Leslie Black grateful for Guyana 60th Independence Lifetime Achievement Award

May 26, 2026 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – Ex-Athletes and Friends Inc. has recognised former Athletics Coach Leslie Black with a Guyana 60th Independence Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to sports over many years.

Black indicated that, “I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive the Guyana 60th Independence Lifetime Achievement Award. I extend sincere thanks to Lady Ira, the Guyana American Heritage Foundation, Ms. Burgette William, and Ex-Athletes and Friends Inc. for this prestigious recognition.

Leslie Black grateful for Guyana 60th Independence Lifetime Achievement Award

Leslie Black (centre) is flanked by Burgette Williams and Stanley Springer.

I truly appreciate the acknowledgment of my years of dedication, service, and commitment to supporting others through athletics and community development. This award is very special to me, and I remain proud to have represented, and to continue representing, Guyana with love and pride.”

This is not the first outing for Black having received a national award. Speaking on that achievement he informed, “I am also a recipient of the National Award, the Golden Arrow of Achievement (A.A.). Over the past 35 years, I have served in the athletics field as a coach and manager to outstanding athletes such as Cleveland Forde, Alika Morgan, Javina Straker, Reonna Cornette, Kelvin Johnson, and Delcey Dick, all of whom have represented Guyana with excellence on the regional and international stage.

Additionally, I served as an executive member of the Guyana Committee of Services, an organization founded by the late Mr. Joseph Ramkumar. The organization played an important role in assisting many athletes and sports personalities over the years, including supporting the surgery of Guyana’s world-rated boxer, Mr. Clive Atwell, an initiative organized by Ms. Lady Ira of the USA. The organization has also sponsored CARIFTA athletes and many other sports personalities throughout the years.”

“I strongly believe that Guyana has lost some of its dominance in long-distance athletics mainly because of the lack of road competition and consistent sponsorship opportunities for athletes. More sponsors are needed, and the relevant authorities and stakeholders within the sports sector should come forward to support and sponsor more road events. It is difficult to continuously rely on the same individuals and organizations for assistance.

Now is the time to further improve the athletic scene in Guyana, especially as our country continues to make progress in track events at the CARIFTA level. For many years, I have advocated for Guyana to follow the example of several Caribbean nations by inviting experienced coaches from Kenya to work alongside and share knowledge with our local coaches. I firmly believe that this initiative could greatly help in rebuilding and strengthening long-distance athletics in Guyana,” stated Black as he commented on the way forward for improvement in long distance running.

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