Meshing academics and sports key for young athletes

The organisers of the upcoming Independence Track Field Meet slated for May 27 -28 at the Leonora Track and Field Facility are aiming to guide more local athletes into being successful at a life both on and off the track.

President of the Guyana Overseas Based Sports Association Inc. (GOBSA) stated  “Our motto is to develop Guyana’s youth locally and internationally through grounded education and we are here to help those athletes in need”.
Former athlete Gordon Lewis also shared similar sentiments since he was beneficiary of a student/athlete scholarship.
“We just want them to know that athletics is a mechanism, as a way out, where you can get a good education but last year we had a good event and we feel the need to make this event an annual event, but the intention is to encourage the athletes track and field can actually get you where you want to be in life,” Lewis noted.
Organiser within the Association, Oswald Thomas, shared what the organisation hopes to accomplish within Guyana’s athletics framework.
“We want help them gain the opportunities to further themselves, we don’t want to deplete the talent here but we want to help these athletes be positive youths through scholarships,” Thomas mentioned.
The organizers highlighted that the meet will come in handy as a sort of warm-up for the athletes that are currently preparing for the South American U-20 Championships set for June 3 and 4 at Leonora.
Medals and trophies will be given to winners, while bicycles will also be handed out. Cash prizes will go out to winners in the open categories, the amounts are yet to be set for the two day event which begins at 11:00 hrs each day.