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Anisha Gibbons doubtful for CARIFTA Games
– Hutson anticipates 18-member team for The Bahamas
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur News – Double CARIFTA Games gold medallist Anisha Gibbons, though being listed as one of the 18 athletes for the April 7 – 10 event in The Bahamas, is now labelled as ‘doubtful’ for the Caribbean’s largest and most prestigious youth and junior track and field Championships.
Anisha Gibbons during her gold medal performance at the CARIFTA Games.
Gibbons, Guyana’s National Record Holder in the Javelin, is a freshman at New Mexico Junior College, competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
However, speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), highlighted the difficulty in getting Gibbons and other Guyanese athletes in the collegiate track and field system to compete at the CARIFTA Games.
Hutson and the AAG are faced with this challenge over the years and this time around is no different, as the local track and field custodian added, “Coaches don’t want to release their athletes. As much as we let them know the importance of the CARIFTA Games. But this is something that we’ve been dealing with for years.”
The CARIFTA Games is the hunting ground for colleges seeking the best talent from the Caribbean, with many athletes from the Region, particularly Guyana, moving on to having exceptional careers.
Meanwhile, the final team selection will be released sometime next week, but it is expected that several of the country’s top athletes that would’ve made the qualifying standard is heading to The Bahamas.
Jamaica-based Seon Booker and Wesley Nobel, hailing out of the USA, are expected to join South American U18 silver medallist Ezekiel Newton, along with Javon Roberts, Ezekiel Saul and Tamera Harvey.
Attoya Harvey, who had an exceptional outing at the CARIFTA Games last year where she claimed gold in the 1500m (4:45.75), silver in the 3000m (10:51.40) and bronze in the 800m (2:14.08), will make her return to the championships looking replicate her debut.
Asked about the team’s preparation, Hutson said all systems were in place to give the athletes the best chance of landing a medal.
Hutson praised the local coaches for the work done with the athletes throughout the season, but as usual, he pointed out the bugbear of securing the funding needed to get the team to Nassau, Bahamas.
“Tickets alone will run us close to $5M, and we’ll start our campaign to get the funds needed. We’ve sent out our annual budget to the GOA and the Government of Guyana, but now we have to apply for the funding specifically for the CARIFTA Games,” Hutson said.
AAG president – Aubrey Hutson
The long-serving track and field administrator told Kaieteur News that he’s confident of support from the Government, pointing out, “When you look at the economy, and how well it is doing, when you look at the Government’s investment in sports through the recent budget, I think we’ll be fine and getting the money needed for the CARIFTA Games.”
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).
While Harvey (1500m) and Gibbons (U20 Javelin) won gold, the country’s other medals came from Narissa McPherson – silver (U17 400m), Javon Roberts – silver (U17 1500m) and Adriel Austin – bronze (U20 800m).
- Anisha Gibbons, CARIFTA, Games, National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), New Mexico Junior College
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