By Joe Chapman
ONE of Linden’s greatest swimmers and the first to capture a gold medal for Guyana at the Inter-Guiana Games, Dexter ‘Presser’ Joseph, will be buried in his home community at the Christianburg Cemetery today.

Presser died in the United States on January 10.

The viewing of the late Robert Dexter ‘Presser’ Joseph, who grew out of Christianburg, will take place at the Christianburg Community Centre ground, Wismar from 12:30hrs to 13:15hrs.

The funeral service will be held from 13:30hrs after which the body will be taken to the Christianburg Cemetery for burial.

President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), Dwayne Scott, said that for the swimming fraternity “it’s a sad situation and it was shared amongst the entire GASA fraternity. We are extremely saddened by his passing.”

In its expression of respect for what Joseph had done, GASA in a release acknowledged that Joseph was the first Guyanese swimmer to win an individual gold medal at the Inter-Guiana Games.

In their tribute GASA stated on behalf of the executives, the clubs and swimming fraternity: “Dexter, who is a Lindener, made massive contributions in the swimming arena during the mid-1970s and early 1980s, when in 1978 he won a gold medal in the 50m freestyle sprint at the Inter-Guiana Games in Suriname.

“He swam both individual and relay races and is reported to be the first swimmer to achieve the feat of breaking the one minute time in the 100 yards freestyle sprint. Dexter was also known as Guyana’s best breaststroke swimmer.

“Most sincere condolences go to Dexter’s family, relatives, friends and associates who join in this our bereavement period. Rest In Peace, Dexter, your memory and contribution to the swim arena will live on.”

Mrs Mary Chung-Phillips, close friend and teammate when they represented Guyana on numerous occasions said, “Growing up in Christianburg, Wismar, Linden, I remember rubbing shoulders with Dexter Joseph from Prep A throughout Standard Four. We even acted in a skit in a Christmas play acting as Mary and Joseph and I said to him, ‘Joseph, I am tired my baby is about to born and Dexter said to me as a child, come on Mary, let’s go to the Inn,’ and so I remember those days as kids when we acted.”

In the pool, Chung-Phillips vividly recalled that “in 1975 we started competing together with the Baracuda Swim Club and participated at the Inter-Guianas Games in 1976. We also participated in 1977, 1978 and 1979. And I remember Dexter won the first individual gold medal in the 100m freestyle event for Guyana.

“We also participated in the Caribbean Swimming Championship in Trinidad in 1980 and in the Clubs Championship in Suriname in December 1980. Dexter was a brother to all the swimmers in his time. We remained friends we also did the Bronze Medallion Course with Carl Waterus from Canada and the FINA Coaching Clinic in Georgetown for three weeks in Georgetown and that was in 2000.”

Another product of Christianburg during that golden period of the mid-1970s and early 1980s was Yvette London-Dublin who noted: “I remember him, he was not a selfish person. He had ability and encouraged us to push hard. I remember when we were preparing for Inter-Guiana Games on the warm-up some guys cheated and I was arguing with the coach.

Dexter came to me and said, “Don’t worry with them do the other two laps and it will benefit you. And that was the year when I did exceptionally well. I always remember him for that,” said London-Dublin.

Charlie Alexander, another swimmer who was close with the late Joseph back then, said, “We started doing competitive swimming in 1975 at school level where we had a team that went to Nationals in Georgetown and from 1975 to 1981 we never lost any of those championships. We even had inter-club rivalry because we represented the YMCA through the Baracuda Swim Club.

“Apart from Nationals, we always won the inter-club competitions and always dominating. There were times when we won gold, silver and bronze medals in every age groups at inter-club at Luckhoo Pool…We also dominated the river swims. But Dexter was always outstanding especially as a sprinter. He had extraordinary hand speed.

Canada-based former National swimmer Mrs Grace Yhap-Roberts said “Dexter was like a big brother to my sister (Audrey) and me. He guided us in many aspects of our early years, not only ensuring that we swam straight in the narrow lanes of the pool, but also ensuring that we kept in the straight and narrow paths of life. He always had our backs and many would share the same sentiments.

“Dexter was an outstanding athlete, popular, very competitive and loved by his teammates and competitors. He was known as an exceptional person: warm, funny and kind. His sudden passing is a huge loss to the sport, his family, friends and the town of Linden; specifically Christianburg. Rest In Peace, Dexter!”

Another former National swimmer, Roger Harris, who resides in Canada in his tribute said “I remember him and Peter McLintock coming from Linden to swim as I lived in Georgetown at the time. In those days in the 1970s we even represented Guyana.

“I remember him being a very good and excellent swimmer who had great technique in the pool. On the personality side he was very competitive but at the same time he was an agreeable personality very approachable and someone you can easily get along with. The swimmers today with all the facilities at their disposal would have stood on the shoulders of people like Dexter.”