Over 400 students from 20 schools yesterday tramped the streets from the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Headquarters on Woolford Avenue to the Guyana National Stadium to take part in the “Relay of the Games Flag and Games Banner” to mark the launching of the Ministry of Education/GTU National Schools Athletics, Cycling and Swimming Championships.
The GTU and MoE in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport are looking to go all out this year in celebration of the event’s 50th year in existence.
The event will be held from November 9 – 11 and will return to Region Four and to the grounds of the National Stadium since last being held there in 2007.
In the ceremony that followed representatives from various bodies involved focused on the significance of the event and the standardized approach it will follow this year.
Opening with a recap of last year’s proceedings, Regional Education Officer of Region Six, Shafiran Bhajan enthusiastically recalled the execution of the event when it was held in Region Six. She then handed over the Games Flag to the head of this year’s LOC, Regional Chairman of Region Four, Clement Corlette.
Meanwhile, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony in his address said that this time around it was vital that things take a more professional approach, as the ministry was looking to revolutionize sports in Guyana and schools will be the crucible beginning with this upcoming event.
“We see this as a very, very important and vital activity. If we want the Usain Bolts of the world we have to change, the committees at the central and local level have to start setting standards, take sports in schools to another level,” Anthony stated
“It allows us to identify talent,” he said and explained that the ministry was looking to use the event to compile an elite group of athletes who could be specially trained to represent Guyana overseas.
All of this, he explained, is being provided for with the launching of the National Sports Policy.
All-weather track
With the Olympic-sized swimming pool expected to be ready in time for the event, Anthony stated that the next infrastructural advancement that the ministry is looking to establish is a synthetic all-weather track and construction is expected to begin before yearend.
President of the GTU, Colin Bynoe in his speech highlighted the long journey that the event had taken over the years.
With the then British Guiana Teachers Association and MoE at the helm of things the event moved from theory in 1959 to reality in 1960, being inaugurated as an athletics event that was held mainly in the Georgetown district.
Cycling and swimming were added to the event some nine years later, and the championships moved away from being held solely in Georgetown.
The event now has the participation of 16 districts and boasts the discovery of several prominent Guyanese athletes including overseas-based middle distance runner Marion Burnett and cyclists such as Hector Edwards.
