Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
Against All Odds: Doretta Wilson
Doretta Wilson
By Edison Jefford
The mere imagination of the difficulties of perhaps one of Guyana’s most talented junior athletes to chase her passion immediately forces the mind to Chapter X of George Orwell’s classic novel: Animal Farm where one of history’s famous maxims emerged.
“All Animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others,” in Orwell’s masterpiece is relative to the uneven competitive, domestic and social situation of Doretta Wilson in her attempt to continue to pursue her obvious and awesome athletic talent.
Wilson does not have quarter of the amenities available to her counterparts on the coastland yet it is no secret that the Achawuib resident of the Deep South of the Rupununi in Region Nine has, in less than seven months, forced her way into mainstream athletics.
The last assignment for the 16-year-old athlete was the Athletics Association of Guyana National Cross Country event where she emphatically won the Junior Girls’ race. The conceptualisation of her journey toward that gold medal is nothing short of remarkable.
Kaieteur Sport understands that because of the location of Achawuib, Wilson had to travel for an estimated eight hours on a dirt-bike through rough, forested and mountainous terrains, to Lethem where she then boarded a flight to Georgetown for the competition.
Wilson arrived in the City on Saturday for the race on Sunday and as any sane mind would have imagined, all was not well with her health. In fact, the athlete’s chance of competing at the event in the National Park on Sunday was in serious doubt for hours.
She was in pain. First, the journey out of Achawuib aback a dirt-bike where she told officials that she fell three times along the trail because of its irregularity and second the jet-lag from air travel to Georgetown both collaborated to wear-down the distance runner.
However, her manager on this last outing, Dr. Jason Johnny, who is a physiotherapist attached to the Lethem Hospital, worked overtime to have the athlete ready for Sunday. He succeeded when she was declared fit to run Sunday morning following extensive rest.
Wilson did not spare anyone during the Cross Country race. She went out early and proved what she came for in the beginning: that she is the best junior distance runner in Guyana. Her easy and somewhat dominant win on was her third successive victory.
When Wilson defeated CARIFTA 1500m gold medallist, Jevina Straker in the 10km Road Race at the Schools’ National Championships, luminaries attributed the upset to the fact that Straker is not a long-distance runner and therefore, Wilson had an advantage.
However, two days later, the duo faced off in Straker’s most successful event, the 1500m, and be assured that Straker received such a beating that it was difficult for her to stand on her feet at the National Stadium last November following Wilson’s rampage.
The consecutive performance silenced all critics and announced the arrival of a new talent on the local scene. The quiet, but strong Wilson, accomplished those results without support from major stakeholders but through the benevolence of individuals.
Speaking with this newspaper yesterday Chairman of the Hinterland Youth and Sport Committee (HYSC), Mark Rodrigues, who is the brother of Wilson’s Coach, Brian Rodrigues, indicated that after the athlete’s performance last year she was given “superficial promises”.
Rodrigues said that he is aware of the living conditions of the athlete, and the difficulty of travel, nutrition, training and other facets of her athletics career. He informed that there were plans to relocate the athlete to Lethem where she will receive special attention.
However, Rodrigues noted that communication on that development between him and Regional Chairman of Region Nine, Clarindo Lucas has not been frequent. He indicated that Lucas was to speak with Wilson’s parents on the subject of her relocation.
But while these systems remain in thought, Wilson continues to produce results against all odds. The Regional Office, the HYSC, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the local athletics association will all be accountable if Wilson is nationally ignored.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Fingerprinting and Finger-Pointing
…Peeping Tom Kaieteur News- No one, not even the staunchest supporters of Guyana’s electoral process, would claim... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
