… NSC to help UG scholarship athletes

NATIONAL men’s javelin record-holder Leslain Baird is among four athletes who have been offered partial scholarships to study and train in Jamaica, and Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) president K. A. Juman-Yassin says the entity has committed to funding Baird and assisting the other athletes as much as possible.Baird has been offered a place at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Yassin stated that the GOA will be budgeting US$5000 per year to assist Baird towards this endeavour, which

will also see Baird studying for a Diploma in Sports Massage.
“We are still working out the little fine details. He has to get permission from the GDF. He’s an officer there and we have decided that we will fund the tuition and the other expenses up to a limit. We have budgeted US$5000 for him, and I am hoping that the GDF will pitch in and also assist him,” Yassin explained.
Apart from Baird, Hampton Games gold medallist Natrena Hooper and University of Guyana (UG) students Owen Wilson and Emmanuel Archibald have been offered partial scholarships to the University of the West Indies (UWI).
According to Yassin, the GOA has reached out to the National Sports Commission (NSC) to also lend assistance. The Commission agreed to assist the two UG students, but Yassin is not satisfied with that.
“I do not understand that, and I do not see why assistance cannot come to Ms Hooper. She barely missed the (Olympic) qualifying mark as a high jumper, and for a young athlete … it shows the potential that is there.” Yassin said, at the time directing his remarks at NSC Chairman Ivan Persaud.
Yassin made his comments last Saturday at a press briefing, reporting on the performance of Guyana’s team at the recently concluded Rio Olympics, where Persaud was present. Persaud promptly agreed to look into the scenario.
Yassin pointed out that having the athletes, particularly, go abroad to train, poses a great advantage to not only the athletes themselves but the development of sports overall in the long run.
“Leslain will become a better javelin thrower, and more importantly also, is that when he finishes he has that knowledge so he will be able to coach and develop other young javelin throwers. So we’re looking at three benefits – he is going to get a diploma, he is going to improve his javelin throwing, and then he will be able to coach and develop young javelin throwers in Guyana.” Yassin noted.