Carifta Games athletes to receive “ongoing support” from gov’t

Guyana’s medal-winning contingent at the recently concluded 49^th Carifta Games in Kingston, Jamaica, is set to receive “ongoing support” from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission, “tailored to their personal circumstances and their respective education stage.”

This was announced by the Ministry on Wednesday after individual closed-door meetings with the athletes, their coaches and families and relevant stakeholders, including Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr., Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle and President of Athletics Guyana Aubrey Hutson.

“At the session, the attendees discussed with the Minister their immediate and medium term goals and how the Government of Guyana could support the young athletes in their athletic careers and their education. At the end of each session, decisions were made by Minister Ramson for ongoing support by the Ministry and the National Sports Commission tailored to their personal circumstances and their respective education stage,” the Ministry said.

“The Minister made the support conditional on the athletes continuing their education and athletics training programme with the aim of qualifying for the World Junior Championship standards and advancing to university.”

Fourteen athletes represented Guyana at the Games held 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.