National Schools’ Championships open today

Nov 20, 2012 Sports

-District 11 set sight on number 13,

By Edison Jefford
North Georgetown, District 11, which is historically one of the strongest teams in the National Schools’ Championships, has set its sight on claiming its 13th overall title when the 52nd edition of the competition starts today at several venues in Georgetown.
The Ministry of Education and Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Digicel-sponsored National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships will start this morning at 6am with the 10km Road Race.
The road race will be held along the South American 10km route that starts and end at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary. Following this event, the Long and Triple Jump events will be held at the Rudolph Harper facility at YMCA with the High Jump and Shot Putt events together at the GTU field.
While those events are underway, the Swimming Championships will commence at 9am at the National Aquatics Centre with the 40km Cycling Road Race starting and finishing outside Ocean View International Hotel at Liliendaal.
Following these early competitions, the official Opening Ceremony will be held at the National Stadium at Providence at 5pm.
At which time, there should be some early indications as to whether District 11 is on its way to a 13th overall title or Upper Demerara and Kwakwani, District 10 will extend its dynasty. Several other Districts should also be in the hunt, including East Georgetown, District 12, the Corentyne, District 6 and Bartica, District 7, who are all traditionally strong teams.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sport yesterday, North Georgetown Team Manager, Mark Wills said that he anticipates a 13th title that will haul his team to one title behind current overall leaders Upper Demerara, which has amassed 14 titles.
“We fell short last year because of our cycling team, but our chances this year are good because we have realised our shortcomings and we know our strengths,” Wills said, adding that he knows that his swimming team will win again today.
Corentyne won cycling last year while Upper Demerara won track and field; the team that gets the most points from their placement in the four competitions, including the teachers’ contest, is the one that walks away with the coveted overall Championship trophy.
“We needed to strengthen our track and field team. I know it might be hard to match Linden, but more than likely we are there, our thinking so far is to retake what is rightfully ours. Everything is streamlined in such a way that once we work together as a team, we will be able to take back our Championships,” Wills boldly told this newspaper.
He said that they did specific work on strengthening their athletics team with coaches working on the technical disciplines such as triple jump with athletes. In addition, Wills said that the likes of national junior athletes, Stephon James, Jevina Straker and Jevina Sampson have improved the chances of North Georgetown breaking Upper Demerara’s streak.
Upper Demerara has never lost the track and field title at the National Schools’ Championships and will be definitely aiming to keep that going from today. “From Under-15 upwards, I think we will be able to challenge District 10. We will be on top,” Wills said.
According to the North Georgetown Team Manager, his officials have

Essequibo going through their paces at a practice session yesterday after arriving for the National Schools’ Championships over the weekend.

sought to build a team to win all four competitions at a single ‘Nationals’, which has never happened before. “I don’t think any other district will be close. We are aiming for perfection,” he boasted.
Wills indicated that he has enjoyed the rivalry and competitive spirit of the Districts, which some misconstrued; “although we have the usual rivalry, there was an oneness that we’re all teachers, students and athletes and we all have a common goal to win,” Wills said.
But to achieve his goal of winning the four competitions and winning overall, North Georgetown must withstand the challenge of 16 Districts from across Guyana. Banks Malta Supreme, Courts, Gatorade and asics are also sponsors of the 2012 event.