Last Sunday at the President’s Invitational Grand Prix, the ‘crème de la crème’ of local athletic talent was on show at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.
Organized by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), the President’s Invitational is considered the most prestigious event of the track and field calendar where both junior and senior athletes get a chance to compete locally at the highest level.
More often than not, athletes break or set their own records at this competition, and have used it as an opportunity to run qualifying times for regional competitions.
However, since the competition began four years ago, it has become customary that athletes are awarded items that are usually found on the gift list of a wedding instead of medals and trophies.
For instance last weekend at the President’s Invitational Grand Prix, athletes received teacup sets, glass sets, dinner bowls, cake mixers, toasters, non-stick pans and other crockery in all shapes and makes.
The situation has even gone to the extreme where one of the athletes received a knife set for his grand prix victory last year.
When asked to comment on the issue, president of the AAG Claude Blackmore told Stabroek Sport that giving crockery and household appliances as prizes was agreed on since the advent of the competition some four years ago.
“When the meet started four years ago we [organizers] decided that household appliances and those other things would be the prizes and not one athlete has objected and I do not think athletes have a problem with that,” he said.
Displeased – no momentos
However some of the athletes shared a totally different sentiment.
Rawle Greene, who has won the 100m in this competition on three consecutive years said: “I think it is embarrassing that after all that hard training that they gave us the athletes, things that we do not even use,” he said.
“I have so far won a toaster, a cake mixer, and an iron.
“Usually you look back at medals and trophies and recount your winnings with friends but my alternatives would be ironing, mixing a cake or toasting bread to show people what I received,” he added jokingly.
Greene also said that he had raised these concerns with the AGG President who informed him that no other athletes had a problem with the prizes.
However many of the winners at Sunday’s event told Stabroek Sport that they were displeased with the prizes.
Athlete number one declared: “I would have preferred a medal, because I already have enough glasses at home, I gave away my glass set to one of my friends.”
Athlete number two said: “At least give us something that will motivate us, you know something that we can be proud of.”
Athlete number three stated: “I honestly felt that they would have given us money since this is like the highest competition in Guyana.”
Athlete number four said: “I know every year they give us wares, but personally I rather medals or trophies because I know they won’t give us money.”
Athlete number five said: “Every year is just wares they giving we, so I didn’t really expect much this year.”
Alternatives
Many athletes also suggested alternative prizes that they felt were suitable for this event such as track suits, running apparel, water bottles, running shoes, medals/trophies, or even vouchers to redeem supplements from pharmacies.
Although it has never been accepted that athletes choose their own prizes, healthy suggestions should be welcomed since the athletes have indicated their displeasure with the prizes.
Based on the number of events that have not been sponsored, and athletes who have continuously missed regional events, it is fair to concur that the AAG has not been very successful in the marketing of the sport.
Members of the corporate sector usually sponsor the prizes for major competitions in other sports disciplines.
The rationale behind prizes is to create incentives to help raise the standard of the competition while rewarding the competitors for their performances.
If athletes cherish their winnings so much that they would give them away just minutes after receiving them, what does this say about the incentives offered at the country’s premier track and field competition?
