GOA to sponsor airfare for seven athletes, two officials
… Guyana Defence Force takes care of high jumper Mark Jhalu

THE Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) received a boost from the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), with the Kalam Juman-Yassin-led organisation announcing it will sponsor the airfare for seven athletes and two officials to attend the May 28-30 South American Senior Championships in Ecuador.

At a press conference hosted at GOA’s Liliendaal headquarters yesterday, Yassin announced that Jasmine Abrams, Andrea Foster, Winston George, Emanuel Archibald, Quamel Prince, Noelex Holder and Jeremy Bascombe as the athletes who will be sponsored.

Johnny Gravesande was named as coach, while Kenisha Headley will double-up as the squad’s manager/assistant coach.
Aubrey Hutson, president of the AAG, told the media that they are “really heartened in the show of support, particularly to our sport and its future.”
The event in Ecuador will provide Guyanese track and field athletes with Olympics aspirations to make a push to compete at the 32nd Olympiad. Hutson stated that “the AAG would have set a task of increasing our numbers and performance at every Olympics”.

At the 2016 Games in Rio, Brazil, the Troy Doris, Brenessa Thompson (100m and 200m), Winston George (400m) and Aliyah Abrams (400m) were the athletes on show, and this time Hutson said the AAG’s objective “is to get at least six in Tokyo and at least one person in the finals. With the current crop of athletes that we have we know this is possible so it’s not anything far-reaching.”

Meanwhile, US-based 400m athlete Arinze Chance will be funded by the AAG, while the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will fund high jumper Mark Jhalu.

“Please note, it’s not just a case where we close our eyes and pick this team, it’s their performance; they earned their spots,” Hutson attempting to put down criticism of the team selected. reach
Hurdler Jenea McCammon and 800m athlete Devaun Barrington are still listed on the team, but Hutson said the AAG is still waiting to hear from the Government of Guyana, particularly the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, with regard to providing some assistance, which will enable them to send their largest contingent to the Championships which started in 1918.