-defending champs GDF expect to keep title
The Guyana Police Force is heading into the final day of competition in the 2012 Inter-Services Annual Athletic Championships as the leaders having amassed a total of 267 points after two days of rivalry.
The 2010 champions of the events, the GPF lead the field by nine points after the first day and by the second day had extended their lead by sweeping the top positions in the shot put and triple jump competitions.
Meanwhile, defending champions, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) track team is holding on to second place with 234 points after 16 finals over two days. The Guyana Fire Service is in third place with 53 points while the Prison Service is holding up the rear with 27 points.
GDF Coach Robert Chisholm told Stabroek Sport yesterday that although his team trails by 33 points at the start of the final day, he is not worried. “Their (GPF) strength is the field and we have seen in the first two days what they can do but it’s our time now because; our strength is the track,” Chisholm said.
An IAAF certified coach, Chisholm had expressed similar sentiments last year before the army overcame a 46-point deficit entering the final day to win the Championships by one point. With this in mind, the coach said that his team’s chances of repeating this feat are not only possible, but realistic.
“There will always be surprises but we cater for that, you always have to make room for the unexpected,” he added. However, Chisholm maintains that the GDF is the more dominant of the two teams on the track and with 25 events remaining; he expects that his team will be able to seize victory once again.
Chisholm believes an exciting and keenly contested final day of competition is in store but holds firm that the odds are heavily in his team’s favour.
“The lead is very manageable. When you look at the points system you can see that all we have to do is come one, two, three in two or three events and that lead is gone,” he said.
The GDF track team comprises defending 100m and 200m champion Rupert Perry and 800m champion Cleveland Forde both of whom will be defending their titles today at Camp Ayanganna.
Last year the army swept the 100m with Perry, Quinse Clarke and Jermaine Newton taking the first three spots and all three athletes will again be competing this year. Quarter-miler Patrick King has stepped up his game and will be looking to dethrone Olympian Winston George in the men’s 400m. King will also be teaming up with Perry in the 200m. The GDF team will also benefit from the talent of National Junior Sprint Champion Letitia Myles who will be competing in the 100m and 200m.
