No approval: AAG forced to postpone South American 10k

The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has been forced to postpone this weekend’s South American 10k after approval was not granted by the Minister of Health/National COVID-19 Task Force to host the one-day event.

The event was slated for Sunday (December 6).

In its initial schedule, the AAG posted November 29 for an all-local South American 10k. It was then shifted to Sunday, pending approval from the Minister of Health and the Task Force.

November 1 marked the resumption of non-contact sport activities, pending the approval of the Minister of Health, and the approved party then having to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines.

This was confirmed by Col. Nazrul Hussain, Director of the COVID-19 Task Force.

“The Minister has not granted approval for the series of activities that was requested to be done by the AAG,” Hussain told News Room Sport on Friday.

The AAG usually stages the event along Carifesta Avenue, culminating in the National Park, but this year opted to do it on the West Coast of Demerara, from Mary to Edinburgh, to avoid any congestion of possible spectators.

First Vice-President of the AAG, Assistant Superintendent Sheryl Hermonstine, also confirmed the postponement of the event and indicated they will work on getting approval to host it next Sunday (December 13).

She indicated they would have sent in their request some three weeks ago.

The AAG had hosted Cross-Country races on November 15 in New Amsterdam and Linden.

Hermonstine said that as of Thursday (December 3), 52 athletes had registered for the 10k. Athletes in the Open category would compete for a first-place prize of G$150,000.

The sponsors are Banks DIH Limited and Guyana Overseas Based Sport Association Inc.

Last year, the Kenyans came and dominated the event. An all-local event though would pit the likes of Winston Missigher, Cleveland Forde and Cleveland Thomas going head-to-head for the title.

In 2018, a drained Forde edged ahead of Missigher, and Thomas was third.