A NUMBER of local athletes have planned to protest the inclusion of a Kenyan athlete in this year’s South American 10K Road Race which is scheduled for Sunday here in Guyana.According to a source close to the athletes and the Athletics Association of Guyana, several athletes have planned to protest the Kenyan’s participation in the race since he is not a South American athlete and they think he should not be a part of the event.
According to the source, the Kenyan is currently based in Trinidad, but the source could not say if the athlete has received Trinidad and Tobago citizenship or residency.
When contacted by Chronicle Sport yesterday via cell phone, AAG president Aubrey Hutson confirmed that the Kenyan had expressed an interest in being a part of the 10K race and he (Hutson) informed the athlete that he is free to participate.
Hutson said, “We extended an invitation to our Kenyan counterparts and this athlete gladly accepted to be a part of the event.”
Asked what is the name of the athlete, Hutson could not furnish Chronicle Sport with the name since at the time of speaking, he was not in possession of the list of registrants as he was not in his office.
Hutson was adamant that if a country wants to raise the level of its athletes’ performance especially at the international level, they (locals) must have better competition, like having international athletes in the line-up.
He noted that athletes from the CARICOM countries are not a part of South America, yet since the inception of the South American 10K series, athletes from CARICOM countries are always invited.
Asked if the athletes do launch the protest, how would the AAG respond, Hutson said he could not at the time give an positive answer, but said it would be bad for the sport.
He informed Chronicle Sport that it was Forde himself who voiced his concern about the Kenyan being a part of the activity, and stated that even if the Kenyan wins Sunday’s event and Forde places second, Forde will still get a bigger cash prize package than the Kenyan, since there is a special prize for the first Guyanese that crosses the finish line in both the male and female categories.
The winner of each leg earns US$1000, while the second-place finisher receives US$800 “So if Forde places second to the Kenyan, he will also receive US$500 making his prize package at US$1300”.
Forde won the first leg which was staged in Suriname last Sunday, in a time of 31 minutes 54 seconds (31.54), ahead of Jamaican athlete Richard Green (33.18) and fellow Guyanese Cleveland Thomas finishing 24 seconds adrift of Forde.
Forde has won the Guyana leg of the event on nine occasions.
Hutson said Forde should not be worried about the Kenyan’s presence in the race since he (Forde) defeated the Kenyan in a 5000-metre race in Trinidad earlier this year, and he (Forde) is better acquainted with the course and conditions even though the Kenyan hails from a high altitude country.
“The level of our athletes’ performances has to rise and this is one way of trying to do so,” Hutson stated, adding, “This race cannot be a Guyana/Suriname affair only, our athletes’ level of performance has to be raised and this is one way of ensuring that is achieved.”
Hutson also informed that when Forde defeated the Kenyan earlier this year in Trinidad no one protested. “There were athletes from other CARICOM states that were part of the event and no one protested, so why would you want to protest the Kenyan’s presence on Sunday.
When contacted, Forde’s coach Robert Chisholm said he heard about the protest, but is unaware of who is planning the protest. “But this is a South American race, why should we have a Kenyan being a part of it,” Chisholm questioned, adding, “If you want to bring international athletes in your country for an event then give that event another name … not South American 10K, but some other name.”
Asked what would Forde do if the AAG goes ahead with the staging of the event even if the Kenyan athlete is part of the race, Chisholm said, “I cannot make that decision, if Forde wants to be a part of the race or not, that’s his decision.”
Asked if Forde does participate along with the Kenyan what he (Chisholm) thinks Forde’’s chances are. The Guyana Defence Athletics coach said, “The race will definitely be between the two of them (Kenyan and Forde), but I’m confident Forde can pull it off”.
Efforts to contact Forde for a comment on his position if the Kenyan participates and what he thinks his chances are proved futile yesterday.

By Michael DaSilva