Guyana shatters CARIFTA Games mixed relay record; Springer, Austin strikes 400m gold

Apr 05, 2026 Sports

…Shepherd’s silver, Roberts bronze adds to five-medal haul on opening day

Guyana shatters CARIFTA Games mixed relay record; Springer, Austin strikes 400m gold

Record breakers! (L-R) Malachi Austin, Tishawn Easton, Akeela Dover and Tianna Springer shattered the CARIFTA Games 4x400m Mixed Relay (Photo compliments: Run It )

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – Guyana announced its arrival at the 53rd CARIFTA Games in St George’s, Grenada, in emphatic fashion, producing a golden opening day that signaled serious intent for the remainder of the championships.

With standout performances from Malachi Austin, Tianna Springer, and a dominant Mixed 4x400m relay quartet, Guyana surged to an impressive medal haul and early momentum on Day One.

Guyana’s biggest statement came in the Mixed 4x400m relay, where Tishawn Easton, Akeela Dover, Malachi Austin and Tianna Springer delivered a record-breaking performance to win gold in 3:20.79.

The time not only saw Guyana on top of the podium, but also shattered the country’s previous CARIFTA record of 3:23.51, set in 2024, also in Grenada, by Malachi Austin, Narissa McPherson, Dh Neilson Gill and Tianna Springer.

Meanwhile, Springer once again stamped her authority on the CARIFTA stage, storming to gold in the Girls U20 400m in 52.47s.

Tianna Springer on her way to winning Gold in U20 400m at the CARIFTA Games (photo compliments: Run It)

She comfortably finished ahead of Barbados’ Kadia Rock (53.21) and Jamaica’s Breana Brown (54.54).

The 18-year-old University of Georgia freshman capped an extraordinary CARIFTA career in style. This latest win adds to a remarkable streak that includes U17 gold in 2023 and multiple U20 titles, leaving her undefeated in the 400m at the Games.

Austin also ensured his farewell CARIFTA Games was equally memorable, producing a powerful run to win the Boys U20 400m in 46.01s.

He held off a challenge from Bahamas’ Zion Davis (46.18) and Jamaica’s Jabari Matheson (46.37) in a tightly contested final.

The victory marks Austin’s second CARIFTA gold medal, adding to his 2024 success, and represents a perfect send-off after claiming silver in the same event last year.

Guyana’s Malachi Austin moving past The Bahamas’ Zion Davis to win the U20 400m at the CARIFTA Games (photo compliments: Run It).

Guyana’s medal success extended beyond the sprints, with strong performances in the 1500m events.

In the Boys U20 1500m, Javon Roberts picked up bronze in 4:01.42, just behind Jamaica’s Joel Morgan (4:00.96) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Darius Harding (4:00.99) in a closely fought race.

Jermaine Shepherd delivered a standout run in the Boys U17 1500m, earning silver in 4:11.12. He finished just shy of Jamaica’s Jevaughn Tomlin (4:10.92), while Luke Plummer took bronze in 4:12.19.

At the end of Day One, Guyana stood with five medals overall (three gold, one silver and one bronze), already surpassing last year’s performance (one gold, one silver, three bronze), achieved in Trinidad and Tobago.

Additional performances saw Malique Kendall clock 10.94 seconds to finish sixth in the Boys U17 100m final, further highlighting the team’s competitive depth.

Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, who is in Grenada alongside National Sports Commission (NSC) Vice Chair Cristy Campbell, praised the team’s effort, particularly the historic relay performance.

Ninvalle expressed satisfaction not only with the medalists but also with those who narrowly missed the podium, noting confidence that they will rebound strongly in the days ahead.

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CARIFTA Games, Guyana, Malachi Austin, mixed relay record, Tianna Springer

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