The Guyana boys’ and girls’ under-21 hockey teams are hard at training for the upcoming 2025 PAHF Junior Challenge, scheduled to be staged in Bridgetown, Barbados from March 8th to 16th, 2025.
The Challenge is the regional qualifier for the second-ever Junior Pan American Games, scheduled to be contested in Asuncion, Paraguay from August 9th to 22nd.
The girls’ competition is set up as one pool comprising hosts Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico, Guatemala and Puerto Rico. Guyana would be featured in the opening match of the competition, playing against Guatemala in a game which starts at 10:00hrs on the morning of March 6th. The two teams have never previously faced each other, but Guyana has the superior world ranking of 36, while Guatemala is unranked.
Snapshots from the National U21 teams’ preparation for the PAHF Junior Challenge
The Guyanese girls will face Mexico the following morning, and despite Mexico’s world ranking of 40, they are expected to be Guyana’s toughest challenge.
After a rest day, Guyana would then face Puerto Rico and then hosts Barbados, before rounding out their pool matches verses Trinidad & Tobago.
Barbados are the highest seeded team in the competition with a world ranking of 33.
The single-pool competition in the boys’ division features Brazil, Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala and Venezuela.
As with their female counterparts, the Guyanese boys face Guatemala in their opening match, before they face Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, Brazil, and complete the pool round against Barbados.
Final selection for both squads is expected to be completed by Sunday, February 9th. The teams continue to train at the GCC Ground in Bourda during the week, and at the Providence stadium on weekends.
The Guyanese girls will face Mexico the following morning, and despite Mexico’s world ranking of 40, they are expected to be Guyana’s toughest challenge.
