I’m not quite sure whether there is going to be a National Sports Award in 2020 with all that is unfolding in Guyana – the national elections and COVID-19.
It surely would be an unfortunate scenario if the National Sports Commission (NSC) is unable to pull off the event, failing to acknowledge the sterling efforts of our national athletes. One might say it’s out of Christopher Jones’ hands for the time being.
However, if it does happen, there are a couple of clear favourites to cop the nation’s top sportsmen and women awards.
Today, I will make a case for a few of the juniors who have distinguished themselves during 2019 while Stabroek News’ award-winning sports journalist Emmerson Campbell will highlight the seniors who are deserving of the awards.
In my view, the front runners are clear for the junior awards. In the female junior category, badminton sensation Priyanna Ramdhani who is the reigning NSC junior sportswoman of the year, endured another stellar year in 2019 to make a case to wear the crown once again. She tallied 10 medals in 2019 during her regional and international assignments.
The 18-year old copped three gold medals in the Caribbean regional Under-19 badminton Championships and bronze in the senior edition of the event. Her other medals, which are too numerous to mention, were won on the Canadian Badminton circuit. But the point was made – she had another amazing year.
Although Ramdhani’s efforts may be hard to ignore, the versatility and success of national squash and hockey player Abosaide Cadogan could sway the award her way, depending on who’s voting.
Cadogan in 2019 was at the apex of junior squash locally and went on to win gold in the under 17 category of 2019 the Junior Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) tournament held in Trinidad and Tobago.
She also made her senior international hockey debut for Guyana during the side’s tour of Canada. Cadogan is also a key figure in the success of her junior club side, GCC Bingo Spartans. The race is by no means limited to those two, however, they are my top picks to take the award.
On the male side Shomari Wiltshire, the reigning junior sportsman of the year for his efforts in 2018, had another successful year in 2019.
Like Cadogan, he won gold at the junior Caribbean squash championships to further cement his legacy as one of the legends of junior squash in the region.
He won four local tournaments and silver in the under – 17 category of the 2019 Canadian open. That too will be tough to match.
Also in the running is table tennis sensation, Jonathan Van Lange. The 13-year old in 2019 represented Guyana in two sports disciplines – cricket and table tennis – however, it was the latter where he made his mark, winning three junior national titles in 2019.
West Indies under – 19 cricketer Ashmead Nedd is another top contenders. Again, there might be other juniors who excelled but those mentioned above are my picks to earn due recognition and the ones wearing the crowns might just keep them for another year.
