TORONTO, Canada – Guyana’s former 400 metres Commonwealth gold medallist Aliann Pompey is elated to be elected as a member of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) Athlete Commission.Speaking to Chronicle Sport yesterday from Edmonton, Canada, Pompey pointed out that “it’s an honour to be elected to the PASO Athlete Commission. More than anything, it says that my peers in the region trust my judgement and believe that I will act in their best interest. That’s a sobering and exciting thought, and I am up to the task. I can’t wait to start.”
Pompey served as manager/coach to Guyana’s three-member athletics team to the 2015 Pan Am Games which concluded here last Sunday and has since moved on to Edmonton in a similar capacity where the Junior Pan Am athletics championships are currently under way.
Guyana is being represented by Andrea Foster who is competing in the 800 and 1500 metres, Gairy Springer in the 800 metres, Jason Yaw the 400 metres and Brenessa Thompson the 100 and 200 metres.
Touching on the performances of the athletes who competed in the Toronto Pan Am Games, Pompey described Winston George’s sixth place in the 400 metres, running out of lane one as “a significant effort” since his sixth place was just 2/10ths of a second off his personal best.
Pompey also disclosed that sprinter Adam Harris was injured, hence his reason for not finishing in the 100 metres dash. Harris pulled up after completing about 100 metres in the heats.
On debutante Jenea McCammon, Pompey commented that “in her first international competition, Jenea thought there was a false start and stopped. When she realised they weren’t calling the race back, she started running again, but the damage was already done. I admired her effort for continuing to run and finishing the race. It was tough for her, we all make mistakes but I’m certain that’s a mistake that will only be made once.”
Pompey is among the four new members who will serve on the PASO Athlete Commission for the next eight years. Apart from Pompey, whose portfolio falls under athletics, the other members are Adrian Escobar of El Salvador (rowing), Carlos J. Santiago Alicea of Puerto Rico (judo) and Thiago Pereira of Brazil (swimming).
Pompey won the gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and also won at the 2003 Pan American Games. She holds the South American indoor record for the 400 metres.
She participated at the World Championships in Athletics in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 as well as the International Athletics Association Federation (IAAF) World Indoor Championships in 2001, 2003 2006 and 2010 and the Summer Olympics in 2000, 2004 and 2008. Her personal-best time is 50.71 seconds, achieved in August 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin.

By Frederick Halley