The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), in conjunction with 100 Degrees Sports and FK Sports, launched the first National Track and Field Grand Prix series on Friday morning.
Athletics Guyana President Aubrey Hutson
The Arrowhead League would encompass five different track meets, and would be an invitational event that features Guyana’s best athletes.
At a press conference held at the AAG Headquarters, President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Aubrey Hutson, shared the format of the league. “It’s a five-part series, and it will have a relegation system. For instance, in the 100 metres, if you do not make the finals, then we will bring in a fresh eight sprinters to run the next set of 100 metres; but it will be strictly invitational.”
Organiser of the Arrowhead League, Treiston Joseph
Hutson also shared, “Outside of the road races, where the senior athletes would come into some rewards, there is nothing there for our senior track athletes doing from 5000m all the way down to 100m. We’ve been losing athletes once they come out of high school, and the reason for it is that, once we did our survey, there is nothing rewarding for them to stay,” the AAG boss explained.
Hutson divulged that only the top-16 athletes are expected to be selected in the country at the end of the 100m and 200m events, as those events would comprise heats and a final. Competition for males would consist of 100m, 400m and 5,000m events.
Females would participate in 200m and 800m events, while, moving on to the next round, there will be a reversal of events in terms of gender.
Field events would comprise of javelin and shotput competitions, and only the top three would advance out of the eight competing contestants. Activities are expected to be wrapped up in forty minutes.
Hutson also made mention that once facilities in Linden and New Amsterdam come into play, the events can be moved to various facilities and return for the grand finale at a given location.
Organizer of the event, Treiston Joseph of 100 Degrees Sports, shared the thought behind investing in such an event. “The significance of the event is to promote development of the sport on the local front, where athletes can have a competitive environment similar to the Diamond League,” Joseph highlighted.
Meanwhile, Proprietor of FK Sports, Felix Walker, noted the reason for signing on with the event, which he views as visionary. “This is long-term, and, as a company, we are happy to be part of anything that promotes the development of athletes and our young people, and we hope that corporate Guyana can see the vision and come on board,” Walker noted.
In the preliminary round of competition, athletes will be rewarded from first to third. First position would cart off $10,000, second $6000, and third $4000. It is expected that in the grand finale, the athletes would be able to pocket double the rewards.
The first two events of the series will be held on April 30 and May 1 at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora, WCD.
