Guyanese Sprinter Jeremy Bascom On A Fast Track
September 8, 2010
By Allison SkeeteSpecial To CWNNCaribWorldNews, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Sept. 8, 2010: After more than 30 years, young Guyanese Sprinter Jeremy Bascom is giving the South American nation of Guyana high hopes for attaining some athletic attention in track and field.Bascom recently broke the 32 year old national record held by James Gilks when he ran the 100 meter sprint in 10 seconds flat. His accomplishment came at the New Jersey Open and Master`s Championship races held back in June of this summer in Ramapo, New Jersey. The record set by Gilks in 1978 was 10.19 seconds. Confirmation by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) of the fast time and the meet ratifies the feats of track athletes to give them accreditation. The 10 seconds run places Bascom 13th on the fastest man list which puts him fifth behind the current reigning king of the track and field, Jamaica`s Usain Bolt.Born in Linden in Guyana, Bascom emigrated to the U.S in 1997 when he was 14. He`s won several races at meets and championship events in track field in the Northern Eastern Conference, the Outdoor College championship, and the former Long Island University graduate also took home a win at the distinguished Penn Relay games. Bascom earned his college degree in Business Management in 2006.When asked what his ultimate goal in the sport is, Bascom replied: `To run in the Olympics.` That is the apex for him, he says, while realizing that there is more recognition of the sport in Europe. He`s slated to take part in the Commonwealth Games set for October 2010 in New Delhi, India where he would replace an injured Marian Burnett for Team Guyana. Four identified spots on the national Commonwealth Games contingent have been listed for the Athletics Association. The other three spots went to Aliann Pompey, Cleveland Forde and Adam Harris.
