Guyanese track star Aliann Pompey has been on the international circuit since 2000 and although she has not yet agreed to participate in the London Olympics she remains committed to representing Guyana at other imminent meets.
Aliann is a Commonwealth gold medallist and she has represented Guyana at the Olympics, the World Athletics Championships and World Indoor Championships. She has also set a new national record in the 400 metres in a time of 50.71 seconds at the World Track and Field Championships held in Berlin, Germany in August.
Aliann now has her mind set on making qualifying times at the World Indoor Championships set for March in Doha, Qatar. The 31-year-old star recently sat down with Stabroek Sports’ reporter Miranda La Rose to talk about her accomplishments and her ambition.
Stabroek Sport: “Tell me a bit about yourself; how and when did you start your athletic career?”
Aliann Pompey: “I mainly started during my third year of high school. My sister was the track star at the time. We were very close so I picked track. At the time she was much better than I was and would beat me. She did so pretty much up until the end of my high school career. We sometimes joke that we’ve switched places. In high school and most of college I was the bookworm and she was the athlete. Now I’m the professional athlete and she’s finishing up her doctorate.”
SS: “What would you say have been the highlights of your career to date?”
AP: “Winning the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association in the USA) title in college (2000, indoors) and the Commonwealth Games in 2002 in the 400 metre sprint. When I need the extra motivation, I go back and recall what my mental, physical and emotional state was at the time of those wins; and try to recreate those circumstances.”
SS: “You are living in the USA; you could have elected to represent the USA, why Guyana?”
AP: “I was born in Guyana, grew up in Guyana, went to school in Guyana, I carry a Guyanese passport. I live in the USA but my heart always has [been] and will be in Guyana. Initially, I wanted to make an impact on the track and field scene in Guyana.
“I’ve always believed that we have as much, if not more talent than other countries and I hoped for us as Guyanese to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of track and field. I’ve heard stories about Guyanese athletes getting frustrated because of the lack of support system whether it was financial or otherwise; or that weren’t put on teams even though they qualified simply because someone making those decisions doesn’t like them personally. I think there have been some significant changes recently, and I think that’s encouraging.”
SS: “Do you see yourself taking part in the London Olympics?”
AP: “At this point in my career, I am taking it one year at a time. When the time comes, I will make that decision. If I’m healthy, still in love with the sport and able to be competitive, I will participate.”
SS: “Tell us about your training regime for a major competition, for example, the Berlin meet?”
AP: “Well by the time I got to Berlin all the hard work was already done. At major competitions it’s mostly maintenance and technique work. My coach put together some race-modelling type workouts. My body knows how it feels to go as fast as I need to for as long as I need to. The main thing was for me to stay focused and constantly remind myself what my goals were.”
SS: “Tell us about your support network and its role in helping you to achieve your goals?”
AP: “My family has been my backbone. There were a few years where all my income was going directly into track and field. I kept telling my father that I would soon have to move back home and he’d have to “mine me”. We are a close family, and there’s a certain peace of mind that comes with knowing that I can go to them for what I need. My father (Eric) has always given me the flexibility I needed to find out on my own what I was good at, and what it was I loved doing. I am blessed to be able to count my siblings, Allison, Delon and Timothy as my best friends.”
“My coach’s role is important to my success, and at this point I think we work like a machine. He knows what I need to be working on and when. There are subtle cues that he picks up and adjusts my training accordingly. Ever since I started competing internationally in 1999, I’ve been in contact with Mr Neville Denny [Denny has been credited for getting Pompey to represent Guyana internationally]. He’s been very encouraging to me and I’m pretty sure I promised to win him a major medal before I retire.”
SS: “Guyana is desperately in need of a number of sporting facilities, could you tell us why a synthetic track is so important to Guyana right now?”
AP: “I think some hesitation is understandable, it’s expected with all investments. I think the longer it takes, the more talented athletes will drop by the wayside. Jamaica had a synthetic track well before they had an Olympic champion. There is no one who can say that it was not a well-worth investment. The IAAF – the International Amateur Athletics Federation – realized the face and operation of the sport has changed, and changed its name to the International Association of Athletics Federations. The fact that “Track and Field” has become a profitable business wasn’t lost on them. And I think if it’s thought of in those terms, investing in the necessary facilities makes sense and not just because it will directly lead to the improved performances from local athletes.
