Former President of the Amateur Athletics Association of Guyana (AAAG) and Attorney-at-Law Martin Stephenson passed away last Thursday at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital at the age of 89.
Speaking with Stabroek Sports yesterday Stephenson’s sister Clarice Watson said that Stephenson died at approximately 2:30pm on Thursday shortly after she had spoken to him on the phone.
Stephenson was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday after reporting that he was not feeling well.
Watson said that she was not yet clear on the cause of death, but noted that he had suffered from arthritis and this, compounded with his age, might have contributed to his demise.
Watson, one of Stephenson’s only two remaining siblings, remembers that in her last conversation with him he thanked her for everything that she had done for him.
Born June 21, 1922, Stephenson served as president of the AAAG, now called the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), in the late 1980’s to early 1990’s, during the era of the emergence of national record holders June-Ann Griffith (women’s 100m and 200m), James Wren Gilkes (men’s 100m and 200m) and Marian Burnett (women’s 800m and 1500m).
Current secretary and former president of the AAG, Claude Blackmore, described Stephenson as a “disciplined person who had a passion for sports, particularly athletics.”
Stephenson hails from Buxton, East Coast of Demerara, where he first began coaching children in athletics.
Blackmore recalled that while undergoing studies in England, Stephenson underwent a coaching course in athletics at the University of Loughborough before coming back to Guyana where he returned to Buxton and began coaching.
Griffith, also a Buxtonian, was Stephenson’s first protégé and her success saw more persons asking Stephenson to coach them. This led Stephenson to create the Atoms Athletic Club, to coach young people in the sport of athletics.
A fellow former president of the AAAG, Gem Fletcher, remembers that Stephenson had an eye for sporting talent in youngsters and once he identified that talent…. “He did all he could to bring that talent to the fore.
“I only just found out and I’m still in shock,” said Fletcher.
“He was a lawyer by profession but he was also very community-oriented. He brought out many leading athletes. It has been a sterling run that he has given, even after he left he kept well abreast with what was going on with the sport,” Fletcher added.
“It was his injury that prevented him from getting too involved. He had an accident a few years ago where he hurt his back and that resulted in him not being able to walk properly,” she recalled.
For Blackmore, he too remembers Stephenson for the role he played in being one of the main architects in structuring the AAG’s constitution that exists today. Blackmore says Stephenson was very loved and much respected individual.
At the time of his death Stephenson was residing at 1834 North Ruimveldt. Stephenson fathered three children, according to Watson, who are currently not in Guyana. Watson says that arrangements for Stephenson’s wake and funeral are still being put together.
