By Stephan Sookram

WITH sport infrastructure being touted as one of the focal points of the current administration, one former national coach is questioning why there isn’t more of a push to develop a national velodrome.“Why not?” asks former national cycling coach and two-time Olympian Victor Rutherford, who still plays an active role in the sport abroad.
“Guyana is the only major country in the Caribbean and South America that doesn’t have a track, Suriname has, Barbados has, Jamaica has, Trinidad and Tobago has at least five. We have the potential for cycling and history shows that,” Rutherford contended.
Having attended the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Russia and the 1984 California edition, the former national cyclist and former coach knows talent when he sees it but is saddened by the lack of push for a cycling home.
Recalling the days of the great Aubrey Bryce and Neville Hunte, Rutherford contended that Guyana should get serious about securing medals.
“There are two types of cycling – road and track. If you want to meet at the world stage, you have to see which is better for Guyanese and in our checks and balances track would be better if you want to get to the Olympics and World Championships.”
Administrators, he noted, must embrace the racing pedigree that is constant to this part of the world.
“West Indians are known for speed, we look at those athletes Roger Gibbons, Leslie King (Trinidad) Jamaican David Weller and of course Neville Hunte and Aubrey Bryce of Guyana and we see this,” Rutherford contended.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Rutherford recounted the days when cycling used to hold crowds at the Seawall bandstand and he believes that those days can return with the construction of a velodrome.
His organisation is the Guyana Cycling Association of North America (GCANA).

FAVOURABLE RESPONSE
Meanwhile, Rutherford, Bryce and others are making their views known to the highest offices in the land in an attempt to sway the policy-makers into making their dream a reality, saying “We sent a letter to the president and we copied it to the Minister of Sport, Minister of State, GCF and GOA.”
“To date we have received replies from the President and the GOA secretary (Hector Edwards). The president acknowledged receipt of the letter and passed it on to Dr Roopnaraine to look at for consideration and get back to us,” the former national coach added.
“GOA would be willing to work with the GCF and us to make it a reality but we are waiting to hear what the government (Dr Roopnaraine) has to say. It cannot be done by the Cycling Federation alone,” he said.
According to Rutherford, the facility would cost between US$500 000 – US$1 million to construct if it were asphalt or concrete, but it would make its own revenue to upkeep the facility.
“Originally at D’Urban Park there was a dirt track there. But now since they cleared the area, it has been graded down but the spot is still there closer to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall,” he said in the hope that the current government would consider it as a venue to house the dome.