The Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) is seeking qualified coaches to fill positions as head coaches for various events. According to a release from the association, the council has agreed to the re-classification of designations within its coaching system, in accordance with the recommendations of the International Association of Athletic Federations.

The association is therefore inviting applications for the position of head coaches for the following events: sprints, hurdles and relays; middle, long distance and walks; jumps and throws.

To qualify for the appointment, applicants must possess an IAAF Level 11 certificate, or a Level 1 coaching certificate plus at least three years of continuous post-Level 1 certification coaching experience or the IAAF Level 1 certificate with a minimum of five years' continuous coaching experience prior to attainment of the Level 1 certificate, or any other qualification which the council of the association may, from time to time, deem to be equivalent to any of the above. The additional qualification of a Grade 1 Trained Teacher's Certificate or the Diploma in Education from the University of Guyana will be a distinct advantage.The closing date for submissions is July 15 and applications should be delivered to Olympic House, Peter Rose and Church Streets, Queenstown.

District 4 (East Coast Demerara) is currently enjoying a ten-point lead over Defending champions District 10 (Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani) after two days of competition in the Guyana Teachers Union/Ministry of Education/Banks Malta sponsored-National Schools Track and Field/Cycling and Swimming Championships, currently underway at the Albion Community Centre ground, Berbice.

After 32 track and field finals, District 4 accumulated 137 points, ten more than District 10 (127). District 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), District 6 (Corentyne), District 3 (West Demerara) and District 14 (East Bank Demerara) are placed third to sixth with 109.5 points, 101 points, 90.5 points and 89 points respectively.

Despite having a team of merely 23 athletes, District 9 (Rupununi) were able to accumulate 85 points to take seventh place.

In the cycling championship, after 12 finals, defending champions District 10 lead the points standing with 98 points. They are followed by District 4 on 87 points, District 6 on 79 points, District 14 on 42 points, District 15 (New Amsterdam/Canje) on 31 points and District 3 on 25 points.

Yesterday's events that involved competitors from the Rupununi, brought the small but appreciative crowd to their feet, cheering the Indigenous athletes who stole the hearts of many.

One such race was the 800-metre girls' under-10 final which the Rupununi's Sian Mandukin went to the head of affairs after completing 400 metres in the middle of the pack. Once she took the lead, she never relinquished it.

About 200 metres from the finish District 1 (North West) athlete Launie James accelerated from some 50 metres behind Mandukin closing in on her steadily. But the leader looked over her shoulder, saw James coming very fast, and charged into overdrive, opening the lead once more.

Entering the home stretch, James tried once more to get at Mandukin, but once again the Rupununi athlete accelerated and won comfortably.

Again in the 1500-metre girls' under-20, Rupununi's Losanna Lawrence caused the small crowd to put their hands together.

Lawrence trailed the early race leader District 5's (West Berbice) representative, Doneka Lyte for the first two laps (600-metre), then went to the front. District 4 and District 10 athletes, Oteia Prince and Shonette McFarlane followed Lawrence and overtook Lyte.

The three then started a battle of their own, but with 300 metres remaining, Lawrence found new life and distanced herself from Prince and McFarlane, opening a lead of approximately 80 metres and winning comfortably.

On completing the distance, both Prince and McFarlane collapsed, while Lawrence looked as though she could have continued.

In other track and field results, District 12 (East Georgetown) athlete Alika Morgan won the 3000-metre girls' under-16, returning a time of 11 minutes 0.3 seconds (11:0.3). Second was District 9's Doretta Wilson (11:14.2) and third, District 6's Melissa Albert (11:23.6).

The under-16 boys' 3000-metre event was won by District 6's Xavier Durant (10:18.5). Second was District 9's Robert Ignacio (10:30.8) and third, District 5's Kareem Aaron (10:42.9).

Angel Simmons of District 7 won the cricket ball throw for girls under eight years old. She registered 30.05 metres. Second was District 2 (Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon) athlete Privilege Pollard and third District 9's Synecius Augustine.

In cycling results, District 4's Albert Philander won the boys' open 1500-metre race from Andy Singh (District 10) and District 11's (North Georgetown) Enzo Matthews respectively.

