While short-listing athletes can be a tedious exercise, sports associations must also face a more demanding challenge in financing their athletes for the upcoming CAC Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
Many of the 10 associations have a shortlist of their athletes, who they will be presenting to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) by next Thursday, but heads of the associations that Stabroek Sport has spoken may end up decreasing the number of athletes who actually make the list.
President of the Athletics Association of Guyana Colin Boyce said that after the meeting on Wednesday, he believes his association’s only choice will be for the overseas-based athletes to represent Guyana.
Boyce, who only recently complained about his association being in the red financially, said that for the AAG to come up with the sort of money that is required to send one athlete from Guyana, it would surely put the association under more financial strain.
The average cost for one athlete from Guyana to Puerto Rico is $180,000 and although the AAG will be receiving half of the amount from the GOA, to raise the remaining sum in such a short time is very difficult.
Boyce said that he is now looking at the options of perennial national selectees Marion Burnett, Aliann Pompey and Adam Harris for the games.
However, he said that he will have to further discuss what the association intends to do for the games.
On the other hand, word coming out of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) is that they will be submitting the names of the boxers and officials for the eight-day games.
Executive member Keith Campbell said that the GABA has already started prioritising its boxers for the games.
Both Campbell and president of GABA Steve Ninvalle have named Commonwealth silver medallist Clevon Rock as one of the definite picks to make the final roster. Campbell indicated his optimism that the GABA will be able to meet their half for the fighters but Ninvalle said that it is a tall order for the association and he would wish that all the boxers could have attended the games.
Stabroek Sport understands that at the moment the GABA is looking at the prospect of having two coaches and seven athletes. Ninvalle declared that his association is planning a Goodwill series before the games with St. Lucia and Grenada. While St Lucia has already replied to GABA’s request, a response is still to come from Grenada.
Additionally, he said that Guyanese boxing icon Lennox Blackmoore, who trains amateur and professional boxers out of the famous Gleeson’s Gym in New York, has contacted the association to have some of his boxers come down to Guyana before the CAC to boost the preparation of the local, Simon Pures.
