Guyanese athletes for SA Youth Games from April 28

More than 15 athletes from five disciplines – badminton, 3×3 basketball, boxing, table tennis, and swimming – will represent Guyana in Rosario, Argentina at the South American Youth Games, slated to begin later this week.
The third edition of the South American Youth Games will commence on Thursday, April 28 and run until Sunday, May 8 and will be broken into two waves, as per COVID-19 protocols.
In the first wave from April 28 to May 1, Guyana will participate in table tennis, 3×3 basketball and swimming, while in the second wave from May 5 to May 8, the Guyanese athletes will compete in boxing and badminton.

During a press briefing on Saturday morning, Guyana’s team were revealed by Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Vice President Godfrey Munroe, who also noted the developmental aspect of the South American event.
“This games is developmental, like I said it’s the third edition and I think it’s a great opportunity for our young Olympic prospects to be engaged. So, as an Olympic Association, we’re quite happy to have this good nucleus of athletes participating in these games and we want to wish them all success,” Munroe shared at the GOA Headquarters in Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
When quizzed about the absence of representation from other sports, especially athletics, Munroe disclosed that the Associations failed to respond to their request.
“We had several other disciplines with the eligibility to participate, as is customary the Guyana Olympic Association would send out notification to its affiliates to invite them to submit athletes, once those disciples are considered for participation and these were the only responses,” he said.
In further clarifying his comment, Munroe added, “To answer your question specifically, we had the opportunity for athletics, 5×5 hockey, and rugby. Those affiliates for different reasons, which we are respectful of, did not respond to the request or would have indicated they had a different priority for the athletes.”
On the other hand, Garfield Wiltshire outlined the benefit of having Guyanese athletes at the championships, which should augur well for their international performances.
“It affords our young athletes the opportunity to participate in a high-level competition and be able to compete worldwide, or in this case, in the South American area,” Wiltshire said.
He also took the opportunity to credit an important partner, stating, “We’d like to thank one of our sponsors, Eureka Labs who would have, again, come to our assistance and afforded us the opportunity to get the PCR test done at their laboratory.”
Guyana’s team include badminton player Matthew Beharry and Coach Jonathan Mangra; boxer Travis Inverary and Coach Sebert Blake; 3×3 basketball team players Travis Patrick Anthony, Arindell Mathias, Camelo Man-Son-Hing, Anthony Kimal, and Coach Junior Hercules; table tennis players Jonathan Van Lange, Christian Sahadeo, Tauria Thomas, Jasmine Billingy and Coach Idi Lewis, and swimmers Leon Seaton, Vladimir Woodroofe, Patrice Mahaica, Paul Mahaica, Zara Crane, Ariel Rodrigues, and Coach Paul Mahaica Sr.
GOA’s Nalini McKoy will act as the Chef de Mission for the trip.