Coach and president say more investment needed for cycling
Not only did the athletes believe that they need more time to train with each other, the team’s coach and president also shared the same sentiment. Emil Moreno, the president of the Belize Cycling Association, indicated that if the athletes could have spent adequate time in Panama prior to the games in order to adjust to the climate, the cyclists could have won at least two more medals.
Emil Moreno, President, Belize Cycling Association
“I would rate it as good, a good attempt.”
Jose Sanchez
“How many athletes do we have out there in cycling?”
Perry Gibson, National Team Coach
“Two females and six males.”
Jose Sanchez
“But only two medals so far, what can be done to improve your discipline?”
Perry Gibson
“The improvement itself was there, it was just a case of being just a little short. Basically, we came about thirteen seconds from a bronze medal in under twenty-three time trial, and one place short of coming again bronze in the elite road race. So basically were there; were not being left behind as in previously. We’re right there and we’re close it’s just the luck of the draw at times.”
Jose Sanchez
“We sent eight athletes, what is the average number of athletes coming from the other Central American countries and what is your assessment of the performance?”
Emil Moreno
“They’ve been sending more cyclists than we have. Obviously, that is an advantage against us. I believe that we need to work closer together and send out more athletes and the country must come together and the government must finance or help with finance so that we could have better teams out there.”
Jose Sanchez
“The two athletes that did well, they were of the opinion they need to train together as part of a national team year round to improve the sport. Is this something that you also share, your opinions?”
Perry Gibson
“I think so. I think the preparation for these games have to me more long term, it cannot be one or two months before. We have to prepare long term for these events to be able to be more successful. As it relates to the other countries and the team, finance is a big thing. The temperatures in Panama were hotter than in Belize—we had a hundred and four, hundred and five degrees temperatures and what happened, the teams like Costa Rica had eight guys and they were two weeks there preparing for the event, looking at the race course and they had a clear advantage.”
Emil Moreno
“I would say the same. It’s just a matter of us being out there and prepare ourselves in the climatic conditions as well. In regards to our cyclists, the point one in which our cyclist that we failed to get the medal, made the difference. You know it’s something we could work on. We have the ability to do so.”
The coach says that the main training for the games were essentially the training that the athletes did in preparation for the Cross Country Classic.
I think that the time has come for a National Team, A DREAM TEAM, with only the Best of the Best selected by a National Cycling Body, made up of Past Champs, Managers, Coaches and people with professional knowledge of the sport. This Team’s only focus should be Cycling, and they should have a support Team, of Coaches, Physicians etc., they should be salaried employees completely funded by the Government of Belize. It should never have to be that one of our Major National Sport is only National in name. If the Government needs to find funding for this they can always raise the Tax on the Oil Companies, The Free Zone Proprietors, The Casino Owners, The Asian Community Store, etc., after all these institutions are on our National Soil, and should not only operate as PRIVATE ENTERPRISES, but should be more active in National Issues. With a National Dream Team, we should be able to dominate the Easter Cross Country Classic and win more races in the Region.