The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) will continue its track season with the staging of the World Athletic Day track meet tomorrow at the Eve Leary Sports Club Ground from 10:00hrs.
In 1996 the meet was created by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) to promote athletics as the primary sport in schools and institutions, and to encourage and introduce new talent and youngsters in the field of athletics.
The event is celebrated on any chosen day in the month of May by the respective federations of each country.
The meet was introduced to the AAG’s calendar the same year of its birth by the former president of the AAG, Claude Blackmore and has blossomed into an event that has produced former and current champions, especially in sprint events.
The athletes will be competing in two categories which are the under-15 and 18 categories and will have a chance to win a lottery draw to view the World Championships or Olympics. Their names will be presented to the IAAF by the AAG and placed in a lottery for a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to either of the prestigious world meets.
The late Mark Williams was the only athlete from Guyana to win the IAAF lottery. He viewed the Olympics in 1996 which was held in Atlanta, USA.
President of the AAG Colin Boyce said that the meet will be an event for talent spotting and anticipates a good level of competition.
New faces will feature at the meet as invitations have been extended to schools but there will be familiar faces such as Jevina Sampson, upcoming sprinter Keon Lynch and 800 metres finalist at this year’s Carifta Games, Melissa Byass.
Meanwhile admission to the ground will be free and the future of Guyana’s athletics will be on display.
