Guyana’s CARIFTA participation in jeopardy

Mar 31, 2015 Sports

The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has announced that Guyana’s participation in the CARIFTA

Cassie George

Games set for April 4-6, St. Kitts & Nevis, is in “jeopardy”, largely as a result of the association having difficulties securing flights for the team.
“Guyana’s participation at this year’s CARFITA Games looks to be in jeopardy. The Executive Council of the AAG) is encountering difficulties securing flights to the games set for April 4-6 in St. Kitts & Nevis,” a release from the association stated yesterday.
“The AAG is, however, exploring all avenues to get its team to the Games. The AAG President, Aubrey Hutson said ticket prices to the destination are high, so too are chartered flights, which are priced between 5 -7 million (GUY) dollars,” the release continued.
It informed that the AAG Council will meet today to make a final decision on whether or not the team will participate at the Games. “The athletes, meanwhile, have had training sessions together under Head Coach, Julian Edmonds,” the AAG release observed.
It said that “Guyana is hoping to field its largest contingent in recent years: 12 athletes; up from the original nine named following the trials on March 7-8”. Those included are Linton Mentis (U-20 male 100m, 200m) and female sprinters, Michelle Powley and Avon Samuels.
Powley will compete in 100m and 200m U-20 races along with overseas-based sprinter Brenessa Thompson, while Samuels will run the 200m and 400m in the U-18 category. The AAG Council “took the decision to

Brenessa Thompson

include the three after they made the qualifying standards at a Development Meet on March 15, organised by the Guyana Defence Force,” the release said.
The other athletes on the team are Compton Caesar (100m, 200m), Matthew Mckenzie (1500m, 3000m), Kenisha Phillips (200m), Cassie George (1500m), Claudrice Mckenzie (3000m), Chantoba Bright (Long and Triple Jump) and Natricia Hooper (Triple Jump). Yvonne October is Team Manager.