Junior vice-president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Ken Elexey passed away Saturday morning at the St Joseph Mercy Hospita,l where he succumbed to colon cancer. He was 49-years-old.
Media manager of the AAG, Leeron Brummell, told Stabroek Sport yesterday that Elexey went into the hospital two Fridays ago for normal treatment but developed complications relating to the disease.
“He went into the hospital around December 29 for normal treatment but developed complications,” Brummell said, adding that Elexey started taking treatment for colon cancer late October last year.
General Secretary of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Ivor O’Brien, said in an invited comment yesterday that Elexey’s death is a “great blow” to sport administration in Guyana.
“His death is a great blow to not only athletics but sports in general,” O’Brien said while stating that Elexey’s passing was sudden and surprising since he had no knowledge of the serious nature of the illness.
According to O’Brien, the death of Elexey would increase the shortage of good sports administrators in Guyana. He ranked Elexey as one of the better administrators in local sport.
“His death comes at a time when we are short of good sports administrators. Ken (Elexey) was one of the better administrators in the country,” the GOA general secretary noted.
Brummell said that Elexey became a member of the AAG’s council sometime around 1995. “Elexey was an official before he actually joined the AAG’s council more than 10 years ago,” he said.
Elexey got involved in athletics when the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) was affiliated to the AAG. His involvement was a direct consequence of his job at the Wales estate on the West Bank of Demerara.
The AAG junior vice-president was instrumental in the formation of the Running Hornets Track and Field Club. The club during its active years was one of the competitive clubs to have emerged out of the Wales community.
Apart from track and field, Elexey was once a part of the West Demerara Cricket Board. He subsequently worked as manager of the Wales ground where he ensured that the ground was well kept for cricket matches.
Stabroek Sport remembers Elexey as one of the more committed officials around the sport locally. Rain or shine, Elexey was always present to help wherever there was track and field. Stabroek Sport extends condolences to Elexey’s family and friends.
Brummell said that the AAG would host a wake for Elexey tomorrow night at the Wales Community Centre ground. The funeral service is set for Thursday from 2:30 pm at the New Life Full Gospel Church at Patentia.
