The Greatest Guyanese Athlete Ever - A sprinter with world class greats.
Name: James Gilkes DOB: September 15, 1952
Home: Georgetown, Guyana Discipline: 100m & 200m
Personal Best: - 100m - 10.19 - 200m - 20.14
- 4x100m - 38.55 - 4x200m - 1:20.2
College: Fisk University (DIII) & University of Southern California.
Honors: - Guyana National Record Holder 100m Dash
- Guyana National Record Holder 200m Dash
-
1976 Montreal Olympian in the 100m Dash
- (Qualified but never got to compete due to the African boycott).
-
Tried to compete as an individual, but was denied by the IOC.
- Ranked as the one of the top 30 Sprinter of the past
100 years
- Number #10 All-time South American Ranking (10.19).
- Number #3 All-time South American Ranking
(20.14).
- Number #7 All-time 100m Sprinter in USC History (10.22 - 1975).
- Number #4 All-time 200m Sprinter
in USC History (20.39 1975).
- Ranked Number #2 All-time in 100y dash in USC history (9.3 1975).
- Ranked
Number #3 All-time in 200y dash in USC history (20.4 1975).
- Held the South American Ranked Number One for 11 years
1978 - 1989
- Winner of the NCAA Division III first ever championship in 1974.
- 100y dash champion (9.4w).
- 200y dash champion (20.7).
- Still Holds the NCAA Division III 200m record 20.82c set in 1974.
-
Holds the NCAA Division III Championship 100y/200y record holder (9.6sec/20.7sec) set in 1974.
- 1974 NCAA Division
One 200m Champions (19.90w Fisk University).
- First Collegiate to go under 20 seconds in the NCAA Championship 200m
with his wind aided time of 19.90w in 1974 for Fisk University.
- Ran a wind-aided time of 19.8y in 1974.
-
World Ranking of #5 in the 200m in 1975 (20.39).
- 1975 Pam American Games Gold Medallist in 200m (20.43A).
-
1975 ranked 9th in the World 100m Rankings (10.34).
- Won the Historical Berlin ISTAF Grand Prix 200m Finals three
of four year from 1976 1979.
- Silver Medallist at the historical first meet of the Nice Grand Prix (10.33 - 1976).
- 1976 ranked Number 6th in the World (200m 20.51).
- 1976 ranked 9th in the World 100m Rankings.
-
1977 ranked Number 13th in the World (200m)
- Achieved his highest World Ranking of # 3 in the 200m World Ranking
of 3rd in 1978 (20.14). Setting the National Record.
- 1978 set the National Record in the 100m Dash (10.19).
-
1978 Ranked 14th in the World 100m Rankings.
- Anchored the Tobias Striders historical 4x100m relay with Guy Abrahams
(PAM), Mike Simmons (USA) and Don Quarrie that ran the fast time in 1978 of 38.55 in Tempe, Arizona.
- Their record
stood for 16 years.
- Anchored the same team also set the meet and track record in 4x200m record of 1:20.2 (that still
stands at the ASU).
- Won a silver medal in the 1978 Commonwealth Games 200m (20.18w).
It’s been five years since former Manhattan College star Aliann Pompey raced during the indoor season.
But since she decided to race this winter season, she hasn’t wasted any time in making it count.
Pompey broke her own Guyanese national record in the indoor 400 meters Saturday, winning at the New Balance
Games in 51.85 seconds, topping her own record of 52.17, set in 2003. Her time is the fastest mark in the world this year.
“I felt like I could (run a personal best) today,” she said. “I haven’t run indoor
in five years. I was wondering if I could do that.”
Pompey certainly didn’t leave much doubt. She enjoyed a 30-meter lead 150 meters into the race and
showed little sign of fatigue the entire way. The 30 year-old three-time Olympian is still seeking a sponsor but part of her
decision to run the indoor season came from how well she’s been training.
Pompey will compete in the 600 yards Friday at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden. She still trains
at Manhattan College with sprint coach Joe Ryan. Pompey won the 500 meters at the Gotham Cup two weeks ago in 1:09.37.
“That really gave me confidence that I’d be able to hold on today,” she said.
American Rob Myers won a comeback victory in the men’s mile, finishing in 3:59.92, the 39th
sub-four minute mile at the New Balance Track and Field Center. Adrian Blincoe of New Zealand followed his countryman, Max
Smith through the first 1,000 meters then held a 25-meter lead for another lap before he began to fall off pace as the rest
of the field closed in.
“I’m pretty confident in my kicking abilities,” Myers said. “I’m pretty aware
of what’s going on. I was pretty sure that they’d come back to me. So I just kept reeling them in.”
Myers squeezed by off the last curve for the win. Neil Speight of Great Britain finished second in 4:00.31
and Blincoe third in 4:00.33. Myers recently moved to Michigan and is now training with coach Ron Warhurst. He said the change
in his style of training is helping him stay stronger mentally and the result was an early season sub-four minute mile.
“It shows I’m in pretty good shape right now,” he said.
Record breaker: On Friday, Tyron Benjamin of Morgan State University broke his home country Dominica’s
national record while placing second in the shot put in 57 feet, 9.5 inches Friday at the Great Dane Classic.
