Ricardo Martin and Jevina Straker will both have their dreams of competing among some of the world’s best athletes come through, after it was announced that the two will be representing Guyana at this year’s 6th IAAF World Youth Championship (WYC), billed for Italy from July 8-12.
Straker who struck Guyana’s only gold at the just concluded Junior CARIFTA games, made her time competing in heat three of the Girls under 17 800M clocking 2:15.86 as compared to the WYC time of 2:16.00. Martin also made his time running in the 800 metres under 17 race.
Initially, apart from Straker and Martin, Jonella Jonas also made the youth games qualifying for the 800 metres as well, running 2:15.
However, according to the President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Colin Boyce Guyana is considered as a ‘non-qualifying nation’ by the world governing body for athletics, the IAAF and as such its quota of athletes is minimal.
Boyce explained that the IAAF had informed that given their position, they would be allowed one athlete and two officials at the games but after some negotiations Guyana was offered two athletes (one male and one female) and one official.
He said that the two selectees were automatic since Martin was the only male and Straker was the only gold medallist for Guyana at the games. However he said that negotiations are still ongoing to see if they can send Jonas to the games as well. All expenses for the athletes for the games will be paid for by the IAAF.
“I think that our athletes had performed well at the championships in St Lucia and us making sure that a large contingent was sent to the games paid dividends since we have three athletes qualifying for the Junior World Athletics Championship”, said Boyce.
This is the first time that Guyana will be sending more than one athlete to the championship. It has never medalled.
Ever since the inception of the games the land of many waters has always been represented except for 2007. Dax Danns was the last athlete to represent Guyana, competing in the 200 and 100 metres races and placing 4th and 5th respectively.