Latest update February 18th, 2025 1:40 PM
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Guyana has two Olympic qualifiers in athletics
By Edison Jefford
Guyana so far has two Olympic qualifiers in athletics with Aliann Pompey and Winston George 
both qualifying to compete in the 400m at the London Games. The two athletes have both made the ‘B’ Standard in the event ahead of the prestigious international meet.
This revelation was made yesterday after a brief query with the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) dispelled the myth that George was the only qualifier to-date. George being the only man to qualify from Guyana was pedalled in several sections of the media.
However, Kaieteur Sport was told that Pompey ran 51.66 last July in New York to set her sights on the London Games, which is likely to be her last after competing in Sydney (2000), Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008; London will be Pompey’s fourth Olympic appearance.
The United States of America-based national 400m record holder’s 51.66 last year was under the 52.35 seconds required to qualify in the ‘B’ category. The locally-based George ran 45.86 secs at the ALBA Games in Venezuela to qualify below the 45.90 secs requirement.
Pompey will continue her preparations in the US, while efforts are currently underway for George to participate in a High Performance Training Centre in Jamaica. George’s readiness continues to be primary among the priorities of the athletics association.
President of the AAG, Colin Boyce told Kaieteur Sport that he is hoping that more athletes break into the qualification standards so that Guyana will be properly represented in London. He said it will take a lot of dedication for the other local hopefuls to make the mark.
It was previously reported that sprinters, Quinse Clarke and Rupert Perry are hoping to run times that will make them eligible in the 100m and 200m events. The AAG had singled them out for an exposure to the High Performance Camp in Trinidad and Tobago.
However, it is the view of Boyce that the efforts of the association must be focused on those who are already qualified with limited available resources; he informed that exposing those athletes to those centres are not necessarily geared at targeting the London Games.
Boyce stated that some of those athletes must begin looking toward the 2016 Games in Brazil. It is all part of posturing athletes to perform at the highest level, he added. The AAG President said it must not, however, affect their London Olympic dreams.
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