National Senior Athletics Championships called off

Aug 25, 2020 Sports

By Calvin Chapman

AAG calls of Senior Championship

Increasing cases of the deadly covid-19 virus has put a damper on the hosting of the Athletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG) National Senior Championships, which has been rescheduled twice thus far.
The Championships was first pegged to be hosted on the weekend of August 8-9 at Guyana’s Premier Athletics facility; the National Track & Field Center (NTFC) on the West Coast of Demerara but was subsequently pushed back to this weekend since the nation was poised to enter the final phase of reopening from lockdown in the second week of August.
However, increased testing has shown that Guyana may not have the perceived control on the virus that many thought and the AAG through President Aubrey Hutson has rightfully announced the indefinite postponement on the much anticipated event.
The administrator posited that, “We were planning in good faith to have the event run off in a controlled environment but recent developments have clearly indicated that we are nowhere done with this virus. We are urging not only our athletes but all Guyanese to practice social distancing

President of AAG

and all of the necessary protocols set out by health authorities.”
Following World Athletics’ return to competition guidelines in May, the AAG decided that they would try to have as much as three meets by this month-end, inclusive of the Senior, Youth & Junior and a road race and had indicated that the local health authorities would have the final say on whether competition would be possible but the numbers speak for their themselves and those meets won’t be possible.
The last track meet in Guyana was the Early Season Classic that sped off in March of this year at the NTFC. Hutson explained that while he understands that many athletes would be relishing the opportunity to get back on the track, the health and safety of all is imperative.
The pandemic has also pushed back Guyana’s hosting of the South America under-23 championships to next year and the 50th Carifta Games from next year to 2022.