Team Guyana lived up to expectations and predictions on the opening day of the 2023 Inter-Guiana Games currently being held in Paramaribo, Suriname. Yesterday, the track and field contingent captured 11 gold medals, six silvers and four bronzes from 13 completed events to go along with the Boys Football team’s 2-0 victory over French Guiana.
Touted as a highly formidable unit by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Vice-President, Niall Stanton, the Guyanese athletes were unstoppable, with the male 4x100m relay team, Tianna Springer and Ezekiel Newton headlining the day. For their efforts, the Guyanese track and field team currently lead the overall points tally with French Guiana a distant second while the host nation sits at the bottom of the table.
Commission Cristy Campbell (left) pose with Guyana’s victorious male 4 X 100 relay team.
Newton as expected stole the show in the Boys 100m dash, with only his countryman Jaheel Cornette giving him a challenge. Newton blazed to gold in 11.23s holding off Cornette who crossed the line with the clock at 11.55s to seal a Guyanese one-two podium finish. Frenchman Madeleine Dayvan had to settle for third someway behind the Guyanese pair in 12.19s.
On the distaff side of the 100m event, Guyana’s Athaleyah Hinckson was peerless, crossing the finish line to grab gold in 12.61s, some distance ahead of French Guiana’s Jessika Ranguet (13.25s) and Suriname’s Xuae Trustfull (13.46s) who had to settle for silver and bronze in that order. Meanwhile, the Girls 400m saw rising star Tianna Springer saunter to a gold medal finish in 59.16s without a competitor in sight. French Guiana’s Tara Lafontaine took silver in 1 minute 04.20s while Guyana’s Joanna Anthon copped bronze in 1 minute 07.31s.
Afi Blair also ensured that Guyana took the 400m boys event with a 52.73s gold medal run while his compatriot Enoch Munro finished second in 53.56s and Surinamese Luciano Hertsberg took third with 54.25s.
In the middle distance events, Marissa Thomas and Esther Mckinnon gave Guyana another one-two podium finish by taking the gold and silver medals in the girls 1500m. Thomas clocked 5 minutes 30.53s for her gold, Mckinnon stopped the clock at 5 minutes 32.07s to take silver and Mazono Milienne of French Guiana finished third in 6 minutes 18.42s. The Guyanese pair of Jevon Roberts and Jamol Sullivan provided the closest race of the day in the Boys 1500m event with Roberts just edging ahead of Sullivan in a photo finish to take the gold medal. Roberts had a winning time of 4 minutes 30.47s while Sullivan was just behind in 4 minutes 30.65s. Suriname’s Isaiah Jacott was a mere spectator in his third place finish of 4 minutes 35.32s.
The Boys 4x100m relay was dominated by Guyana who took the gold, but up to press time yesterday, there was no official time provided. Newton and Cornette teamed up with Robert Marcus and Enoch Munroe for that gold medal run. In the field events, the dynamic duo of Guyanese shot putters, Jamie Fraser and Jaheme Henry landed team Guyana the gold and bronze medals in the boys shot put throw. Fraser had a best throw of 12.81m for his gold with Suriname’s Shemar Blankendaal grabbing silver with his best of 11.53m. Henry’s bronze was won with his best effort being 11.30m.
Meanwhile the Javelin throw saw Kaidon Persaud being a cut above his competitors with a best effort of 49.13m. French Guiana’s Yarde Richey won silver with 39.90m while Suriname’s Mekhi Chang copped bronze with his longest throw of 34.74m.
In the girls Javelin event, French Guiana’s Josephine Eleine threw her way to gold with 31.86m with Guyanese Sheneque Holder (24.30m) and Tamara Mingo (23.76m) having to settle for silver and bronze respectively.
The boys long jump also saw Guyana being successful with a gold medal courtesy of Emmanuel Adams. He had a best jump of 6.23m, ahead of French Guiana pair Mertasetiko Andy (5.91m) and Moasea Horis (5.80m) who took silver and bronze in that order.
The Guyana boys football team also tasted success with a comfortable 2-0 win over French Guiana as the talented Omar Sam netted a brace, his goals coming in the 22nd and 70th minutes, either side of halftime. That game was played at the Transvaal Ground in Paramaribo.
The Inter-Guiana Games will continue today with more athletics and football action while the volleyball, chess, swimming, tennis and basketball teams are heading into action.
