Guyana’s CARIFTA Games team returns home to rousing welcome
By
Keno George
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Guyana’s CARIFTA Games athletes arrived in Guyana at just around 2 pm yesterday, where they were received by Director of Sport Christopher Jones and Athletics Association of Guyana President Aubrey Hutson, along with Department of Culture representatives, family, and well-wishers. The team arrived yesterday from Curacao after placing fifth at the CARIFTA Games, successfully copping four gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals. The National Sports Commission and the Athletics Association of Guyana had promised the athletes a hero’s welcome.
Guyana’s CARIFTA Games athletes arrived in Guyana at just around 2 pm yesterday, where they were received by Director of Sport Christopher Jones and Athletics Association of Guyana President Aubrey Hutson, along with Department of Culture representatives, family, and well-wishers. The team arrived yesterday from Curacao after placing fifth at the CARIFTA Games, successfully copping four gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals. The National Sports Commission and the Athletics Association of Guyana had promised the athletes a hero’s welcome.
Director of Sport Christopher Jones pours a beverage for one of the CARIFTA Games athletes in the VIP Lounge at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
Addressing the athletes, Director of Sport Christopher Jones likened their achivements to a ‘resurrection’. “I would want to say to you athletes that over the weekend, even though we observed the resurrection of Christ, is that essentially what you were able to achieve over the weekend is what we would call the resurrection of Guyana’s place as it relates to sports…your achievement, if you know what you have caused, is that essentially you have re-sparked, re-kindled, re-ignited the flame of the importance of sports in the development of young people and Guyana as a whole,” Jones stated.
Hugs were in abundance for the athletes yesterday from friends, family, and even strangers. Lindener Compton Caesar, being greeted above, copped a gold medal in the 100m sprint at the CARIFTA Games, the first in Guyanese history.
Guyana’s CARIFTA Games 2017 athletes yesterday after arriving at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, along with their head coach and other supporting members of the team.
The CARIFTA Games Team, after being picked up at the airport, was escorted to Georgetown by a motorcade made up of a music truck, police, and Department of Culture officials. Here, the athletes waved flags at onlookers as the bus manoeuvred through Regent Street’s afternoon traffic, on the way to State House to meet President David Granger.
President David Granger congratulated the youths for their accomplishments at the CARIFTA Games, and handed out Independence 2017 coins to commemorate the occasion.
Claudrice McKoy receiving a t-shirt from President David Granger to commemorate the 2017 CARIFTA games. The t-shirt features the photos of the athletes who participated in the event. McKoy won the gold medal in the 3000 m race, and copped bronze in the 1500m.
