The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) is set to run off their first event of the year, their national cross country race at the National Park from 16:00 hrs today.
The event which will be followed by a series of developmental meets marks the conclusion of the offseason and the opening of the pre-season as most clubs and athletes, including sprinters, take part in the event.
It also helps the AAG in identifying athletes to represent Guyana at the North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) cross country championships which is normally held in February.
Top flight athletes such as distance king Cleveland Forde who won last year’s edition is expected to be a part of this year’s edition along with the likes of local distance queen, Alika Morgan, Dennis Horatio, Cleveland Forde, Jevina Straker and some sprinters.
The event is also a talent spotting meet as it brought to fore the talented Nathaniel Giddings to the public’s eye along with Doretta Wilson from Rupununi (Region nine), who according to President of the AAG has given up on the sport without any specific reason.
Meanwhile all athletes including sprinters from the Police Sports Club will be competing at the event come tomorrow, according to AAG’s Coach-of-the-Year and Police coach Lyndon Wilson.
“Well our club is competing, including the sprinters. Generally we will not be focusing on winning but on completing the distance because it will serve as a conditioning course especially for the sprinters… maybe the distance athletes will focus more on winning but we are looking to complete the course with good timings,” Wilson revealed to Stabroek Sport.
The Running Brave Athletic Club on the other hand will only field seven or eight athletes and no sprinters will be included.
“We are only fielding seven or eight athletes… basically we have been doing foundation, strength and fitness work so the athletes are just going out there to run.
“We’ve also been doing a lot of odd event time trials to see where we are when compared to last year,” co-coach Sham Johnny of the club stated.
Efforts by Stabroek Sport yesterday to contact Robert Chisholm, coach of the Guyana Defence Force Sports Club, a key club in Guyana, proved futile.
However, the event is expected to see keen competition, especially among regular distance campaigners as they look to measure themselves against each other before the start of the Olympic season which is expected to heat up as time goes by.
