– US group Speed Capital Commission to administer initiative
With the aim of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA, the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport yesterday commissioned an extensive training and vetting procedure for local track and field athletes, which will be supervised by the American group Speed Capital Commission.
The launch of the three-day programme, which will target athletes aged 11–22, occurred at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, West Coast Demerara. The initiative will be administered by Speed Capital President/CEO Luke Robinson, Senior Vice President and Olympic Coach Jonathan Terry, Vice President Earl Smith, and Head Track and Field Coach and Olympic Strength and Conditioning Instructor Shelton Guilyard.
Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. said, “Decoding the talent development process was imperative for us to figure out how we’re going to take our talent to that world-class level. Ultimately, that is the objective for any government, where they want to see, if they’re making any investment, the investment has to lead you somewhere. There’s a big gap and a big step that needs to be taken from where you are a very good athlete to becoming a great athlete.”
Meanwhile, Speed Capital President Robinson said, “We are now proud to say that we have events scheduled in over five countries round the world and over four events per annum. So, those championship-style events that we do conduct, the individuals that are in this programme that we’re creating now, we will be sending invites for you guys to compete in Toronto, Canada, Orlando, Florida, and Nassau, Bahamas. So, we look forward to you guys progressing throughout the programme and then being able to test that new level that you’ve achieved.”
According to Robinson, “This is a huge investment from your country, from your government, from the people that value and care for you and want the absolute best for you; don’t let that go to waste; take advantage. Because there’s tons of countries, tons of cities where this investment is not being made, I can assure you of that.”
While the programme continues today and concludes tomorrow, it was disclosed that the entity could return in the space of two months for additional training. The Speed Capitol Commission, which was founded in 2019, is primarily dedicated and committed to enhancing and improving the youth athletic experience from a performance and competitive standpoint. It is also geared towards educating competitors on the importance of balancing academics and athletics.