The boys' open 5000-metre race was won by District 10's Jason Bourne. Second was District 6's Mitchell Whyte and third, District 4's Carl McLeod. District 6's Elisha Henry won the girls' open 5000-metre event from District 10's Diana Pollydore and Olinder Niles respectively.

The 800-metre girls' under-16 was won by District 3's Tomeka Charels. Second was District 14's Jennifer Sealey and third Najuma Hercules. District 10's Suzette Douglas won the 800-metre girls' open race from District 4's Latoya DeFreitas and District 6's Niketa Whyte respectively.

The 800-metre boys' under-14 was won by District 11's Christopher Holder. Second was District 6's Paul Ewart and third District 15's Kevin McAlmon.

Dear Editor,

The Bedford All Stars Sports Club has documented a series of victimization practices by the Athletics Association of Guyana since 2002-2005 and we don't intend to endure it any longer.

Just recently I wrote the President of the Confeder-ation of South American Athletics Association Mr Roberto Gesto De Melo of Brazil, outlining some of the problems that I am experiencing concerning our National sprint champion Mr Rawle Greene of the Bedford All Stars Sports Club, who after winning the title of Guyana's sprint champion at the Atheltics Association of Guyana National Senior Athletics Championship held at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground in April, 2005, was not selected to represent Guyana at any of the area championships meets held during the year, mainly the Central American and the Caribbean Championship in Bahamas in June, the South America Senior Champion-ship held in Colombia in July, and he wasn't even nominated for the Commonwealth Games in Australia in March, 2006. Andre Blackman of the Police Sports Club was nominated for the event by the Athletics Association of Guyana to the Guyana Olym-pic Association which is responsible for the final selection of the Guyana team; I do hope they question this particular nomination.

Whenever I question Mr Claude Blackmoore and the AAG about the reason(s) why Mr Greene wasn't selected to represent Guyana, I am always told about some qualifying times to be met or financial difficulties experienced by the Association. On Sunday 23rd October, 2005 I met Mr Carlo Alberto Cavalario (Technical Director of South America for Athletics of IAAF) at the YMCA during the 10k road race. On the following day Mr Rawle Greene, Executives of the Royal Youth Movement and I had a meeting with Mr Carlo Alberto Cavalario where we expressed our dissatisfaction among other things. Mr Cavalario told us that the IAAF has a policy that all of its member countries should be represented at championship meets organised by the international bodies regardless of qualifying times. "This system is in place to help developing countries like Guyana to at least send a male and female athlete to all meets organised and run by the international bodies including air-fare, accommodation and such like." So it is impossible for Mr Blackmoore to tell the Guyanese public that qualifying times and finances are factors which hinder the association from sending Guya-nese athletes like Mr Rawle Greene and others to championship meets overseas. Mr Cavalario also mentioned provision for a synthetic track for Guyana by the IAAF provided the Government of Guyana contributes to that project.

The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture with the National Sport Commission have developmental plans for a recreation centre at Durban Park, in which an area has been set aside for an athletic track to be installed.

At a recent meeting with Director of Sport, Mrs Selman (President of the Royal Youth Movement) and I, the Director of Sport mentioned that "the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture wrote the Athletics Associ-ation of Guyana about six times inviting them to a meeting to discuss the matters of athletics, they have never attended any of the meetings."

The Athletics Association of Guyana under the leadership of Mr Claude Blackmoore does not seem to be interested in the development of our young athletes or in the development of sport.

Yours faithfully,

Wayne Walcott

Dear Editor,

The Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) has done it again, only this time, they have over-stepped the boundary of basic selection criteria to nominate Andre Blackman of the Guyana Police Sports Club over Rawle Greene of Bedford All Stars Sports Club.

The nomination was done to the Guyana Olympic Association and is to short-list the most qualified male Guyanese sprinter - 100m -200m for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Melbourne - Australia - March, 2006. Rawle Greene is national sprint champion of Guyana having won the title at the Athletic Association Championship held at the Blairmont Community Centre ground, on Sunday, 17, 2005.

