Kumar says Guyana has its best IGG Contingent

Oct 13, 2011 Sports

-backs country to win overall Championships

By Edison Jefford
National Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, believes that the country has one of its best Inter-Guiana Games

Neil Kumar

(IGG) Contingent and as a result, he is backing Guyana to win the overall Championships in the tri-nation competition that begins in Suriname next week.
Speaking to Kaieteur Sport about the probability of the respective teams turning in championship performances, Kumar said that the associations involved in selecting the various teams could not have done better than they did to have Guyana properly represented.
“It was a lot of work, but we are fully prepared, and ready, to send a full contingent to the Games with all the competing associations submitting their best teams. I am very optimistic that Guyana will be able to win overall with the teams I have seen,” Kumar said.
The Games that includes seven sport disciplines, namely football, volleyball, basketball, cycling, swimming, track and field and chess will be held in Paramaribo, Suriname during October 19-24 where Guyana will compete against the host and French Guiana.
The Director of Sport singled out a few areas where he feels Guyana has its best chances. He was of the view that track and field will be a key area for the country, stating that he is impressed and heartened with the amount of work that went into naming the team.
“Athletics is very strong. The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) did a good job in selecting their athletes. I believe it is a strong team and I know they are ready to go,” Kumar stated, adding that he expects the national junior athletics team to win their competition.
He said the same of the male volleyball, male football, male basketball and cycling teams, which according to him, must understand their leading responsibilities. He said the contingent has to be aware of its strengths if Guyana will have any chance of winning overall.
“I am impressed with the male volleyball team. The boys from Berbice have done lots of work to be ready for these Games. I have a lot of confidence in volleyball, just as I think (Chris) Bowman has done a good job putting together the male basketball team and (Gordon) Braithwaite has with the male football team. I think these teams are strong,” Kumar reiterated.

Gervy Harry

Conversely, continuing in his forthright assessment of the contingent, the Director of Sport stated that he does not believe Guyana will win the swimming competition because the team is a young and inexperienced team that will come up against international competition.
“Our swimmers are improving, but I do not think that we will win swimming. Our swimmers are young and I know that the swimming association has done a good job preparing them, but we got to be honest so that we know what we have to do in Suriname,” he said.
Additionally, Kumar informed that the female volleyball and female basketball teams are among those teams that will not be pressured for top performances, though they will have to understand that they must do their best. He said female disciplines need time to grow.
On that note, the Director of Sport stated that it was a tough decision to leave the female football squad out of the equation, but when the odds were considered, it was heavily against them. He is of the view that such teams should commence advance preparations.
He said that all the other areas for the departing contingents such as insurance, transportation and security are in place. Administration Officer at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Gervy Harry told this newspaper that they are on top of logistics. Harry said that Kumar will be meeting with parents and athletes of the various teams this afternoon at 5pm at Carifesta Sports Complex.