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Pan Am Games 2019 Guyanese Deion Nurse and Joanne Lowe selected to officiate at Weightlifting and Swimming
Whilst the Golden Arrowhead is being flown high in the competition arena be it boxing, squash, badminton or rugby, Guyanese would be happy to know that two of its officials have been selected to perform duties equally prestigious as the athletes.
Deion Nurse (3rd right, back row) with other officials in Peru.
Former weightlifting athlete, administrator, coach and now Class Two Referee, Deion Nurse is officiating as a Time Keeper at the Pan Am Games currently underway in Peru. What makes Nurse’ appointment more noteworthy is the fact that it was over 45-years ago that a Guyanese would have been selected to officiate at this level.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sport, the experienced Nurse noted that a number of factors would have been responsible for officials note being able to attend these games, top of the list being finances.
Earlier this year, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) had financed Nurses’ participation at the Pan Am Senior Championship in Guatemala City where he performed duties as a Referee. The Guyana Amateur Weightlifing Association (GAWA) subsequently submitted Nurse’ name to the Pan Am Federation for consideration for the current games and he was selected.
Nurse became a Referee since 2000 and is one of five (5) Guyanese so qualified, the others being Althea Mayers, Subrena Pestano, Colin McKoy and Sean Cozier; overseas based Aubrey Smith is the lone Class One Referee to date.
Joanne Lowe
All the above named officials with the exception of Cozier would have officiated at various international events.
Nurse stated that appointments such as this one assists in helping one to perform at a very high level of competence and professionalism that is expected of the position as an ambassador of Guyana.
“It is also my aim to help promote the sport in my country by networking with the other countries I come into contact with and ultimately grow the sport home, by being an example of what’s possible.”
Like Nurse, dedicated swimming official Joanne Lowe who last officiated at the Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada some four years ago has once again been selected to perform duties as an International Technical Official.
Noting that she has always strived to do her best in all aspects of the sport that she has been challenged with, Lowe would be performing duties at these games for the third time; a huge accomplishment.
The long serving Lowe informed that in 2018 a memo was sent out to all nations under the UANA umbrella requesting applications and she was successful in being selected to perform duties as an International Technical Official.
“I will be performing duties as Starter and Turn Stroke Judge of the competition from August 6-11. I feel exceedingly happy to be once again selected and do try my best to perform duties on deck at the locally held competitions. Last year I was selected to perform duties at the CONSANAT South American Swimming Championship in Tejullia, Peru. As everyone’s hope is to be at the Olympics next year that would be mine also.” (Franklin Wilson)
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