FOLLOWING their striking performances at regional meets this year, Guyanese athletes Claudrice McKoy, Avon Samuels and Onasha Rogers were offered full scholarships to study and train at Monroe College, and if all goes well they are expected to leave Guyana later next month.

The athletes are currently in the process of finalising the necessary arrangements to move on to this next chapter of their lives.
“I feel very amazing you know to finally get this opportunity,” 18-year-old Samuels, a former Christ Church student, expressed about the opportunity.
Samuels and Rogers were approached after their performance at the South American Junior Championships, which was held in Guyana. Both sprinters, Rogers and Samuels each took a silver medal, finishing second in the 100m and 400m respectively.
They both had a bronze from the Girls’ 4x100m at the Championships, while Samuels also had a gold medal from the Girls’ 4x400m. It has been a great year for these three female athletes.

“After South American Juniors, one of the coaches from the college saw my race in the 100m and he was interested in me then started making contact with me.
“So after speaking with my mom and coach we started to make progress and started getting things in order because I saw it as a great opportunity for me to further my studies and athletics,” explained Rogers who will be studying for a Diploma in Criminal Justice.
McKoy and Samuels will be studying for an Associate Degree in Business Administration. McKoy had also medalled at the SA Juniors where she took bronze in the 1500m. This was after she had already won a gold and a bronze at the CARIFTA Games in April.
It was at the CARIFTA Games that McKoy was approached with the scholarship proposal. Sixteen-year- old McKoy has been experiencing a phenomenal season so far, clocking all three personal bests this year.

It was just a few weeks ago that she set her 800m PB at 2:15.36s, after she took silver at the National Seniors. In March she had a 4:38.56s PB in the 1500m.
The athletes have already began processing their necessary documents and requirements, and are expected to travel to the U.S. by the end of August, ahead of starting college for the Fall Semester in September, 2017.

Rogers, a former Mackenzie High student, also chronicled her PBs this season flying to 11.71 seconds in the 100m for the silver at SA Juniors. She got her 24.48 seconds best time in the 200m just last May.
Samuel’s PBs are 24.6 seconds in the 200m and 55.12 seconds in the 400m.
The excited athletes have already begun seeking support from corporate entities to assist with some of the expenses they will incur as they process their applications.