Guyana is set to participate in the 2017 South American Youth Games in Santiago, Chile from September 27 to October 8.
Stabroek Sport caught up with Chef-de-Mission for the games, and vice president of the Guyana Olympic Association Godfrey Munroe, who stated that the games will be used as a means of qualifying for the 2018 Youth Olympics while also possibly identifying talents for 2020 [Olympic] games.
“Ultimately these games will be used to identify prospects for 2020 (Olympics) and beyond. That’s the focus of the Olympic Committee but particularity to really establish a framework to make an effort to focus on developing these youths, plan on a long-term basis for these youths. We can’t wait for 2020,” Munroe said.
The Chef-de-Mission, who is also the president of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), revealed that Guyana’s participation at the games will also see the locals striving to secure good performances in order to qualify for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
“The games will also be used to qualify for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, which is in 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the summer so the South American Games will be used, in some sports as a qualifier for those games in 2018,” he added.
Munroe, who had earlier in the month, journeyed to the host city for a Chef-de-Mission meeting, revealed that it was quite fruitful and that plans for the games were outlined, regarding travel logistics for the athletes. While there, he also visited the venues that will host the different sporting disciplines.
Munroe told Stabroek Sport that the Chilean authorities are at the advanced stage of preparation to host the high-quality games.
The composition of the local contingent, however, will be the burden of the nine associations whose sporting disciplines will be represented at the multi-disciplinary games. Munroe told Stabroek Sport that a formal request has already been made to the different associations for athletes up for consideration to attend the games.
