“I am seeing progress”-Minister Norton on improvements in swimmers’ times -positive effects of GASA coaching clinics being realized

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, May 17, 2018

“Clinics for swim coaches have borne fruit” as improvement is evident among many of the local swimmers. This view was posited by Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sport, Dr. George Norton.

“I am seeing the progress of what swimming used to be like, what it is today and where we can go. I am convinced and I believe that Guyana’s day to astonish the world in swimming is not too far away,” the Minister stated.

On Wednesday, swim coaches began the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) second coaches swim clinic for 2018. The session is a collaborative effort between the GASA and Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA). The five-day training session will be conducted by USA based FINA instructor Ron Vanpol.

Minister Norton charged coaches to pay keen attention to their athletes as they groom them into international champions.

He explained that “most Guyanese, particularly those from the hinterland regions can manoeuvre in the deepest and roughest of waters, yet we lack that technique that is needed to create those persons into swimmers of world-class calibre. Hence the importance of this activity and one would only hope that from this activity, we can get the outcome of tapping into those natural skills.”

President of GASA Ivan Persaud said the coaching clinic is one measure to inform officials and coaches so that there can be less elimination of local swimmers at international events.

“We are here to make sure that our officials get the correct information,” Persaud said as he urged the participants to tap into the experience of the FINA instructor, Ron Vanpol.

The FINA instructor said that he looks forward to imparting his knowledge for the development of the sport in Guyana. He added that it is an opportunity to share information and grow in every aspect of the sport.

By Isaiah Braithwaite

Photos by Leon Leung