With a string of strong performances, including running the fastest 400 metres by a Guyanese in over a decade, national sprinter Winston George can lay claim to being the country’s most dominant sprinter this season.
The 24- year- old who went to Bush Lot Primary and South Ruimveldt Secondary where he wasn’t much of a star athlete shot to stardom this year where he has now achieved personal best times of 10.1s, 20.8s and 45.86s in the 100, 200 and 400 metres respectively. A member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), George trains under the watchful eye of Linden Wilson.
Despite recording the fastest 100 metres time for the year of 10.1 sec, George is better known for his 200 metres and 400 metres races where he exhibits, what is arguably, one of the best finishes. He recently sprinted to silver in the men’s 400 metres with the 45.86s time at the Bolivarian for the People of our Americas (ALBA) games where he registered the historic mark in his career along with qualifying for the Pan American Senior games in Mexico slated for October.
“Well it’s good to do something historic for my country and to see that it’s so highly recognized makes me feel good about it,” George told Stabroek Sport in an interview yesterday.
George also clocked a 47.17s 400 metres earlier in the year which shows a vast improvement in his event, when asked by Stabroek Sport what keeps him motivated to run at such high speeds, he stated “I keep telling myself that I can do it and that it’s not my body it’s my mind especially… once God is involved”.
The sprinting dynamo, who indicated that he has no role model, also explained his aim and what he thinks he needs to achieve greater heights in athletics to Stabroek Sport in the interview.
“Right now my aim is to get to the Olympics but what I really want is to meet Michael Johnson, the man with the golden shoes.
“When it comes to running faster I just think that more people should come and show their skill because the more competition there is the faster times we will run, there are a lot of people with talent out there and they just need to come out and produce,” George stated.
With regard to his training for events, George gave some insight to his work ethic during training: “Well when it comes to training, I’m very focused and take it seriously but I’m the type of person that like to have fun and joke around during training, so training is pretty good for me at the moment,” he concluded.
Having registered such fast times in all three of his events George will now take aim at the Joint Services Championships next month where he will be the man to beat.
“I feel very confident for all my races going into joint services and I also know that the competition will be there and that my friend Rupert Perry will be coming back strong for me,” he mentioned.
George will match- up against Guyana Defence Force (GDF) sprinting trio of Joint Services 100 metres champion Quinse Clarke, Joint Services 200 metres champion Rupert Perry and Joint Services 400 metres champion Patrick King where he promises to be among the top two finishers at the events.
The GPF athlete when asked by Stabroek Sport where he sees himself in the next three years concluded by saying “making my country proud with the strength of God”.
