A number of overseas-based athletes are excited about the commencement of works on the synthetic track and have indicated their eagerness to come home to compete at local meets.
National record holders and overseas-based athletes Aliann Pompey and Marian Burnett both indicated to Stabroek Sport that they are happy about the new development in athletics and are looking forward to coming home to compete.
“I’m excited about the development of the track in Guyana. I hope and pray that it’s completed in time while I’m still competing. I think I’ve spent the last few weeks fantasising about the possibilities, about what this means for the sport and for Guyana.
I think it’s an exciting time for us all, and I’m anxious to see how it plays out,” Pompey stated.
Pompey holds Guyana’s record in the women’s 200m (23.59 seconds) and 400m (50.71 seconds), while Burnett stand with records in the women’s 800m (1:59.47s) and 1500m (4:20.69s).
Lee Powell, who specializes in the men’s 100m and 200m events, said this latest development was a welcomed improvement towards ensuring that Guyana is represented by only its best athletes.
“This is a gigantic step, it’s a huge step. It would mean that there is a uniformed way for the selection of athletes. Now we will have set criteria and you will choose athletes based on good merit, the athletes will have to earn their right [to represent Guyana]. And I welcome the opportunity [to come to Guyana and compete].” Powell said.
Earlier last year, president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Colin Boyce had declared that with the coming to realization of the synthetic track, overseas-based athletes, desirous of representing Guyana at meets abroad, will be required to come to Guyana and prove themselves against the stock of locally trained athletes.
Construction for the track, which is located at Leonora on the West Coast of Demerara, began last month, following the signing of the contract for the construction of “Phase One
”.
The track is being constructed by the government under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
“I’m glad that they’re finally building the track. There’s been talk about it being built for the last couple of years and finally it’s becoming a reality. I’m completely fine with coming to Guyana to run at the national meet. Boyce and I talked about that being the case while in India at the CWG and all of us thought that would be a good idea. It would also be really fun and competitive to race the local athletes, said Adam Harris, who represented Guyana at two major meets last year.
However, while sharing in the excitement to come home and compete, Powell states that of some concern to him was the location of the facility and its initial lack of the automatic timing system.
“There is a serious concern about the IAAF (International Association of Athletic Federation) rules about the wind affecting the race. My biggest concern is who advised on the location of the track. But I want to compete, I would really and truly love the opportunity to come home and compete.” Powell said.
Burnett also noted some concerns over the location of the track citing its distance from the capital city, Georgetown, where most of Guyana’s active athletes usually converge for training. “I think it’s really good that we have the track, I think it’s great, but that location and with all of that wind, they should have put it in the capital city. Everyday the kids won’t be able to pay to go over there to train, it’s going to be a problem. It’s very far from Georgetown nobody wants to travel so far right before they have to go and run,” Burnett proposed, adding that: “I think they need to build a 6 lane track in the National Park or somewhere in Georgetown so the kids can get to train on a regular basis in order to be ready for competition and it will be easy for them not have to travel so far for training purposes.”
Harris stated “The system for automatic timing should be set up before they plan to run the national meet.
As for the windbreakers that shouldn’t be too much of a problem, the whole outdoor season has windy races either into a headwind or with a tailwind. It’s the same race for everyone because the wind is not going to change depending on what lane you draw.”
Boyce, though, had stated that once completed the installation of the automatic timing system, as well windbreakers, will eventually have to be installed at the facility since Guyana plans to hold several “signature events” at the facility.
However, Pompey made it clear that regardless of the lack of the automatic timing system or windbreakers, her coming home to compete was not even a matter of question. “You know what, a start is a start. If before I retire, the only way I can run there is in 100mph winds with hand time, so be it. We’re upward bound and that’s the important part. The question isn’t whether or not I’d come home, but for how long. It seems that the people involved know what they’re doing, so there’s no need for me to comment,” Pompey stated.
Powell said he has some concerns over security risk that will be faced by the athletes coming to Guyana, and he hopes that some measures will be in place to warn the athletes of the varying danger spots in Guyana.
