– GOA president underscores
Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) President K Juman-Yassin believes that while there was improvement by local cyclists at the recently-concluded XIX Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, there needs to be greater collaboration between stakeholders to prepare them for international meets.
Yassin underscored this viewpoint at a news conference yesterday at the GOA headquarters on High Street after Chef de Mission of Guyana’s Commonwealth Games team and Treasurer of the GOA Garfield Wiltshire presented his Games report.
This announcement by the GOA head comes a week after Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams and Alonzo Greaves had told Stabroek Sport that for local cyclists to measure up to the level of competitiveness at major events, proper training and facilities will be needed.
“There is a great improvement with our cyclists, especially Geron (Williams) and I think the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), the Olympic Association and the Sport Ministry need to work together to see what we could do to move these cyclists forward.
“And when you take into consideration he (Geron Williams) came 31st in that pack it is a good feat because if you follow cycling you would appreciate that those top teams have two or three cyclists assisting in the peloton but Geron was by himself and I take my hat off to him,” Yassin explained.
Williams was the only one of the three Guyanese male cyclists to complete the 168km road race, finishing 31st.
He too had also emphasized that more needs to be done to prepare riders before they go on the world stage. He was quoted then as saying, “In an event like that, where you’re coming up against some of the biggest cycling competitors in the world and you get selected two weeks ahead of the event is unacceptable.”
‘Fishy Williams also contested the 168km road race, which he did not complete. He also competed in the road time trials in which he placed 33rd in a field of over 70 cyclists. The other male cyclist was Alonzo Greaves while the lone female rider was Claire Fraser.
Not sufficient
Commenting on two-time medallist at the Commonwealth Games Aliann Pompey, Yassin said that the support that the athlete receives from the GOA is not sufficient. According to Yassin when one considers the expenses of the athletes to prepare for major meets more will have to be done for the athletes.
Yassin said that the GOA has been giving Pompey a monthly stipend but while he did not disclose the amount, he noted that “it was what the association could afford.”
He maintained that the funds received (from the International Olympic Committee) are very limited but reiterated that at this point he hopes “something constructive will come from the government.”
In the meantime, the GOA has received no funding from the government for the year, according to Yassin.
“She has to work, she has to pay her coach, she has to pay where she trains and for massages, she has to pay insurance; she has to pay for travel, I mean where will all that money come from? So, there needs to be a mechanism whereby government, the private sector or whatever it is would assist our athletes not only in Guyana but abroad.
“Because when Aliann Pompey wins, all Guyana is happy. I am really hoping that come next year something tangible will be done in order to assist in the preparations of our athletes,” Yassin emphasized.
Meanwhile, Wiltshire announced that Guyana placed 29th out of 71 countries that participated at the Games after Pompey secured a silver medal after she had previously won bronze. She was upgraded to the silver medal position after the previous silver medalist, Nigerian Folashade Abugan was disqualified.
Abugan was stripped of her two silver medals after testing positive for a banned substance.
On another note, Yassin expressed his displeasure over Guyana’s three-man boxing contingent, who is believed to have absconded in the United States. He joined Guyana Amateur Boxing Association president Steve Ninvalle in condemning the actions of Clevon Rock, Devon Boatswain and Dexter Jordon.
“It is a shame, it is a disgrace and they have let the boxing fraternity down; they have let down all the efforts that we have over the years been trying to do to try to uplift boxing and to try to ensure that when we apply for visas to the United States and other embassies they would be able to say Guyanese are now returning.
“They have turned the clock backwards and now we will have to start all over again. For me, and I want to say this to them: they are a disgrace and I hope that they don’t box again for Guyana. The least I can do is call on the relatives to urge them to come back to Guyana so at least we can get rid of the shame,” Yassin stated.