AAG hoping to send at least 20 athletes to 2023 CARIFTA Games

Dec 06, 2022 Sports

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur News – Guyana could have a representation of at least 20 athletes at the 2023 CARIFTA Games, according to the president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson.

Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, Hutson said next year’s CARIFTA Games will be the first of many international meets for Guyanese athletes.

AAG president, Aubrey Hutson

“We’ve already started looking to putting things in place for CARIFTA 2023. We’re working on a system where instead of holding trials and having the athletes grind themselves out. So we’ll focus on the events that we’re currently doing and focus on those events,” Hutson said in an exclusive interview.

The AAG found itself in an embarrassing dilemma in Jamaica this year, where the 49th CARIFTA Games were held.

News of the team being short of funding for food, an extra night’s stay in the Land of Wood and Water, as well as payments for COVID-19 testing made headlines throughout the local news spectrum; something Hutson said would not be repeated this year.

Hutson said the AAG foresee the 2023 games costing them approximately $10M, and they will soon finalise plans to approach the Government of Guyana and several notable corporate entities for assistance.

“Once we complete the calendar for next year, we’re moving to the budget for events, starting with the CARIFTA Games,” Hutson said.

Hutson said the new system will allow for an early encampment of the athletes.

Some members of team Guyana at the opening ceremony of the 2022 CARIFTA Games (Emmerson Campbell photo).

At the 2022 games in Jamaica, Guyana ended their participation with seven medals– two gold, three silver and two bronze – while finishing fifth in the medal standings behind Trinidad and Tobago (23), British Virgin Islands (7), The Bahamas (17) and Jamaica (92).

Attoya Harvey and Anisha Gibbons won gold in the 1500m and U20 Javelin respectively.

However, Harvey’s memorable performance on the track left the competition in awe.

Competing in the U17 event at her first outing at the CARIFTA Games, Harvey won gold in the 1500m (4:45.75), silver in the 3000m (10:51.40) and bronze in the 800m (2:14.08).

Narissa McPherson – silver (U17 400m), Javon Roberts – silver (U17 1500m) and Adriel Austin – bronze (U20 800m) are the other medallists from the country’s 13-member team.