Junior Carifta team in need of urgent funding

Apr 02, 2009 Sports

–as AAG includes Graham, Fagundes

Leslie Black

Alika Morgan

By Edison Jefford
The national junior athletics team that was selected to compete at the Carifta Games over the Easter weekend in Saint Lucia is lamenting the lack of adequate funding for the event where Guyana has positive medal chances.
Initially, eight athletes were released to Kaieteur Sport that had revealed, on the contrary, that the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) was actually scrutinising ten athletes for the prestigious regional junior track and field event.
Apparently, the other two athletes, Jonathan Fagundes and Ianna Graham had impressed the selection committee subsequent to the AAG Carifta Games trials and are now part of the official national junior track team.

The other eight athletes include 2008 National Sports Commission ‘Sportswoman of the Year’, Alika Morgan, Jenella Jonas, Jevena Straker, Tiffany Carto, Jamaal Holder, Ricardo Martin, Chavez Sital and Chavez Ageday.
However, while the medal prospects of the athletes seem favourable, particularly in the distance events, Coach Leslie Black has noted the urgent need for funding for the team that is expected to depart Guyana sometime next week. “The team is in some trouble. We need assistance. We are waiting on the Government to see what will happen. My biggest fear at the moment is [the lack of] sponsorship,” Black told this newspaper in an impromptu interview. Black, who will be travelling with the team as Coach, said that all the athletes selected to represent the country has the potential to win medals. “We think that all the athletes have a good chance but we need sponsorship,” he reiterated.

The former coach of national distance star, Cleveland Forde, has five athletes on the team in the form of Morgan, Jonas, Straker, Fagundes and debutant, Sital. Black indicated that none of the athletes should be left behind.
President of the AAG, Colin Boyce told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that the association had received a commitment from Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, who was to further take up the matter with the minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.
“Kumar promise us some money but we need additional sponsorship because our athletes will be in the island two days before and two days after the meet as a result of the flight arrangements we got,” the AAG head explained.

Jonathan Fagundes

Chavez Sital

According to Boyce, the host country is only covering accommodation for athletes during the event. He indicated that he had also requested airport tax waivers among other benefit from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
“Once everything goes well, we will be able to go. By this [yesterday] afternoon, we will be in a better position to pronounce,” Boyce, who had made his ‘reward for performance’ policy known when he took office, informed.
The new AAG head had made it clear that he will attempt everything possible to deviate from the old paradigm of sending one and two athletes to major meets. Boyce’s aim is to maximise Guyana’s participation as part of development.
One parent, David Sital, said that he is trying every possible option to ensure that his son, Chavez, makes a comfortable debut at the Games. When contacted, Sital said that he has gotten some support but not enough to talk about.

“We are trying to see what else we can get. He is going to go. We are looking to see what else we can get for him. I don’t believe we should stifle our young athletes,” he lamented, while urging Government to support the national team.
Sital said that his son is not the only athlete short of funding. According to the parent, the other athletes have complained as well. “We are not getting sponsorship and all of us are complaining,” the ardent enthusiast told this newspaper.
With the increase of regional and international meets, local athletes are seeking exposure at those forums in an effort to increase their general development. However, without the necessary sponsorship those dreams are fleeting.

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