District Nine (Lethem) will be at a heavy disadvantage in this year’s edition of the National Schools Championships when the event runs off today because they may be suffering travel fatigue after a 500-mile overland journey just hours before competition time.
The team had been encamped at the Amerindian Hostel in Region Nine since November 5th but the participation of the full team is in doubt since sources in the region confirmed that the athletics squad is still there.
Founder-member of the Rupununi Athletics and Sports Academy (RASA), Brian Rodrigues, who normally overlooks the welfare of athletes in the region, told Stabroek Sport that the team usually leaves three days in advance to participate in the championships.
“These athletes normally leave three days in advance and the latest they should have left was Saturday. They have been encamped since last Saturday (Nov 5) and no strong word on their travel has been issued,” Rodrigues stated.
However, the swimmers and the 10 kilometres participants left yesterday morning at 10:00hrs and were expected to arrive in Georgetown at midnight last night and will have to compete approximately five hours afterwards which will put them at a grave disadvantage after a journey of approximately 500 miles, according to Rodrigues.
Meanwhile the Region Nine athletics team is expected to arrive in Georgetown at midnight tonight since another bus and truck were supposedly issued to the team for transportation, according to a reliable source.
“Taking these athletes to nationals is something that has been going on for years now and I don’t understand what the whole runaround is about this year…It’s like the bigger ones don’t know what they are about,” the source told Stabroek Sport via telephone.
Rodrigues who informed Stabroek Sport of the situation concluded that he was saddened by the fact that more effort wasn’t made to get the athletes out earlier and it is unfair for them to travel so close to their competition schedule and be expected to compete at a high level.
Rodrigues also indicated to Stabroek Sport that while the athletes are scheduled to leave, there is still some amount of doubt. (Treiston Joseph)