“From an athletic standpoint, the athletes will be more competitive because the playing field gets levelled to a certain extent. It gives athletes the opportunity to perform in front of bigger and bigger crowds. It makes a huge difference to an athlete when you take them from a venue where there are 200 spectators to a venue where there are 1,000, 10,000 or in some cases (Olympics) 500,000.
“From a business standpoint, having the facilities enables Guyana to host competitions. Personnel are needed for such events; so there’s job creation. It draws sponsors and in turn more and bigger athletes. This can lead to more frequent competitions, maybe multiple facilities. There are myriads of track fans in the world; hundreds of millions. If you’re not convinced of those benefits I just mentioned; think of what having those facilities would do for tourism. Like with every business venture, the return on investment may not be immediate. You may not see results in a year, but soon enough. If the necessary facilities were available in Guyana, that’s where I would be training.”
SS: “How supportive has the government and the corporate community been to you for all you have done to bring glory to Guyana?”
AP: “In 2002 after winning the Commonwealth Games, I got a fabulous homecoming. It lasted a few days, and the ministry, Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana were involved in making it very special. I visited schools and was warmly received at my old schools (Clonbrook Primary, Bush Lot Secondary) and schools I’ve never been to (Bartica). I received a one-time educational gift from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, as I was finishing up my Master’s Degree at the time. The GOA applied for the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship on my behalf. That helped with training and competition expenses; an extremely helpful arrangement.
“There are grants and training allowances from Pan Am, IOC, and the CWG committee that federations can apply to on behalf of qualifying athletes. Sometimes it’s a tedious application process. Sometimes it’s just that they aid athletes who’ve made certain international qualifying standards. For example, there are Commonwealth Games grants available for countries preparing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India. Depending on personal situations, for example, without considering living expenses (rent and food), it costs about US$15,000 ($3 million) per year to prepare for a big competition like the World Championships or Olympics. I’ve never received that much assistance from any entity.”
SS: “What would you like to see the Guyana government do for track and field in Guyana or for sports in general?”
AP: “It’s hard to say because what the government is doing for track and field now is never really talked about. I honestly don’t know what it’s doing; so I can’t say it needs to do X, Y, or Z. That said there needs to be necessary training facilities and educated and qualified coaches. I’m not saying that there are no qualified coaches but there has to be enough. Track and field is time and energy consuming but there should be a reward at the end of all the sacrifices. I think that reward needs to be constant so that you get honest efforts from the athletes.”
SS: “What would you like to see the corporate community do for track and field or sports in general; and do you think they are currently trying, or doing their best?”
AP: “I read last year of a business owner who donated shoes/sneakers to local athletes. I thought that was touching and very needed. At points in my career, myself and other athletes who are able, have sent gear/equipment to local athletes by way of the federations. I can’t say what the corporate community must do with their resources. As an athlete, you have a series of needs. Support may be in terms of making sure they have the necessary supplements, attire, weight training facility, and coaching.”
SS: “Who do you see taking the torch from yourself and Marian Burnett?”
AP: “I think at the moment, it’s wide open. I’d love to see a number of athletes vying to do so. But I think there has to be incentives. In Jamaica, Trinidad, and other countries, there are huge incentives. There’s a system set up so that they know what they can achieve when they reach certain levels. When you achieve certain standards, there are different levels of funding and financial support that are available. When you win certain games and championships, you know how you will be compensated. Training and competing for all intents and purposes, is a full time job. It’s not reasonable to expect talented athletes to put in that kind of work for nothing. If Usain Bolt had to work full-time to support himself, he would have never accomplished what he has so far.”
SS: “Could you tell us a little about your little brother, who I understand is also doing well in track and field?”
AP: “My younger brother, Joshua is an all-round amazing athlete. He plays baseball, runs track and plays American football. He was recently recognized as the AOL athlete of the week, where he had a segment dedicated to him on television and on the internet.
SS: “Tell us about your academic achievements and how you managed both academics and sports?”
AP: “I finished my Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a minor in Communication in 1999. Four years later I finished my MBA (Masters in Business Administration) at Manhattan College, the same place I got my undergrad. While in college, balancing track with schoolwork was something I had to do. I knew I couldn’t stay in track if my grades were not good.
“To be honest, I never thought I’d be doing track after I graduated, so I spent a lot of time on my school activities. However, it didn’t take too long for me to develop a routine that was very efficient and ensured that I got the important things done. It takes a lot of self-control and sacrificing. Today, when I talk to the younger student-athletes, I tell them to think of the things they want to attain at the end of this journey. If it’s big enough and important enough, they will find a way to do what they need to do to get there.”