Pompey wants Guyanese athletes to seize opportunities beyond the track
By Avenash Ramzan
World Olympians Association’s Executive Committee Member, Aliann Pompey, said Guyanese athletes must recognise and grab the opportunities that are available outside of competing.
Pompey, the four-time Guyanese Olympian, got the nod to serve on the Association this week, and highlighted the avenues for growth even after those competitive days are over.
“It’s always with pride and joy I represent the Golden Arrowhead, so I think for us a nation to now have someone on the World Olympians Association, the IOC Athletes Commission, the Pan Am Sports Athletes Commission and Pan Am Sports Executive Board, where I’m not only a member, but so is [Guyana Olympic Association president] Mr. Juman Yassin, I think there is definitely a pattern of Guyanese people kind of doing well in sport administration internationally and I hope our athletes see this and notice there are other opportunities available outside of [competitive] sport.”
“Doing this has been an opportunity for me to continue to do what I love, which is be around track and field and be around sport, in other capacities. I look forward to working with everyone in ensuring that the success of the region is shared with all the countries and stakeholders.”
Decorated athlete/administrator
Pompey represented Guyana at four Olympic Games (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012) and is a Commonwealth Games 400m gold medallist in 2002 in Manchester.
She also earned a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and a bronze at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo.
Pompey has represented Guyana at five Outdoor World Championships, and the IAAF World Indoor Championships on four occasions. Her personal best time in the 400m was achieved in August 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, with a mark of 50.71s.
Since her retirement from the track, Pompey has ventured into coaching and administration, leading the effort in hosting her very own Aliann Pompey Invitational, hosted in Guyana annually. The meet usually attracts top athletes from the Caribbean and beyond.
Just this year, World Athletics announced that the event was added to the Continental Tour, which means competing athletes have the opportunity to receive world ranking points ahead of the Olympic Games and World Championships.
Aside from her elevation to the Executive Committee of the World Olympians Association, Pompey also serves as President of the PanAm Sports Athlete Commission, Liaison on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes Commission and a member of the PanAm Sports Executive Board.
Pompey is also the Assistant Coach (Sprints and Hurdles) at St. John’s University, USA.
Academically, Pompey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance with a minor in Communications and an M.B.A. in Finance from Manhattan College.