The 2016 edition of the Inter-Guiana Games, renamed the ‘Goodwill Games’ 2016 was officially declared open by Guyana’s Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonara West Coast Demerara on Friday evening.
After the official opening ceremony Guyana dominated the early exchanges in both track and field events.
The evening began with a march pass of athletes much to the delight of delegations from both Guyana and Suriname. Positive words of encouragement and confirmation of the longevity of the games were given by the Director of Sport of both countries, as well as Dr. Roopnarine.
Compton Caeser and Tyrell Peters stunned the visitors in the 100m
After the formality, the females opened the competition on the track with the 3000m race between the two nations. In the curtain raiser, the athletes pushed with everything in the tank as they were energized by the cheers and vibrant drumming from the spectators.
Guyana’s Tabitha Bowman romped to the top spot in a time of 11.49sec, well ahead of Suriname’s Marielle Blanker (12:24sec) in the 8.5 lap race. There was no 3000m race for boys.
Kenisha Phillips (Guy) won the girls 100m in 11:98 as her partner, Onasha Rogers raced in a time of 12:18sec to come second. The Guyanese boys also dominated the 100m sprint as Compton Ceaser (10:57sec) and Tyrell Peters (10:69sec) made it look easy under the moonlight.
In the female 400m Suriname’s Miquel Shepper downed Guyana’s Laurindo Prince by 0.4sec which immediately muted the gyrating home crowd, however Avon Samuels (58.09sec) and Deshana Skeete (1.01.33min) revived the raving crowds.
In the longer version of the track meet, team Guyana’s Joanna Archer (5:23sec) and Kezra Murry (5:25sec) were unstoppable in the female 1500m. Similarly Guyana’s Odwin Tudor (4:11sec) and Anfernee Headecker (4:16sec) predictably distanced the Surinamese in the boys 1500m.
Closing off the first leg of the three-day action, in the girls 4×100 Deshana Skeete’s second leg pull away allowed Guyana to win in a time of 49.63sec while their male counter parts extended their dominance in 42.62sec.
Moving over to field events, Suriname dominated the high jump with Pika Dave leaping to 1.95m, which was good enough to stop local boy Daniel Williams (1.90m). Meanwhile, Donnafieve Pobosie (1.55m) of Suriname edged Guyana’s Tatyanna Blair (1.50m) to win the female high jump.
Only Guyana girls participated in the Javelin Throw with Andriska throwing 32.80m. Guyanese duo Tramaine Beckles (63.38m) and Jamaine Simons (49.98m) haulted the Dutch nation.
Also on the opening day, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, both the boys and girls teams went down to the visitors in basketball action. The girls were completely outplayed in the first match of the two best in three contest, losing 25-69 while the males produced a spirited competition but suffered a hard fought defeat 68-74.
The action continues at the Leonora stadium from 16:00h today and at 17:00h at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
At the National Gymnasium, badminton opens at 9:00h while volleyball will continue from 15:00h.
The newest discipline at IGG is futsal which opens today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 13:00h.