According to CAC Central American and Caribbean Athletic Statistics, Greene is ranked as Guyana's #1 sprinter overall in and out of Guyana for the year 2005, with a personal best time of 10:42 seconds at Hampton Games in Trinidad and Tobago. Could the AAG explain to the public, what were the criteria used to nominate Blackman?

I would appreciate if the Secretary General of the Guyana Olympic Association investigate this situation. In 2003 Greene made the qualifying standards for the Pan-American Games in Santo-Domingo and was not nominated by the AAG, and since then he has endured numerous acts of discrimination.

Yours faithfully,

Wayne Walcott

Vice President/Coach

Bedford All Stars Sports Club

Police junior sprinter, Gladis Accra, proved himself "King of the Sprints," as he comfortably won the 100m and 200m events at the Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana, National Junior Championship at the Police Sports Club ground Ecve Leary, yesterday.

The event, which was scheduled to begin at 11am, was delayed for about two hours because of early morning showers. Accra, an evening student at the Government Technical Institute, recorded times of 10.90 seconds (10.90) in the 100m and 22.1s in the 200m to finish ahead of Javed Hackett and Kenneth Semple, who placed second (11.20s) and third (11.40s) respectively in the 100m and Quacy Trotman and Emerson Campbell, (22.5s) and (22.7s) respectively in the 200m.

In the female sprints, Leota Babb who won the 100m with a time of 12.6s was later edged at the tape in the 200m by Shurma Mentore who clocked 26.4s ahead of Babb's 27.0s. Latoya Roberts (12.9s) and Cammy Canterbury (13.0s) were second and third respectively in the 100m as Roberts also finished third in the 200m with a time of 27.7s.

The first event of the day, the female long jump, was run concurrently with the male long jump and was won by Canterbury who jumped 4.81 metres. Shenika Bentick 4.71m and Stacy Wilson 4.58m placed second and third.

In the male event, Hackett jumped 6.87m to win the event. Kendingo Thomas (6.69m) finished second and Rafel Garraway (6.09m) finished third.

The male Discus ended with the first and second place finishers within a few metres of each other. Ronald Payne won with a throw of 31.98m and Selwyn McPherson, who later showed dominance by winning the Shot Put and the Javelin finished second with 31.25m. Jermaine Haynes was third with 24.77m.

In the boys Shot Put, McPherson won with a throw of 11.60m, reversing the results of the discuss, as Payne finished second with a throw of 11.54m. Garraway again finished third with a throw of 9.13m. Mc Pherson (43.83m) completed his medal haul by later winning the boys' javelin ahead of Payne (40.06m). Ernesto Adams came in third with 38.83m.

On the female side, Stacy Wilson took gold in both, Shot Put and Javelin ahead of Schevon Eastman, who finished second in both events.

In the Javelin, Wilson won with a throw of 29.60m to edge Eastman 20.50m. There was no third place finisher in that competition. Meanwhile, in the girls' Shot Put, Wilson won with a throw 7.85m, Eastman finished second with 7.30m and Ronella Paul finished third with 5.65m.

In other results:

Girls' 400m; Shurma Mentore (1:01:9s) - first and Ruanne Hernandez, (1:10:3s) - second.

Boys' 400m; Ronald Adams (51:00s) - first, Derwin Eastman (51:4s) -second and Quaci Roach (51:9s) - third.

Girls' 800m; Shurma Mentore (2:48:6s) - first, Daneka Lyle (2:50:2s)- second and Shurmela Austin (3:25:9s - third.

Boys' 800m; Ryan DePeza (2:05:5s) - first, Cleveland Thomas (2:06:3s) - second and Winston Alexander (2:08s) -third.

Girls' 1500m; Doneka Lyle (5:58:7s) - first, Shurmela Austin (7:37:9s) - second.

Boys' 1500m; Cleveland Thomas (4:27s) - first, Ryan DePeza (4:31s) -second and Patrick Bobb (4:34s) - third.

Dear Editor,

Track and Field in Guyana has nowhere to go once the President of the Athletic Association of Guyana, Mr. Claude Blackmoore, is in charge. Over the years, Blackmoore has not been able to take athletics to another level, taking into consideration the vast talent at his disposal (athletics and administration).

