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400m specialist pleased with last year’s performance
Guyana’s 400 meters specialist Winston George, who is a key athlete to Police
Winston George in action
Progressive Youth Club and a role model to upcoming athletes in Guyana, will be looking to put his homeland in the spotlight when he set foot in London to compete at the 2012 London Olympics Games in August as he endeavors to return with a medal.
Being the only local athlete in Guyana to accomplish the Olympic qualifying timings last year at ALBA games in Venezuela on synthetic track, the athlete said that he was pleased with his performance.
“Looking at my achievements from 2011 I can say that it was spectacular, I was able to register new records that now allow me to represent Guyana at 2012 London Olympics.”
Creating history in Guyana after recording a time of 45.8 second in the 400 meters in Venezuela, George said that he will be looking to create more interest in Track and Field locally.
The athlete, who is a Lance Corporal in the Guyana Police Force, said that he has not had a sparkling spot light at the starting of his athletic career, “Trust me, I came from nowhere but now I can say I am getting somewhere but there are some up’s and down’s.” When the talented 400m runner mention up’s and down’s, he was referring to an upset he received last year at the Annual Joint Service Athletic meet at the Guyana Defence Force ground in October. The upset was created when he was defeated by three athletes of the Guyana Defence Force, Rupert Perry, Quinse Clarke and Jermaine Newton in the 200 meters sprint event.
George, the champion athlete for the Guyana Police Force, said that during that time (Joint Service Athletic Meet) he was carrying a groin injury which hampered his running at the meet allowing him to be successful only in the 400 meters.
Adding to his ‘up’s and down’s’ in athletics for the last year was the PAN AM Games in Mexico, where the athlete participated in the dual sprint events, 200m and 400m; “This was where I ran the worst in my athletic career, especially in the 200m…I ran 24 seconds and 46.5 seconds in the 400m…comparing my performance in the 200m at the ALBA games in Venezuela which was 20.8 seconds I can see that there was a major setback.”
Despite the challenges the athlete acquired last year, he is positive that he has achieved a lot of progress in training from November to now, “I was injured but I have been seeing a lot of progress in training…I had a groin injury and that was evident when I ran at the Joint Service Athletic meet last year at the Guyana Defence Force ground but for this year, I have been putting in the necessary work.”
Asking the sportsperson about his present training sessions, he revealed that his focus is mainly on enhancing his condition, speed and running techniques since its offseason training and also to make sure that he’s injury free for his competition in August.
The sprinter also highlighted his programme for the year, which is mainly going out with his A game to the Olympics and also being on top of his game at home.
Noting the pressures that qualifying for games brought to the athlete, George said that he talks to God everyday to guide him and ease him from the mental pressure he is experiencing.
“I have a lot of mental pressure presently since I’m the only local Guyanese presently to qualify for the Olympics, everyone will be expecting so much out of me and to know if I don’t go out there and produce, it will be a let down to the Guyanese, so it does add a lot of mental problem to me; however I try not to think about it and speak to God a lot to guide me.”
Being excited about the upcoming prestigious event, George said that he is determined and when the times come to set foot on the track in August he will be executing exactly what he learnt as he competes meaningfully; “I think I am putting in the necessary work, I am determining to go out there and execute all I have learnt.”
Concluding the invited interview, the athlete expressed his gratitude to his Coach by saying that he is of high-quality when it comes to coaching his athletes.
“My club is a very good club, I would also like to point out that it is one of the best clubs in the country athletic wise presently, it is producing a lot of National athletes and has a very good coach, Mr. Lyndon Wilson.”
(Juanita Hooper)
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