Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:40 AM
AAG behind on funding for 18-member team for CARIFTA Games
…Attoya Harvey, Anisha Gibbons spearhead squad
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur News – The Athletics Association of Guyana is back in an all-too-familiar position regarding the CARIFTA Games, as the country’s governing body for track and field is struggling to secure the necessary funding to send 18 athletes and three coaches to the Bahamas for the April 7 – 10 championship.
Guyana’s Attoya Harvey crossing the finish line at the 2022 CARIFTA Games to win the Girls U20 1500m.
At a press conference yesterday, AAG president, Aubrey Hutson, admitted that despite sending out letters for sponsorship to corporate Guyana and Government they’re yet to receive a favourable response.
According to Hutson, it will cost the AAG approximately $9M for Guyana to attend this year’s CARIFTA Games.
However, Hutson, though worried, is hoping for an overnight change of heart from the various entities and government, which will allow Guyana’s best youth and junior athletes to compete at the games, which started in 1972.
National Javelin record holder Anisha Gibbons will have a chance to secure a third consecutive gold at the Caribbean’s most prestigious track and field event when she was named as one of the 18 athletes.
Gibbons, a freshman at New Mexico Junior College competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), claimed gold at the 2022 CARFITA Games which was her second at the Championships, while her first Javelin Gold came in 2021.
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.
Also returning to the CARIFTA Games this year are Narissa McPherson (400m, 800m), – silver (U17 400m), and Javon Roberts (800m, 1500m).
Ezekiel Newton will be looking to at CARIFTA Gold to his growing list of track and field accomplishments.
McPherson silver in the U17 400m at her last championship, and Robert was also second on the podium in the boys U17 1500m.
Athaleyah Hinckson (100m, 200m, 400m) will join sprinting sensation and medal hopeful Tianna Springer (200m, 400m, 4×100), Tamara Harvey (long jump, 4x100m), and Adessa Albert (100m, 4x100m).
Malachi Austin (200m, 400m), Ezekiel Saul (triple jump, high jump), Duel Europe (long jump), and Immanuel Adams (high jump) are the U17 boys athletes heading to The Bahamas.
Ezekiel Newton will have a chance to test his speed in the U20 boys 100m and 200m; US-based Wesley Noble Jr (400m), Seon Booker, based in Jamaica, will run 800m and 1500m, while Odida Parkinson (5000m), Trevon Hamer (long jump) and Omar James (long and triple jumps) are the other athletes for Guyana.
Mark Scott, Keisha Burnett, and Linden Phillips are the coaches.
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).
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