Tyrell, Persaud tested by strong Commonwealth fields

Guyanese swimmer Delroy Tyrell faced a stern test against a quality international field when he finished fifth in Heat One of the men’s 50m freestyle at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday.
Competing at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Tyrell clocked 24.98 seconds to place fifth in his heat, finishing 1.13 seconds behind the winner.
Malaysia’s Singh Chahal Arvin Shaun topped the heat in 23.85 seconds, while Pakistan’s Asif Hamza and Sri Lanka’s Mohamed Fidhyan Muhammad shared second place after both stopped the clock at 24.17 seconds. Gibraltar’s James Sanderson was fourth in 24.76 seconds, narrowly edging Tyrell for a higher placing.
Rounding out the field were Robsen Dick of Vanuatu in 28.36 seconds, Moses Yongai of Sierra Leone in 30.27 seconds, and Josiah Minott of Anguilla in 31.87 seconds.

Although Tyrell was unable to challenge for one of the leading positions in a highly competitive race, the performance provided another valuable opportunity to compete against elite swimmers from across the Commonwealth.
His outing forms part of Team Guyana’s campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, where the nation’s athletes continue to gain invaluable experience while representing the Golden Arrowhead on the global stage.
In the event the day before, Team Guyana’s Aleka Persaud continued her campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, producing a determined effort to finish sixth in Heat Three of the women’s 50m freestyle.
Competing against a strong international field, Persaud touched the wall in 29.24 seconds, placing sixth in her heat, just 1.27 seconds behind the winner.
Namibia’s Jessica Olive Twapewa Humphrey won the heat in 27.97 seconds, while Belize’s Davia Richardson finished second in 28.86 seconds. Guernsey Molly Staples claimed third in 29.10 seconds, narrowly ahead of Uganda’s Namutebi Kirabo, who was fourth in 29.12 seconds.
Jersey’s Megan Hansford finished fifth in 29.21 seconds, only three-hundredths of a second ahead of Persaud in what proved to be a closely contested race through the middle of the field.
Barbados’ Toria Alleyne placed seventh in 30.13 seconds, while Antigua and Barbuda’s Aunjelique Liddie completed the field in 31.67 seconds.