Kaieteur News
PAGE 40
Wednesday January 30, 2019
Swimmers start preparation for Carifta Games in April GASA head confident of winning Medals in B’dos this year By Sean Devers The Pools at the Aquatic Centre reopened last week and the Swimmers are back in the water after returning from Suriname and Trinidad last month and are busy preparing for the Mashramani Meet; Guyana Amateur Swimming Association’s (GASA) first local competition for the year. “This is the only qualifier before Carifta 2019 which will be held be in Barbados over the Easter weekend so the swimmers are presently preparing for this,” informed President of GASA Ivan Persaud. The Mash meet is set for March 1 to 3 and a number of swimmers are training to qualify for the Carifta Games. The GSA top man said the Association has big plans for this year and is very confident of winning Medals at the 2019 Carifta Games in Barbados. The objective is developing the swimmers and Carifta is the level just after the Goodwill Games and GASA is preparing the swimmers for higher level meets. “We are working towards earning medals at this level
from swimmers trained and living in Guyana. It’s a big year for swimming and exposure is important for our swimmers so we plan to have representation at all of the overseas Events as possible,” Persaud said. “This year we will participate at the World Championship in Korea, the Pan Am Games in Peru, the South American Games in Chile, the Carifta Games in Barbados and the Goodwill Games in Suriname,” the long severing GASA Head revealed. GASA is also having a training session for officials on the February 8. Persaud noted that 2018 was a very good year for Guyana’s swimming as Guyana competed at every overseas Meet and completed all of their local competitions. “We got funding from FIBA to purchase equipment, set up our web site and travel to the South American Games, while Andrew Fowler received a Scholarship to swim and study in Tennessee, USA and should be leaving Guyana very soon for the US,” Persaud informed. Dorado, Silver Sharks, Dolphins, Orca, Torpedo and Sea Otters are the six clubs
currently under the GASA Umbrella but Persaud disclosed the GDF and Police have requested to join GASA as clubs in 2019. Some of the swimmers are experiencing difficulties getting to the Pool at Liliendaal due to traffic congestion caused by the meeting of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC 17) at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre which is obliquely opposite the Aquatic Centre. Persaud informed these swimmers have been involved in land training in the National Park from yesterday and feels this might be a blessing in disguise since their fitness should improve after their three sessions in the National Park which ends tomorrow. Persaud disclosed that the 22-year-old Fowler, Guyana’s fastest swimmer, will participate in the World Championship and will travel directly from the US to Korea. When asked about Hannibal Gaskin, Goodwill Games 100m butterfly Men’s gold medallist and grandson of President David Granger, who is in England and National School’s Swimming Championships’
Aleka Persaud
Hannibal Gaskin
Ivan Persaud
Leon Seaton
Amy Grant
Andrew Fowler
best female swimmer Amy Grant, the GASA Boss informed that that GASA wants both swimmers to qualify to represent their Country. “We hope he makes himself available to represent Guyana this year since he is very talented and if he is still swimming he could medal at the Goodwill Games,” Persaud said. Persaud said Grant seems reluctant to represent Guyana and only competes in the National School’s Championships but added
that, “Amy is a member of a GASA club and we would love for her to come and prove her worth at the Mash tournament and qualify for the Carifta Games in Barbados,” Persaud added. Persaud said he expects good things this year from Leon Seaton, Patrice and Paul Mahaica, Alika Persaud, Ethan Gonsalves, Amber DeGoeas, Monique Watson, Vladimir Woodruff and Noel Raekwon. Persaud thanked the sponsors who supported swimming during 2018 and
hoped for continued support from the business community and the Government. “We are hoping for Government’s support for the Goodwill Games in Suriname in August when we are sending a 48-member team…40 swimmers and eight support staff including Coaches,” Persaud concluded. All Swimmers who attend the Carifta Games are debarred from participating in the Goodwill games in Suriname.
BCB/NBS 40-Overs Second Division Tournament:
RHT Bakewell advance to Final, defeat Ramnarine Memorial and No. 72 Cut and Load
Surendra Kissoonlall
The powerhouse Rose Hall To w n B a k e w e l l S e c o n d Division Team have advanced to the Final of the Berbice Cricket Board 40-Overs New Building Society Second Division Tournament for the second successive time. The Team under the leadership of Kevin Sinclair defeated Ramnarine Memorial in the Quarterfinals on Saturday by 116 runs, while on Sunday they held their nerves to defeat a determined No. 72 Cut and Load Team by 20 runs in a match badly affected by the weather. Rose Hall Town Bakewell in 2018 won all four tournaments they participated in and were a finalist in the last New Building Society Tournament three years ago. At the Port Mourant Ground on Saturday, the Ramnarine Memorial Team were confident of defeating Rose Hall Town Bakewell and were on a high after dismissing Guyana National Junior Players Kevin Sinclair 28, Junior Sinclair 08 and Kevlon
Anderson 10 to leave Rose Hall Town Bakewell at 60 for 3 in the 13th Over. Left-handed Surendra Kissoonlall and Berbice Under19 player Keith Simpson then added 60 crucial runs to pull things around. Kissoonlall went on to top score with a classic 62 (4x4, 2x6) after Simpson was trapped LBW to offspinner R. Pottaya for 15. National Under15 player Jonathan Rampersaud supported with a mature 34, while former national Under-19 pacer Sylus Tyndall made 13 as Rose Hall Town Bakewell recovered well to end on 202 for 9 from their allotted 40-Overs. Medium pacers Jason Gray 3 for 30, Royden Gray 3 for 41 and Paul Tyndall 2 for 41 were the best bowlers for Ramnarine Memorial. Needing to score 203 to reach their first ever Semifinals, Ramnarine Memorial were bowled out for 86 in 18.2 Overs as only K. Sampson 12 and Paul Sampson 27 reached double figures. Off spinner Junior
Sinclair 2 for 3, Kevin Sinclair 3 for 20 and West Indies Female pacer Erva Giddings 2 for 5 were the outstanding bowlers for the winners. Less than twenty four hours after their Quarterfinal win against Ramnarine Memorial Rose Hall Town Bakewell travelled to the No. 72 Ground, to play Cut and Load in the Semifinals. Heavy over night and early morning showers had washed out all of the other Berbice Cricket Board organised matches but the hard work of the No. 72 Ground Staff allowed play to start at 13.30hours. The home team won the toss and asked Rose Hall Town Bakewell to take first strike on a pitch with lots of moisture. The visitors were soon in deep trouble at 17 for 3 in the 10th of the allotted 25-Overs as Kevin Sinclair 00, Junior Sinclair 01 and Mahendra Gopilall 01 failed to adapt to the softness of the wicket. Kevlon Anderson showed his class with a superb 45 in difficult
conditions and received support from Surendra Kissoonlall 18, Keith Simpson 13 and Jonathan Rampersaud 10 as Rose Hall Town Bakewell reached 106 for 9. K. Persaud 3 for 28, A. Ajay 2 for 37 and D. Chatterpaul 2 for 6 were the best bowlers for No. 72 Cut and Load. Needing to score at just over four runs per over, No. 72 Cut and Load failed to adapt to their own home condition and were dismissed for 86 in 20.4 Overs. Junior Sinclair continued his fine form with the ball to take four wickets for 23 runs, while Kevlon Anderson 2 for 9 and Keith Simpson 2 for 16 supported well. Rose Hall Town Bakewell would now have to wait to know who they won play in the Final. Rose Hall Canje would clash with Young Warriors Cricket Club in the first Quarterfinals. The winner would then clash in the Semifinals with the winner of the Blairmont Community Centre versus D’Edward Cricket club Quarterfinals.