In an unprecedented gesture, in excess of $1M was rewarded to the Commonwealth Youth Games history making quartet yesterday by the brass of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA).
The groundbreaking show of support at Olympic House saw track prodigy, Tianna Springer, Malachi Austin, Narissa McPherson and Javon Roberts all pocketing handsome sums for their record breaking, gold medal performance in the mixed 4x400m relay event at the Games which was staged last month in Trinidad and Tobago.
Springer, 15, who won the individual women’s 400m gold medal and anchored the team to victory, was awarded $500,000. Half of that sum went to McPherson who also snared bronze in the women’s 400m final. The sum of $350,000 was awarded to Austin, silver medalist in the men’s 400m final while $100,000 went to Roberts.
Coach on the sojourn, Julian Edmonds and Springer’s coach, Mark Scott were also awarded $50,000 each.
“Rewarding athletes is a key pillar of athlete development” said President of the GOA, Godfrey Munroe who also stated that CAC 100m gold medalist, Emanuel Archibald will also be rewarded upon return to Guyana.
“As an executive, we felt the need to reward you” Munroe said to the smiling, talented teens. “You have inspired a nation and a generation. Your feat was groundbreaking and I urge you to stay humble and disciplined. The sky’s the limit.”
The four Guyanese made an indelible mark at the Games after setting the track at the Hasely Crawford stadium on fire, scorching the competition en route to writing their names in the record books.
Proudly clad in the national colours, the quartet crossed the line in 3:22.07s to secure the coveted gold medal in record time.
In 2017, Australia had established the record of three minutes and 25.08 seconds in the Mixed 4x400m relay.
England (3:22.29), narrowly trailing behind Guyana, also surpassed Australia’s 2017 record time, while Nigeria, victorious in the 4x100m mixed relay, secured the bronze in the 4x400m mixed relay finals.
The top-of-the podium performance by the teen track stars, brought Guyana’s overall tally to four at the seventh edition of the Games. However, the sojourn was no doubt highlighted by Springer’s heroics in the individual 400m event, the first gold medal for Guyana at the Games. Springer, who was defined as ‘a prodigy of exceptional talent’ by Munroe, earned her third individual international 400m gold medal in Trinidad. Her triumph came on the heels of striking gold at the CARIFTA Games in the Bahamas in April and the South American U-20 Championships in Colombia in meet record time a month later.
