Guyana’s Pan Am Games medal drought continues

Oct 30, 2023 Sports

– Track and Field athletes in action today

By Rawle Toney

SANTIAGO, CHILE – OCT 29: Britton Shemar y Chelsea Edghill de Guyana en acción en los Juegos Panamericanos Santiago 2023 en el Centro de Entrenamiento Olimpico Nunoa el 29 de octubre en Santiago, Chile. / Britton Shemar and Chelsea Edghill to Guyana in action in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games at Nunoa’s Olympic Training Center on October 29 in Santiago, Chile. (Foto: Cristian Soto/ Santiago 2023 via Photosport)

Kaieteur Sports – Guyanese athletes have been coming up short at the Pan Am Games so far, despite some credible performances.

Yesterday marked the start of the table tennis event in Santiago, Chile, where Chelsea Edghill and Shemar Britton battled it out in the mixed doubles.

After looking the first three games 8-11, 7-11 and 8-11, Edghill and Britton bounced back to take the fourth 11-7.

Emanuel Archibald will compete in the men’s 100m semis at the Pan Am Games

Needing fourth consecutive wins to take the match, the Guyanese duo bowed to 8-11 result in the fifth game.

Following their match, Coach Idi Lewis said the pair played well enough to win, but couldn’t get over the line. “We’re actually the better side, but I think we didn’t get comfortable early enough in the match.”

Edghill and Britton are set to participate in the round-of-32 singles today. Britton will face Daniel Gonzalez from Puerto Rico, while Edghill is scheduled to compete against Mexico’s Yadira Silva.

Meanwhile, the country’s track and field team will have their first taste of action today as they look to end Guyana’s 20-year drought of an athletics medal at the Pan Am Games.

Aliann Pompey and Marian Burnett’s 2003 participation at the Pan Am Games, saw the Guyana finishing with bronze in the women’s 400m (Pompey) and the Women’s 800m.

However, today marks a new opportunity for Guyana, with Emmanuel Archibald, Keliza Smith, and sisters Jasmines and Aaliyah Abrams seeking to alter the country’s fortunes.

Archibald, a gold medallist at this year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) games, aspires to add a Pan Am Games title to his achievements.

Guyana’s track and field history boasts only one gold medal, won by James Wren-Gilkes in the men’s 200m in 1975.

In the upcoming events, Jasmine Abrams and Keliza Smith are poised for a showdown in the women’s 100m semi-finals, while Aaliyah Abrams is slated to compete in the women’s 400m semi-finals.