GDF fires funding at Fortune

Apr 30, 2009 Sports

to facilitate travel to T&T

GDF Public Affairs Officer, Major Earl Daniels (right) presents the sponsorship cheque to sprinter Alisha Fortune at the Defence Force Auditorium yesterday.

Alisha Fortune moved one step closer to realising her Caribbean Games dream when the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) sponsored her for the Trinidad and Tobago phase of an upcoming tour to attain the Games’ qualification standard.
The nation’s leading female sprinter will compete in Trinidad on May 23 after competing at the Austin Sealy Memorial Classic in Barbados next weekend. Fortune will use the two meets to achieve the 100m and 200m qualification.

After yesterday’s presentation, GDF Public Affairs Officer, Major Earl Daniels, indicated that such gestures are aimed at empowering young people. Daniels told Kaieteur Sport in his brief remarks that such support is not uncommon.

“The ChiefofStaff (Commodore Gary Best) acknowledged receipt of a correspondence asking us to sponsor Alisha Fortune and he felt that it would be a good gesture since this is a national activity,” Daniels briefly explained.
The Defence Force Major believes that the financial contribution is “a fitting method of support from the GDF”. Additionally, he informed that the resources of the Force are available to the public once they appropriately apply.

Fortune stated that the support will ease the “stress” usually associated with procurement of sponsorship. “I feel real good about this support. It will take a lot of stress off of me in trying to run around to get sponsorship,” she observed.
The senior sprinter thanked the GDF for acknowledging her, in the form of funding, while promising to do her best in the Caribbean. Fortune has to run 11.40 (100m) and 23.80 seconds (200m) to qualify for the inaugural Caribbean Games. (Edison Jefford)