I refuse to be a part of this lack-of-leadership role Mr. Blackmoore is playing, and so do the athletes of my club, especially Mr. Rawle Greene, who has been a victim of this association.

The Athletic Association of Guyana doesn't seem to be interested in local talents being promoted to the next level.

This goes back to the non-selection of Rawle Greene to the Guyana team for the Pan- American Games held in 2003 in Santo Domingo, despite acquiring the qualifying standards set by the body, and now again in 2005 on the C.A.C. team for the Bahamas.

It is crystal clear that Mr. Greene cannot make a Guyana team, despite his outstanding performances locally and overseas, once this Association is involved.

In a report in the Thursday 16th June, 2005 edition of the Stabroek News sports section under the caption "Rawle Greene and others for Trinidad & Tobago Athletic meet", I mentioned that we will be using the Trinidad meet as part of the preparation for the CAC Games. That statement was made based on the fact that Mr. Greene is the national sprint champion of Guyana, and was short listed on a national team for these games by the Athletic Association of Guyana at one of their recently held council meetings.

At that meeting Mr. Blackmoore stated that the final selection of Mr. Greene was based on some qualifying standards set by the CAC body. Mr. Blackmoore is aware that the CAC Games don't warrant any qualifying standards, a fact that he admitted to when he was asked certain questions by Stabroek News as to the reason(s) why only two overseas athletes were selected to represent Guyana and no local athletes were selected.

He even went on to say that the entries were closed on Monday last and the Athletic Association of Guyana had set their standards for local athletes who wished to compete at those games, but stopped short of saying what those standards were.

After reading the article, I telephoned Mr. Blackmoore to inquire about the qualifying standards for local athletes to compete at the CAC Games. To my surprise, Mr. Blackmoore gave me the World Championship qualifying standards which are way out of the league for local athletes, as we are not properly equipped.

At which meet, under which local conditions is Mr. Blackmoore expecting our local athletes to meet those standards? To begin, Guyana doesn't even have the basic facilities to record acceptable standards according to the IAAF requirement. That is why the Bedford All Stars Sports Club always seeks to have young talented athletes go abroad so as to develop their skills and have proper evaluation of their performances, only to be told by Mr. Blackmoore and company that "you cannot go anyway", even if you are willing to finance your own trip to the CAC Games.

It is time to tell the Athletic Association of Guyana 'enough is enough'. I am therefore calling on the relevant authorities to intervene in the unacceptable running of the Athletic Association of Guyana, for the sake of our young athletes.

Yours faithfully,

Wayne Walcott

Technical Director

Bedford All Stars Sports Club

Editor's note

We are sending a copy of this letter to the President of the Athletic Association of Guyana for any comments he may wish to make.

This year's World Athletics Day 2005 Meet, organised by the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), and staged at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, on Sunday, saw the lowest number of entries in recent years.

According to some persons, this was because most of the local athletes were in Trinidad competing at the Hampton Games.

Guyana was represented at the Hampton Games by over 25 athletes drawn from the Royal Youth Movement, Bygeval, Police, Rising Stars, Bedford All Stars Explorer and Silver Fox Track and Field clubs.

The finals of the Hampton Games were contested on Sunday, the same day the AAG organised its activity to observe World Athletics Day 2005.

There were ten events in the meet staged at the Police Sports Club Ground. Carlisa Atkinson secured victories in two events: the girls' 1,500m and girls' 1,200m walk race.

She won the 1,500m in a time of five minutes 21.3 seconds (5:21.3) from Arnetia Saul and Willeth Reid respectively, and the walk race from Donna April and Omisha Humphrey respectively.

There were also victories for Goddis Accra who returned 10.8 seconds to win the boys' 100m from Delmus Reddock and Kerwin Jackson respectively.

Jackson, however, won the boys' 400m in 55.5 seconds from Sherwick Hercules and Melroy Poole respectively.

Shurma Mentore won the girls' 100m in 13.4 from Shenelle Patterson and Marcia Mentore respectively. Monica Roberts returned 1:01.8 to win the girls' 400m from Shurma Mentore and Marcia Mentore.

Otto Towler clocked 4:42.2 to win the boys' 1500m. Second was Ryan DePeazer and third Owen Josiah.

