in Suriname, from in America. Each one is different.”
Commenting on how much further he thinks Guyana has to go before we can say we finally made it, Neuberger noted that unfortunately for those looking for instant success the timeline for development in swimming is one that requires great patience.
“It’s hard to put a timetable, everyone would like to say we are here and it will take this amount of time to be there, but the reality is the development cycle in swimming is a long cycle that takes patience from everybody, it’s not short term success in swimming. The development cycle can be six or eight or ten years; it is one of the great elements of swimming. It takes a lot of hard work to be successful. You must work hard for a long time,” Neuberger declared.
“In a world where we all would like to have immediate success, where we would like to have things happen more quickly, in swimming that’s not likely to happen. That’s the nature of the sport, but it’s also why an achievement in the sport is so great because it represents so many years of hard work and dedication.”
In the meantime, Neuberger believes, GASA needs to continue to work on providing opportunities to not only broaden the sport, but ensure that the athletes are afforded opportunities to develop their skills.
“The most important element for GASA is the ability to provide facilities and programmes, throughout the country not just in Georgetown. To be able to have training opportunities for the most proficient athletes that may include some time outside of Guyana,” Neuberger said.

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