National Cycling Coach Hassan Mohammed in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) will host their annual Youth Olympic Day Cycling Meet set for Saturday.
Flashback! Dr Karen Pilgrim (centre front) along with winners from the 2017 Olympic Day Cycling Meet
Five exciting categories will feature some of the best young prospects competing for the top honours when they converge at the inner circuit of the National Park from 09:30h.
Among the categories riders will do battle in are: BMX Boys 6-9 years (2 laps); Boys 9-12 years (2 laps); Boys 12-14 years (3 laps); Mountain Bike (5 laps) and 12-14 juniors and juveniles (10 laps).
The event is hosted in recognition of Olympic Day, which was observed on June 20. Last year, Nigel Duguid won the 10-lap feature event in a time of 24 minutes and 36 seconds, with Curtis Dey and Jason Cameron finishing second and third respectively.
Jonathon Ramsuchit won the 12-14 category while Jeremiah Harrison won the 9-12 BMX Boys and Lumesh Singh 6-9 Boys. This event, which forms part of the celebration of Olympic Day worldwide, was included in the Olympic Charter in 1978, encouraging all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to organise activities which promote the Olympic movement.
Mohammed also indicated that this event would sprout new talent who would like to get involved in the sport and could benefit from the 42nd “Teach Them Young Programme”, which rides off from July 9 to September 1 in the National Park.
The yearly programme, which is held during the summer vacation, targets schoolchildren but is not limited to them as Mohammed pointed out the event is open to anyone interested in the sport.
To be a part of the action is simple, all you need is protective gear, especially a helmet, as well as a bicycle in working order. Hassan explained that the programme is absolutely free and all that is required is to be registered. Persons desirous of registering can do so at the National Park or at the National Sports Commission.
The programme has groomed 95 per cent of the cyclists who have represented Guyana including current Secretary General of the GOA, Hector Edwards, who was part of the inaugural run of the programme in 1976.
As the years rolled by, it has groomed the likes of Marcus and Noel Fiedtkou, Byron and Burtram James, Godfrey Pollydore, Dwayne Gibbs, Linden Dowridge, Robin Persaud, Eric Sankar and Tyrone Hamilton, Troy Humphrey, Alex and Reginald Mendz, Junior Niles, Geron Williams, Warren McKay, Raynauth Jeffrey, Michael Anthony, Hamza Eastman, Raphael Leung, and Jamal John.
The programme will run Monday to Friday from 09:00h to 11:00h.
