AAG launches South American 10k race

Oct 03, 2008 Sports

– all Caribbean countries invited

AAG President, Claude Blackmore makes a point during yesterday’s launch of the South American 10k race at the Guyana Olympic Association office. At right is General Secretary Pamela Phillips

By Edison Jefford

While there was no direct optimism that this year’s South American 10k road race will be the biggest ever in its six–year history, the event was nevertheless launched at the Guyana Olympic Association office yesterday.

President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Claude Blackmore said that the first race in 2003 was the largest in terms of entries but there are no guarantees that the 2008 version will surpass the inaugural event.

“We are hoping that this will be the largest. We had about 140 something athletes in 2003 and this year we are looking for about 150–170,” Blackmore said, while disclosing that invitations were sent to all Caribbean islands.

The AAG President pointed out that he met with the Presidents of the various athletics associations at a congress in Columbia earlier this year. He said that written invitations sent in July followed that meeting.

Apart from the invitations sent to Caribbean territories, this paper understands that all 12 South American countries were also invited to participate. Of the five South American races so far, Brazilians have dominated three.

Asked if the Brazilians are returning for the 2008 race, which is scheduled to start at 4pm on Sunday October 26 at the Police Sports Club ground, Blackmore said that it was too early to confirm overseas participation.

The first leg of the three–stage race is set for Suriname the weekend before the second leg here in Guyana. As such, the AAG will stage a trial event on October 11 to select its representatives for the Suriname leg.

The third stage usually takes place in Panama where a Guyanese have never taken part in that race. After yesterday’s press conference, it was uncertain whether that is likely to change this year.

The winners in the Men and Women International categories here will receive US$1000 while second, third, fourth, and fifth places gets US$600, US$400, US$300 and US$200 respectively.

Blackmore informed that the prize monies for the junior competition along with the age categories were changed for the local event. Juniors will now receive US$300, US$200 and US$100 for first to third places.

The junior prize monies were increased by 50 percent and the age groups were dropped two years from 16–20 to 14–20 to accommodate a broader competition.

The AAG boss said that the association will be bearing the cost for all athletes coming from the Corentyne, New Amsterdam, Essequibo Coast, Essequibo Islands and Bartica following a meeting with the Guyana Teachers Union.

“We will accommodate them at our cost,” Blackmore declared, adding that Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport, Steve Ninvalle has accepted an invitation to ‘start’ the 2008 race.

When asked if an athlete is permitted to take its own water on the course, Blackmore said that that would be a violation of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rule on water stations.

According to the AAG President, two water stations at 3 and 9 km and a sponge station at 6km are allowed. However, Blackmore said that athletes are permitted to leave their own water or Gatorade (for instance) at the stations.

Kaieteur Sport had posed the question following last year’s incident where certain second place finisher, Kelvin Johnson collapsed about 1500m before the race’s finish owing to complications related to dehydration.

Johnson had told this paper that he has plans to take his own water on the course. He said that the plastic cups given on the course are difficult to control when running and as a result, the water in the cups over–pours.

“He (Johnson) had claimed that at the 9th station he got a sponge instead of water, which simply was not possible,” Blackmore said in response to that issue.

Johnson, Lionel D’Andrade and Cleveland Forde are the strong contenders for the Men’s International title while Jonathan Fagundes and Alika Morgan should muscle their way to the top of the podium in the Junior competition.

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