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A FANTASTIC EFFORT!

Nov 20, 2011 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

 

 

 

Guyana finally has an international swimming pool. It took a long time in coming but the wait is over and Guyana’s swimmers no longer have to dream about having the opportunity to train in a pool similar to the ones that they will be required to compete in internationally.
Since the 1970’s, local swimmers were being promised that one day a pool of this size would have been constructed. But it never came. What also never came was a synthetic track of our athletes.
That dream too is being fulfilled. A new synthetic track is under construction and will be completed in the not-too-distant future.
What this means in terms of sports is that our swimmers and athletes can be able to improve their training and consequently their times.
Of course, we should not be expecting too much from our local athletes and swimmers. The fact that there are improved facilities does not mean that tomorrow Guyana is going to produce a world class swimmer or a top athlete.
Trinidad and Tobago has had top facilities in place for sometime now. Yet, it took a very long time before the athletes begin to come through.
But without the top training facilities, our athletes will be disadvantaged because they will lack the necessary exposure to international standards, something that is necessary for them to do good. The facilities help develop a pool of talent who can compete internationally.
Sports is therefore looking up. It is fantastic achievement that Guyana now boasts an Olympic- size swimming pool. It is impressive that our athletes will now be able to train on an artificial surface. This is bound to do wonders for their time and with better training and international exposure, Guyana could continue to improve.
It should also not be forgotten that Guyana also has an excellent cricket stadium, with one of the fastest-drying surfaces in the region. However, if the authorities continue to allow this stadium to be used for other sports, then the playing area is going to be damaged beyond repair and like what happened to Albion Sports Club Ground during this year’s regional cricket tournament, the stadium at Providence could be deemed unfit for international cricket if greater limits are not placed.
Further down the line, the authorities may wish to look at how it can support cycling through the construction of an indoor cycling track. A large facility with fair seating capacity and good drainage is required for this. This will cost money but it is something that is really needed to boost cycling in Guyana.
Sports is definitely going places in terms of the investment in infrastructure but producing world quality athletes cannot be left to the government. That is the responsibility of the sporting associations, many of which are not being effectively managed. What is needed is not for rookies to try to make their names in these associations. Rather, these sporting bodies should try to get persons who understand management, who have done well professionally to come on board since this is one way to succeed.
The table tennis association is a good example to follow whereby a good executive team has allowed for some major championships to be organized and for the sport to the boosted locally.
Corporate Guyana must also be willing to play its part. They must see sport as an investment in the future of Guyana and not just as a way to promote their business or obtain a photo opportunity.
Sportsmen and Sportswomen in Guyana need assistance. Some of them need better coaches. There are some local coaches who believe that they are God’s gift to Guyana but they really do not have the track record to back up this claim.
Sports’ training is increasingly become more scientific and modernized and therefore it is for the sports associations to ensure that the local athletes get the best training and development programmes. If this means bringing in foreign coaches, then this is the way to go.
In the meantime, the government of Guyana should take a bow because it has done more for sports in terms of infrastructure, than has ever been done before.
There is still a great way more to go but given what has been seen over the years, the government’s sports policy seems destined to continue making what was once dreams a reality, and this is great news for sports and Guyana!

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