Stabroek News
June 17, 2001

Local track and field athletes stand to benefit from a United States Guyanese based group which was recently formed with the objective of assisting Guyanese athletes to secure scholarships in the US.

According to a release from the group - Friends of Guyana Athletics - organisation's aim is to develop a support system that will gather information on active junior and senior athletes who are interested in representing Guyana at international meets.

The group will also provide information on Guyanese athletes, especially juniors, to college coaches in an effort to make them scholar-athletes.

Since its formation, the group has gathered information on over 50 prospective athletes who could represent Guyana internationally. The athletes include the 2001 Big Ten Conference Champion and NCAA 400m representative, Onica Fraser (Ohio State), Eastern Collegiate Association Conference 400m champion and NCAA representative Mera Belisle (Pittsburgh University), NCAA 500m and Guyana 200m record holder Aliann Pompey, National 400m record holder Richard Jones, and former national 400m hurdles record holder Paul Tucker.