Guyana’s first and lone Olympic medalist, former boxer, Mike Parris will be featured more prominently at the annual Sport Conference, slated for October this year.
To signal his involvement, the Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr on Wednesday presented Parris with a locally designed sculpture, depicting a mother and a child, and a cheque for an undisclosed sum.
Parris earned a bronze medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia.
Said Ramson Jr., “Michael has said to me many times he always felt as though he was never really recognised ever since he got his bronze medal, and of course that is something that would not sit nicely with me because we’re on a trajectory now in the Ministry where we’re looking to develop the programmes that will help us to become more competitive at the international level.
The Minister added, This is just functioning as a signal to the public about where the Ministry and the Government of Guyana stand in relation to making this presentation to Michael, and to signal to young people that when they do well, they should always be recognized.”
Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle stated Parris is a legend in sport in this county”, adding that the ministry “sees it fit to engage him.”
The Sport Conference
The first-ever Sports Conference was held at the National Cultural Centre on October 2, 2021, and Minister Ramson Jr. described it as fulfilling, given it presented a platform for the administrators of the 12 core sports to engage others and learn from the successes, failures and critical matters regarding policies.
The core sports currently identified by the Ministry are: Badminton, Basketball, Cricket, Squash, Table Tennis, Rugby, Volleyball, Swimming, Football, Hockey, Lawn Tennis and Track and Field.
