Guyana would be represented by Commonwealth Games 400 metres women’s gold medallist, Aliann Pompey.

Following this would be the Central Games in Trinidad and Tobago, April 5 and 6, the annual Carifta Games, April 19-21, also in the twin island Republic. Added to these would be the South American Seniors and the CAC Seniors in Grenada.

To this end, the association is sparing no pains to make its National Athletics Championships one of the best ever. Performances here would be the criteria for selecting juniors for Carifta and the seniors for the other engagements. The association has reverted the competition to a two-day day affair and it would be held at the Uitvlugt Community Development Centre ground, West Coast Demerara, commencing 10:30 hrs daily.

The championships would be in three categories for youths (Under-17 years), juniors (Under-20 years) both calculated as at the December 31, 2003 as well as women and men. Invitations have already been issued to all affiliated clubs and schools, as well as to the various districts of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU).

Based on the performances seen at the recently concluded National Track Relays Championships, president of the AAAG, Claude Blackmore, feels that the team to this year’s Carifta Games would return with more than the two medals won last year in the Bahamas. For one thing, he feels that a larger contingent would be afforded the opportunity of attending this year’s games.

Blackmore also pointed out that the Bygeval Multilateral School, which represented the association in the first Caribbean Secondary Schools Relay Fair in Barbados, was able to obtain two third places in the 4 x 200 metres and the 4 x 400 metres. He stated that the relays would be one area where the association would be looking to send athletes; for Guyana has not participated in relays at Carifta or any of the other Junior competitions for the longest while.

Meanwhile, manager of the athletics gold squad, Pamela Phillips has been moving around the various training venues in Georgetown to check on those athletes who are still in the squad. She noted that athletes such as Tai Payne, Keith Roberts and Michelle Vaughn have moved out of the junior category, as they would turn 20 years during 2003 while Randy Lee has migrated.