Next year, Guyana will be in a better position to attend Caribbean Cycling Championships

–says Guyana Cycling Federation President Linden Dowridge

By Brandon Corlette

The Caribbean Cycling Championships took place in the city of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on August 12, but Team Guyana did not participate in the event.

According to Guyana Cycling Federation President Linden Dowridge, this was because of the shifting of host territories and the readiness of local cyclists.
The Guyana Cycling Federation had initially shortlisted a team to participate in the event, which had been slated for Cuba. That team had included Jamaul John, Briton John and Christopher Griffith, among others. It was also understood that veteran rider Alex Mendes was on that team.

Speaking to Guyana Times Sport, GCF President Linden Dowridge said next year Guyana would be in a better position to attend the Championships, and the team will be looking for a clean sweep.

“The Championship were then removed for some reason, to (be staged in) another country. The John boys joined teams overseas and opted to leave the team. We did not know where the Championships were being held. Later, we learnt that it was to be held in Guadeloupe, then again it was moved to the Dominican Republic,” Dowridge explained.

He added: “If you are moving an event around so close, each new location has a different demand. It would be unfair for us to prepare our cyclists for those events in such a short period of time. It is unfair to the athletes, and unfair to our sponsors. Next year, we will be in position to attend the games, and we will be going full force for a clean sweep, including the ladies’ component.”
The Caribbean Championships served as qualification for the Pan American Youth Games scheduled for Cali, Colombia from November 25 to December 5, 2021. Seven qualification spots would be allocated in the U-23 category.