The boys' discus was won by Elvin Fraser (23.10m); second was Terrence Tull and third Quacy Trotman, while, on the distaff side, Stacy Wilson (19.75m) won from Schevon Eastman.

Owen Josiah won the 1,500m boys' walk race from Ryan DePeazer.

The top three junior athletes were presented with International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) tee-shirts, while pins and posters were also distributed to all participants.

Local athletes secured two gold, three silver and eight bronze medals at the just concluded Hampton Games in Trinidad, where national men's sprint champion Rawle Greene ran personal best times in both sprint races.

Gold-medal-winning performances came from Greene (men's 100m) and Alika Morgan (women's 3,000m). Those winning silver medals were Selwyn McPherson (men's discus), Jermaine Pilgrim (men's 800m) and Morgan (under-17 girls' 1,500m). Those winning bronze medals were Leanna Doris (under-17 girls' 1,500m and women's 3,000m), Greene (men's 200m), McPherson (men's shot-put), Cleveland Thomas (under-20 boys' 1,500m and men's one- mile), and Royal Youth Movement's (RYM) girls' and boys' 4X100m relay teams.

Greene returned a personal best time of 10.42 seconds for the men's 100m, to eclipse the 10.49 seconds he clocked at the South American Seniors Track and Field Championships in Brazil in 2002.

For the 200m heats, Greene, the 2004 gold medallist, returned 21.01 seconds, to erase his 21.06 seconds at the Austin Sealey Track Classic in Barbados in 2003. In the final of this event, however, Greene had to settle for third (21.33) behind Trinidad's Julieon Raeburn (20.73) and Jamaica's Xavier Brown (20.83) respectively.

Raeburn represented Trinidad at the 2004 Olympics in Greece.

According to Bedford All Stars Explorers' coach Wayne Walcott, Greene was not treated fairly after the heats.

Walcott explained that by virtue of Greene returning the fastest time for the 200m heats, he should have been allowed to run in lanes five to eight in the 200m final, "but instead they put him in lane three."

Walcott explained that because Greene is a tall athlete with long legs, he could not have performed at his best in lane three. "Added to that, it was a false start, and no one called back the race," Walcott alleged.

Walcott said after Greene won the 100m final on Saturday night, he was very hyped up and did not get a proper night's rest, and this probably affected his performance in the men's 200m final the following day.

Morgan of Rising Stars Track Club won the women's 3,000m in 10 minutes 11.31 seconds (10:11.31) and placed second in the under-17 girls' 1500m in 4:43.64, while McPherson (Bygeval Secondary) placed second in the men's discus with a throw of 37.09 metres, and Pilgrim of RYM returned 1:56.53 in placing second in the men's 800m. In securing their bronze medals, Leanna Doris clocked 11:05.43 for the women's 3,000m and 4:55.51 for the under-17 girls' 1,500m. McPherson threw the shot-put 11.00m, Silver Fox's Cleveland returned 4:15.78 for the under-20 boys' 1,500m and 4:39.66 in the men's one- mile race.

For the relay races, RYM girls `A' clocked 51.95 in placing third in the 4X100m Inter-College relay, while their male counterparts returned 44.68 in their relay over the same distance.

Commenting on Green's overall performance at the meet and future plans for him, Walcott said "… there were some good performances not only from Rawle but from other Guyanese athletes, but we (Greene and Walcott) are looking forward to more of this type of competition. We plan on returning to Trinidad for the National Senior Championships on June 25 and 26, but before that, we will be competing in the Barbados Nationals mid-next- month."

Walcott said two other club members - Tai Payne and Royston Adonis - did not make the Trinidad trip because they reached the Cheddi Jagan Airport late, while another athlete - Keith Roberts - failed to impress in Trinidad.

Overall, RYM had the most athletes reaching the finals in their respective events. Of the lot, Rhondell Alleyne placed seventh in the under-17 girls' 100m (12.29), seventh in the under-17 girls' 400m (1:01.78) and sixth in the under-17 girls' 200m (26.04), while Rondell Adams placed sixth in the under-20 boys' 400m (50.08) and sixth in the under-20 boys' 200m (22.44).

