Local track and field athletes are in a dilemma when it comes to competing at the South America Championships, the highest area event prior to the Olympic Games.
After Argentina shelved plans to host the meet initially scheduled for May 14-16, due to a surge in cases in COVID-19, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador have emerged as potential hosts to stage the event from May 28-30.
However, those are the same dates earmarked by the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) to run off its flagship National Senior Championships.
Both events are Olympic Qualifiers but the South American Championships being the top area event, takes precedence over the national fixture. Further, all three countries pose a level four risk for COVID-19 and travel advisories have been issued for them.
According to AAG head, Aubrey Hutson, most of the overseas athletes targeting qualification for the Olympic Games reside in the USA and re-entering the USA after potentially competing in Brazil which is being ravaged by the pandemic, could prove difficult.
Other potential challenges include the impact and costs of positive COVID-19 tests during the championships, available hotel rooms and timelines for booking and making payments.
“We are in a dilemma” said Huston yesterday. “We are looking at ways and means of giving our athletes avenues of competing at the highest levels since this is our top area championships but we still have to be able to do it safely.”
As it relates to the CARIFTA Games scheduled to be staged in Bermuda from August 13-15, Hutson noted that the associations and the teen athletes are still awaiting word from the Local Organizing Committee of the host nation.
“We are still awaiting word as it relates to what decision will be taken as it relates to Bermuda and hosting the Games stipulated. I only hope that we can hear from them as soon as possible so we will know definitively whether we should set aside funding in our budget and continue to prepare our athletes for the Games or do we shift gears to World Junior Championships and other South American and Pan American age group championships that are on the calendar.”
Huston continued “I hope to hear from them as soon as possible.”
Many around the region are also pessimistic about the hosting of the CARIFTA Games.
The 14-day mandatory quarantine for unvaccinated visitors could potentially be a huge deal breaker.
Since the vaccination requirement would impact all Under-17 athletes as well as some of the Under-20s, it is a significant stumbling block.
A source told this publication that a definitive answer with regards to hosting the games will be forthcoming by Friday.
Stabroek Sport will keep readers updated as events unfold. (Emmerson Campbell)
