Youth or experience? AAG’s Commonwealth Games conundrum

By Michelangelo Jacobus

With little over two months remaining before the Commonwealth Games kick off at Gold Coast, Australia in April; the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) seems to have a conundrum on their hands concerning the selection of their five-member team to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the games.
Speaking to an official from the AAG on Tuesday, Guyana Times Sport was informed that the early 2018 season ‘developmental meets’ are being used as measuring sticks of sorts to identify athletes who would be in contention for a spot on the Commonwealth team.

However, it was also revealed that the selection would be made strictly on athletes who are present at these local meets; this stance if it is a reality is a definite brew for controversy as top experienced athletes such as Winston George, Brenessa Thompson and Troy Doris are all overseas competing on the circuits.
As recent as a month ago, in December, AAG boss Aubrey Hutson in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport had pointed out that while AAG had its most successful year in 2017, he is faced with either picking experience or going with the potential of youth with the make-up of the team either being led by the likes of veteran athlete Winston George or young and upcoming track stars Daniel Williams and Compton Caesar.

Winston George has been arguably Guyana’s best male athlete over the years but at age 30 is entering the twilight years of his career; Williams on the other hand has his entire future ahead of him. While the AAG has come under fire in the past for ‘focusing too much’ on the youth athletes; Daniel has already shown a glimpse of the talent and potential that is brimming just below the surface, a World U-18 400m silver medal is no easy feat and is often taken for granted, at his age performing on the biggest stage in his age category, the trajectory for Williams can only go up and the future appears truly limitless.

Compton Caesar is one of the most powerful sprinters that Guyana has seen emerge in recent years, he won Guyana’s first CARIFTA 100m Gold medal in brilliant fashion; however he is also a work in progress and the more exposure Caesar faces will only continue to mold him into a world class athlete. Aside from Williams and Caesar, Troy Doris should be right up there in contention for a spot.
The female component of the team however does not face such a difficult choice as jumpers Chantoba Bright and Natricia Hooper along with either of Brenessa Thompson or Kadecia Baird are miles ahead of other athletes on the distaff side.
Whatever the eventual selection of the team, the AAG should be fair and considerate while thoroughly examining the pros and cons of the team make up.
As Hutson said “If I want to go medal hunting I’ll take Winston (George), if we’re pushing development we’ll take Daniel (Williams) and Compton (Caesar”.