Omari Glasgow becomes first footballer to win Guyana’s Sportsman of the Year Award

Nov 10, 2025 Sports

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…Fernandes, Austin, and Hinckson among top honourees at the National Sports Awards

 By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – It was a historic night for Guyanese football at the National Sports Awards, hosted by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport on Saturday evening at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre.

Golden Jaguars forward Omari Glasgow etched his name in the history books by becoming the first footballer since the award’s inception in 1955 to be named Sportsman of the Year.

The 21-year-old, member of Guyana’s senior men’s national team, has been a beacon of consistency and inspiration for local football.

Glasgow, the country’s all-time leading goalscorer, has found the back of the net 21 times in 33 international appearances, an achievement that underscores his growing legacy in the sport.

In 2024, Glasgow continued to make waves internationally. The striker, who is signed to Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Chicago Fire, spent the season on loan with Loudoun United FC in the United Soccer League (USL), where he impressed with his performances.

Glasgow edged bodybuilder Nicholas Albert, who earned his International Pro Card in 2024, to take home the top honour.

In an emotional acceptance speech, Glasgow dedicated the award to his family, teammates, and the people of Guyana, saying their support has been the foundation of his success.

Meanwhile, Nicolette Fernandes, Guyana’s former world-ranked squash player, added yet another accolade to her illustrious career, being named Senior Sportswoman of the Year.

Fernandes, who once reached a world ranking of No. 19, dominated the World Squash Federation (WSF) Masters Tournament in the Netherlands, winning gold in the Women’s 40-and-over category.

This follows her previous success in the Women’s 35-and-over division, cementing her reputation as a multiple World Masters Champion and reaffirming her continued dominance on the international stage.

The night also celebrated the achievements of Guyana’s emerging athletic stars. Malachi Austin, the national U20 400m record-holder, was named Junior Sportsman of the Year (2024) after a season that redefined excellence in local athletics.

At the CARIFTA Games in St. George’s, Grenada, Austin captured gold in the Under-20 400m and powered Guyana to a CARIFTA Games record in the 4x400m Mixed Relay, before anchoring the men’s relay team to bronze.

His success continued at the South American U20 Championships in Peru, where he stormed to victory in the 400m final, adding another gold medal to his growing collection.

Austin’s outstanding performances earned him a full athletic scholarship to Louisiana State University (LSU), where he now competes in the NCAA Division I circuit, honing his craft among some of the world’s top young athletes.

Austin’s Running Brave Athletics Club teammate, Athaleyha Hinckson, capped off her own remarkable year by winning the Junior Sportswoman of the Year title.

The 16-year-old sprint sensation, affectionately dubbed the “Pocket Rocket,” became the first Guyanese female to win a 100m gold medal at the CARIFTA Games, rewriting the nation’s sprinting history.

Though she narrowly missed completing the sprint double, claiming silver in the U17 200m, Hinckson’s performance was nothing short of historic.

Her dominance carried over to the South American Under-20 Championships in Peru, where she clinched gold in the 100m despite being the youngest competitor in the final.

Like Austin, Hinckson has also accepted a full scholarship to LSU, where she will continue her development on one of the world’s most competitive collegiate stages.

In the Coaching category, Guyana Harpy Eagles Head Coach Ryan Hercules was named Coach of the Year, following a season of leadership and success in domestic and regional cricket with the Guyana Harpy Eagles.

The Media Awards recognised excellence in sports journalism, with Avenash Ramzan of News Room taking the Non-Print/Online Journalist of the Year award, Jemima Holmes of Guyana Times receiving the Print Journalist of the Year title, and Eric Collymore of NCN earning the honour for Broadcast Journalism.

Complete List of Awardees:

Senior Sportsman-of-the-Year: Omari Glasgow (Football)

Runner-up: Nicholas Albert (Bodybuilding)

Senior Sportswoman-of-the-Year: Nicolette Fernandes (Squash)

Runner-up: Ashley Khalil (Squash)

Junior Sportsman-of-the-Year: Malachi Austin (Athletics)

Runner-up: Kaidon Persaud (Athletics)

Junior Sportswoman-of-the-Year: Athaleyha Hinckson (Athletics)

Runner-up: Tianna Springer (Athletics)

Sportsman (PWD): Gibran Safaraz (Table Tennis)

Sportswoman (PWD): Abigail Jairam (Chess)

Male Coach-of-the-Year: Ryan Hercules (Cricket)

Female Coach-of-the-Year: Tremayne Smartt (Cricket)

Team-of-the-Year: Senior Squash Team

Association-of-the-Year: Guyana Basketball Federation

Male Sport Official-of-the-Year: Videsh Sookram (Bodybuilding)

Female Sport Official-of-the-Year: Aileen Bowman-Joseph (Netball)

Sport Journalist (Print): Jemima Holmes (Guyana Times)

Sport Journalist (Broadcast): Eric Collymore (NCN)

Sport Journalist (Non-Print/Online): Avenash Ramzan (News Room)

Corporate Sponsor (Small): Trophy Stall

Corporate Sponsor (Medium): MVP Sports

Corporate Sponsor (Large): ENet

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• Abigail Jairam, Athaleyah Hinckson, award, Omari Glasgow, Sportsman

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