Digicel lends support to Guyana’s Special Olympics Team
Digicel’s Sponsorship Manager, Louanna Abrams hands over her company’s support to the Head of Delegation for Special Olympics World Summer Games, Wilton Spencer.
Digicel’s Sponsorship Manager, Louanna Abrams hands over her company’s support to the Head of Delegation for Special Olympics World Summer Games, Wilton Spencer.

… More financial support still needed

By Gabriella Chapman

AS Guyana prepares to send off a team of young people to the upcoming Special Olympics World Summer Games, Digicel made a significant contribution to ensure Guyana’s participation in the games.

At a press briefing yesterday, Digicel’s Sponsorship Manager, Louanna Abrams, said, the telecommunications company is pleased to be associated with Special Olympics Guyana, and the two have a longstanding relationship.

Abrams said that throughout the Digicel territories across the Caribbean, and Latin America, Olympics and Special Needs are high on the company’s agenda. It is against that backdrop, the company decided to play a generous role in ensuring that Guyana has representation at the games this year.

“We have no doubt that they will perform well, and we definitely take this opportunity to wish them success as they prepare for the games,” Abrams further stated.

Speaking on Guyana’s preparedness for the trip, Head of Delegation, Wilton Spencer, said that though Digicel’s contribution was noteworthy, a sum of just under G$2M (G$1,924,372) is still needed to offset expenses.

This sum, he said, is needed specifically for the remaining airfare, and to include a chaperone in Guyana’s contingent, since there are female athletes on the team.

Spencer further entreated other companies and/or individuals to come on board and lend their support to help make participation possible. He can be contacted on 6234673.

Calvin Thomas, Faith King, Abdool Braithwaite, and Dacia George are the four athletes who will be representing Guyana at the games in Abu Dhabi.

Spencer said that three of the four athletes will be competing in the 200 metres, 400 mtres, and the 4×4 relay. Calvin Thomas will be competing in the 3 000 metres, 5 000metres and the relay.

At Guyana’s last participation in the games, Thomas received gold and silver medals.

Coach of the team, Mark Scott, said that the team have been training for nine months and they are all enthusiastic about going.

From his assessment, the four young people have proved that they are qualified for the competition ahead of them.

The games this year will see the participation of 174 countries with 7 500 athletes competing in 24 disciplines, from March 8-22, 2019.

The Special Olympics World Games are an international sporting competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities, organised by the IOC-recognised Special Olympics Organisation.

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