Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 03, 2014 Sports
Taking a pause from his cricket presentations, Statistician Charwayne Walker, in the wake of the Guyana Athletics Association selecting their team to represent this country in the upcoming Carifta Games in Martinique, April 19-21, looks at Guyana’s first medalist at this prestigious youth games.
The first time the Land of many Waters won Gold at the Carifta Games was 42 years ago, April 1972, when Gladstone Hopkinson out ran 22 opponents in Bridgetown, Barbados to win the 1500 metres finals. Let’s take a look at Hopkinson’s early schooling: He started at St. Thomas Anglican School in Bagotsville in 1966, he was transferred to Goed Fortuin Government School where his athletic ability was quickly spotted by the School’s Physical Education teacher.
In 1967 at the School’s Inter House Competition, Hopkinson ran unbeaten to win the 800 yards and one mile events. Following his inter house victories at Versailles, Gladstone again won the 880 yards and mile races at district level and was selected to represent West Demerara at the National Championships at Anna Regina. Here, running on a rain soaked ground he won the mile convincingly and thus came to prominence.
In the 1968 Inter Estate Sports he ran the 3000 metres and was third in the race won by National and West Indian champion Harry Prowell, with Boyo Changur second. Later in 1968 at a keep fit Athletic Sports held at Versailles and Leonora he won the 1500 metres on both occasions. 1969 was almost an inactive year as he took part in only one competition held at Versailles when he was second in the 1500 metres to H. Small who was then our National Campion for that event.
In 1970, responding to a scholarship offer to attend Tutorial High School, he entered a school where naturally enough he won the 800 and 1500 metres at the schools’ inter house competition. In the inter zone Championship at Eve Leary in November he was beaten into 2nd place by Motilall of Guyana Oriental College in both the 800 and 1500 metres events, but in 1971 running at the inter Secondary Schools Sports at the Guyana Sports Club he won the 800 and 1500 metres events and went on to win those events again at the inter zone championship in November.
The 1972 Secondary Schools championships held at Guyana Sports Club in February brought him more glory when he convincingly won both the 800 and 1500 metres races to become the reigning champion in these two events.
Shortly after at the AAA trials at Guyana Sports Club for selection to represent Guyana at the Junior Carifta Games, Berbice’s McKenzie beat him into second place in both events. Gladstone then proceeded to Barbados where he ran his hardest race. 22 Athletes participated in the 1500 metres, all of whom sped away in the first lap but the pace slowed down after the second lap and in the third he stayed at fifth position and moved up to third position in the last lap and showed real class by sprinting away over the last 100 metres to win Guyana’s first Carifta Gold Medal.
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