By Emmerson Campbell
The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) will do everything in its power to put athletes that have excelled in the National School’s Championships on the road to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This is according to President of GTU, Colin Bynoe, in a recent interview that Stabroek Sport.
“We will look at the performances of the athletes, especially those who broke records. [We will] look at not only breaking the records but we want to look at each of them who have the attitude of wanting to do better,” said Bynoe. He added “We want to put together a list of names and supply that to the Ministry of Sport as well as the Sports Commission telling them that the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teacher’s Union” propose that special attention be paid to these athletes in order to put them on the road to Rio.
Bynoe disclosed that the planning and implementation phases will begin soon.
“Our management committee will meet in the not too distant future, we will look at the performances of the athletes, especially those who broke records and we will have them train to build on their strengths and to get them into local and overseas competitions for them to further improve,” Bynoe said.
“By the third year, we will know among the lot who will be the potential athletes that will represent Guyana at the next Olympics and other world class competitions… That is what we will be doing from now on.”
The GTU president mentioned that athletes with the potential as young as 14 will be earmarked. Bynoe also intimated that this will be done on an annual basis.
“We will do this every year from now on, we will be proposing athletes from as young as 14 with the necessary potential to make the Rio Games, next year we may take the age up to about 16, so we can keep them on par in terms of being ready for the Olympics…”
Bynoe mentioned that this year’s South American Games 400 metre bronze medallist, Stephan James who shattered two decade old records (200 m and the 400 m under 20) at the championships is one of the athletes earmarked for the proposal.
“We have Stephan James, Kathy George, and other athletes earmarked. They are all about winning and leaving their all on the track, if we can give these athletes the necessary training and nutrition then Guyana is in good stead,” Bynoe said.
He continued “We know Guyanese athletes have great potential, we also have other record breakers in Jevina Sampson and two-time Carifta Games gold medalist, Jevina Straker. We just have to get them in order from now but not only for their athletic ability but we will also be helping to enhance their academic prowess.”