Japheth Hackett placed fourth in the men's long jump (6.62m), Lionel Pilgrim sixth in the under-17 boys' 400m (55.69), Telma Persaud sixth in the women's 400m (1:12.04), Davidnan Daniels fifth in the men's one-mile (4:52.35), Shonnel Daniels eighth in the women's javelin (20.98m) and Jermaine Simpson sixth in the under-17 boys' 100m (11.5).

The club's relay team also placed fourth in the under-17 boys' 4X100m and seventh in the women's 4X100m relay (52.52).

Guyana's Aliann Pompey and Marian Burnett were part of a Caribbean All Star Team that placed third in the sprint medley at the Penn Relays, last weekend.

Pompey told Stabroek Sport that she, Burnett, Cydonie Mothersill of Cayman Islands and Allison Beckford of Jamaica, clocked three minutes 45.98 seconds (3:45.98), placing third in the sprint medley.

Pompey said at the same meet, she, DebbieAnn Parris of Jamaica, Neisha Bernard Thomas of Grenada, and Hazel Ann Regis, also of Grenada, contested the women's 4X400 relay and finished third also. The team's time for that event was 3:28.77.

"I ran the 200m leg of the sprint medley and returned 22.4 seconds and 51.1 seconds on the 4x400, 90 minutes later.

The Caribbean teams were put together by Cubie Seegobin, an agent.

Pompey was scheduled to be a part of the New York Relays the weekend before, but a thunderstorm caused the meet to be postponed.

Pompey opened her 2005 season with a women's 200-metre win at the Sam Howell Invitational Meet on April 9.

For that race, she returned a winning time of 23.48 seconds. Second was Britney Boyd (24.85) and third Juliette Poussot (24.87). (Michael DaSilva)

Terrence Johnson and Alisha Fortune were adjudged best male and female respectively on show at the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), Sprint 151-sponsored National Senior Track and Field Championships on Sunday at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground.

Johnson, who hails from the Bygeval Track and Field Club, recorded 26 points after he won the javelin event (10 points) with a throw of 45.38 metres, and placed second (8 points) in the shot-put as well as the discus. For the shot-put, he threw 9.82 metres.

Fortune, on the other hand, accumulated 20 points to win the ladies' title. She won the 200-metre and 400m races. She also placed third (6 points) in the women's javelin throw.

The shot-put event was won by Johnson's club mate Royston Ross (9.82m), while Bruce Glen placed third. Ross also won the discus throw.

Elvin Fraser of the New Amsterdam Track Club (NATC) was second to Johnson in the javelin event, while Police's Larry Josiah placed third.

Royal Youth Movement's (RYM) Rushell Coates and Stacy Smith placed second and third respectively to Fortune in the 200m race, while Shurma Mentore and Neisha Bamfield finished second and third respectively in the 400m event.

There were other outstanding performances from a number of other athletes, including Rawle Green who won the men's 100m and 200m races. The Bedford athlete returned 10.4 seconds and 21.8 seconds respectively for the 100m and 200m events.

Silver Fox's Keith Roberts was second to Green in both races, while Police's Brennon Thompson placed third in the 100m.

RYM's Ray Garraway was third in the men's 200m.

Police's Colin Mercurius crossed the finish line first in the men's 1500m race. Road Runners' Lionel D'Andrade, was second and Cleveland Thomas third. D'Andrade, however, won the men's 5000m event in 17 minutes 06.3 seconds (17:06.3) from Cleveland Thomas and Bruce Glen respectively.

The men's 400m race was won by RYM's Rondell Adams (50.1). Second was Police's Trevor Scotland, and third RYM's Quacy Roach.

RYM's Jermaine Pilgrim clocked 2:02.3 in winning the men's 800m race from Police's Larry Josiah and Scotland respectively, while on the distaff side, NATC's Donna April was first (2:44.1), RYM's Shennel Daniels second and another RYM athlete, Thelma Persaud, third.

In other field events' results, RYM's Japeth Hackett won the men's long jump from Bruce Glen and John Lowe respectively.

RYM's Neisha Bamfield (23.26m) won the women's javelin throw from her club mate Shennel Daniels, with Fortune third.