Legacy Run was a real success
(Sports view by Neil Kumar)
Guyana Chronicle
March 18, 2007
APPROXIMATELY 1 200 persons from 42 registered organisations participated in the Guyana National Stadium Legacy Run. The Run was a real success.
Leading the run from the Sheriff Street, Georgetown starting point was world-rated boxer Gwendolyn O’Neil, Parliamentary Secretary Steve Ninvalle, scores of prominent sports personalities and Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy.
From another starting point at Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara, the reputable Karate Club, several school teams and a well organised group of differently-abled people were among the hundreds that came from as far as Kwakwani and Linden to participate in the historic Legacy Run.
The Legacy Run was remarkably timely.
The National Stadium at Providence is today a reality. This achievement is a gift that brings pride, nostalgia and prestige to this beautiful country of ours.
Our former glorious distance runners Clem Fields, Harry Powell and Moses Dwarka and others must be featured on huge Billboards as we continue along this triumphant path. Guyanese have a rich history with the achievements of our distance runners.
This PARTICIPATIVE RUN attracted participants from sports associations/clubs/gyms, educational/religious institutions, the military, para-military, persons with disabilities, agencies and individuals. Persons of different ages, ability levels, and gender came together for one common purpose.
Guyanese were afforded the splendid opportunity to be a part of the Guyana National Stadium, thus experiencing a Legacy of our State-of-the-Art and Premier Sport Facility.
The Legacy Run is one of the many activities calendared for 2007 by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission to promote our genuine slogan ‘FIT FOR LIFE’, and it is expected to be an annual event.
Over the planning period, the interest grew, registration forms poured in, telephones rang and persons visited as information about the run was sought. So great was the interest that we were forced to accept registration even on the morning of the activity. It was fascinating to know that scores of people were at the starting points as early as 05:00 h.
As the run commenced, onlookers and spectators were present to encourage the participants. Along the routes, persons were seen giving encouragement in various forms, cheering, waving, urging athletes on, etc. This trend continued to the finish inside the stadium.
The well organised run was accident- and incident-free as the work of the Guyana Police Force and the marshals were efficient and professional.
Ambulances and medical staff were present throughout.
Transportation, where necessary, was provided for athletes to be taken to the starting points. At the completion, adequate transportation was available to ensure participants returned to their respective locations.
As with any endurance event, athletes were encouraged to stay fully hydrated before, during and after the run. Hence, water was distributed to all at the beginning and throughout the RUN, as twelve water points were set up along the routes. Water, Gatorade, ‘special drink’ and fruits were available for athletes at the end of the RUN in the National Stadium.
The judges were very decisive and they presented the beautiful winning trophy to the largest contingent, the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) group. A second trophy was presented to the best organised group, Karate boys from East Bank.
The winning school by group was Dora from East Bank Demerara.
The Differently-Able Group of People (with disabilities) was rewarded with the PWD Award.
One thousand T-shirts were distributed to participants at the beginning of the RUN. However, the NSC recognised that many people did not receive T-shirts.
The organisers are in the process of distributing Certificates of Participation to the competitors. Colonel Godwin McPherson announced the winning categories while several persons assisted with the presentation of trophies.
Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy showered praises on the participants and organisers. He urged Guyanese to keep themselves physically fit, pledging his Ministry’s unflinching support to make this activity an annual event. He went on to urge the organisers to arrange similar activities in other Regions in the country. Mr Dennis Arends, Programme Coordinator, UNICEF, lauded the activity and pledged his organisation’s continued support. He stressed the importance of sports in people living a healthy lifestyle. Mr Arends expressed his appreciation of the wide cross-section of people who participated. He urged the organisations to continue the good work.
I reassured the impressive gathering at the National Stadium at Providence that the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony, is fully behind this activity.
I stressed that the fitness programme will lead to the establishment of a National Fitness Council (NFC). The NFC is designed to ensure that Guyanese live healthier lifestyles.
This programme will help with the reduction of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. The objective is to ensure that persons of all ages become active in the programme.
In Guyana, chronic non-communicable diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The risk of these diseases is preventable with a good fitness and nutrition programme. Today, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, as part of its mandate, is to promote a healthy life-style programme. This programme is to encourage all Guyanese irrespective of age to get fit so that they can live a healthy life.
This programme will ensure that Guyanese have access to training areas and that they are given basic information on how to exercise to become fit. Our programme is designed to reach out to 50 000 Guyanese active in the next five years.