OPINION: The system sends another warning
Says Treiston Joseph
Not even a year has passed since his historic Under-18 World Championships silver medal, yet Daniel Williams finds himself in a peculiar yet somewhat familiar situation.
In July 2017, Williams recorded a time of 46.72s to win silver at the Under-18 World Championships in the 400m; a time that if he had recorded again on Saturday (March 31, 2018) he would have been a Carifta silver medallist. The gold medal time was 46.58s.
Instead, Williams ran a time of 48.35s to place seventh in the final at Carifta Games, a competition that is deemed lower in magnitude and competitiveness than the World Championships.
In February, I wrote an article titled ‘The reality of UG and Track and Field’ where I noted the possible effect of a non-existent sport support system on athletes attending the tertiary institution.
I specifically referenced to Williams’ enrollment and the possible damage it can cause to his blossoming career. It would appear, quite unfortunately, that the warning fell on deaf ears.
SEE LINK: (http://newsroom.gy/2018/02/16/opinion-the-reality-of-ug-and-track-and-field/)
The University of Guyana does not provide the scope for athletes to train, since the institution solely focuses on academics and even though regular participation in sport has increased, thanks to Sport Coordinator Lavern Fraser-Thomas, the ability to actively train while attending campus has practically been non-existent.
It was obvious that Williams’ enrollment would lessen his training time; his hours spent being supervised by a knowledgeable coach in addition to consistency with regard to his running mechanics and level of motivation.
The system, with regard specifically to track and field, one way or the other, has continued to fail our talented athletes and I can go as recent as Jason Yaw or as far back as James Wren-Gilkes; the list by now is miles long.
The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has no doubt seen increasing success at the regional level, but whether that is a result of pure genius by the administration or the natural ability of athletes in conjunction with good coaching remains up for debate; I would bet my dollar on the latter.
Williams’ enrollment to the University of Guyana can be directly blamed for his lack of performance, as it certainly played a part by cutting his amount of hours in training, because I can say one thing with certainty about Daniel Williams, he is better than 48.35s.
Nevertheless, academic achievements are obviously important to Williams, which is understood, but the powers that be made a grave mistake by not finding a clearer path for him to achieve the success he desires both on and off the track.
It’s an age-old battle most juniors have faced, with most falling to the system or the lack thereof.
With no Sports Policy in place or a plan that identifies a solid path to develop athletes by the AAG, the future seems similar to what most athletes have faced before, except for the competition here and there.
The only hope is that Williams, who is probably inured at this point in his career, remains focused and motivated to continue his journey in a country that will provide little to no help for unpolished gems.
That is the harsh reality of the sport system, moreso athletics in Guyana.