No surprises in qualifying line-up for Guyana’s Inter-Guiana Games team

By Michelangelo Jacobus

Daniel Williams, Tyrell Peters, Samuel Lynch, Joanna Archer and Chantoba Bright, among others, have all qualified for inclusion on the Guyana’s Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) squad to compete at the upcoming games in Suriname.
The athletes competed successfully in the Athletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG’s) trials held on Saturday at the Synthetic Track at Leonora, WCD.
With the notable absence of sprint ace Compton Caesar, who is no longer in school and thus cannot compete at the games, Tyrell Peters is set to defend Guyana in the 100 metre event, as he qualified with the fastest time of 10.71s in the 100m, while Umkosi Vancooten will be his partner, as he clocked the second best time of 11.04s.
In the 200m, World U-18 400m silver medalist Daniel Williams had the fastest time — 21.52s — while Peters was second in 22.34s.
Toyan Raymond will be representing Guyana in the females’ sprint events of 100m and 200m, as she won both events, clocking 24.66s in the 200m. DeShauna Skeete of Wismar, Linden will be her partner, as she was second, in 25.75s.
Kenisha Phillips, the go-to girls’ representative, is currently out of action, having picked up an injury recently.
In the Boys’ 1500m, Murphy Nash of Christianburg qualified in first place in a time of 4:30.47s, while Running Braves’ athlete Ronaldo Wishart was second in 4:34.91s.

Samuel “Sammy” Lynch surprisingly finished in first place, ahead of Daniel Williams in the Boys’ 400m event, in a time of 50.06s. Williams clocked 51.63s.
In the Female 1500m, Police athlete Joana Archer was first in 5:03.21s, while Shaquka Tyrell was second, in 5:04.67s.
GDF athlete Anthony Williams earned the right to represent Guyana when he won the Boys’ long jump with a leap of 6.52m, while Ronaldo Greene was second with 6.51m.
As has been the norm in recent times, Chantoba Bright had no real challenge in the Girls’ long jump, and she won easily with a jump of 5.62m; while Toyan Raymond was second with 5.22m.
Joana Archer easily won her pet event, the Girls’ 800m, in a time of 2:26.79s; while Kezra Murray was her closest challenger, with 2:27.99s.
Samuel Lynch was first in the boys’ 800m event, clocking a time of 1:59.59s; while Daniel Melville was second in 2:02.30s.
Williams, in an interview after his 200m run, said he is expecting a good performance despite not being on a synthetic track. He promised to do his best to bring home medals for Guyana.
The Inter-Guiana Games is the brainchild of Guyana’s first Executive President, Forbes Burnham, and is in its 50th year of existence. This year’s games will be held in Suriname.
The Games usually involve competition in basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, chess, athletics, swimming, and table tennis.