Team Guyana’s delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was officially unveiled yesterday with seven athletes set to represent the country in four disciplines in Tokyo, Japan.
During a press briefing at the headquarters of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), it was announced that Team Guyana’s delegation will comprise of 16 people – seven athletes and nine officials including a COVID Liaison Officer/Physiotherapist to the July 23 to August 8 global showpiece event.
Athletics will field Emanuel Archibald (100m) and sisters, Aliyah (400m) and Jasmine Abrams (100m).
Andrew Fowler (100m freestyle) and Aleka Persaud (50m freestyle) will represent the country in swimming. Chelsea Edghill is the table tennis representative and Keevin Allicock (52-57kg) will compete in boxing.
According to Chef-de-Mission of the sojourn, Garfield Wiltshire, Angelica Holder was named as the COVID Liaison Officer/Physiotherapist while four-time Olympian, Aliann Pompey, will travel as the athlete representative.
Holder spoke briefly of the role she will play during the event which was postponed last year due to several restrictions imposed due to the pandemic.
“As the COVID protocols relate, everyone travelling to Tokyo will be undergoing daily testing, twice a day. I would have to report on the current status of everyone- coaches, officials and athletes- including myself, on whether negative or positive results have been submitted.”
Holder added “I would also have to make arrangements with Tokyo if we have any persons testing positive, to get them isolated or get them to the hospital if symptoms are present. Luckily, I’m also a Physiotherapist who worked in the COVID unit so I can also handle any severe respiratory distress”
She continued: “Everyone in the delegation is required to download two Apps prior to travelling, one is the Ocha App, which is basically a health reporting App; that’s what they will use to report their status every day. When they arrive in Tokyo, they will also have to download the Cocoa App, which is basically an App that everyone in the Olympic Village will be using via Bluetooth.”
The Cocoa App will record positive COVID-19 cases within the Olympic Village and notify persons who have been in close proximity to immediately isolate, Holder explained.
Below is the full list of the members of the delegation which will depart on varying dates from various parts of the globe prior to the Games’ opening ceremony:
Garfield Wiltshire- Chef-de-Mission
Angelica Holder- COVID Liaison Officer/ Physiotherapist
Deion Nurse- Secretary General
Aliann Pompey- Athlete Representative
Emanuel Archibald- (Athlete) Men’s 100m
Aliyah Abrams- (Athlete) Women’s 400m
Jasmine Abrams- (Athlete) Women’s 100m
Julian Edmonds- Athletics Manager/Coach
Denzel Abrams- Athletics Coach
Chelsea Edghill- (Athlete) Women’s Table Tennis
Idi Lewis- Table Tennis Coach
Keevin Allicock- (Athlete) 52-57kg Boxing
Sebert Blake- Boxing Coach
