Guyana delivers its most polished hosting of the IGG

Dec 09, 2025 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – The 2025 Inter Guiana Games (IGG) concluded on Sunday evening with Suriname emerging as overall champions, but it was Guyana’s exceptional hosting that stole much of the spotlight.

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle

Over three days of spirited competition involving Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname, the long-standing tri-nation event reaffirmed its value not only as a sporting showcase but also as a bridge of cultural unity among the three territories.

This year’s IGG featured six disciplines, futsal, volleyball, basketball, athletics, chess and swimming, with male and female athletes taking part in every event except futsal.

The December 5–7 programme was intense but efficiently executed, drawing high commendation from visiting delegations.

A significant portion of that praise centred on Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, under whose stewardship the IGG has seen commendable elevation.

This was Ninvalle’s second stint overseeing the hosting of event, having first taken charge in 2022, and many credited him for refining the Games into a more structured, athlete-centred and professionally organised undertaking.

His leadership, steady, meticulous and forward-thinking, has ensured that the IGG not only honours its historic legacy but evolves with modern expectations.

Dating back to 1967, the IGG holds a distinguished place in regional sporting history. Guyana pioneered the initiative, then contested for the Forbes Burnham/Johan Pengel Trophy, the latter named after Suriname’s Prime Minister of the era, Johan Adolf Pengel.

Football was the first discipline to feature, with basketball joining in 1972, marking the beginning of a vibrant sporting rivalry that has endured for decades.

But despite its rich heritage, the IGG has not always enjoyed consistent administration. Over the years, fluctuating hosting standards and logistical challenges often hampered the event’s full potential.

This year, however, marked a decisive shift. Representatives of Suriname and French Guiana openly applauded Guyana’s progress, highlighting especially the hospitality extended to the hundreds of athletes and officials who travelled for the tournament.

In contrast to previous editions, including the 2022 Games hosted in Guyana, the 2025 staging benefitted significantly from the country’s expanding hospitality sector.

Almost all of the leading hotels in Georgetown were utilised, ensuring elevated comfort and a more professional environment for teams. This upgraded standard did not go unnoticed; athletes, coaches and officials alike praised the organisers for delivering an experience that matched, and in many regards exceeded, regional expectations.

Much credit is due to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission (NSC), whose coordinated effort ensured the Games ran with minimal disruption.

While, as with any major event, minor grey areas surfaced, these were swiftly addressed by the organising team, allowing the overall execution to shine.

Events were held across premier national venues, with athletics at the National Track and Field Centre on West Demerara, basketball and futsal at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, swimming at the National Aquatic Centre, volleyball at the National Gymnasium, and chess at the National Racquet Centre. Each facility played a role in showcasing Guyana’s expanding sports infrastructure.

Suriname topped the medal standings, edging host nation Guyana, with French Guiana finishing third. However, beyond the podium, the 2025 IGG will be remembered for setting a new benchmark, one that Suriname and French Guiana must now aim to match, if not surpass, when it is their turn to host.

In every respect, Guyana delivered a polished, uplifting and well-managed Games, anchored by effective leadership, enhanced hospitality and an unwavering commitment to elevating youth sport in the Guianas.

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Athletics, Basketball, chess and swimming, Futsal, six disciplines, volleyball

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