By Tamica Garnett

AS THE time draws nigh to the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, Guyana, with only a modest team of qualifying athletes, will have all eyes on top-ranked triple-jumper Troy Doris, who is currently here, planning the future of his athletic career with the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG).GOA and AAG together yesterday hosted a press conference at Olympic House, High Street, Kingston, to disclose plans ahead for Doris, who was also present at the head table.
Doris qualified for the Olympics earlier this month with a triple-jump distance of 17.18m, way surpassing the 16.90m minimum Olympic qualifying standard. This distance also placed him as the current third highest world-ranked triple jumper. Doris stands behind only China’s Bin Dong, who has a best jump of 17.24m, and USA’s Christian Taylor, with 17.23m.
With such high standards, hopes are high that Doris will make it into the final of his event, and possibly even medal, in the process bringing much needed attention to athletics in Guyana.
“Troy is going to bring a lot of visibility to Guyana; he is really and truly going to assist us with our national programme. Because most of the time when you go to talk to international sponsors to sponsor our programme the first question they ask is: who do you have in the finals? I think that we are going to see Troy in the final.
“So now we can then sit down and talk with the powers that be about sponsorship for our programmes.” President of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson, noted at yesterday’s press conference.
Wanting to ensure that Doris has every opportunity to work on his skills leading up to the Olympics, the GOA head, K. A. Juman-Yassin said that the Association will be looking to do everything to support Doris, as well as the other Olympic qualifying athletes, in their training in the lead-up to Olympics.
Doris, who will be in Guyana until the end of this month, is scheduled to travel from Guyana to Greece, where he will continue his training and also participate in two Diamond League events in Switzerland and Oslo. The GOA will be footing the bill for this endeavour.
“We look forward to having a very fruitful and long-lasting relationship with Troy. As soon as he leaves Guyana he’s going to Greece. He is going to spend a month there training and competing. Troy has given us a budget for that month in Greece and we have decided we want to give him almost everything, so basically we will be looking after his expenses to train.
“Apart from that we are also reaching out to the other athletes who have qualified, asking them what are their plans, what they wish to do and as soon as we get that we will try our best to fulfil that.” Juman-Yassin stated.
Doris is one of four athletes who have thus far qualified for the Rio Olympics. The others are Winston George (men’s 400m), Brenessa Thompson (women’s 100m, 200m), and the most recent addition, Aaliyah Abrams, who qualified in the women’s 400m. There remain the hopes that more athletes will qualify, since the qualification period runs until July.
With all of these athletes so far being overseas-based, it is hoped that there could be a local addition to the team, with a number of local athletes close to their qualifying marks, according to Hutson. Some of those athletes are currently in Trinidad for the Hampton Games, while local athletes, unable to travel to events to qualify, will have the opportunity to do so on home turf with the upcoming National Seniors Championships and the Aliann Pompey Invitational, both held next month at the National Track and Field Centre.
“It’s the first time in a long time that we have athletes who would be going to the Olympics in such numbers, and who would have earned their place and are not going on Universality spots.
“It shows growth in the programme, and we are hoping that we can have a few more. We’re still looking at Ms Natrena Hooper who is slightly off the high jump qualifying standard, Akeem Stewart and also Mr Rupert Perry.
“We have our National Senior Championships and we have the Aliann Pompey Invitational where they will have opportunities coming up to qualify.” Hutson said.
Yassin also took the opportunity to thank the parents of Doris, for the great job they have done.
“Without your sacrifice both in time and money and in encouragement, I don’t think he would be where he is. A lot of times praises are not given to the family, and I would like to compliment you and encourage other families to do what they can to help athletes achieve what they can.” Juman-Yassin commented.
For his part, Doris noted that he is elated to have this opportunity to represent Guyana.
“Initially when I first qualified I just had this sense of joy; that joy was amplified because I’m now representing Guyana. It’s a long time that I’ve wanted to represent Guyana, and it’s finally happening. I’m very excited for the opportunity.
“I just want to represent my family, and Guyana at the highest level. It is a big thing for me,” Doris said.