World Youth Championship-bound athlete Ricardo Martin along with junior sprint champions Roxanna Rigby and Treiston Joseph each received a pair of Adidas training sneakers yesterday, compliments of the West Indian Sports Complex.
Managing Director of the Sports and Goods store Feroze Khan, an ardent sports fan, said that he was a spectator at the just- concluded Inter-Guiana Games athletics championships and was deeply moved when he saw Martin competing in the 5000 metres race running bare feet and still going on to capture gold in the event.
“It brought back sad memories,” Khan said as he recalled his days in the military when at one time he was called for trials to make the army’s football team and had to play bare feet because he was too poor to buy a pair of football shoes.
“I always loved sports, all kind of sports, and that day when I turned up, the guys laughed at me but I was really, really poor and couldn’t afford a pair of boots so I always said that once I’m in a position to help a young sportsman or woman realize their dream, I would do it,” Khan said.
According to Khan, sports is the only thing to keep youths off the streets and his aim is just to try and make things easier for the young athletes.
Apart from Martin, Khan said that he was just as impressed with the showing of Joseph and Rigby and went on to thank President of the Athletic Association of Guyana Colin Boyce for his support.
The initiative could not have come at a better time for Martin who will be representing Guyana at this year’s Youth World Athletics Championships in Italy where he would be competing in the boys under-17 800 meters event.
Khan, who also competes in over-40 cricket, lawn tennis and badminton, plans to give something special to Martin to aid in his preparation for the games.
The athletes, according to the managing director, will be sponsored for the rest of the year.
The West Indian Sports Complex, he added, has always been supporting sports over the years and is at present sponsoring the junior squash and lawn tennis tournaments.
