Swimmers get first taste of Commonwealth Youth Games today

Aug 06, 2023 Sports

By Rawle Toney

Tianna Springer and Eliott Gonsalves leading the procession for Guyana at the Opening of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.

Kaieteur Sports – Following a colourful opening ceremony, swimmers Ariel Rodrigues, Elliott Gonsalves, and Shareefah will be the first of Guyana’s representatives at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games to be in action in Trinidad and Tobago.

Rodrigues is slated to compete in a series of events including the women’s 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, and 50m Freestyle.

It was a carnival atmosphere at the Hasley Crawford Stadium to mark the opening the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Gonsalves, who proudly carried Guyana’s flag alongside track athlete Tianna Springer, will dive into the pool for the men’s 200m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley, 400m Freestyle, and 400m Individual Medley.

Meanwhile, Shareefah Lewis has her sights set on podium finishes in the Women’s 100m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, and 50m Freestyle.

Syhka Gonsalves, the swimming coach, expressed the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association’s (GASA) hope that the athletes would achieve their personal bests while relishing the excitement and experience of the Commonwealth Youth Games.

The aquatic events of the seventh edition of the games will unfold at the National Aquatics Centre in Couva from today until Wednesday.

In addition to swimming, Guyana’s presence will also be felt in Track and Field events, with CARIFTA medallists Tianna Springer, Javon Roberts, Attoya Harvey, Malachi Austin, and Narissa McPherson.

Coach Julian Edmonds will overlook the athletes when the Track and Field event starts on Monday.

Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago, renowned as the Caribbean’s Carnival hub, dazzled with its creative prowess and vibrant culture during the opening ceremony at the iconic Hasely Crawford Stadium.

While the event featured 71 participating nations, the 13 Caribbean nations joined in, infusing the atmosphere with their unique music, adding to the distinctive Commonwealth Youth Games experience.

Diane Henderson, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association (TTCGA), highlighted that the games’ opening was a collaborative endeavour led by the people of the Twin Island Republic, with support from around the world.

Henderson proudly declared, “As a nation, we can proudly say we are Trinbago 2023. Now, the real action begins as the spotlight shifts to the athletes taking the field in the coming days.”

With the excitement of the opening ceremony subsiding, athletes are turning their focus to their respective disciplines, spanning seven sporting categories.

The Trinbago 2023 Games will witness more than 1,000 athletes vying in athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, netball (Fast5), rugby sevens, swimming, and triathlon.

From August 4-11, the events will encompass Aquatics (Swimming), Athletics, Cycling (Road Race, Time Trial, and Track), Triathlon, Rugby Sevens, and Beach Volleyball.

The shorter and swifter format of Netball, known as FAST5, makes its debut at the Youth Games, featuring eight women’s teams competing for medals.

Adding a new dimension, a fully integrated Para-Athletics program will make its first appearance at the Games, with athletes contending in six medal events (three women’s and three men’s events).

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and Shareefah, ceremony, Elliott Gonsalves, Hasely Crawford, swimmers Ariel Rodrigues

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