GTU’s c/ships are not used to select athletes
- AAAG president Blackmoore
by Candyss Odle
Stabroek News
March 8, 2003
President of the Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana (AAAG) Claude Blackmoore said yesterday it was not necessary for athletes to participate in the Guyana Teachers’ Union national athletic championships in order to be selected by the AAAG for international competitions.
Blackmoore was responding to an article in Friday’s [ please note: link provided by LOSP web site ] edition of Stabroek News which reported Guyana Teachers Union (GTU)’s Field Officer Lance Baptiste as saying if the national schools championships did not come off persons to represent Guyana at junior international meets would be unable to showcase their talent in a bid to gain selection.
Blackmoore explained that the GTU does not have any juniors to send to international meetings and that the AAAG does not select athletes to represent Guyana at international meets based on their performances at the national schools championships. The athletes are selected based on their performances at trials and competitions organised only by the AAAG, Blackmoore said.
He also declared that as much as the AAAG would hate to see the national schools championships not come off the officials must understand that regardless of an athlete’s performance at the championships, he/she must meet Carfita standards which are determined at the Carifta Trials to be held in April.
“The athletes to represent Guyana at the Carifta Games will be decided at the Carifta Trials and, depending on their performances at the Carifta Games, it will be decided which athletes will go on to participate in the Junior Pan Am games to be held in Barbados from the 17th to 20th of July,” Blackmoore stated.
Blackmoore also pointed out that the athletes who perform well at the Carifta Games, will also participate in other international meets like the Whitsuntide Games and, based on their performances at those meets, a team will be shortlisted for the Pan Am Games.
He explained that the Pan Am Games are much more competitive due to the fact that countries like Mexico, Cuba, United States of America and Canada also compete whereas, the Carifta Games see only athletes from the 24 countries which make up CARICOM compete.
Blackmoore disclosed that about three weeks ago, invitations were sent to various schools and clubs for their athletes to be part of the upcoming Carifta Trials to be held at the Uitvlugt Community centre ground.
