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‘Red Carpet’ welcome for CARIFTA Games athletes
– Minster Ramson assures issues will never reoccur
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur News – At a red carpet welcome for the Guyana-based CARIFTA Games athletes and officials yesterday at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
The contingent arrived on a chartered flight from Havana, Cuba, and was greeted by parents, guardians, well-wishers and Government officials.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson led the Government of Guyana’s delegation which included Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle and NSC Commissioner Cristy Campbell.
The sounds of drums and gyration filled the arrival area of the CJIA as the athletes each received a bouquet from their parents, compliments of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
Tears of joy flowed down the faces of some parents, as the athletes’ return signalled the end of an unforgettable drama-filled 50th CARIFTA Games for the Guyanese athletes.
CARIFTA Games contingent and Minister of Sport and other Government officials at the CJIA. (Rawle Toney photo)
In the words of William Shakespeare, “All’s Well That Ends Well” for the Guyanese athletes, as they ended the three-day championships finished fifth in the final medal standing.
NEVER AGAIN!
Meanwhile, Minister Ramson assured the athletes that their struggles this year under the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) will never happen again.
Ramson explained that Government intervention and a good relationship with the Government of the Bahamas resulted in the athletes that missed the morning session on the opening day of the CARIFTA Games, being allowed to compete in the events they had missed.
“Now that the athletes are home safely, we’re going to deal with the situation that occurs. What I can say is, I can give the Government’s assurance to the people of the country, is that whatever transpired over the last few days that led us to the point of having to intervene in that kind of way; that will never occur again,” Minister Ramson said to cheers.
The Minister added, “No one in Guyana could ever be happy about not giving the kind of care and representation and management to our athletes. No one could ever be happy about what transpired, much less the Government of Guyana. And when the Government of Guyana builds a strong relationship with associations, we expect the associations to take the lead and move forward from them.”
Minister Ramson hinted at some changes in his Ministry’s approach to Sports Associations, adding, “Going forward, we will have a much more elaborate engagement with the associations, where they’ll have some policies, changes and directions, which you’ll hear more about.”
EIGHT MEDALS
Three gold, two silver and three bronze saw Guyana finishing behind overall winners Jamaica since the athletes from the Land of Wood and Water had 78 medals (40 gold, 22 silver, 16 bronze).
Host nation Bahamas was second on the table with 46 medals (10 gold, 13 silver, 23 bronze), Trinidad and Tobago ended in the third position with 31 medals (nine gold, 10 silver, 12 bronze), while St Kitts and Nevis were fourth (11 medals – five gold, two silver, four bronze).
The US Virgin Islands (3), Barbados (10), Grenada (10), Guadeloupe (8) and Belize (2) rounded off the top 10 at the event that featured 22 countries.
(from left) Tianna Springer (400m u17 gold), Javon Roberts (800m gold, 1500m silver) and Attoya Harvey (3000m). (Rawle Toney photo)
Anisha Gibbons earned the title of ‘Javelin Queen’ after the New Mexico Junior College athlete earned her third gold medal in consecutive CARIFTA Games.
Tianna Springer had one of the games’ most memorable performances when she came from behind to win the girl’s U17 400m.
Guyana’s third Gold Medal came from Javon Roberts, who ran a clinical and well-timed 800m to win the boys U17 category.
Roberts had also won silver in the boy’s U17 1500m, while the country’s other silver medal at the games came from Attoya Harvey in the Girl’s 3000m open.
Trevon Hamer (Boys U20 Triple Jump), Seon Booker (Boys U20 1500) and Ezekiel Saul (Boys U17 Triple Jump) are the bronze medallists.
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