Stanton “proud” of CARIFTA team’s achievements

Guyana’s contingent recently returned from the April 4–6 Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games in St George’s, Grenada, with a six-medal haul to boot.
Considering their four gold medals, it meant Guyana would finish fifth at this year’s games with a 23-member squad.
This achievement came in for much praise from team manager Niall Stanton, who expressed his pride in their performances.
Stanton told media operatives upon their return, “I’m extremely excited. The games were tough, and the competition was extremely stiff, but all in all, the young people did extremely well. I think coming back with four gold medals, a silver, and a bronze, with a team with just 23 athletes, I don’t think we could ask for more.”
“I must give credit to the coaches because they would’ve worked hard. Also, kudos to the Ministry; they have been giving us funding to have camps since last year. So, these young people have been in camps since October. I think it kind of paid off.”
“As the manager of this team, I’m very proud of the work that the young people put in,” the team manager later added.
Stanton went on to single out Guyana’s record-breaking mixed 4x400M win as the highlight of this year’s games.

He gushed, “My high point was our 4×4 relay team; we not only broke our own record but, you know, most times we have a complete 4×4 quartet. This trip we had a 200M athlete in that race, [Akeelah] Dover in the second leg, and to see what Dover would’ve done, to see that live, it’s exciting.”
Quizzed about the team’s near misses, the team manager did admit that there were more medals to be won by the Guyanese athletes.
Stanton conceded, “Yes, we were hoping for our 4x400m male team, the 800m with Roberts, the jumps… you know, it was that close, but, on the day, it’s a competition. For the fact that they went out and they gave their all, the most you could do is just say thanks, congrats, and let’s try and see what we can do next year.”
Nonetheless, Stanton repeated some encouraging words offered to those athletes who came close to the CARIFTA podium.
“I basically say to them, ‘You’ve done your best; Guyana is proud of you. We’ve got to go back to the drawing board. You have time to come next year, and what you didn’t get this year, you’re going to do better next year’. I think they understand that every athlete wanted to come back with a medal because that was our goal,” he related.
“As a coach, as a manager, for the fact that they would’ve made it to the finals, that says something. There’re over 20 teams in this competition, and you’re in the last eight; that says you’re one of the best,” the team manager further expressed.
Aside from the gold medals, Guyana also carted off one silver and one bronze at the 2026 CARIFTA Games.