By Neto Baptiste
National track athlete, Cejhae Greene, has gleefully responded to news that the country’s lone track and field facility, the YASCO Sports Complex, has finally been fitted with a certified surface.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show following his world leading 10.01 seconds in Miami, Florida, last weekend, Greene said his joy is for the young athletes who have not been able to showcase their talents for the past three years.
“Now, that one is a sigh of relief, so I am ecstatic but I am not only ecstatic that the track is there so I could come over and race, I am just really happy that we could start going back and having schools’ sports because I really feel like we’ve lost some really good talent,” he said.
The new Mondo surface was completed over two weeks ago and a small ceremony marking its completion was held at the facility last week.
Greene, who became the first Antiguan to qualify for this year’s Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, said the country has possibly lost an entire generation of athletes with others waiting in the wings.
“All of us at that stage had our chances to go out there and [compete] in a lot of inter-schools, got recognised and went on to Carifta and we all had that experience. That’s one of the major things that I really want the younger ones to be able to do, is to go ahead and have inter-schools, have fun and compete in front of your friends and family and get your recognition; that’s one of the things that I am really happy for,” he said.
A five-member committee has been put in place to manage the facility.
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association (ABAA) Everton Cornelius, Director of Sports Heather Samuel-Daley, Secretary General of the NOC Cliff Williams, and individual members Michael Freeland and Cleofoster Harris, make up the five-member committee.