Race tight for Sports Association award

Dec 19, 2010 Sports

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By Rawle Welch
The race for this year’s Sports Association of the year could be a very interesting battle judging from the outstanding performances from so many.
Over the last three years, the Guyana Rugby Football Union has led in this category, but many are of the opinion that the Body will be hard pressed to retain the title this year despite another strong showing where the Men’s and Ladies teams retained their NACRA titles, while the Men added the CAC title to their burgeoning collection.
They will have to contend with the likes of the Lusignan Golf Club which was able to take the sport to another level and really did an excellent job in increasing the popularity of the sport due to its regular tournaments.
The Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) also continue to do well and they too could feature in the race for the top spot, while the Guyana Powerlifting Federation (GPLF), the Guyana Squash Association (GSA), the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA), the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) and the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA), all did exceedingly well to be there in the melee for the crown.
Just to take a look at the individual entities starting with the GMR&SC, the club was able to win the Caribbean Championship after many years, while the recent innovations by the current management has been responsible for a remarkable surge in activity and popularity among the rank and file within the country.
This sport has also been responsible for the increase in visitors to these shores through the Sports Tourism Sector, while the addition to the calendar of events which now accommodate Drag Racing and go-karting at the club’s Headquarters has really added to securing newcomers to the sport.
The GPLF hosted a successful North American & Caribbean Championships right here in Guyana and the local lifters copped the coveted overall title, while they also were among the top performers in the individual categories.
The lifters maintained their supremacy against the very best from North America and the Caribbean so they too must be in the reckoning.
The GSA as usual were a model of consistency, organising many tournaments throughout the year, but the crowning moment was when Guyana retained the overall Team title at the Caribbean Championships as well as a solid showing at the CAC Tournament.
The GCF in collaboration with the Ministry of Sport hosted a very successful 5-stage Road Race which saw foreign participation and they too kept up a consistent trend throughout the year.
The GNRA’s members performed creditably at the Commonwealth Games in India, while they captured the Short and Long Range titles at the Caribbean Championship held in Barbados.
That of course was an outstanding achievement by our marksmen who continue to hold their own against their Regional counterparts.
The GFF must come in for commendation and recognition and even though the entity struggled for positive notice in the past, no one could deny its sterling achievements over the past year.
It has undoubtedly raised the level of the game all-round with the hosting of many seminars and workshops for all related personnel, while both the Golden Jaguars and the Lady Jaguars did much to feature in any national discussion about the performances of sports associations for 2010.
Guyana was able to improve its rankings in FIFA, while many of our referees and assistants were chosen to officiate in international tournaments and this development must be classified as significant for us.
Chess has made an auspicious return to the local sports programme and even though the Sports Ministry played a pivotal role in its re-establishment on the sports agenda nonetheless is a very encouraging sign and must be commended.
The executive ensured that regular tournaments were played, while the attempt to have us back in the international chess community must be lauded as well.
Hockey had another busy year, despite not winning a medal at the biggest tournaments.
However, the GHB ensured that the local teams were kept busy, while the few clubs that toured returned with much success.
Perhaps, the only setback was the postponement of the annual Diamond Mineral Water Competition, but all in all it was a fairly good year.
The GBA, though a small entity in terms of participants has been growing and with the increased activity might not be able to stand with the above mentioned, but through sheer commitment and dedication could be ready for the accolades come next year providing the management stay resolutely on course.
There is a vision and they’ve been doing their work quietly, but 2011 could see them breakthrough.

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