Guyana’s five-member team of athletes that were scheduled to compete in this weekend’s South America Association of Pan Am Youth Athletics Championships remained grounded in Guyana on Friday after failing to board their flight to Colombia after a series of unfortunate events.
According to Sham Johnny, the coach named for the sojourn, things went south after the two Linden based athletes arrived about 45 minutes late at the planned point of assembly (the GOA’s headquarters).
Upon their belated arrival, one of the Lindeners unbelievably disclosed that their passport was left some 67.3 miles away in the mining town.
Johnny then advised the athlete to place a call home so that the passport could be collected at the Linden/Soesdyke junction on their way to the airport.
When the contingent arrived at the junction however, the vehicle transporting the passport was still about 12 minutes away. Johnny then volunteered to wait with the athlete at the junction after instructing the manager, Carla Rodney to take the other athletes to the airport to check in.
The passport then arrived and Johnny and the athlete hurriedly proceeded to the CJIA. Upon arrival there was more bad news. The check in time had elapsed by about 10 minutes and the athletes were unable to leave the country.
Note: The athletes that were scheduled to depart on Friday were Compton Caesar, Cassey George, Natricia Hooper, Avon Samuels and Matthew McKenzie. Caesar and George are from Linden.
