Hiccups contribute to NACAC team underperformance

Feb 22, 2011 Sports

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President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Colin Boyce (centre) with Coach, Mark Scott (left) and Bradford Burke, all seated, meet at Olympic House yesterday with members of the national distance running team to debrief the media.

By Edison Jefford
The President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Colin Boyce was adamant yesterday that the National Cross Country Team performed below expectations despite being updated from the Team Manager, Sonja Abraham on some administrative hiccups.
“I am not too sure we can say that the team did well. The times are inconsistent with what those same athletes ran in Guyana in the same distances. I expected you all to perform better,” Boyce told members of the team at a press conference yesterday afternoon.
He was speaking after the return of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Cross Country (NACAC) representative national team. The eight-member team, inclusive of Abraham returned Sunday after the race on Saturday in Trinidad and Tobago.
“I really need to know what contributed to those performances so that they can be addressed,” he indicated, before the team’s manager, Abraham, replied. She disclosed some of the hiccups that the team experienced before, during and after the international race.
Abraham said that the trip was “stressful” from the very beginning when she, along with the two hinterland-based athletes, Hezron Pedro and Doretta Wilson, flew from Lethem with less than 12 hours before they travelled again to the Twin Island Republic.
“Athletes shouldn’t go through that on such a trip. We had to wait two hours for transportation in Trinidad to take us to the hotel after we arrived. This tells on them. You are not supposed to have added things on your mind when you go to compete,” Abraham said.
According to the Rupununi Athletic and Sports Academy (RASA) representative, Wilson did not eat after she arrived in Georgetown. The athlete apparently went to bed and travelled to Trinidad without eating anything despite being encouraged to change the habit.
Abraham also said that Guyana was the only national team without a national uniform and it was not motivating for the athletes. “On behalf of this team and myself, as a country, I think we have to do better and be better prepared for these types of trips,” she said.
In addition to those complaints, team captain, Wilbert Mingo, came in for some chiding from the athletics association Head after it was disclosed that some of the local athletes competed in sneakers used for road running as opposed to grass spikes for distance running.
Dennis Horatio was forced to borrow grass running shoes after he left his in Guyana on the assumption that the road running shoes will be best suited for the terrain. Because Mingo was on his second NACAC Cross Country, after competing last year, Boyce believed that he ought to have been better informed on the appropriate gear for the race.
“Now I am learning that the athletes needed spikes. You knew and didn’t inform the others. I am not impressed with that at all,” Boyce told Mingo. Nathanie Giddings, who usually runs bare-feet in Guyana and Pedro, replicated that habit in the international race.
Athletes’ Performance
United States of America’s (USA), Robert Cheseret won the NACAC race in 23:42.7. Canada’s Cameron Levins was second in 23:45.8 while USA’s, Colin Leak was third in 23:50.7 of the 43 finishers in the prestigious race.
Below are Guyana’s performances with the comments from the athletes present at the press conference yesterday. They were asked to assess their performances.
Cleveland Forde (Local Cross Country 8km: 25:54.8; Saturday’s NACAC Cross Country 8km: 24:58.8). Forde lowered his time in Trinidad, placing 11th overall. His placing was Guyana’s best place in the race. He was not present yesterday to comment on his performance.
Nathanie Giddings (Saturday’s NACAC Cross Country 8km: 27:04.5). Giddings finished 28th in the race overall. “I did well, those athletes that I competed against are international athletes; they set a heated pace during the race and we couldn’t keep up,” he said.
Cleveland Thomas (Saturday’s NACAC Cross Country 8km: 27:10.5). Thomas was 30th overall in race. “It’s a very different competition. From talking to some of the athletes after the race, you get the feeling that they were preparing for a long time. I think we started our preparation late,” a reserved Thomas told the association and the media yesterday.
Dennis Horatio (Local Cross Country 8km: 26:16; Saturday’s NACAC Cross Country 8km: 27:20.4). Horatio was 31st overall. “I think I had a bad competition day. I had my joggers and no spikes. I borrowed one and it didn’t work out,” Horatio noted.
Wilbert Mingo (Local Cross Country 8km: 26:27; Saturday’s NACAC Cross Country 8km: 28.28.5). Mingo placed 37th overall in the race. “It was a serious course. I didn’t get much rest in Trinidad before the race. I was tired,” Mingo related.
Hezron Pedro (Saturday’s NACAC Cross Country 8km: 28:29.7). Pedro was 38th overall. “I did well but the pace was too much for me. I could not have held those guys, the pace was too much,” the unassuming Pedro indicated.
Doretta Wilson (Local Cross Country 4km: 16: 29; Saturday’s NACAC Cross Country 4km Junior Women’s Race: 15:58.4). Wilson finished 20th of 22 competitors. “The race was good. I tried my best but the course was different,” Wilson informed.

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