Hero’s welcome for history-making athletes

Aug 12, 2023 Sports

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – Hero’s welcome awaits Guyana’s history-making representatives upon their return from the just-concluded Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.

Kaieteur News understands that officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, led by Minister Charles Ramson Jr., in collaboration with representatives from the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), and the Athletics Association of Guyana, will gather alongside parents and well-wishers of the country’s athletes today at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

The athletes and officials are expected to touchdown at 2:30 pm.

Guyana’s participation in the seventh edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games resulted in an impressive haul of four medals, consisting of two gold, one silver, and one bronze.

The country’s delegation encompassed eight athletes, competing across swimming and track and field events.

(L-R) Tianna Springer, Narissa McPherson, Malachi Austin and Javon Roberts after bring the CYG’s 4x400m Mixed Relay record.

While the swimmers didn’t make a splash in their competitions, all eyes were fixated on the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain, where the Guyanese athletes truly shined.

Tianna Springer exceeded all expectations, igniting the spark for an extraordinary performance by securing Guyana’s first-ever gold medal in the Commonwealth Youth Games with her victory in the women’s 400m finals.

It was the first time the National Anthem of Guyana was played at the games which started in 2023, and it certainly was not the last.

In the climactic event that brought the games to a close, Springer anchored Guyana’s 4x400m Mixed Relay team to another gold medal, partnering with Malachi Austin, Javon Roberts, and Narissa McPherson.

However, their achievement went beyond just winning the gold; their record-breaking time of 3:22.07 obliterated the previous game record of 3:25.08, set by Australia in 2017.

This exceptional performance stands as one of Guyana’s finest showings at the Commonwealth Youth Games since its inauguration in 2000.

Prior to the 2023 Games, Guyana’s medal tally consisted of three: two silver medals in boxing and a bronze in squash women’s doubles.

McPherson, who secured third place in the 400m race won by Springer, completed a remarkable one-three finish for Guyana.

Meanwhile, Austin, who had an impressive competition, attained a Personal Best of 47.97 seconds in the Men’s 400m, securing a commendable second place in the finals.

Roberts, an integral member of Guyana’s historic gold medal-winning 4x400m Mixed Relay team, along with Attoya Harvey, did not progress to the finals in their respective 800m and 1500m events.

The sterling performance of Guyana’s track athletes in Trinidad and Tobago bolstered the country’s overall medal count to seven over the history of the Commonwealth Youth Games, tracing back to the inaugural games in 2000.

Recalling past achievements, the 2008 Games in India saw accomplished amateur boxer Clevon Rock claim silver after his final match in the Men’s Bantamweight division.

In 2015, in Apia, Samoa, Larissa Wiltshire and Taylor Fernandes-Henry secured a bronze medal in the Squash women’s doubles category.

In the 2017 Games in The Bahamas, Keevin Allicock reached the finals of the Men’s flyweight division but was unable to secure victory.

Notably, boxing and squash were not featured in the 2023 Games hosted in Trinidad and Tobago.

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Keevin Allicock, Malachi Austin, Narissa McPherson, The Bahamas, Tianna Springer

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