In need of bike sponsor
Mixing Education and sports these days is not all that easy and to be on top of the game in both is even more challenging. But for 17 yr old Marica Dick her aim is to excel in both and she has managed to do so in both fields so far with resounding success, thus dispelling the notion that education and sports can’t mix.
Marica, a student of the New Amsterdam Multilateral School, is now in sixth form where she is preparing for CAPE part one. Marica resides at Lot 45 Stanleytown New Amsterdam, Berbice with her mother Hollis Mourant and stepfather Roy Amsterdam. She recently gained nine subjects at the CSEC Examinations in 2011.
Marica has gained most of her prominence in the cycling field after riding for five years now, and at the tender age of 15 and just after two years on the saddle she was already National Female Champion.
She started riding in 2007 and coincidentally so. She is always active and willing to participate in events and is an ardent participant at school. She started in running and being unsuccessful at the Inter house events, she picked up a bicycle and entered her name for the cycling events and won hands down. She went all the way to Nationals at Bourda and placed second in her four events and that was the stat of her climb. She had never trained or participated in cycling before. After her success her mother quickly sought out coach Randolph Roberts and the rest is now history. Marica has been gaining from strength to strength. There was no cycling event at National in 2008 due to rain.
In 2009 she excelled and stated that it was her best year so far. She won her first national school championship at Albion with victory in five events. It was even more satisfying because she defeated then top cyclist Naomi Singh. The 2010 championship was mixed because she had to share the spoils with Singh. In that same year she represented Guyana in her first stint overseas where she participates in the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championship in Aruba and returned with a medal. That was also the first year she participated in the Inter Guiana games which was held in Guyana where she secured 1st and 3rd positions. Her second stint in the Inter Guiana Games was in 2011 in Suriname where she placed second and third and helped the Guyana team to regain the Cycling championship.
She competes in both road and track events. She handles both competently, but prefers the track. She says because on the track things are simpler and you can gage the distance and your opponents. At the moment she has no fierce competitor and is not afraid of any of the other female riders in Guyana. She attributes her moderate success over the past year to her dedicating herself to her studies. Going to school and studying is very challenging and at times you have to sacrifice one for the other. Things are not always smooth sailing at times and that’s what makes it more difficult.
She really wanted to quit at one time because writing nine subjects at CESEC and coming close to exams and then to train for fierce competition things were really getting difficult. “I actually stop riding for a while. But my love for the sport kept me going. When I look at my bike there was a craving to ride and whenever there is a race and I am around and at the finishing line and a race would be completed, I would say gosh, I could have been there”.
Although she continues to reign supreme at the National school cycling championship with another champion cyclist placing in the recently concluded 2011 championship, it was indeed her most challenging and disappointing. Not mainly because of competition, but her bike got damaged just before the commencement of the cycling events. Her back wheel got broken because it was not handled properly by those in charge.
Not too sure if she would have been able to compete was heartrending. With her clothes and gear at the ready and even as the cyclist lined up for the first event, she was still not sure if she would have been able to ride. Wondering she could not compete, a lot of things ran through her mind. Speaking to Kaieteur sport Marica stated that sitting at the sidelines and looking at the other cyclist prepare was not easy. She had put in so much for this championship, she left her studies and assignment behind and now disappointment. However at the last moment she was able to acquire a make shift back wheel and participated in the race which she won. However she had to use different bikes for the various events. In one of the track races she had to use her road bike and things did not work out well. The bike did not respond, using all her skills and power she was able to place second.
Losing a race at National 2011 to an unknown and lesser opponent was also her worst moment in her cycling career. Almost wearing a smile, Marica is in need of a Bicycle and a sponsor, because riding at such a competitive level you have to get support and plenty of assistance. She said to acquire her last bike she had to seek donations and get assistance from well wishers and her parents. Her parents are both very supportive and are proud of her and gave her all the support she needs. It is difficult to study and compete at the highest level, but she is prepared to give it her best shot.
Although preparing for CAPE, she plans to get back on her bike more frequently this year, and participate in as much events as possible because, as she says, she is not into the sport for fun, but to reach to the top. She plans to compete and be outstanding in the Caribbean Championship, The Inter Guiana games, the Annual Three and five stages events as well as the national School championship among others. At the moment she trains mostly in the mornings and concentrate on her school work and some house hold chores for most of the day, and sometimes study late in the nights.
Participating in a male dominated sport is not too difficult for her. In fact it gives her the motivation to work harder. One of her aims this year is to compete fiercely with the males and defeat some of them. She plans to reclaim her national Female championship this year.
Her plans are to continue with her education and cycling career and land a Cycling scholarship. Her ultimate goal is to compete at the Olympics 2016 and be the first female cyclist to reach that far and to secure medals for Guyana. You have to take it together, so there is always something to fall back on she noted. She wants to also pursue a career in Business management or Agriculture Science, where she gained a distinction at CESEC.
Her discipline is impeccable and hardly a finger is pointed at her. She is simple and easy to get along with and is a willing team worker and a good ambassador for her country.
She is very grateful to the almighty God, her parents, Coach Randolph Roberts, her teachers, former colleague and overseas based cyclist Wilbert Benjamin, Former cyclists and Business personalities Arokium and Rudolph Blair of Stretch D Dollar Supermarkets for their assistance.