The local-based members of Guyana’s Carifta Track and Field team returned home Thursday morning from Kingston, Jamaica, with seven medals, and were greeted with fanfare from family along with members of the National Sports Commission and Athletics Guyana.
On Thursday afternoon, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., hosted the athletes at his Main Street office and assure them and their families this meeting is no way the planned way of celebrating their success, but rather a welcome back to their homeland after their successful outing.
The Minister revealed that he and by extension the Government will listen to what the athletes want and seek to honour those endeavours.
“Through the National Sports Commission, 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.
Noting that he seeks not to make “generalised offers” due to each individual having their own dreams, their focus is on “helping the athletes to get to the next stage.”
Ramson Jr. sounded to the athletes that this “is not the end, this is just the beginning” and it is imperative that they upkeep the hard work that brought them success.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Muhammad, echoed similar sentiments of the Minister and was proud to see the athletes represent Guyana proudly on the biggest stage for junior athletics in the Caribbean.
Athletics Guyana President, Aubrey Hutson reflected on the long hours of preparation which was the building block for success.
Fourteen athletes represented Guyana at the 49th edition of the Games over the Easter weekend.
Guyana finished with seven medals with Attoya Harvey leading the charge with gold (U-17 1500m), silver (U-20 3000m), and bronze (U-17 800m).
Also medalling at the three-day event were Anisha Gibbons, who won gold in the Under-20 Javelin, adding to her gold at the U-17 level two years ago; Narissa McPherson took silver in the Under-17 400m, Javon Roberts also claimed a silver in the Under-17 1500m and Adriel Austin a bronze in the Under-20 800m.
