By Joe Chapman in New York

CONSIDERED one of Linden’s greatest athletes, Bruce Butcher, a former National high jump champion is of the opinion that the construction of the first ever 400m synthetic track (valued $178M), at the Bayrock ground in Wismar is timely and deserving.

The Florida-based Butcher began his career competing at the National Schools Championships in 1983. He revealed; “As a former Mackenzie High School, Linden and former National athlete, I have been watching those things that have been going on in Guyana for the past few years with the youngsters. We have been churning out a lot of athletes from this area here.

“So, this 400m international synthetic track is a good initiative to help boost track and field in Linden. It is a great step going forward.”

The glorious days of track and field achievements on grass tracks by Mackenzie/Linden athletes can be traced back to the time when Leyland ‘Flash’ Blair burst onto the scene as a National sprint champion, along with Learie Bonnet, to be followed by many others including Aubrey ‘Skinny’ Wilson, Lionel Perry, Elton Jefford, Desmond Hector, Bruce Butcher, Compton Caesar and Daniel Williams to name a few. On the distaff side the names of Lorraine Jordan, Paula Haynes, Roxanne Sills, Juliet Fredericks, Nyota Peters, Marian Burnette and Chantoba Bright easily come to mind.

Knowing the fact that recently two of Linden’s best young athletes have secured scholarships, namely Chantoba Bright and Daniel Williams to US colleges, Butcher pointed out; “There are places that have those things like a synthetic track, and who are not necessarily churning out such brilliant athletes, and, as Linden continues to reign supreme at the National Schools Track and Field, Swimming and Cycling championships it clearly means that we have talent here in Linden.”

Butcher went down memory lane; “The same back field right in Watooka Primary School we used to have our own sports. I learned to jump on that back field doing the scissors and I realised that I was good at it before I even went to high school. Guys who were at high school would say to my older brothers how revealing it would be to see what will happen as soon as I got to high school.”

Touching on the new facility now taking shape in Linden, Butcher noted; “That is exciting, these youngsters are seeing track and field on television, in my time we didn’t see track and field on television like that. They are seeing how it is supposed to be.

They are actually getting to go to the CARIFTA Games and stuff like that. My first time travelling was when I went to French Guiana and I actually saw a mat (jumping mat), I jumped six inches farther.”

The former standout athlete said that Guyana is now playing catch up on athletics but noted it was still commendable.

“So, actually having to have the opportunity to work on a track like this every day is going to be a great improvement. I watch what is going on in Jamaica and they are churning out great Caribbean athletes. We have the talent, but we just need the opportunities, and we need a good track which is number one priority.”

He re-emphasised; “Having a track in Linden is going to be something great for track and field. It basically boils down to having facilities.”

Reminiscing on how it was in his time Butcher remembers: “I was talking about going to CARIFTA trials and they didn’t even have a mat. They had to go over to Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and bring a couple of mattresses to put down there. And I still had to make the qualifying height.

So, with facilities, you now are no longer at a disadvantage and these guys learning to work on a real track every day is going to be great for sprints, or even high jump, they need to have these things in place.”

The ongoing construction of Linden’s first 400m synthetic track is being done by the contracting company Builders Hardware and General Supplies, and completion is anticipated for year end.

Construction began last year and is divided into four phases, already completed are the first and second phases.

In Phase One, the works done were the activation of the project team, site identification, ensuring technical supervision/consultancy, confirmation of project management plans.

In Phase Two, the job was the technical inspections, cadastral surveys, soil tests, drawings, awarding of construction entailed contracts.

Currently the work is at Phase Three which includes having the activation of ground work: building retaining wall, concrete base, drainage system and asphalting.

When this is completed the fourth and final phase will see the laying of the synthetic surface, line markings for the eight-lane track and completion of works.

It was reported that the track will also have accommodation to carry out field events while in the middle will be a football field.