Standing atop the podium and hearing the National Anthem play on three occasions at the just concluded World Masters Athletic Outdoor Championship in Lyon, France was the proudest moment of Alisha Fortune’s 31-year track and field career.
“It was amazing,” the 40-year track star told Stabroek Sport yesterday. “Being on the podium at a Games of that magnitude and hearing our national anthem play was definitely the proudest moment of my life.”
The 40-year-old, who returned to Guyana on Thursday night, struck gold in the 100, 200 and 400m events in the 40-44 years category during the August 4-16 Championships which attracted competitors from 110 countries.
Fortune ran 12.35s in the 100m final, 24.88s in the half lap event and 56.88s in the 400m.
During her gold heist, Fortune bested athletes from the host nation, Belgium, Spain, Great Britain, Canada, the USA, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Australia, and Ireland and others.
Said Guyana’s latest Golden Girl: “Winning the medals has caused many eyes to be opened since people now know the potential of Guyana’s athletes. Guyana was the only country with an athlete with three gold medals. That also went down in the record books.”
The torch bearer for local master’s track and field athletes disclosed that she is looking forward to defending her titles at the annual event next year in Australia but aspires to compete at the South American edition of the Championship in Brazil in three months once sponsorship is garnered.
The mother of three thanked her family, coach Julian Edmonds, and notable sponsors Fly Jamaica, Payless Variety Store, DDL, Republic Bank, Modern Optical, Dr. Amsterdam, Farfan and Mendes, CCI , the National Sports Commission, the local Master’s Association and others for making her sojourn a success. (Emmerson Campbell)
