President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Kalam Juman-Yassim, along with coaches in the various disciplines along with their athletes have all declared that they have high hopes as the Guyanese contingent travels today to the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Mark Scott who is the coach of a four-member athletics squad told media operatives that the GOA has given timely assistance that was required to help the team. He opined that because of the fact that most of the athletes are currently training abroad, they should be able to cart off medals.
President of the GOA K.A JUMAN-YASSIN (far left) with coaches and some of the athletes at the associations headquarters on High Street
Emmanuel Archibald and Natrena Hooper who ran at the recent Penn Relays in the US are part of the athletics quartet. He pointed out that “just last week Winston (George) ran a 20.78s 200m and was a part of the male 4x100m at the Penn Relays, while Alita Moore, who is our only local athlete, is fit and ready”.
Clifton Moore, who is the coach of boxing, noted that his boxers, Joel Williamson and Desmond Amsterdam, recently attended a two-week training stint in Trinidad and Tobago, funded by the GOA and have gone through “vast improvements” in the two-month lead up to the games.
Likewise, Table Tennis Coach Idi Lewis noted that the Islamic games will give his six-member squad comprising of Christopher Franklin, Nigel Bryan, Joel Alleyne, Chelsea Edghill, Trenace Lowe and Natalie Cummings, a chance to be world ranked.
Swimming will be represented by Andrew Fowler and Earlando McRae while Judokas are Joshua Buchanan and Earskine Trotman; Adrian Spellen, who is an overseas based athlete, is Guyana’s lone representative in Taekwando.
The overseas based persons will join the contingent ahead of the May 12 -22 Games.
