Top local athletes make GT seawall training zone

Jan 29, 2012 Sports

By Lin-Jay Harry-Voglezon

Sunday morning last Kaieteur News bumped into the cream of the local Track

The Georgetown seawall was a hive of activity as the athletes went through their pace in preparation for upcoming competition.

and Field Athletes, training as a collective under the guidance of Sham Johnny and Julian Edwards at the Georgetown Seawall best known for leisure walks and hangouts but unusual for athletics.
In training was Jevina Sampson who broke two records at the recently completed National School Athletics Championships; she ran the fastest female 100metres at the under 14 level which was faster than the under 16, 18 and 20 girls, and also broke the 400metres record for under 14girls.
Two years ago she was awarded a scholarship in Singapore but even though she went there twice, once on a trial and the second time for the junior Olympics, then at age 11 she was unable take it up for the six years because there was difficulty in adequately accommodating her mother for that period.
Also were “Sprint Queen” Alisha Fortune, unbeaten for over ten years, Andrea Foster, 1500 and 3000 meters junior female specialist, Stephon James, Pan-American and Carifta Games finalist, Inter-Guyana Games Champion, South American bronze medalist, who already qualifies for the Junior World Championships scheduled for later this year.
In addition, were Natrecia Hooper, runner-up to Sampson in every event, Cleveland Thomas, second to Cleveland Ford, the Caribbean 5000 and 10000meteres champion, Neisa Allen, runner-up to Alicia Fortune, Morris Gibson, national high jumper, Joshua Griffith national 800metres champion, and the Daniel’s twins; Shomane the triple jump champion and 400metres record holder, and Shaquan , the 200metres under-16 national champion. According to Johnny and Edwards who are levels 2 and 3 coaches respectively, as certified by International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), circumstances caused them to adopt the seawall as an alternative to the Soesdyke Highway hills where they normally do strength and endurance training from December through February.
“This is foundation preparation training” the coaches said for the prevention of injuries and the athletics calendar. While admitting that the athletes achieve strength and endurance faster in the hills due to the gradients, Johnny, also a teacher, explains that the sandy nature at the seawall is not dissimilar to the hills but is advantageous in the “repairing of body tissues; strengthening calves, hamstrings, Achilles, et cetera. By using the edge of the water the erosion effect helps in healing shin splints, Achilles tendon, et cetera”.

To the athletes though, the seawall air is thinner than in the hills. That makes their breathing experience more challenging. Johnny reasoned that denser air in the hills results from the vegetation and the buildings unlike the open space at the seawall.
Asked what effects the environmental differences would have on performances, he explained that once athletes have sufficient time to acclimatize to different conditions their performances would not be impaired.
Asked how it is that so many athletes are under his guidance he declared that they are all members of the Georgetown based Running Brave Athletics Club which is financed by him and Edwards.