IN our continuing efforts to track down young Guyanese athletes on the Collegiate Track and Field circuit in the USA, Chronicle Sport, via telephone, heard the continuous lamentations of dissatisfaction from some, while others are thankful for the Pandemic intervention.

Sprinter, Kenisha Phillips, a former Chase Academy Foundation student, now enrolled at the Austin Peay University of Tennessee and currently in pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, informed Chronicle Sport that she is doubly disappointed, “The cancellation of the Track season and all that was happening Globally took a few days for me to really understand what was happening.

I was well focused after capturing two titles at the Ohio Valley Conference to help the College win the Indoor Championship after many years. I was looking forward to building on my success to help us win the outdoor title as well, but more importantly, to use the outdoors to make the Olympic qualifying times in the 100M and 200M.

I was also confident that, with my form, I could secure a medal at the cancelled CARIFTA Games since it is my last year. Obviously, I had never experienced anything like this before, so it was kind of weird at first, but my Coach encouraged me to stay positive, and that I have been doing. I know it is a very serious situation, so I remain safe while still working out inside and in the backyard.

The season might be cancelled, but my dreams aren’t and I still have the same goals. I have always dreamt of making it to the Olympics and it still remains. What I am grateful for at this time of lockdown is that I have more time to do my school work. I was really looking forward to returning home and sharing with my club mates, at Running Brave, some of the thing I learnt”, the 18-year-old Buxtonian revealed.

Another Running Brave athlete on scholarship overseas is Natrena Hooper, the older sister of Natricia, who is at the University of Florida. The 28-year-old Natrena, who is at the University of the West Indies pursuing a Bachelor’s in Gender and Development Studies, is one who is thankful to COVID19.

“To me, this is a sign from God, giving me a second chance to qualify for the Olympics as I am in no state of readiness to compete if the Olympics was not postponed; so I am grateful in a way. I am currently rehabilitating from surgery done in December for a fractured right big toe; therefore, this is a most welcome opportunity to fully heal and work on certain weaknesses. The lockdown has surely affected me mentally, but I am learning to adopt and not trying to be too stressed through physical training at home that my coach has given”, the former North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary student stated.

In Mississippi, 2017 World Youth 400M Silver medalist, Daniel Williams, is one who is not overly perturbed at the untimely forced cancellation due to the global pandemic, “The cancellation news came one week before my first competition for Hinds Community College, which I was attending in my first year of a full scholarship. I can’t say I am disappointed since I understand the circumstances and, really, this first season my main goal was simply to improve my times. In training, I was running my personal best and was expecting this year to be a good one for me on the track, but it has turned out not to be. In the absence of outdoor training, I am staying in physical shape with free-hand exercises”, claimed the 20-year-old 100M, 200M and 400M specialist, formerly of McKenzie High School and who is presently tracking a degree in Computer Science.

Another disenchanted Guyanese athletic talent in the US collegiate circuit and full of promise is triple/long jumper, Lloyd McCurdy who won the Men’s Invitational triple-jump at last year’s Penns Relays.

“I am a bit disappointed in the whole cancellation of the track season as I was determined to put behind me a poor indoor season in my final year at Monroe College; nevertheless, it is what it is and I fully understand and accept the current situation. The lockdown proved to be a setback as everywhere is on closed, so getting treatment for a bruised tendon in my knee was not possible. I ,however, am optimistic as I have graduated with an Associate Degree in Computer Information System and am now heading to Auburn University on a full scholarship as a Sophomore”, the 22-year-old former South Ruimveldt Secondary student told Chronicle Sport.

Kenisha Phillips: former Chase Academy Foundation student now enrolled at Austin Peay University of Tennessee is in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Education on Sunday informed Chronicle Sport that she is doubly disappointed, “the cancellation of the Track season and all that was happening, Globally, took a few days for me to really understand what was happening.

I was well focused after capturing two titles at the Ohio Valley Conference to help the College win the Indoor Championship after many years. I was looking forward to building on my success to help us win the outdoor title as well, but more importantly, to use the outdoors to make the Olympic qualifying times in the 100M and 200M. I was also confident that with my form I could secure a medal at the cancelled CARIFTA Games since it is my last year. Obviously, I had never experienced anything like this before, so it was kind of weird at first, but my Coach encouraged me to stay positive and that I have been doing. I know it is a very serious situation, so I remain safe while still working out inside and in the backyard.

The season might be cancelled , but my dreams aren’t and I still have the same goals. I have always dreamt of making it to the Olympics and it still remains. What I am grateful for at this time of lockdown is that I have more time to do my school work. I was really looking forward to returning home and sharing with my club mates at Running Brave some of the things I learnt”, the 18-year-old Buxtonian revealed.

Another Running Brave athlete on scholarship overseas is Natrena Hooper, the older sister of Natricia, who is at the University of Florida. The 28-year-old Natrena, who is at the University of the West Indies pursuing a Bachelor’s in Gender and Development Studies, is one who is thankful to COVID19. “To me, this is a sign from God, giving me a second chance to qualify for the Olympics, as I am in no state of readiness to compete if the Olympics was not postponed, so I am grateful in a way. I am currently rehabilitating from surgery, done in December, for a fractured right big toe, therefore, this is a most welcome opportunity to fully heal and work on certain weaknesses. The lockdown has surely affected me mentally, but I am learning to adopt and not trying to be too stressed through physical training at home that my coach has given”, the former North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary student stated.

In Mississippi, 2017 World Youth 400M Silver medalist, Daniel Williams is one who is not overly perturbed at the untimely forced cancellation by the global pandemic, “The cancellation news came one week before my first competition for Hinds Community College, which I was attending in my first year of a full scholarship.

I can’t say I am disappointed since I understand the circumstances and, really, this first season my main goal was simply to improve my times. In training, I was running my personal best and was expecting this year to be a good one for me on the track, but it has turned out not to be. In the absence of outdoor training, I am staying in physical shape with free-hand exercises”, claimed the 20-year-old 100M, 200M and 400M specialist, formerly of McKenzie High School and who is presently tracking a degree in Computer Science.

Another disenchanted Guyanese athletic talent in the US collegiate circuit and full of promise is triple/long jumper, Lloyd McCurdy, who won the Men’s Invitational triple-jump at last year’s Penns Relays.

“I am a bit disappointed in the whole cancellation of the track season, as I was determined to put behind me a poor indoor season in my final year at Monroe College,; nevertheless, it is what it is and I fully understand and accept the current situation. The lockdown proved to be a setback as everywhere is on closed, so getting treatment for a bruised tendon in my knee was not possible.

I ,however, am optimistic as I have graduated with an Associate Degree in Computer Information System and am now heading to Auburn University on a full scholarship as a Sophomore”, the 22-year-old former South Ruimveldt Secondary student told Chronicle sport.