National Schools’ Championships launched

Nov 09, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...mpionships-launched/

Event runs off next two weeks

The five-day event of the Ministry of Education (MOE)/Guyana Teachers’ Union 57th National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track & Field championships, sponsored by Banks DIH was officially launched yesterday at the Ministry of Education’s boardroom at 26 Brickdam. The premier schools’ sports event that is set to host over 1500 student-athletes will run from November 27th to December 1st from 09:00hrs daily. The cycling championships will ride off with a one-day action at the National Park on November 27 and the swimming will also be competed and completed on that day at the National Aquatic Center.
The most popular Track and Field events will run from November 28th to December 1st at the Leonora Track and Field facility for the first time in the 57-year history of the games. The 15 districts will be out to dethrone the reigning champions District 10 (Linden).
Mark Lyte, head of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) expressed delight in his organisation being part of this event once again, which has seen many athletes burst onto the scene and eventually medal for Guyana at various regional and international meets including the CARIFTA Games and South America Championships.
This year, the 57th instance of this competition is significant since it will be competed at the Leonora Track and Field Facility synthetic track, after 56 years running on grass.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the GTU, Coretta MacDonald, stated that all systems are on schedule for the successful planning of the 57th Schools’ Championships which she anticipates is going to be highly competitive. She noted that the organizers have been working tirelessly to make the event’s success a reality and she thanked all the contributing stakeholders.
Also present at the launch was Marcel Hutson, Permanent Secretary of the MOE, who gleefully posited that, “I believe we are going to witness the greatest championship this year in the games’ 57-year history and once all stakeholders work together, this will be a reality.”
Clayton Mackenzie, Banks DIH non-alcoholic brand manager, expressed his company’s pleasure to continue their longstanding sponsorship of the school games, “Banks DIH is pleased to be a part of nationals and we will be sponsoring the event through three brands; the PowerAde brand which is fueled with electrolytes to replenish the athletes, along with Rainforest Waters and Malta Supreme which is packed with many vitamins. We hope that this will contribute to the kids putting on a good show which is anticipated.”
There is usually an issue with the correct athletes participating in the Track and Field events having their performances recorded correctly and this year, the Amateur Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) announced that they will be assisting in the technical aspect of those events.