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Stephen is first from Region 9 to get Sports Scholarship
By Sean Devers
Region Nine swimmer Coleen Stephens, who gained two gold medals at the last National School’s Swimming competition at the National Aquatic Centre on the East Coast of Demerara, recently, became the
Stephens and Region 9 Manager Ariel James in Lethem.
first individual from the Region to be awarded a sports scholarship in Georgetown.
The talented Stephen, who turned 16 last September, was given a swimming scholarship to pursue swim training and arrived in the City yesterday on the day’s second Trans Guyana Aviation flight from Lethem and according Region Nine Manager Ariel James, all of Region Nine is fully behind her and supports her success.
The historic Scholarship was made possible through the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs after recommendations from Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sports Dr George Norton.
The Department of Education held a small simple ceremony for her before her departure to attend an unnamed school in Georgetown and were putting together a farewell package for the young Swimmer.
“I am very, very happy since this is like a dream come true. I always wanted to improve my swimming and one day I hope to compete in the Olympics,” said Stephens, the only child of her parents.
Coleen Stephen collects her Gold Medal during last year’s ‘Nationals’.
Stephens, who got a ceremonial send off before she left Lethem, has been swimming in the Rupununi River since she was a toddler.
Quado Vancooten, who was appointed Swimming coach for the Region 9 team for the first time last year, says, Coleen is very talented but like the other hinterland swimmers, lacks the luxury of proper training facilities which has caused her development in the Pool not to be at the level that it should.
“My biggest challenge as Coach is getting the swimmers to have actual pool experience to practice and that is something that is where Minister Dr Norton can help fix that problem for the swimmers, especially those in the indigenous Communities. This is great by Minister Dr Norton,” said Vancooten.
Stephen grew up in the village of Kardarnaua and started swimming competitively at the age of 10 and last year was her sixth year at the Nationals Swimming Championships.
Like most persons from the Hinterland she began swimming even before she could walk like a duck takes to water. Coleen’s first trip to Nationals was in 2011 and since then she has captured 15 medals.
Coleen Stephen waiting to come to GT yesterday.
In the 2018 events Coleen won 3 silver, 2 bronze and Golds in the 50 meters and 100 meters in the backstroke events.
This was the first time in her six years of competition that she had secured Gold Medals, making 2018 her most successful Nationals.
Vancooten said that he wants to see the Region 9 swimmers not only win races but hopefully in the not too distant future start winning the entire thing.
He feels North Georgetown will continue to dominate since they have access to not only the Pool at the Aquatic Centre but several other Pools in the City.
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