Standout student/athlete Ezekiel Newton is set to receive the full support of the Government of Guyana, President Irfaan Ali announced on Friday.
In delivering feature remarks at the launch of the Vigilance Sports Ground Enhancement Project, President Ali praised the East Coast Demerara athlete for his excellence in sport and academics, stating that the government is committed to the professional growth of the 17-year-old.
Sprinter Newton was outstanding at the recently concluded Inter-Guiana Games and the 60th National Schools Championship, dominating in the 100m and 200m.
The aspiring Engineer is keen on extending his dominance on the track, and this latest development is a major boost to that goal.
President Ali told the young athlete in the presence of a large gathering at the launch: “The Government of Guyana will support you fully in your professional pursuit. We will ensure that we put the resources to give you the best possible training and all that you need to take you career forward because we believe in you.”
Ezekiel Newton (centre) stormed to gold in the U-18 100m final and broke the record in his qualifying race
Newton recorded a Personal Best time of 21.45s earlier this year to cop silver in the 200m at the South American Under-18 Championship, before winning the sprint double at the Inter-Guiana Games in November.
The soft-spoken youth then followed up with gold in the 100m at ‘Nationals’ and silver in the 200m, while also claiming the Under-18 100m record with a time of 10.62s.
“Not only are you impressive with your athletics skills,” the President added, “but I just heard that your grades and academics are also impressive.”
Newton said the opportunity being afforded to him by the President and the Government is one he is looking to maximize on in shaping his career.
The talented youth said his ultimate aim is to enter the professional league.
The Head-of-State also touched on the possibility of bringing international talent spotters to Guyana to assess the talent pool and create opportunities for further advancement of local athletes.
