Kumar says plans afoot to honour Pompey

Guyana national record holder Aliann Pompey is scheduled to arrive in Guyana tomorrow morning, from the United States of America to spend six days here before she departs for her adopted homeland on March 1.

This was disclosed by Neville Denny yesterday.

Pompey was scheduled to attend the National Sports Awards ceremony having been selected as the 2010 Runner-up Sportswoman of the Year. However, the award ceremony has now postponed to March 4 while Pompey is scheduled to leave on March 1.  The award ceremony had originally been scheduled for February 19 before being postponed to February 25.

Aliann Pompey

According to Director of Sports, Neil Kumar, the ceremony will now be held on March 4.

Kumar said that because of the Mashramani celebrations, that culminates with today’s float parade, the ceremony had to be pushed back by one week.

President of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), Colin Boyce, said last evening that in his most recent  conversation with Pompey they had spoken of the possibility of extending her time in Guyana.

However, speaking with Stabroek Sport late last night Pompey affirmed that she will only be staying for one week in Guyana.  “I will be staying for just one week. I am aware that the awards (ceremony) have moved, but I wasn’t able to reschedule my visit, that’s life. I always love coming back home,” Pompey said.

Meanwhile, Boyce said that during Pompey’s stay here the association has plans on having her do a clinic to interact with some of the athletes and other athletics stakeholders.

“The awards ceremony is now off until March 4 but she (Pompey) couldn’t reschedule her ticket so she will be coming. So now when she comes we will see what we can do, we will be looking at arranging a programme for her because we’ll have to do something now that she can’t be at the ceremony,” Boyce said  “I know for sure that she will have a clinic with the athletes,” he added.  Kumar also assured that measures will be put in place to honour Pompey while she is here. However, he indicated that they will figure that out when Pompey gets here.

“We can’t make Aliann come here and we don’t do something, we will organise a visit with the Minister (of Sports) and we will do something for her. But let us look at it when she comes,” Kumar said.

Pompey will be staying as a guest of the Guyana Olympic Association at Olympic House, Main Street, during her stay.