Guyana’s ‘Father of Cycling’ Hassan Mohamed dies at 80

Guyana’s cycling fraternity has lost one of its most influential figures following the death of former national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed.

Mohamed, widely regarded as the “Father of Cycling” in Guyana, passed away peacefully in his sleep during the early hours of Friday, August 21, a source close to his family confirmed. He was 80 and would have celebrated his 81st birthday on October 28.

His death brings an end to a remarkable association with cycling that spanned more than six decades as a competitor, coach, administrator and race organiser.

Born on October 28, 1945, Mohamed grew up in Alexander Village and attended Broad Street Government School and Trinity Methodist School. He entered competitive cycling at age 13 in July 1958 as a member of Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club.

Mohamed competed in the juvenile, junior and senior divisions before serving as captain of Carlton Wheelers from 1968 to 1972. He retired from competitive riding in 1972 because of family commitments but remained closely connected to the sport.

In 1975, he received a Guyana Olympic Association scholarship to study in Rome, Italy. During the three-month programme, he earned qualifications from the Union Cycliste Internationale and the International Olympic Committee, along with certification in physical education.

Upon returning to Guyana, Mohamed was appointed national cycling coach on August 1, 1975. He subsequently worked through the National Sports Commission and several government ministries while extending cycling programmes into communities across the country.

One of his greatest contributions was his stewardship of the annual “Teach Them Young” programme at the National Park. Introduced as part of a government youth initiative in 1976, the programme provided generations of children with training in riding, bicycle safety
and competitive cycling.

Among the prominent cyclists associated with the programme were Hector Edwards, Raymond Newton, Godfrey Pollydore, Linden Dowridge, Geron Williams, Raynauth Jeffrey, Jamal John, Hamza Eastman and Scott Savory.

Mohamed was also credited with introducing regular circuit racing on the National Park’s inner circuit and founding the National Sports Commission Independence Three-Stage Cycle Road Race in 1983.

Away from coaching, he served in several administrative positions, including treasurer and racing secretary of the Guyana Cycling Federation and president of Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club. His ability to attract corporate sponsorship also helped to maintain a packed calendar
of road races and National Park events.

Mohamed represented Guyana as a coach and manager at several international competitions, including the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico, the 1977 World Cycling Championships in Venezuela and the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.

His service was recognised nationally in 1990 when he received the Medal of Service for his contribution to cycling development and Guyana. He was also named runner-up for the National Sports Commission’s Coach of the Year award in 1991 and 1996 and received additional recognition from the Guyana Olympic Association.

Mohamed retired after approximately five decades in cycling administration but remained interested in the sport’s development. One of his longstanding wishes was for Guyana to establish a dedicated cycling stadium or velodrome.