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“Guyana is on the verge of great things in athletics…”
– Hope says as stakeholders launch Boyce & Jefford Classic IV
Digicel’s Sponsorship and Events Manager, Gavin Hope, who also serves as a Vice-President on the Athletics Association of Guyana, stated yesterday that Guyana is on the verge of great things in athletics at the launch of the fourth Boyce & Jefford Track and Field Classic.
Digicel’s Sponsorship and Events Manager, Gavin Hope (seated, centre), along with founders of the Boyce & Jefford Classic, Colin Boyce (on his left) and Edison Jefford (on his right), and two Committee Members, join a few prominent local athletes in ushering in the Fourth Edition of the Track and Field Championships.
“Guyana is on the verge of great things in athletics; this meet will be of the highest standards and that is why Digicel will continue to support the meet. We’ll continue to support Boyce & Jefford Organisation because we have seen athletes grow and develop,” Hope said.
According to the Sponsorship and Events Manager, the meet will have the distinction of hosting the third fastest South American Junior 400m runner, Stephan James, among several others, who have gone on to make a name for themselves in athletics in the region.
“This meet (Boyce & Jefford Classic) continues to develop athletes and Digicel has been part of that development from the very beginning. We’ve seen this meet grow from just accommodating local athletes to attracting Caribbean participation,” Hope indicated.
The Fourth Edition of the Boyce & Jefford Track and Field Classic will be held on August 17 at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, Georgetown with Heats and three finals, and August 18 with grand finals at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Linden.
As was evident last year, Chairman of the Management Committee of the Classic, Colin Boyce revealed that the meet will again be attracting the participation of leading athletes from Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and Suriname.
Boyce said that the Coordinators mulled the participation of World Junior 400m silver medallist, and Central America and Caribbean (CAC) gold medallist, US-based Guyanese, Kadecia Baird, but that was ruled out after Baird qualified for the World Championships.
“Baird will be done at the World Championships on August 16, which leaves her very little time to get back to the US then travel to Guyana in time for the meet,” Boyce informed, adding that the Police team will also be without quartermiler, Winston George, who will also be competing at the World Championships.
However, he said that the absence of the two top 400m athletes mean that their scope for another star to step up to the challenge of their regional counterparts. It is at this point that Hope injected the belief that James, among others, will hold their own.
There will be four international races at this year’s Boyce & Jefford Classic that will attract cash prizes of $50,000, $30,000 and $20,000 for first to third; plaques will accompany the prizes. The organisers have extended this to local clubs and Caribbean countries.
The top club will pocket $500,000 while second place gets $300,000 and third place $200,000.
Boyce said that they have extended the monetary club prizes to sixth as a result of the fact that many smaller clubs are unable to compete with the premier clubs. The team that places fourth will get $100,000 while fifth and sixth gets $60,000 and $40,000 respectively, with trophies being handed out from first to third in the club championships.
The Champion Male and Champion Female athletes will receive $50,000 each with trophies. In the event there is a tie, the money will be divided. All athletes placing first to third will receive a customised medal depending on their place, compliments of Digicel.
There will also be two Masters events in the well-stocked programme, attracting cash prizes of $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 for placing in that order. The Coordinators also disclosed that the media has requested a Media 60m, which will be considered.
Overall it was revealed that the meet will be handing out approximately $2.5 Million in cash and prizes this year, a notable increase from the $1.5 Million it handed out last year. Hope urged the enthusiasts and supporters to come out and support the meet.
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