The CARIFTA Games contingent returned from Jamaica yesterday following their seven-medal haul heroics and during a meeting with Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, they were assured of individual rewards.
Team Guyana’s 14 representatives finished with two gold medals, three silver and two bronze during the 49th edition of the showpiece which was staged from April 16 to 18 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Three of them came courtesy of middle distance maestro, Attoya Harvey, who added 800m bronze to her CARIFTA Games debut medal haul after a dominant showing in the 1500m and placing second in the 3000m.
Anisha Gibbons added another CARIFTA Games javelin gold to her resume while Javon Roberts (Boys U-17 1500m) and Narissa McPherson (Girls U-17 400m) snared silver medals in their respective events. Adriel Austin (800m) copped Guyana’s other bronze.
Ramson Jr told the athletes and their families that the meeting is not in any way the planned celebrating of their successes, but rather, a welcome back to their homeland after their sojourn.
He assured that he, and by extension the Government, will listen to what the athletes want and seek to honour their endeavours.
“Through the National Sports Commission [NSC], the Ministry will have a much more celebratory kind of engagement for you but I also want to have a session with you so you can tell me individually, what is important to you, like what you want to do in your life, so as Government of Guyana we can make those things happen for you”, the Minister explained.
He however made it clear that he was not making “generalized offers” as he was well aware that each individual has individual dreams and the government’s focus is on “helping the athletes to get to the next stage.”
Declaring to the athletes that this “is not the end, this is just the beginning,” the minister emphasised that it was imperative that they keep up the hard work that brought them success.
Chairman of the NSC, Kashif Muhammad, echoed similar sentiments and said he was proud to see the athletes represent the nation proudly on the biggest stage for junior athletics in the Region.
An excess of 450 athletes from 25 territories converged on the ‘Land of Wood and Water’ for the 49th edition of the Region’s largest athletics competition for U17 and U20 athletes.
The three-day meeting has fostered several of the Caribbean’s top athletes, including Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Debbie Ferguson, Yohan Blake, Kirani James, Shauna Miller-Uibo and Shericka Jackson. and many others.
