– GCF pledges full support
Blazers Cycling Club was formed last Thursday at Benjamin’s Sports Store of Fyrish, Corentyne, Berbice to ventilate a passion to involve women in cycling, and to assist other persons who are desirous of participating in the sport.
Former national cyclist Shenika Teixeira and her overseas-based counterpart Randolph Toussaint are the brains behind the club’s formation. Teixeira had commenced her cycling career as a junior in the Flying Ace Cycle Club before moving to PSC Trojans, where she had won junior and juvenile titles in the women’s category in competing at the National Schools Athletics, Cycling and Swimming Championships.
She was denied opportunity to participate in the last Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships hosted last year at Bartica in Guyana, and so decided to start her own club to involve women in the sport of cycling.
Her mentor is the former national cycling champion Randolph Toussaint, who is now a veteran but still participates in cycling activities overseas. Shenika had reached out to him during her early career, and he has since been her guide. He readily agreed to help Shenika achieve her dream.
The first five racing bicycles, headgear and other cycling equipment that cyclists in the club would use have already been obtained.
Teixeira had earned a distinction in the Caribbean Examination Council’s General Proficiency in Physical Education examination, and she plans to use this platform as her first step in preparing the women who are affiliated to the club. They anticipate taking the club to the next level in cycling.
The Executive Committee that would run the day-to-day activities of the Blazers Cycling Club (BCC) has already been elected. They are: President, sports journalist Mark Bradford; Vice President, veteran cycling champion Randolph Toussaint; Secretary, former national female cyclist Shenika Teixeira; Treasurer, Debra Hurst; and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Gail Thomas.
President of the Guyana Cycling Federation, Linden Dowridge, and General Secretary Marc Sonoram have already met members of the Executive Committee and members of the newly formed club, whom they congratulated for the effort in expanding the sport in this area of Guyana.
Dowridge has cautioned that while it is a great move to form the club, members must not allow themselves to be “burnt out”. Speaking at length, he detailed his career as a cyclist and highlighted the success he achieved through much hard work and dedication to training.
Stressing that family support is pivotal to the career of a cyclist, he committed to assist in the development of all cyclists and to provide technical assistance to the club.
Dowridge has said that a cyclist must be dedicated to cycling in order to develop a career of participation in the sport. Each cyclist must have educational support, and the GCF would soon be implementing moves to help in this development.
GCF General Secretary Marc Sonoram, who spoke briefly on constitutional requirements, affiliation, licensing, and the discipline expected from cyclists, made it clear that the GCF is always open to assist in the club’s development in whatever way is possible.
Blazers Cycling Club is now the third cycling club in East Berbice (Region 6), and is expected to bring to the sport keen competition in the female category in 2021.
