PPYC arrests three awards at AAG Annual Awards Ceremony

Jan 16, 2012 Sports

The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) conducted their Annual Awards Ceremony under the motto “Moulding and shaping our athletics for 2012 and beyond” at YMCA, Thomas Lands last Saturday evening for the outstanding athletes in Guyana, and AAG President, Colin Boyce, revealed some of their major plans for the year.
Giving the review of the year, Boyce disclosed that this New Year for athletics has a lot in store for Guyanese athletes as the AAG would be looking to send a team to almost every overseas meet during the year.

The Athletics Association of Guyana 2011 Awardees with their prizes standing around AAG President, Colin Boyce (seated) at the Annual Awards Ceremony last Saturday evening at the YMCA.

Boyce also said that he hopes that Guyana’s first Synthetic Track and Field Facility, which is being constructed in Leonora, West Coast of Demerara would be available by time the National Schools’ Championship, since the youths are the future.
And Steve Ninvalle, Parliamentary Secretary, who substituted for Sports Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, in a brief address, said that the hopes that the all weather track when complete would not become a white elephant and many quality meets would be staged there as athletes are kept busy.
The Female athlete of the year 2011 was given again to Natasha Alder, a member of Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) after being named ‘Champion Athlete’ at all four of the major competitions that were held last year. Neisa Allen was second to Alder in the Female athlete of the year category.
The Male athlete of the year went to Winston George, who also runs for the Police Progressive Youth Club which is coached by Lyndon Wilson and in the lone Guyanese athlete to date that has made the London Olympic Games qualifying standard.
Guyana Defence Force athlete, Cleveland Forde (Guyana’s Little Kenya) was runner-up to George at the Award Ceremony.
In the junior category, Stephan James, Nathaniel Giddings, Jevina Straker and Melissa Byass were the awardees.
James received the ‘Junior Athlete of the Year’ award after reaching three International finals, which included the CARIFTA Games which was held in Jamaica, Pan American Games in Florida and the South America Games which was held in Columbia last year.
Giddings, the long distance athlete better known as ‘Brother’, was runner-up to James who runs consistent 47 seconds in the 400 meters. Both athletes were outstanding at the 2011 Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) which was held in Suriname.
The ‘Junior Female Athlete of the Year’ saw both IGG medalist vying for the position, however Straker who was the most outstanding athlete was named the junior female athlete by the AGG. Raising out of Byass outstanding performances at CARIFTA trials, local competitions and developmental meets, she was named the runner-up junior female to Straker.
A special award was presented to Jevina Sampson, a 13 years old national athlete of Running Brave Club.
Coming down to the Coach of the Year Award, Lyndon Wilson, Coach of PPYC was honoured with the position for his outstanding work, while Ingrid Holder and Faye Naughton were awarded Official of the Year and Council Member of the Year respectively.
Special awards were also given to Digicel, Starr Party Rental, Nobel House Seafoods, Neal and Massy and Linden Matthews for the contributions and interest they bestowed to athletics in Guyana during the 2011 season.