Dear Editor,
As soon as the sport, walk race, is mentioned, the name Rudy Mitchell automatically pops up. Rudy has been the supreme commander of this race since when his winning streak started, and he has eighty consecutive wins to date! This is a remarkable feat unmatched by any other, and is unprecedented in any other discipline. He has his mind set on reaching the milestone of 100.
Not since the days of Harry Mervin, another Lindener, and a sensational walking machine who dominated this sport and departed unbeaten, has anyone been so consistent and domineering. This diminutive athlete has stomped his authority in blazing performances of sheer grit and determination across the length and breadth of this country where walk races are held, quietly taking on and defeating seasoned and new challengers alike.
Rudy who was in the People’s Militia, started walking for the Joint Services, and after being victorious in a number of races, set himself the task of reaching fifty unbeaten; having accomplished that, his aim now is to reach the landmark of 100 straight wins.
But though this phlegmatic athlete has already carved out his name in this sport, he is yet to receive the recognition and laurels accorded to other equally successful athletes. Maybe it is because walk racing in this country in the past and even now has never been a popular sport, that it is not treated with equal importance with other sports, contrary to what is done internationally.
Thus Rudy Mitchell remains in the penumbra of the sporting arena in spite of his consistent and unmatched performances. And this soft-spoken, reserved Linden athlete is not at all happy; he feels cheated and hurt that after approximately 25 years of dedication and success he is treated in a shabby way. He speaks of having to cover his expenses and all else every time he has to travel out of Linden for a race. Apart from trophies and tokens, he has never received anything substantial from anyone/organization.
He was never chosen to compete in a single walk race beyond these shores, even though this event is held at an international level in the Caribbean sometimes (one was recently held in Barbados). But Rudy is also a family man, 46 years old, who has no easy task sustaining himself and family. His main source of income is from a karaoke machine which he operates on certain nights at entertainment spots/clubs; the money he earns is far from adequate, but he has to cut and contrive. As all athletes know, preparation is the key to success, and preparation equals money! It is no secret that many athletes have spent large sums of money in preparation, with returns that are far below cost, while others don’t get back anything at all!
But what of his home town, Linden? Has he been given the acceptance and recognition he richly deserves from his own people? Not quite; there isn’t much of a difference − they see him and they don’t see him. Definitely this sport is struggling to make a respectable breakthrough on the local scene. Though he is well known, the reception he receives is lukewarm, and again, not a single sport organization has ever come forward to publicly credit him or extend any form of assistance. Well if not to home, then where else must this brother turn his head?
I need to repeat the question that has become monotonous: how can we treat our athletes so meanly? What sort of inspiration and encouragement is there for our athletes who would want to emulate Rudy? Can he speak to them with pride, a sense of good feeling and achievement? How must they measure him? By way of this letter I’m making an appeal to the Director of Sport, the Guyana Olympics Association, other sporting organizations and sporting bodies and members of the business community of Linden, to play some sort of meaningful role, and make a contribution towards our king of the walk race, so that we along with him reach that milestone of 100 consecutive victories.
This brother is deserving of quality assistance and recognition. And after 20-odd years of being competitive and at age 46 with eyes set on achieving 100 straight wins (twenty more events to go) he certainly has an uphill battle, since he will be hard pressed to stave off a string of younger and stronger contenders, determined to spike his winning streak and kill his dream. Will the king be dethroned? Only time will tell.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe
