Belizeans at Central American and Caribbean Games
perry gibson
The Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico is completing the first week of competitions despite a late start. The delay was caused by a tornado that hit Mayaguez, damaging the stadium where the opening ceremony was to be held and injuring seven persons. According to the National Coach of Belize’s Cycling Team, they were in a safe location and were not affected by the tornado. That’s the good news, but Coach Perry Gibson is not thrilled with the way the competitions are going so far. But still he told us via phone today that he has hope for his team.
Via Phone: Perry Gibson, National Coach, Belize Cycling Team
“It hasn’t been going—I wouldn’t say badly—but really what has happened is that at these games we’ve met the powerhouses in Central America and the Caribbean, namely Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Columbia and Costa Rica. In the time trial that we had Shalini Zabaneh was eighth and for the males Byron Pope was tenth. He basically made the top ten. Only one guy from Jamaica from the Caribbean had beaten him.”
Delahnie Bain
“Do you see it getting any better for them?”
Via Phone: Perry Gibson
“Yeah, what we have right now is that we have the best chance I believe we have is Gregory Lovell in the track in the two hundred meter sprint. That will be taking place tomorrow.”
Delahnie Bain
“And the other riders, do they have any more events to take part in?”
Via Phone: Perry Gibson
“Yes, there is still the road race, which will take place next week Wednesday. So it’s a road event next week Wednesday for both male and female.”
Delahnie Bain
“So that gives them a bit of time to prepare. What do you think they need to do to…”
Via Phone: Perry Gibson
“Everyday we’ve been preparing very well. The weather here is very unpredictable; there’s a lot of rain but what we’ve been doing is early morning, we’ve been getting up three o’clock Belize time and doing our training early.”
Gibson and the cycling team will return to Belize on July twenty-eighth.
